Program Guidelines
Click here to download the full application package as a Word document.
The full application package contains the Program Guidelines, the application form, and the selection criteria.
Program Overview
Micro Grants For BIPOC Artists and Arts Workers
Calling Black, Indigenous and people of colour (BIPOC) in BC with lived experience of disability interested in exploring media art!
The Media Art Micro Grants support racialized folks of all ages who are d/Deaf, Hard of Hearing, blind, low vision, neurodivergent, live with mental illness or have physical, cognitive, or other non-visible disabilities (including chronic pain) to explore media art through learning that you lead and plan, research, or creative experimentation. You can be an emerging artist, art worker, or someone looking to explore media art, such as video, photography, digital illustration and more! No previous experience necessary.
Cinevolution is offering five $1,500 grants to BIPOC with disabilities 18 years or older who would like to explore media art, are emerging artists or art workers and have limited access to arts grant funding. You do not need formal arts training to apply. You do not need to produce a complete work by the end of the project.
Application closes on Monday, June 22, 2026 at 11:59pm Pacific Time.
Please reach out if you have any questions or want to talk to someone about the program. You can reach us by email at submissions@cinevolutionmedia.com or by phone at 778-803-7150, extension 5.
Eligibility
Applicant Eligibility
This grant is for you if you are someone looking to explore media art, or an emerging artist or arts worker who:
- Identifies as Black, Indigenous, and/or a Person of Colour; and
- Has lived experience of disability, or is d/Deaf, Hard of Hearing, blind, have low vision, are neurodivergent, have physical, cognitive, or other non-visible disabilities (including chronic pain), or live with mental illness; and
- Is 18 years or older; and
- Lives anywhere in BC
Please note:
- This grant is meant to be a lower barrier resource for anyone looking to make art, as well as emerging artists or arts workers exploring media arts as a way of expressing themselves, exploring their ideas, identities, and experiences. You do not need to have a consistent and developed artistic practice.
- Formal training and previous exhibition experience are not required. You can be any age above 18 y/o, and priority will be given to those who have not previously received federal or provincial arts funding (e.g. Canada Council for the Arts, BC Arts Council, Creative BC).
- You do not need to be a Canadian Citizen, Permanent Resident, or Refugee to apply. We accept applications from people of all migratory status.
- We encourage applications from people outside of urban centres, older adults as well as youth in the early stages of their artistic practice, and folks belonging to communities that experience more barriers to funding.
- Your application is confidential and you’re not required to disclose anything about yourself that you don’t want to share.
- We may reach out to ask clarification questions about your application before making selections if needed.
Project Eligibility
The project/research should:
- Take place between September 7 and December 10, 2026.
- Be an exploration of media art or use digital media in your creative work
Projects could include a number of activities. Examples include, but are not limited to:
- Taking a course or workshop to learn a new media arts skill
- Researching and exploring an idea you have with no finished product
- Completing a project you have already been working on with the help of a mentor
Funds from the grant can be used for a number of items, including, but not limited to:
- Paid time to work on your project
- Professional development expenses (e.g. workshops, training, books, or other materials)
- Paying for equipment, software, or subscriptions (e.g. Zoom, Adobe Creative Cloud)
- Professional fees for mentors, collaborators and technicians
- Accessibility expenses (e.g. ASL interpretation, childcare, an assistant for aiding in creation)
- Cost of refreshments or appreciation gifts
- Transportation costs
Please note:
- Cinevolution defines media art as any artistic expression involving the use of technologies. This can include mediums such as video games, audio recordings, creative code, projections, film, video, photography, animation, and be used for storytelling, performance, documentation, and more. This definition is not perfect nor all-inclusive. We want to hear what you interpret as media art! You can always email us at submissions@cinevolutionmedia.com to make sure your project falls under the media arts umbrella.
- Your application should focus on a single project, rather than proposing multiple potential projects.
- Your project may include multiple related activities.
- You’re not required to have a finished artwork by the end of the funding period.
Ineligible Activities
The micro grant is not intended for business development activities or the development of commercial products. For business funding opportunities, check out the following opportunities and resources:
- Opportunities Fund: https://www.canada.ca/en/employment-social-development/programs/opportunity-fund-disability.html
- Entrepreneurial Development Programs for People with Disabilities: https://edp.communityfutures.ca/
- Futurpreneur Canada Start-Up Program: https://www.futurpreneur.ca/en/get-started/financing-and-mentoring
Accessibility and Application Support
We want to make the application process as accessible as possible.
We encourage you to contact us for feedback or support at any point in the application process. We are here to help you practice describing your creative ideas and gain grant writing experience, and will be happy to discuss your project and review draft applications.
To discuss support for your application (e.g. ASL interpretation, other submission options, etc.), please get in touch by June 8, 2026.
Email: submissions@cinevolutionmedia.com
Phone: 778-803-7150, extension 5
Once an application is submitted, it will be reviewed by the project coordinator. We may contact you with further questions to help you refine your responses.
Application Instructions
To apply for a micro grant, please review the application form and submit your response by 11:59pm Pacific Time on June 22, 2026.
You can choose one of the following ways to apply:
- Submitting an online response via Google form.
- E-mailing a completed copy of the application form to submissions@cinevolutionmedia.com.
- Uploading a video or audio recording to Google Drive, WeTransfer, YouTube, or Vimeo. No more than 10-minutes and file size must be less than 200MB. Please send the file link to submissions@cinevolutionmedia.com.
- A scheduled phone or video call. To schedule a call, please contact us by email at submissions@cinevolutionmedia.com or call 778-803-7150 and press 5, by June 8, 2026. We may not be able to accommodate requests received after June 8, 2026.
- In ASL through a video call with your preferred interpreter or VRS. You can also apply by video, but keep in mind that we may reach out with further questions about the project. An interpreted call would allow us to ask you everything we need to know about your project. Please email us at submissions@cinevolutionmedia.com by June 8, 2026 to schedule a call.
Selection Process
Applications will be assessed by a selection committee made up of BIPOC community members with lived experience of disability. Priority will be given to individuals who have not previously received federal or provincial arts grants. The Selection Criteria used by the committee to score applications can be found here and in Appendix A of the full Program Guidelines.
Results will be announced in August 2026.
Selected Applicants
Selected applicants will be notified by email in August 2026. At that time, you can choose to accept or decline the grant, and tell us about any changes to your project.
We know that plans can change. We are not worried about minor changes to your project activities, but we will want to know about bigger changes to your project direction.
Grant recipients must participate in 3 online meetings:
- An orientation during the week of September 7, 2026 (2 hours)
- A midpoint check-in during the week of October 19. 2026
- A closing celebration to share your project and learnings during the week of December 10, 2026 (2 hours) and sharing session, to share your project and learnings (2 hours)
We can accommodate different payment schedules and payment types (cash, cheque, e-transfer). You will not be required to provide receipts for expenses. We can communicate with you through your preferred communication channels, including email, text, phone, WhatApp, Instagram, Signal, etc.
We can cover expenses for access needs that support you to participate fully in the program, including online meetings and activities that are part of your project. For example, ASL interpretation, childcare, an assistant or aide to support your creative process, mobile data for reliable internet access. If your needs are not listed or you’d like to discuss them with us, please get in touch at submissions@cinevolutionmedia.com.
Key Dates and Timeline
- April 29, 2026: Open for applications
- June 8, 2026: Last day to request interview
- June 22, 2026: Applications Close
- August 2026: Results Notification
- Week of September 7, 2026: Orientation Meeting
- Week of October 19, 2026: Mid-point check in
- Week of December 10, 2026: Closing Celebration
Questions and Application Support
Have questions? Please contact us at submissions@cinevolutionmedia.com or by phone at 778-803-7150, and dial 5.