The KAC Newsletter | July Issue 1

Artist Prosperity Survey, CKAF Project Grant Applications Open, Climate in Turmoil Exhibition Extended, and Job, Opportunity, & Grant Deadlines!

July 02, 2025

KAC NEWS & UPDATES

Illustrations & design by Caroline Kwok

The KAC has just launched the Artist Prosperity Project! This research initiative is aimed at better understanding the economic realities and creative practices of artists in Katarokwi/Kingston and the surrounding region.

The project begins with the Artist Prosperity Survey, which invites visual artists, musicians, and performing artists to share information about their artistic practice, income sources, access to opportunities, barriers, and more. The data collected will form the basis of a publication intended to offer a snapshot of the local arts economy, support advocacy efforts, and promote sustainable practices across the sector.

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This is about visibility, value, and real information. We know artists are working incredibly hard in this region, but without data, it’s difficult to advocate for what they need. This project will help us shed some light onto the realities artists face in our own city.

B.C. Gorrie | Program & Communications Coordinator

Open to all self-identified artists in the region working in visual arts, music, and the performing arts. The survey is anonymous, takes approximately 15–20 minutes to complete, and is open until 11 July 2025.

The KAC encourages all artists, whether emerging, mid-career, or established, to participate in the survey; a strong response rate is essential to ensure the data collected is meaningful and representative. Broad participation will help us shape a stronger, more informed arts economy.

Photo by Jordan Medulan courtesy of Blue Canoe

City of Kingston Arts Fund Applications Open Until 31 July 2025

The Kingston Arts Council (KAC) is now accepting applications for Project Grants as part of the 2025 City of Kingston Arts Fund (CKAF). This funding program is administered each year by the KAC on behalf of the City of Kingston and provides grants to local arts organizations, collectives, and individual artists to enrich how Kingston residents experience and engage with the arts. 

Through this streamlined Project Grants program, individuals, collectives, and organizations can apply for grants of up to $10,000 to support projects which demonstrate engagement with local artists, benefit the broader Kingston community, and support the CKAF program objectives. Complete application requirements and information about the program including eligibility and assessment criteria can be found in the program guidelines. CKAF 2025 Project Grant Guidelines and Application Forms are available for download on the KAC website.

Deadline

Applications for CKAF 2025 Project Grants are due Thursday, 31 July 2025 by 11:59 PM ET.

CKAF Information Session

Photo courtesy of Ground Up Dance Festival

The KAC will be hosting a CKAF Project Grants Information Session on Thursday, 10 July from 10:00 AM - 11:00 AM via Zoom.

The Information Session will include a detailed review of the CKAF 2025 Project Grant Guidelines, Application Forms, and Assessment Criteria, as well as a Q&A with KAC staff. The session will be recorded and shared via the KAC website for applicants who are unable to attend. ASL interpretation will be provided.

POCKET GALLERY

Exhibition Extended:
Climate in Turmoil by Joanne Gervais

Date: 17 June - 11 July
Location: Kingston Arts Council — Unit 115, 370 King St W, Kingston

Climate in Turmoil is a vivid depiction of the Earth’s shifting elements through a series of two and three-dimensional paintings by Joanne Gervais. Combining traditional wall-hung works with sculptural pieces mounted on driftwood and found materials, this exhibition captures the raw power and fragile beauty of nature in crisis.

Climate in Turmoil invites viewers to reflect the environmental extremes we face and our role within them. 

Closing Reception

Date: 9 July 2025
Time: 5:00 PM - 7:00 PM
Location: Unit 115, Tett Centre - 370 King Street West

Join us as we mark the closing of Climate in Turmoil by Joanne Gervais, the first exhibition in the KAC's new Pocket Gallery program.

Come experience these powerful works one last time and connect with the artist and community over conversation and light refreshments.

EVENTS

The Ground Up Dance Festival
Date: 11 & 12 July 2025 | 7:00 PM


Ground UP Dance Festival is focused on building community, giving dance focused performance platform, and supporting artists throughout their journey in creation and development in Kingston. This year's festival is running June 25th - July 12th, 2025.

The highlight of our summer programming, the Ground UP Dance Festival’s Mainstage performances charm are audiences with professional dance works from Montreal, Toronto, and Kingston. Bring a blanket and pack a picnic and enjoy dance beside the lake at sunset! This year’s festival artists are:

  • Vazari Arts

  • Haley Dimek

  • Kiara Flavin

  • Katherine Ng

  • Movement Market Collective

Great Lakes Museum + Fusion: The Ontario Clay & Glass Association
Date: 24 June 2025 | 7:00 PM

The Great Lakes Museum is delighted to serve as the opening venue for Fireworks 2025, a travelling exhibition celebrating excellence in contemporary ceramic and glass art. This innovative showcase features works by 29 Canadian artists exploring the theme of water, juried by renowned ceramic artist Susan Collett.

Fireworks 2025 is organized by FUSION: The Ontario Clay and Glass Association and continues its 40-year tradition of celebrating excellence in ceramic and glass arts. The Great Lakes Museum will host the exhibition from May 30 to July 7, 2025. The exhibition can be viewed during regular museum hours and is included with museum admission.

The exhibition’s theme of water resonates perfectly with both the museum’s lakeside location on Lake Ontario and its mission to connect art with natural heritage.

There are always plenty of arts events happening in Kingston and the surrounding area. Check out our Arts Events Calendar to view our full list of upcoming events!

JOBS

Administrative and Communications Coordinator (Sistema Kingston)
Remuneration: Salary Grade 06 Review Salary Information Here
Deadline: 3 July 2025 - Deadline Extended

Summer Programs and Events Assistant (Tett Centre)
Remuneration: $19/hour
Deadline: 8 July 2025 | 11:59 PM

XR Producer (Single Thread Theatre)
Deadline: Until Filled
Remuneration: $13,000 – $14,000

Marketing/Comms Manager (Single Thread Theatre)
Deadline: Until Filled
Remuneration: $18.25/hour

Music Foundations Teaching Artist (Sistema Kingston)
Remuneration: $30-$35/hour
Deadline: Until Filled

Choir Teaching Artist (Sistema Kingston)
Remuneration: $30-$35/hour
Deadline: Until Filled

OPPORTUNITIES

Call for Submissions:
Pond's Edge Exhibition and Fundraiser (Turtles Kingston)
Deadline: 1 August, 2025

Call for Applications:
Vendor Application (Art & Acres Fine Art Festival & Artisan Market)
Deadline: 1 September 2025

Call for Proposals:
Performances, presentations, installations, workshops, games, and more (PXR)
Deadline: 15 September 2025

Call for Submissions:
Film Submissions (2026 Kingston Canadian Film Festival)
Deadline: 1 December 2025

Call for Submissions:
2ND ANNUAL KINGSTON ART TOUR (Kingston Art Tour)
Deadline: Until Filled

Call for Applications:
Board Members (Kingston Arts Council)
Deadline: Until Filled 

GRANTS

Below is a snapshot of upcoming grant deadlines. To view our more comprehensive and fully navigable database of grant opportunities at the local, provincial, and national level, please visit the KAC Grants Board !

Juried Sound Recording: Album Program (Factor)
Deadline: 5 July 2025

Theatre Projects (Ontario Arts Council)
Deadline: 6 August 2025 | 1:00 PM

Seed Grant (Ontario Trillium Fund)
Deadline: 20 August 2025 | 5:00 PM

SUPPORT THE KAC

Love the arts? So do we!

When you support the Kingston Arts Council, you’re helping empower an arts sector that drives innovation, fuels the local economy, and enriches the lives of everyone in Katarokwi/Kingston.

Your donation – whether one-time, monthly, or annual – enables us to deliver impactful programs and services that support the artists and creatives shaping our cultural industry.

As a registered charity, we’ll provide a charitable tax receipt for your contribution. Join us in building a thriving, sustainable arts sector.

THE KINGSTON ARTS COUNCIL IS PROUDLY FUNDED BY