It’s that time again… it’s Recommender Grants for Theatre Creators season!
For those who may not know, Recommender Grants for Theatre Creators (RGTC) are grants administered by the Ontario Arts Council through various theatre companies around Ontario. Each company has their own deadline. At TPM, our deadline is October 10 2023 at 1pm. Applications must be submitted through the OAC Grant Portal.
TPM will prioritize Artists of Colour, Indigenous artists, Deaf artists, artists with disabilities and Queer artists (which includes trans, gender non-conforming and gender non-binary). All genres of work are welcome, including digital theatrical work, movement/dance based work, and operatic work.
As well, feel free to read through our mandate, mission, and vision to see if your work will fit with what we do at the company!
Unsure how to go about this grant? Is this your first time applying? Read some tips from previous TPM recipients of the RGTC!
A compiled photo of artists: Jo SiMalaya Alcampo, Yago Mesquita, Vivian Chong, Gitanjali Lena
Photo above from ORIXÁS: Alive & Well & Living in TO by Marcela Boechat
Vivian Chong
Tell your story with details!
Gitanjali Lena
My advice is to write your answers in simple evocative language, write from the heart not what you think TPM wants to hear, and proofread dammit!
Jo SiMalaya Alcampo
Thanks to the RGTC grant in partnership with the OAC and TPM, I was able to attend a writing retreat that helped me devote time and space to developing my next play, My Body Is My Homeland. This has been invaluable to my process.
If you’re considering applying this year, I encourage you to learn about the mandate and priorities of each Recommender and ask questions before submitting your application. Write clearly and don’t hesitate to share your ideas and dreams for your play.
In my experience, the folks at TPM are friendly and passionate about diverse stories. Prioritize your playwriting and good luck!
Yago Mesquita:
be cute! be clear! be concise!
it’s easy to fall into the traps of “grant-speak” and “sounding professional.” remember you are one of dozens, and real people are reading your application. speak authentically and genuinely—express yourself how you know best and show the jury your personality and passion!
just because you’ve mapped it all out in your head does not mean you always know how to communicate your ideas/plan on paper. be clear about what you want to do and what you want to achieve! (give it some thought if you haven’t) and be concise! (said the one who does NOT know how to be concise…) but for the love of god, spit it out!
bonus points:
get people to look over your application! they will let you know if something is unclear, confusing, or doesn’t make sense. (if you have nobody, YOU HAVE ME! i’m always down to look over a grant application!)
SUPPORT MATERIAL IS MORE IMPORTANT THAN YOU THINK! give them the JUICY parts of your project. you can always fill in the gaps with context, but you need to get the jury’s attention and leave them wanting more!
Suzanne Roberts Smith
Maria Clara de Sena and I would have honestly not been able to apply at all if we didn’t have support from two theatre colleagues who after seeing the public workshop of ORIXÁS: Alive & Well & Living in TO were so passionate about its future they went out of their way to assist us in brainstorming, formulating and articulating our RGTC application! So my advice would be to ask for help or embrace it when it’s offered… Especially from folx who are more academically minded and have had previous success with either RGTC or other grants and funds, making the process way less overwhelming!