CEF Arts Program | City of Hamilton

City Enrichment Fund

2026 CEF Intake

The 2026 City Enrichment Fund intake period opens October 1 for programs taking place in 2026.

Applications are due by 4 pm November 17, 2025.
Agriculture applications are due by 4 pm December 5, 2025.

About Arts Program

The Arts Program provides opportunities for all the people of Hamilton to enjoy and actively participate in the arts while:

Enhancing social, economic and cultural prosperity
Building strength in the arts sector

The Arts program offers four funding streams: Operating, Arts Festivals, Capacity Building, Creation & Presentation.

Operating Stream

To provide not-for-profit arts organizations with a stable funding base to enable them to further their mission.

This funding stream provides annual and multi-year grants to support the operation (administration and programming) of established professional, semi-professional and emerging organizations in all artistic disciplines.

Professional Organizations Eligibility
A professional arts organization is led by arts professionals who observe best practices and pursue standards of excellence within their discipline. Professional organizations are those who work with other arts professionals whom they pay, at minimum standard fees, for the artistic work.

Maximum Funding

Established Professional Organizations:
Up to 30% of operating expenses.

Semi-Professional Organizations Eligibility
A semi-professional arts organization is generally led by arts professionals who pursue standards of excellence within their discipline and includes participants who are not generally paid for the artistic work they do within the organization.

Maximum Funding

Established Semi-Professional Organizations:
Up to 30% of operating expenses.

Emerging Arts Organizations Eligibility
An emerging arts organization is a not-for-profit professional or semi- professional arts organization which has been incorporated for between one and four years and has a history of sustained activity on a seasonal or year round basis.

Maximum Funding

Emerging Organizations:
Professional $30,000
Emerging Organizations - Maximum Funding:
Semi-Professional $10,000

Arts Operating Handbook

Download Arts Operating Program Handbook(PDF, 338.53 KB)

Arts Festivals

To enhance the ability of organizations to produce and present arts festivals that have high merit, strong impact and solid viability.

This funding stream supports the planning and delivery of arts festivals in Hamilton that have a city-wide impact through annual operating grants for established festivals and emerging festivals. For the purpose of this funding stream, a festival is defined as a collection of arts activities presented over a set period of time with some theme of interest. A festival may be devoted to one or more disciplines and can be produced annually, on a reoccurring basis, or one-time. A festival has general appeal, a public profile and public access on a free and / or paid basis.

Eligibility
Incorporated not-for-profit organizations (Established) that have been incorporated for five or more years and have a history of sustained arts festival programming, (Emerging) that have been producing the festival for less than five years.

Maximum Funding

Established Festivals: $100,000
Emerging Festivals: $10,000

Art Festivals Handbook

Download Arts Festivals Program Handbook(PDF, 338.54 KB)

Capacity Building

To strengthen the relevance, responsiveness, effectiveness and resilience of Hamilton’s arts organizations.

This funding stream provides project grants to incorporated arts organizations to support capacity building strategies, organizational development projects and professional development initiatives to build administrative and management capacity in the arts.

Eligibility
Professional and semi-professional arts organizations, which have been incorporated for five or more years are eligible to apply. Individual organizations or collaborating organizations.

Maximum Funding: $25,000

Arts Capacity Building Handbook

Download Arts Program Capacity Building Handbook(PDF, 324.42 KB)

Creation & Presentation

To provide the opportunity for artists to create new artistic work and to enhance public exposure to a body of work that will build and strengthen their careers and/or enhance the creative profile of the city of Hamilton.

This funding stream provides project grants to artists who have an independent arts practice in any arts discipline, for the creation of new artistic work and its public presentation in Hamilton and further afield.

Established Artist Eligibility
Open to any artist and collective who has developed skills through training and / or practice in an arts discipline, has a significant history of professional public exposure and presentation, is recognized by their peers and is paid professional fees. Typically, established artists have been practicing professionally for seven years or more.

Maximum Funding: $10,000

Emerging Artist Eligibility
Open to any artist and collective at the early stage in their career, who has received specialized training in their art form and who has created a modest body of artistic work. Typically, emerging artists have been practicing professionally for less than seven years.

Maximum Funding: $5,000

Creation & Presentation Handbook

Download Arts Program Creation & Presentation for Artists Handbook(PDF, 351.42 KB)

Download Arts Program Creation & Presentation for Artists Handbook in Arabic(PDF, 289.59 KB)

Information Sessions

Arts Organizations
October 9, 12 noon to 1:30pm - Virtual

This session will introduce the City Enrichment Fund and provide an overview of the three Funding Streams available to not-for-profit Arts Organizations: Arts Operating, Arts Festivals, and Arts Capacity Building. The presentation will cover submission requirements, the application process, and conclude with a Q&A.

This session is intended for new and returning applicants to provide grants to Established Professional Organizations, Established Semi-professional Organizations, and Emerging Organizations.

Creation & Presentation for Artists
October 10 from 12 noon to 1 pm - Virtual

This session will introduce the City Enrichment Fund and provide an overview of the Creation & Presentation funding stream. The presentation will cover eligibility criteria, assessment criteria, and review the application and support material requirements. It will also include tips on preparing an application and conclude with a Q&A.

This session is intended for artists and artist collectives at any stage of their career. The Creation & Presentation stream provides project grants for the creation of new work and its presentation in Hamilton and further afield.

Creation & Presentation for Artists information session
October 20, 6 to 7:30 pm - In person
Location 28 James St N, Hamilton, ON L8R 2K1, Room 154

This in-person session will introduce the City Enrichment Fund and provide an overview of the Creation & Presentation funding stream. The presentation will cover the application, eligibility, assessment criteria, and conclude with a Q&A.

About the Venue
The Tourism Hamilton Visitor Centre meeting room 154 is located within the Lister Block building, located at 28 James Street North. There are two entrances: one on James Street and one on King William Street, once inside the building, please continue until you reach the security desk. The meeting room is located beside the security desk. The facility is wheelchair accessible, outfitted with automatic doors at the entrance and washrooms.

Question & Answer Appointments
Virtual appointments are available upon request from October 1 to November 12, 2025. These one-on-one meetings are for new and returning applicants to receive custom and enhanced support ahead of the City Enrichment Fund application intake deadline.

Registered attendees will receive the meeting link details by email.

Date modified

October 01, 2025