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- The KAC Newsletter | September '26 Issue 1
The KAC Newsletter | September '26 Issue 1
CKAF Project Grants and Creation & Development Grants Open, Being Seen by Portia Chapman, Upcoming Events, & Grants Board Highlights!
KAC NEWS & UPDATES
The Goat Steppers - Photo courtesy of Skeleton Park Arts Festival
Applications now open for CKAF Project Grants and Creation & Development Grants!
The Kingston Arts Council (KAC) is now accepting applications for the City of Kingston Arts Fund (CKAF) 2026 Project Grants and the newly introduced Creation & Development Grants, providing more than $171,000 in funding to support the city’s artists and arts organizations.
New to CKAF: Applicants who are Deaf, living with a disability, illiterate, or do not have a working proficiency in English may be eligible to access up to $500 in financial support for grant writing services.
Project Grants
Project Grants support Kingston-based professional artists and non-profit organizations in bringing creative projects to life through one-time or time-limited arts projects that invite public participation, presentation, and meaningful community engagement. Projects can span a range of artistic disciplines, including music, dance, theatre, visual arts, storytelling, and more. Project Grants range from $3,000–$12,000.
CREATION & DEVELOPMENT GRANTS (NEW)
New in 2026, Creation & Development Grants support artists in any discipline who have a professional independent art practice for the creation, development, and production of new work or the completion of works in progress. This grant stream focuses on the artistic creation process itself, rather than public presentation or dissemination to the public. Creation and Development Grants range from $3,000–$10,000.
Application Deadline
Applications for CKAF 2026 Project Grants and Creation & Development are due Monday, 21 September 2026 by 11:59 PM ET.
Information Sessions
The KAC will host an information session for each grant stream, which will include a detailed review of the respective Guidelines, Application Forms, and Assessment Criteria, as well as a Q&A with KAC staff. Each session will be hosted virtually via Zoom, with ASL interpretation provided. The sessions will be recorded and shared via the KAC website for applicants who are unable to attend. The sessions are scheduled as follows:  Imaginaire - Photo by Souhael Kimakhe |  Fiercely OK - Photo courtesy of Skeleton Park Arts Festival CKAF 2026 Project Grants Information Session: |
POCKET GALLERY
When Being Seen… We Glow
Portia “Po” Chapman
Date: 27 July - 18 September 2026
Location: Kingston Arts Council | Unit 115, 370 King St W, Kingston
 | Being Seen is an interactive glowing rawhide installation that invites the viewer to reflect on light and the role it plays in one’s emotions. This uplifting & minimalist-styled installation pairs a structural art piece, indigenous drum-making techniques, and polaroids together to reflect on how the warmth of nature can still shine through an urban jungle. The exhibition has viewers stand among the glowing hides and think about how being seen connects us. Portia believes that we all deserve to be seen, and that “when Being Seen… we glow!” |
EVENTS
 Hosted by Sumera Khan |  Led by Lee Jones |
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
Senior Graphic Designer (Queen’s University)
Remuneration: $62,475 - $81,218 - Full-time/Contract
Deadline: 1 September 2026
Dance Instructors (Blue Canoe)
Remuneration: $20/hourly — Part-time
Deadline: Until Filled
Retail & Studio Team Member (Amaranth Stoneware)
28-37 hours per week
Deadline: Until Filled
Theatre Critic & Researcher (Kingston Theatre Alliance)
Remuneration: $21.65/hour – Part-Time
Deadline: Rolling
Upper Strings Teaching Artist (Sistema Kingston)
Remuneration: $32-$36/hour – Part-Time
Deadline: Until Filled
Guitar or Woodwinds Teachers (Long & McQuade)
Deadline: Until Filled
Life Drawing Models (Artist Joanne Gervais)
Remuneration: $75 Honorarium & Gift of Artworks Created
Deadline: Rolling
OPPORTUNITIES
Call for Local Artists: Change Room Mural (Montreal Street Collective)
Deadline: 15 September 2026
Call for Volunteers: RoadTrip Music Festival (Downtown Kingston)
Deadline: Rolling
Call for Filmmakers: ReelOut Queer Film Festival 2027
Deadline: 25 September 2026
Call for Filmmakers: Kingston Canadian Film Festival 2027
Deadline: 15 November 2026
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 levels, please visit the KAC Grants Board!
The Juried Sound Recording: Album Program (Factor)
Deadline: 10 September 5:00 PM
Feature Films - Development Program (Telefilm Canada)
Deadline: 11 September 11:59 PM
Operating and Project Grants (City of Kingston Heritage Fund)
Deadline: 22 September
Fall Gift Competition (The Davies Charitable Foundation)
Deadline: 15 October 2026
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
