2026 Operating Grant Recipients
Agnes Etherington Art Centre | $55,000
Situated on Anishinaabek, Haudenosaunee, and Huron-Wendat territories, Agnes is a curatorially-driven, research-intensive professional art centre that proudly serves a dual mandate as a leading, internationally recognized public art gallery and as an active pedagogical resource at Queen’s University. By commissioning, researching, collecting and stewarding works of art, and by exhibiting and interpreting visual culture through an intersectional lens, Agnes creates opportunities for participation and exchange across communities, cultures, histories and geographies.
Cantabile Choirs of Kingston | $40,000
Cantabile Choirs is a community-based performing arts and music education organization serving Kingston and the surrounding region, and rooted in the belief that music has the power to connect people, enrich lives, and strengthen communities. They provide high-quality choral and musical experiences for children, youth, and adults, fostering artistic excellence through performance, education, and community engagement.
Centre culturel Frontenac | $16,000
Centre Culturel Frontenac, incorporated in 1980, stands as Kingston's premier Francophone cultural hub, dedicated to celebrating and promoting the arts and culture in French. Whether it's through music, theatre, dance, or other artistic expressions, they curate a diverse array of shows tailored for French speakers and enthusiasts alike. Collaborating with local organizations, they strive to deliver unforgettable experiences.
Cultivate Art Commons | $56,763
Cultivate Art Commons (formerly Modern Fuel Artist-Run Centre) is a non-profit organization in Katarokwi/Kingston dedicated to supporting contemporary artists through equity-rooted, community-engaged artistic practice. They support contemporary artists and communities by facilitating dialogue, creation, and the presentation of diverse artistic practices to nurture the cultural landscape of the region.
Kingston Symphony Association | $60,000
Kingston Symphony Association is the umbrella organization for Kingston Symphony, Kingston Choral Society, Kingston Community Strings, and Kingston Youth Orchestra. The Kingston Symphony Association is inspired by a vision of exceptional music, community impact, innovation, exploration, growth, and organizational development. They strive to provide musical experiences and programs of the highest caliber for the enjoyment and education of their audiences.
Melos Choir & Early Music | $15,000
Melos Choir performs music from the 4th – 19th centuries using historically-informed performance practices, and seeks to develop skilled voices and instrumentalists by providing educational resources in the Kingston area. Their concerts trace developments in Western music and culture, parallel developments in other cultures, and historical cross-influences between cultures in Early Music.
Single Thread Theatre Company | $10,000
Single Thread Theatre Company creates immersive theatre experiences in Canada and internationally that seek to advance the art of immersive storytelling through innovation and the presentation of new works. The company’s approach to non-traditional theatre-making, inspired by creative industries such as video games and escape rooms, offers an alternative for artists and youth to conventional theatre opportunities.
Theatre Kingston | $35,000
Theatre Kingston produces stimulating, intellectually provocative professional theatrical work in Kingston. They are dedicated to facilitating the development of the region’s theatrical artists by producing new and existing work, the annual TK Fringe Festival, and offering educational and engagement activities for adults and children.
Union Gallery | $21,000
Union Gallery is a space for creative risk-taking and curiosity that supports and promotes the arts communities of Katarokwi/Kingston by nurturing reciprocal relationships between students, artists, and arts workers at all stages of their careers. It is a community-driven hub for the production and exhibition of contemporary art that fosters critical engagement, facilitates interdisciplinary experimentation, and creates opportunities for the next generation of cultural producers.
Peer Assessment Committee
Voting
- Pat Bradley
- Steph Drouin
- Andrea Fitzgerald
- Janet Jarrell
- Meagan Lapointe
Ex Officio
- Nicole Daniels, Executive Director, Kingston Arts Council
- Shamara Peart, Grants Administrator, Kingston Arts Council
- Katherine Dionne, Administrative and Grants Assistant
- Danika Lochhead, Director, Arts & Culture Services, City of Kingston
About CKAF Operating Grants
CKAF Operating Grants are annual grants to support the operations, programs and/or services of a wide range of non-profit arts organizations (professional, semi-professional, and emerging) in Kingston. City of Kingston Arts Fund (CKAF) Operating Grants are usually expected to be renewable grants, based on the assessment and decision-making provisions outlined in the CKAF Framework.
Grant Amounts
CKAF 2026 Operating Grants range from $10,000 – $65,000.
Funding Period
CKAF 2026 Operating Grants are intended to support the recipient organization’s operations and programming for their fiscal year ending in 2027.
Applications
CKAF 2026 Operating Grants are closed. Applications will reopen in Spring 2027.
Program Guidelines
Interested applicants may review the CKAF 2026 Operating Grant Guidelines to learn more about the program. Please note: program details and eligibility requirements are subject to change in 2027.
Information Session
The KAC hosted an information session for the Operating Grant stream, which included a detailed review of the respective Guidelines, Application Forms, and Assessment Criteria, as well as a Q&A with KAC staff. The video, as well as the slide show can be viewed below.
Information for CKAF Recipients
Acknowledgement Requirements
As outlined in the Terms and Conditions for CKAF Operating Grants, all grant recipients are required to acknowledge the support of CKAF by using both the City of Kingston and the Kingston Arts Council logos in advertising, programs, events and brochures relating to the activities for which funds are granted. If the recipient is unable to include these logos in a design (as when, on small flyer or advertisement, space does not permit them to be legibly included), the recipient must acknowledge the support of CKAF by specifying it in the text of the item.
For guidelines regarding the use of the City of Kingston logo, please refer to their webpage here.
If you require different formats or clarification regarding the acknowledgement requirements, please contact the KAC at Grants@ArtsKingston.ca
CITY OF KINGSTON LOGOS
City of Kingston (black)
City of Kingston (white)
City of Kingston (blue)
KINGSTON ARTS COUNCIL LOGOS
Kingston Arts Council - Horizontal (black)
Kingston Arts Council - Horizontal (white)
Kingston Arts Council - Horizontal (colour)
Kingston Arts Council - Vertical (black)
Kingston Arts Council - Vertical (white)
Kingston Arts Council - Vertical (colour)
Insurance
All Operating Grant recipients must provide proof of $5 million liability insurance before KAC can release CKAF funds. Recipients must maintain commercial general liability insurance (covering bodily injury and property damage up to at least $5,000,000 per occurrence) for the entire duration of the grant.
Reporting Requirements
All 2026 Operating Grant recipients are required to submit an Interim Report no later than 15 January 2026. The Interim Report form will be made available in November 2026.
Extension Requests
Grant recipients may request an extension for Interim Reports. Requests must be made in writing at least five business days in advance of the deadline. Extensions will be granted at the discretion of the KAC Executive Director and will not exceed 30 calendar days.
Extension requests should be submitted via email to Grants@ArtsKingston.ca
Contact Information - Kingston Arts Council
Inquiries regarding the CKAF Operating Grant program should be directed to Shamara Peart, Grants Administrator at Grants@ArtsKingston.ca or 613-546-2787. Applicants may also visit the KAC office in person during office hours.
The KAC Office:
Unit 115, Tett Centre for Creativity and Learning
370 King St W, Kingston ON K7L 2X4
Monday – Friday, 10:00 AM – 5:00 PM