Artist Grants in Canada: What Jurors Find When They Google You
You polished your artist statement. Your images are the right size. Your CV is finally up to date. You hit submit on the grant application and exhale.
Then a juror types your name into Google.
What they find in that moment matters more than most artists realize. Grant jurors, curators, and program officers do look applicants up online. It is not officially part of the scoring, but it shapes the impression that surrounds your application. A website that loads fast, shows your work clearly, and looks current tells them you are a working professional. A broken site, a Facebook page last updated in 2021, or nothing at all tells a different story.
The good news: this is one of the easiest parts of your application to fix. Here is how to make sure search season works in your favour.
Google yourself first
Open a private browser window and search your name the way a stranger would: your full name, your name plus “artist,” your name plus your city. What comes up? Is your website first? Is the information current? Would you feel proud if a juror landed there? Fix whatever embarrasses you before you submit anything.
Make your website do the talking
Jurors are busy. They will spend maybe two minutes on your site. Make those minutes count:
Your name and discipline in plain language on the homepage, not just a poetic tagline.
A clear gallery or portfolio page with good images that load quickly.
A current CV or bio page, dated so it is obvious it is maintained.
A working contact page. A contact form that goes nowhere is worse than no form at all.
Keep it current
Nothing sinks credibility faster than a “News” page announcing a 2019 exhibition. Before grant season, update your exhibition history, swap in recent work, and remove anything stale. A small, current site beats a big, dusty one every time.
Know where to apply
If you are new to grants, start here. At the federal level, the Canada Council for the Arts runs Explore and Create grants for individual artists (Research and Creation, Concept to Realization, and Professional Development), plus Micro-Grants for Artistic Career Development worth up to $10,000 per application. Canadian Heritage funds festivals and presenting organizations through the Canada Arts Presentation Fund.
In New Brunswick, ArtsNB offers Creation Grants for professional artists, Documentation Grants, and Career Development grants covering Arts by Invitation, Professional Development, and Professionalization and Promotion. In Ontario, the Ontario Arts Council’s Visual Arts Projects program supports galleries, artist-run centres, collectives, and independent curators with grants up to $15,000. Every province has its own arts council, so check yours too.
Your application ends at submit. Your online presence keeps working.
Think of your website as the silent second half of every grant application you send. It is working while the jury deliberates, while a curator considers you for a show, while a collector debates a purchase. Make sure it is saying what you want it to say.
Want a hand getting your site grant-ready? Grab my free PDF, Get Your Art Seen Online, for the step-by-step version of everything above.