CITY OF KELOWNA ACTIVE LIVING & CULTURE DIVISION 

CORE PRINCIPLES: 

The City of Kelowna’s Active Living & Culture Division administers a number of grant programs and services for the community which: 

• encourage active healthy lifestyles 

• build strong neighbourhoods 

• nurture lifelong participation in sport 

• enhance cultural vibrancy 

• facilitate development of events 

• enhance social sustainability 

• support effective management and operation of sport, recreation and cultural facilities 

 
Organizations seeking funding support from the City of Kelowna through any of the grant programs administered by the Active Living & Culture Division should be aware of and aligned with one or more of these core principles. 

VALUES: 

Any organization supported by the City of Kelowna will commit to the following values: 

• accessibility, diversity and inclusion: the organization will not unreasonably exclude anyone by reason of religion, ethnicity, gender, age, sexual orientation, language, income 

• accountability and fiscal responsibility: using resources effectively and efficiently 

• innovation: being leaders in finding new solutions 

• optimizing value: generating more value and impact from existing resources 

• partnerships and collaboration: working with others to leverage energy, talent and resources 

The Community Art Program is one of many grant programs provided by the City of Kelowna. Information about other grant opportunities is available on the City’s website: kelowna.ca/grants 

1.0COMMUNITY ART PROGRAM OBJECTIVES AND DESCRIPTION 

1. Program description: 

The Community Art Program supports projects that allow practicing artists to foster meaningful, hands-on engagement with the arts, creating opportunities for connection, expression, and shared experiences with residents within the community. 

 
Projects will be displayed as part of Culture Days, Canada’s largest public participation campaign for the arts over three weeks at the end of September. As part of this program, artwork will contribute to the national celebration of creativity and culture inviting people of all ages and backgrounds to explore, experience, and participate in the arts in accessible and inspiring ways. 

The Community Art Program aims to:  

• Animate publicly accessible spaces where arts and culture are not traditionally experienced; 

• Create temporary, publicly accessible artworks that demonstrate artistic merit and deliver clear community benefit;  

• Foster inclusive participation by engaging community members in the creative process and offering accessible, hands-on artistic experiences for a broad range of people 

• The project reflects community identity and/or fosters community pride, identity, and social cohesion through shared creative experiences and meaningful dialogue; 

• Cultivate appreciation for the diverse artistic and cultural expressions 

• Promote direct interaction between artists and the public, deepening understanding and appreciation of arts and culture; 

• Provide opportunities for artists to apply their practice within community development, contributing to cultural vitality and social sustainability.  

What Makes a Strong Application  

Applications that demonstrate the following qualities have a higher potential for success:  

• Innovation: Unique concepts and creative approaches;  

• Scale: Works with a strong physical presence (e.g., installations exceeding 6 feet in height);  

• Interactivity: Artworks that engage audiences through participation or responsive elements; 

• Lighting Design: Use of thoughtful or advanced lighting to enhance the experience;  

• Alignment with Culture Days:  Connection to the theme and spirit of creativity, participation, and community celebration;  

• Gathering Spaces: Designs that encourage people to come together, interact, and engage with the work and each other.   

Special Considerations:  

• Art needs to be designed for outdoor use, able to withstand high winds, rain and other natural elements  

• Art needs to be able to be secured and mechanisms that would deter and withstand vandalism,  

• Artwork will be displayed for up to 3 weeks in selected outdoor public locations  

• Overhead structures will need a temporary building permit and be structurally sound designs built to B.C. code 

• City of Kelowna will determine the location of each installation, and artists must comply with the assigned location. 

Simply creating a piece to be viewed by the public or allowing the public to view the creation of the piece is not sufficient community engagement for this program. 

1. Eligibility: 

To participate in this program, applicants must: 

• Be a professional or emerging artist or a group or collective of professional practicing or emerging artists, who are eligible to work in Canada;  

• Reside in the Central Okanagan (however the project activities being proposed must occur in the City of Kelowna); 

• Either solely, or in partnership with others, propose an initiative which is consistent with the guidelines of this program; 

• Be committed to carrying out the initiative for the benefit of Kelowna residents without exclusion of anyone by reason of religion, ethnicity, gender, age, sexual orientation, language, disability or income; 

• Have the legal authority to sign a Memorandum of Understanding with the City of Kelowna and obtain general liability insurance; 

• Have financial management systems in place (e.g. a bank account, proper financial records); and 

• Submit a realistic project budget. 

1. Ineligible applicants are: 

• Non-profit or charitable organizations who are eligible for the cultural grants program; 

• Public or private educational institutions (schools, universities, colleges, training organizations); 

• Students or teachers who propose a project leading to academic credit; or 

• Organizations, groups or individuals which have outstanding indebtedness to the City of Kelowna or which have not fulfilled reporting requirements for any previous grants from the City of Kelowna. 

1.4        Eligible activities and expenses: 

• Artist fees (may include fee/hour plus expenses)1; 

• Services (various trades); 

• Materials and supplies (consumables such as paint, canvas, glue etc.); 

• Costs of setting up a safe venue for art production (insurance, tents, rental fees, permits); 

• Documentation (videographer, photographer, editing, printing); or 

• Coordination/project management (someone to help with logistics and publicity). 

Grants are available for up to 100% of the total project cost, to a maximum of $3,000. 

Projects must be completed and, in a condition, suitable for display for the 2027 Cultural Days.  

Refer to CARCC professional fees schedule www.carcc.ca/en/fee_schedule_2017_4_professional 

1.5        Ineligible expenses and activities are: 

• Activities or products with a political, religious, fundraising or commercial purpose; 

• Capital improvements; 

• Purchase of property, capital equipment or collections; 

• Projects which do not have 

• broad-based community participation; 

• the involvement of a local artist; 

• Projects which already receive financial or in-kind support from the City of Kelowna (land, money or other support); 

• Projects that take place outside of the City of Kelowna boundaries; 

• Reduction or elimination of existing deficits or interest on same; 

• Retroactive funding for projects already in progress; or 

• Projects that will directly or indirectly lead to acquiring academic courses or credits. 

2.0APPLICATION PROCESS 

The application process is online and can be found on the City’s website. 

Artists considering submission of an application are encouraged to do the following prior to completing an application form: 

• Review these guidelines; 

• Contact City staff to discuss your project idea:  

• Sara Thirnbeck, sthirnbeck@kelowna.ca, (250) 469-8474 

Eligible applicants will answer a series of prescreening questions using the online system before completing a full project application to ensure the project is eligible.  

Only online applications will be accepted. If you are having problems with the online system, please contact culture@kelowna.ca for support. 

We are committed to ensuring equitable access to our submission process.  Applicants are invited to contact culture@kelowna.ca with questions or comments. Please ensure you receive email confirmation upon submission. 

3.0ASSESSMENT CRITERIA 

The criteria listed below and in Schedule 1 represent ‘good’ practices for project development and delivery. Assessment will be based on the degree to which the project meets the criteria, based on the information provided.  

All projects are unique. The assessment criteria provide an objective framework within which the project’s feasibility and impact can be considered and form the basis for constructive feedback to the applicant. 

Criteria are evaluated in three categories: 

1. Community Art Objectives (40%)  

1. Project Management and Design (40%)  

1. Project Outcomes (20%)  

Refer to Schedule 1 for detailed descriptions of the criteria categories. 

4.0 ASSESSMENT OF APPLICATIONS 

4.1Review Process: 

Staff Review 

1. Applications will be adjudicated by City of Kelowna staff who are knowledgeable of the program objectives and these guidelines.  

Obtaining a grant from the Community Art Program is a competitive process. Demand often exceeds available resources. Even if eligibility requirements are met, there is no guarantee of support. 

1. Interview: 

Applicants may be contacted to discuss the evaluation, build understanding about how the applicant will address any concerns arising, and engage in a broader dialogue about the project. 

1. Notification and Distribution: 

All applicants will receive an email notification of the evaluation results. 

Funds will be disbursed in accordance with the signed Memorandum of Understanding. 

4.4Request for Clarification/Request for Reconsideration 

Applicants may request further clarification from staff regarding the funding decision. However, all decisions of the review committee regarding this program are final. 

1. Final Report: 

Successful applicants will provide a Final Report in a prescribed format to the Cultural Services Department. Receipt of this report is a pre-condition for future eligibility in any City of Kelowna grant program. Final Reports for Community Art Grants must be submitted within 60 days of completion of the project. 

1-3 high quality photographs of the art and/ or process must be submitted with the Final Report. These photos must be accompanied by photo release waivers from both the photographer and people in the photographs, giving the photo to the City of Kelowna and allowing the City to use them in future promotional materials (sample waivers are available).  

5.0TIMELINE 

The timeline is subject to change. 

6.0CONDITIONS OF FUNDING 

6.1 Terms and Conditions of Funding 

The conditions below will apply to any individual receiving funding from this program: 

• Grant funds must be applied to current expenses and must not be used to reduce or eliminate accumulated deficits or to retroactively fund activities; 

• The applicant will maintain proper records and accounts of all revenues and expenditures relating to its activities and, upon the City’s request, will make all records and accounts available for inspection by the City or its auditors; 

• The City will have access to the project site (if applicable) and the right to review the project at reasonable times during the fabrication/creation thereof; 

• The applicant will ensure that all necessary permits are in place before commencing work; 

• If there are any changes in the activities as presented in the application, Cultural Services must be notified in writing immediately and approve such changes; 

• In the event that the grant funds are not used for the activities as described in the application, they are to be repaid to the City in full; 

• If the activities are completed without requiring the full use of the City funds, the remaining funds are to be returned to the City; 

• The applicant must acknowledge the financial assistance of the City of Kelowna on all communications and promotional materials relating to its activities, such as programmes, brochures, posters, advertisements, websites, news releases and signs. Acknowledgement is provided by using the City of Kelowna logo in accordance with prescribed standards; 

• Receipt of a grant does not guarantee funding in the future. 

6.2Responsibilities of the applicant: 

1. note that while the City of Kelowna is pleased to support and showcase local artists' works throughout the community, the City accepts no liability for any loss or damage to artworks while on display. This includes, but is not limited to, damages resulting from vandalism, theft, weather, or accidental incidents. 

1. Make every effort to promote and raise awareness of the project through their own channels  

1. abide by all applicable by‐laws, statutes, ordinances, and regulations of any governmental agency having jurisdiction over the Project or the site; 

1. ensure that the Project does not promote a particular stance on any political topics; 

1. not assign or transfer any interest in this agreement or the Project, which includes the use of subcontractors or additional collaborators without the prior written consent of the City; 

1. indemnify and hold  harmless the City and its personnel from all actions, proceedings,  losses, expenses, and costs arising out of, or in any way connected with the Artist’s use of and presence on the site, the construction of the Project, failure by the Artist and/or Artist to pay for labour and materials, contamination of the site resulting from the Project, breach or default by the Artist and/or Artist under this agreement, or any wrongful act, omission, or negligence of the Artist; 

1.  not to take any action, nor permit any volunteers, collaborators, or employees of the Artist to take any action, that is intended, or would reasonably be expected, to harm the reputation of the City, or that would reasonably be expected to lead to unwanted or unfavorable publicity for the City. This includes, but is not limited to, statements or representations made through artistic content, media engagements, social media, public presentations, or any other medium. This includes any content that may reasonably be perceived as critical of the City, its policies, or City officials. However, this limitation shall not apply to compliance with any legal process or to truthful statements made in response to an authorized inquiry from a court or regulatory body. 

1.  the Artist agrees that all materials, whether marketing, content, installation, video, literary, visual, or any other form, must be submitted to the City for review and written approval prior to public dissemination or release in any format. 

1. pay on a timely basis, all suppliers, and any other providers of services and/or materials associated with the Project; 

1. use funds as they were prescribed for use in the project proposal and budget; 

1. facilitate access to the Project site or other locations where Project work is being done, for City staff;  

1. work collaboratively with the City to develop promotional materials regarding the project; 

1. create original artworks and not infringe upon any copyright. 

1. assume full responsibility, at their sole cost and expense, for the ongoing care, maintenance, repair, and preservation of the Work following installation, and shall ensure the proper and safe deinstallation and removal of the Work from the Project upon the agreed upon dates 

1. at their sole discretion and expense, procure and maintain comprehensive insurance coverage, prior to the installation of the Project and throughout the duration of such installation and display, as is necessary to fully insure the value. The Artists insurance will cover against loss, damage, or destruction, and to obtain and maintain adequate liability insurance to cover any personal liability of the Artist arising out of or in connection with the Work or its installation, if the artist so chooses. 

7.0CONFIDENTIALITY 

All documents submitted by applicants to the City become the property of the City. The City will make every effort to maintain the confidentiality of each application and the personal information contained therein except to the extent necessary to communicate information to staff and assessors for the purposes of evaluation, administration and analysis. General information about the project, including the funded amount and the artist, artist collective being funded under the program may also be released.  The City will not release any additional information to the public except as required under the Province of British Columbia Freedom of Information and Protection of Privacy Act or other legal disclosure process. 

8.0CONTACT INFORMATION 

Staff:Sara Thirnbeck, Community Development Coordinator, Cultural Services   

Phone:(250) 470-8474 

Email:culture@kelowna.ca