CKAF PROJECT GRANTS

Brass Over Teakettle –Skeleton Park Arts Festival, 2025. Photo by Josh Lyon.
Brass Over Teakettle –Skeleton Park Arts Festival, 2025. Photo by Josh Lyon.

2025 CKAF Project Grant Recipients

The KAC introduced a low-barrier application process for CKAF 2025 Project Grants, in alignment with the CKAF 2025 Transition Plan. A jury of peers reviewed 35 eligible applications from individual artists, collectives, and nonprofit organizations through this streamlined application process, awarding funding to the following recipients:

A New Beginning | $8,000
Deaf Spirit Theatre

Deaf Spirit Theatre is a Kingston-based, Deaf-led theatre/performance collective which celebrates the richness of Deaf culture through inclusive, accessible, and expressive theatre blending American Sign Language (ASL), physical comedy, visual storytelling, signed music, and voiceover. This community-driven project will include developing a new theatre work, A New Beginning; touring the work in progress to local mainstream elementary and high schools, as well as Deaf schools; and Deaf theatre workshops with youth.

A Rift in the Valley | $5,245
GHY Cheung

A Rift in the Valley is a graphic novel and queer story about two artist friends in a small university town, developed by GHY Cheung and Kyle Vingoe-Cram. Rift explores the relationship between its protagonists as they navigate changes to their relationship and consider how racism and anti-queerness affect their respective career trajectories. This project includes the completion and exhibition of artwork for A Rift in the Valley, as well as a thematic group discussion event and associated documentation.

Airwave YGK Musicians-in-Residence Program | $7,500
CFRC 101.9 FM

Airwave YGK Musicians-in-Residence Program supports local artists in experimenting with new ideas, collaborating, and performing newly created work using CFRC’s studios and platforms. Airwave YGK includes paid 2-day artist residencies for 10 local musicians, an Airwave YGK Musicians-in-Residence Talkback broadcast and podcast series, and a creative and participatory workshop series.

Bilingual Capoeira Batizado e Troca de Cordas | $7,000
Afro-Brazilian Arts Festival Association

The Afro-Brazilian Arts Festival Association fosters creativity, equity, and cultural engagement in Kingston through Capoeira—an Afro-Brazilian art form combining martial arts, dance, and music, rooted in Afro-diasporic history. Bilingual Capoeira Batizado e Troca de Cordas is a three-day celebration of Afro-Brazilian culture through Capoeira, a multidisciplinary art form that blends music, martial arts, dance, and oral storytelling. In addition to the festival in late October, the project includes music and visual art workshops for those who speak English and French.

Both Sides Now | $7,500
PeerLess Productions

PeerLess Productions is an inter-abled company that provides performance opportunities for neurodiverse and disabled artists. A team of six adult artists with Down syndrome and three neurotypical artists will produce a multimedia production, Both Sides Now, that blends film interviews with dance. Both Sides Now will include the voices of families and caregivers, seeking to broaden audiences’ awareness of the complexities involved in PeerLess artists pursuing a life in the arts and honour the caregivers who journey with them.

PASS it on – Project for Accessible Sewing Skills | $7,000
Breanne Johnson

PASS it on is a community textile arts initiative creating meaningful opportunities for Kingston residents to learn essential sewing and mending skills while fostering collaboration between emerging and established artists. The project includes free monthly workshops, a weekly Community Mending Clinic that offers free drop-in support, and an Artist Residency Program supporting six emerging artists through rotating two-month terms at Wild Bobbin.

Get Sketchy: An Urban Sketch Carousel | $5,300
Sumera Khan

Get Sketchy: An Urban Sketch Carousel is a one-day, ticketed art event led by artist, arts educator, and urban sketcher Sumera Khan. The event will welcome up to 64 participants who will rotate through a series of sketching “stations” led by eight professional artists. Each station will feature a live demonstration, allowing participants to observe different approaches, styles, and techniques in real-time.

Joy! | $7,000
Sistema Kingston

Sistema Kingston provides an accessible, intensive program for children and youth that supports positive social development through the pursuit of musical excellence. Joy! is their 11th annual year-end concert focused on the theme of joy and its reflection in different musical genres and cultures. The concert will include a new creative arrangement of Beethoven’s Ode to Joy, a dance presentation, and Indigenous drumming activities led by guest artist Yessica Rivera Belsham. 

Paper Pulse — Regeneration | $7,500
Emily Wu

Paper Pulse — Regeneration is a community-engaged visual art project by artist Emily Wu, executed in four phases: material collection, community workshops, artistic creation, and a final exhibition. In collaboration with guest artists Tong Jia and Diana Jackson, Emily will offer a series of pulp art workshops which will inform the development of a collaborative sculptural series for exhibition in 2026.

Kingston Pop Choir | $6,900
Steph Drouin

Kingston Pop Choir is a monthly pop choir led by artist Steph Drouin and a series of guest artists and collaborators. Through this project, 12 local musicians will take turns leading a group in an arrangement of an original song or popular cover of their choice during a 2-3 hour gathering where participants come together to sing, connect, and create. The project is developed for those interested in participatory music, bridging the gap between formal choir and casual singing.

K is for Kingston, K is for Katarokwi | $8,500
Jane Kirby

K is for Kingston, K is for Katarokwi is the tentative title of a children’s ABC book developed through community engagement and featuring illustrations by 13 local artists. Each letter of the alphabet will represent a particular symbol or landmark of Katarokwi/Kingston, such as a location, event, activity, flora or fauna. The list of words will be developed through a series of workshops featuring group brainstorms and art activities, delivered by Jane and fellow collaborators, ensuring diverse perspectives are reflected in the final product. 

Kingston Printmakers Collective | $7,500
Kingston School of Art

Kingston School of Art (KSOA) is a nonprofit organization which provides quality, accessible arts education and engagement opportunities. With a new location secured and strategic plan completed, KSOA is now launching the Kingston Printmakers Collective to ensure and expand ongoing access to the valuable printmaking equipment under KSOA’s care. Through this project, KSOA will develop a collective framework and build the collective membership, facilitate print shop access, purchase materials, train emerging printmakers, and host the inaugural Kingston Printmakers Collective exhibition. 

Old Wine New Bottles - Early Music Inspiring Young Musicians | $7,000
Melos Choir & Period Instruments

Melos Choir & Period Instruments performs music from the 6th to the 19th centuries using historically informed performance practices. Old Wine New Bottles offers high-level workshop and performance opportunities to young musicians and to local, professional players, singers, and amateur choristers interested in Baroque music.

The Art of Visiting – National Indigenous Presenters Gathering | $7,000
Lodgepole Arts Alliance

The Art of Visiting - National Indigenous Presenters Gathering (2026) is a three day multidisciplinary event that brings together Indigenous and Treaty Partner artists, presenters, and cultural workers from across Turtle Island. The Gathering features dialogue circles and public events including performances, film screenings, and workshops that spotlight Indigenous musicians, dancers, storytellers, and theatre artists. CKAF funding will support a Cabaret/Showcase featuring six emerging Indigenous performing artists sharing excerpts from their practice and works-in-progress.

The Colours of Us: A Community Art Project on Connection | $7,000
Kingston Hidden Artist Collective

Kingston Hidden Artist Collective (KHAC) is composed of local artists who are unseen or hidden, often navigating houselessness, housing precarity, mental health challenges, and other forms of systemic marginalization. The Colours of Us is a community-engaged project that invites participants to co-create artwork with members of KHAC. KHAC artists will produce partially completed artworks to be featured in a public exhibition, purchased, and completed by other community members. The event will also launch a colouring book featuring the original pieces.

Slow Dance 2026 | $4,600
Slow Dance

Slow Dance is an annual event that blends the spirit of a queer-friendly fake prom with high-quality multidisciplinary arts programming. Slow Dance seeks to foster celebratory and inclusive spaces where diverse artists and audiences can come together. The 2026 edition of Slow Dance will feature dance cards, designated dancers, DJs, and a photobooth. Now in its 17th year, Slow Dance is seeking to welcome and mentor a new generation of organizers through a public call for committee members, investing in the longevity and sustainability of the event.

WordLabs | $7,500
Kingston Literacy and Skills

WordLabs is a new literary arts project under Kingston Literacy & Skills which features writing workshops, seminar classes, peer writing groups, onstage artist events, and a weekly Wordlabs Out Loud radio show on CFRC. With CKAF, the organization will expand its fall programming to include workshops and seminars specifically for youth, public open mic opportunities for WordLabs students, a screenwriting seminar and culminating showcase in partnership with KCFF, and professional development workshops with the Kingston Music Office.

CKAF 2025 Project Grants Committee

Jurors

  • Jarena Lee
  • Jabra Mitwasi
  • Haley Sarfeld

Ex Officio Members

  • Nicole Daniels, Executive Director, Kingston Arts Council (Chair)
  • B.C. Gorrie, Program and Communications Coordinator, Kingston Arts Council
  • Shamara Peart, Program Administrator, Kingston Arts Council
  • Danika Lochhead, Director, Arts & Culture Services, City of Kingston

2025 CKAF Project Grant Recipients:
Recurring/Annual Festivals

In addition to the streamlined CKAF 2025 Project Grants application process, four organizations were identified through the CKAF 2025 Transition Plan to receive funding to support their 2026 festivals:

Festival of Live Digital Art (FOLDA) | $15,000
SpiderWebShow Performance

FOLDA broadens the discussion about digital performance aesthetics and poetics by presenting artworks that epitomize innovation, risk and engagement. FOLDA includes two main activities: a presentation series and the StartUp professional development and networking series. The StartUp offers participants hands-on experience with emerging technologies, while workshops and artist talks explore access, aesthetics, and digital technology.

Ground UP Dance Festival | $15,000
Ground UP Dance Festival

The Ground UP Dance Festival is Kingston’s annual festival for professional dance. Ground UP is focused on building community, providing a focused performance platform for dance, and supporting artists throughout their journey in creation and development. Launched in the summer of 2022, the Ground UP Dance Festival became the first annual festival for professional dance in Kingston, Ontario. Each year the festival is expanding, with more shows, workshops, and opportunities for artists to engage and take up space in YGK. Originally founded by Movement Market Collective, the Ground UP Dance Festival has taken on a life of its own and is now a registered nonprofit arts organization.

Juvenis Festival | $15,000
Blue Canoe Theatrical Productions

The Juvenis Festival is Kingston's youth arts festival and one of only two youth arts festivals in all of Canada. Juvenis is an eleven-day series of art-based workshops, musicals, and projects that Blue Canoe puts on in the Spring. Each event is headed by a Youth Project Leader (YPL) who is between the ages of 13-30 and is supported by a local mentor. These events are bolstered by the partnerships we form within Kingston’s community, keeping the arts alive and offering professional opportunities for youth. Juvenis gives young people an opportunity to act, sing, dance, perform, and showcase their artistic talents, as well as take free workshops to build on their interests and skills. While workshops are targeted to youth, community members of all ages are invited to take part in Juvenis productions and events.

Skeleton Park Arts Festival | $15,000
Skeleton Park Arts Festival

Skeleton Park Arts Festival strives to bring together artists from a range of disciplines to present unique and collaborative artistic experiences in a variety of alternative venues while helping to increase community engagement and neighbourhood pride. The festival connects different demographics and communities through a variety of free multi-arts programming that prioritizes local artists in music, literature, dance, film, fine arts, craft, and theatre.

CKAF Objectives

I. Engage Kingston artists with professional opportunities and industry-standard compensation;
II. Nurture creativity and arts engagement for Kingston residents;
III. Address current needs in the Kingston community;
IV. Strengthen and expand access to the arts;
V. Create inclusive activities and equity practices that reflect the diversity of artists, arts communities and audiences in Kingston;
VI. Foster collaboration between emerging and established artists and arts organizations across disciplines;
VII. Build capacity in the arts and culture sector through professional development, mentorship and investment in sustainable, relevant, high-quality artistic work; and
VIII. Cultivate community partnerships across private and public sectors.

Information for CKAF Recipients

Acknowledgement Requirements

As outlined in the Terms of Reference for CKAF Project 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 Project Grant recipients must provide proof of $5 million liability insurance before KAC can release CKAF funds. A quote can also be accepted if the project start date is too far away to secure insurance. Grant recipients may use grant funds to cover the cost of insurance. Insurance must be secured and paid for before project activities begin. The KAC can help grant recipients connect with a suitable insurer.

Reporting Requirements

CKAF Project Grant recipients are required to submit an Interim Report and a Final Report.

Interim Report

The 2025 Project Grant Interim Report deadline is 15 April 2026. All Project Grant recipients must complete an Interim Report, with the exception of projects completed before 31 December 2025.

2024 CKAF Project Grant Interim Report Form

Final Report

All Project Grant recipients must submit a Final Report no more than 60 days after the project completion, and no later than the end of the funding period outlined in their Grant Agreement, as follows:

  • 2025 CKAF Project Grant recipients must submit a Final Report no more than 60 days after the project completion and no later than 31 December 2026
  • 2024 CKAF Project Grant recipients must submit a Final Report no more than 60 days after the project completion and no later than 31 December 2025

Final Report Forms:

Extension Requests

Grant recipients may request an extension for Interim or Final 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.

If the project will not be completed by the end of the grant term (2024 CKAF recipients: 31 December 2025; 2025 recipients: 31 December 2026), the recipient must submit a request to KAC to extend the term of the project grant. Requests must be submitted before the original Final Report deadline based on the application. Requests should be made in writing to the Grants Coordinator and will be granted at the discretion of the KAC Executive Director. Extensions will not exceed 120 calendar days.

If Project Grant recipients do not submit their signed grant agreement and insurance or an extension request by the original Final Report deadline, the grant will be considered null and void and the amount will not be issued.

Extension requests should be submitted via email to Grants@ArtsKingston.ca