Toronto, February 26, 2002 — The Ontario Arts Council (OAC) today announced the long-awaited details of its new Chalmers Program. The Chalmers Program replaces the Chalmers Awards, which drew to a close on May 14, 2001, when arts patron Joan Chalmers, C.C., O. Ont., announced it was time to change the way the Chalmers Fund supported artists.
“When Floyd Chalmers established the Chalmers Fund at the OAC in 1979, he wanted to strengthen the arts and encourage innovation. We have created the new Chalmers Program in the spirit of Floyd’s original legacy. I want to commend Joan Chalmers for her fearlessness and her vision in encouraging OAC to do what her father did – to respond to the needs of the arts community,” said John Brotman, Executive Director.
The new program is divided into two components: the Chalmers Arts Fellowships support arts professionals whose projects are arts research, exploration or experimentation or whose projects are focused on the creation or development of new work. Ontario arts professionals may apply for a fellowship to a maximum of $50,000.
The Chalmers Professional Development Grants support individual arts professionals who wish to undertake apprenticeships, residencies, intensive seminars, or specialized training in their fields. Ontario arts professionals may apply for a grant up to $15,000.
“OAC hosted a series of consultation sessions at which numerous ideas for the design of the new program were put forward,” explained Brotman. “I am happy to say that the result is a program that is both flexible and equitable.”
The two deadlines for both components are June 15, 2002 and January 15, 2003. Applicants may only apply to one program component at a time. Arts organizations are not eligible for this program.
OAC Media Contact: Kirsten Gunter, Manager of Communications
Tel: (416) 969-7403. Toll-free outside of Toronto: 1-800-387-0058, ext. 7403.
E-mail: kgunter@arts.on.ca