Thriving communities support the Arts.

WRCF established the Arts Grants Fund in 2020 and continues to provide funding through arts focused grants based on the needs in our community, and indicators of the impact of this fund.

In 2024, approximately $580,000 will be distributed to individual artists, art collectives and nonprofit organizations in Waterloo Region. The funding includes:

• approximately $350,000 for applying arts organizations that are registered charities, qualified donees or those working with fiscal partners. The funding is comprised of $250,000 made available through WRCF and several WRCF Fundholders and donors, with an additional $100,000 provided through the Region of Waterloo.

  Note: Similar to the past few years, WRCF’s Arts Grants Fund Committee has already allocated $15,000 of this funding to Pat the Dog Theatre Creation to be distributed as part of their Microgrant Program for individual artists across Waterloo Region. The Microgrant Program is in collaboration with the City of Waterloo that will grant $10,000 towards the 2025 Microgrants, ensuring a total allocation of $25,000 for the 2025 program from which Waterloo Region artists from all artistic disciplines are eligible to apply. Details will be available here.

• $230,000 for applying individual artists and collectives without a Fiscal Partner, funded by the Region of Waterloo.

The Arts Grants Fund reinforces WRCF’s approach to encouraging self-led activities, with two volunteer committees from the local arts community developing the funding guidelines, reviewing applications and determining funding recipients and allocations for the two grant streams: (1) for organizations, qualified donees or those working with a Fiscal Partner; (2) for individual artists or art collectives without a Fiscal Partner.

WRCF is partnering with the Region of Waterloo for one year to maintain support for artists, collectives and arts organizations through the Region, while the Region completes a review of the Region of Waterloo Arts Fund Model. To learn more visit here.

We also appreciate the collaboration from the City of Waterloo in funding microgrants through Pat the Dog Theatre Creation

If you would like to support WRCF’s Arts Grants Fund, and have your donation assist with funding applications that WRCF receives, please click here to make your donation.