Open Calls

Brampton Arts Organization’s current and upcoming artist calls, submissions, and funding opportunities for Brampton’s vibrant creative community. Stay up to date with our calls for projects, programs, exhibitions, markets and creative initiatives designed to develop and support creatives and arts & culture organizations across the city.

Current Calls for Artists

Call Opens: September 2, 2025
Application Deadline: November 30, 2025
Fees: FREE – zero cost to apply

Funding Amount: up to $400.00
Application Review Process: Monthly intake and review

The Brampton Arts Organization’s (BAO) professional development fund supports activities that will grow and advance applicants’ careers and professional practices. Eligible activities include participating in a presentation or exhibition, undertaking specialized training, performing research, attending conferences, membership in professional associations and more.

Eligible Activities

You may apply for one or more of the following activities:

Market and network development
Participation in a presentation or exhibition opportunity
Mentorship
Internship
Specialized training or coaching
Workshops
Research activities related to professional development
Participation in conferences, residencies, seminars, or other significant events
Accessibility training or integration of access practices
Portfolio or demo reel development
Membership fees in professional associations such as ACTRA, WIFT, etc.

Ineligible Activities

Equipment purchases
Commercial or residential rent
Personal living expenses (e.g., groceries, childcare, personal debts)
Activities that have already taken place before funding approval

Who Can Apply?

This program is open to emerging, mid-career, and established Brampton-based professional artists and arts administrators. This is a non-discipline specific program and creatives from all disciplines are encouraged to apply.

The Ontario Arts Council defines a professional artist or arts professional as someone who has developed skills through training or practice, is recognized by artists working in the same artistic tradition, has a history of public presentation or publication, seeks payment for their work and actively practices their art.

We recognize that due to systemic barriers within the broader arts community (e.g. limited mainstream presentation opportunities for artists from historically disadvantaged groups such as Black, Indigenous, Person of Colour, Deaf Persons, Persons with Disabilities and Persons Living with Mental Illness, 2SLGBTQIAP, and newcomer and refugee artists) that some flexibility may be required in interpreting eligibility criteria to take into account equivalent professional experience and contexts.

Priority will be given to applicants from historically disadvantaged groups, including those who identify as Indigenous, Black, People of Colour, Trans, Nonbinary, Queer, Disabled and intersections of those identities.

Eligibility Criteria:

Canadian citizen or a permanent resident of Canada.
Applicants must have a residential address within the City of Brampton and must have been located in Brampton for a minimum of 12 months prior to the date of application.

What To Include In Your Application

Detailed budget breakdown for the funds you are applying to receive
Links to the activity you are applying to receive funds for such as workshops, training, conferences, memberships, etc.
Communicate the direct connection between your practice and the activity you are applying to receive funds for

Additional Information and Accessibility Support

If you have any questions about this call or require any assistance, accommodations or additional support in completing this application, please reach out at least one week prior to the application deadline to Katy Belshaw, Head of Programming, Brampton Arts Organization at katy@bramptonartsorg.ca.

Application Submission

Interested applicants are asked to complete the application form before Sunday, November 30th, 2025 at 11:59 pm.

Please note that only applications submitted through the formal submission process will be accepted, unless otherwise previously arranged due to accessibility needs.

Apply Here

Notification

Applicants will be notified of their application status within two calendar months of submission. Communication about the status of your application will be through email.

Please note that only applications submitted through the formal application process will be accepted, unless otherwise previously arranged due to accessibility needs.

Call Opens: October 28, 2025
Application Deadline: Sunday, November 23rd at 11:59 PM
Fees: FREE – zero cost to apply
Funding: $500 up to $1000 (to cover artist fee/s, materials and any venue costs)

The Brampton Arts Organization (BAO) is seeking proposals for workshops, events, meetups, gatherings, and programs from Brampton-based artists, arts administrators, collectives, curators, performers, musicians and creatives of all disciplines.

Whether you have a new idea or an existing idea that you have been trying to get off the ground, are an artist facilitator with a community artmaking background, want to start a creative community initiative and build your portfolio, now is your opportunity to put your program proposal forward and get funding for it.

This call is seeking proposals that will take place throughout all of 2026. When submitting your proposal, please include your preferred dates.

Information Session

The information session will be held on Thursday, November 6th from 12:00 p.m. to 1:00 p.m. via Zoom. The purpose of this information session is to provide interested applicants the opportunity to review the call and application process with BAO staff and have all your questions answered. The session will be recorded and posted here for viewing.

What Does This Program Support?

Arts and culture program proposals led by local artists, collectives and arts organizations in any topic and discipline will be considered though BAO will prioritize projects that:

Help Brampton creatives like yourself build and grow their portfolios, facilitation skills, and programming experience.
Create access to arts and culture for the general public and creative community
Accessible to a general public audience(s).
Free to attend or use Pay What You Can (PWYC) models
Require minimal to no purchases by the participants to take part in the program such as paid softwares like Adobe, expensive equipment, tools or materials.
Submitted by applicants from (or that centre programming by) marginalized groups, including those who identify as Indigenous, Black, People of Colour, Trans, Nonbinary, Queer, Disabled and intersections of those identities.
Proposals must be respectful of age, ancestry, colour, race, citizenship, ethnic origin, place of origin, religion, disability, family status, marital status (including single status), gender identity, gender expression, sex, and sexual orientation as outlined in the Ontario Human Rights Code.

Here are a few ideas:

Curate and put on an art exhibition in a non-traditional venue such as a restaurant, coffee shop, laundry mat or hair salon
Organize an artist market for the general public
Organize a networking social for Brampton creatives
Skill development workshops for creatives
Organize a film screening or open mic
Plan a pop-up performance or concert in a Brampton park or venue
Develop and run a workshop that helps grow and develop your creative career
Plan a table reading for a play or film

Who Can Apply?

Residents of the City of Brampton.
18 years of age or older.
Canadian citizen or permanent resident of Canada.
Social Insurance Number will be required for each individual participating artist. Individuals will receive a T4A for the funding  amount.
All applicants must propose programs within their creative discipline and have some experience teaching/facilitating programs.

Program Requirements

Take place before December 31, 2026.
Delivered by the applicant/s.
Held within the City of Brampton and be accessible by public transit.
At least 1 hour long
In-person or virtual
Held on one day or over multiple days
Entire budget (up to $750) must be used to deliver the program (including artist payment/s, insurance, materials, rentals and all other expenses). You can review BAO’s payment schedule for reference.

Your Responsibilities

If selected applicants will be responsible for the full delivery of the proposed program. This includes the following:

Book a venue for your program. Suggested venues include:
Manage registration for your program via a platform like Eventbrite
Market your program to your intended audience. You are responsible for ensuring the success of your program.
Formally recognize BAO’s support of your program
- BAO wordmark must be used prominently in all promotional/advertising materials (both print and digital), along with any additional branding guidelines provided by BAO.
- Tag Brampton Arts Organization (@baobrampton) and your local Councillor in these posts. You can find out who your Councillor is using this link.
- Acknowledge the support of BAO in all written materials related to the activities for which funds are granted using the phrase “produced with the support of the Brampton Arts Organization.”
- At any events where there will be formal remarks, announce that the event was produced with the support of the Brampton Arts Organization.
Facilitate your program (BAO will not be present for the program/s).
Keep BAO informed on any public performances or events presented in the context of this project. This information should be emailed to the Programming Coordinator.
Complete a close out report within one month of the end of your program.
Obtain Commercial General Liability insurance for all public programming, with an inclusive limit of not less than $5 million (CAD) per occurrence. The policy should name BAO as additionally insured with a copy forwarded in advance of the program date. Higher inclusive limits may be required for certain projects. You must include CGL in your budget.

In addition to the above conditions of funding, BAO reserves the right to place other conditions on the release of the funding (such as confirmation of venue, programming, other sources of funding, etc.).

Additional Accessibility Funding

Proposal by Deaf artists and/or artists with disabilities have the option to apply for additional funding to cover the costs associated with accessibility services and tools. This additional accessibility funding can provide up to a maximum of $1,000.

The covered accessibility costs include but are not limited to:

ASL interpretation
Audio descriptions
Closed captioning
Communications assistants
Attendant care (including helpers for Elders)
Support workers
Equipment rentals
Other supports

Application and Selection Criteria

Proposals will be chosen based on the quality of the proposal, artistic experience and community engagement of the applicant as expressed in the application form and submitted support materials.

Priority will be given to applicants from marginalized groups, including those who identify as Indigenous, Black, People of Colour, Trans, Nonbinary, Queer, Disabled and intersections of those identities.

Proposals and presentations cannot be disrespectful or anti- other culture, political or religious views, creed, sexual orientation, gender identity, race, language, national or social origin, property, birth or other status such as disability, age, marital and family status, health status, place of residence, economic and social situation. Proposals or presentations should be void of any political or religious views.

Selection Criteria & Rubric

When evaluating applications for the Community Connects program, the selection committee will use the following weighted criteria to select the highest-ranked applicants to interview.

Program Proposal (46%):
- Quality and creativity of the proposal submitted
- Scope of the proposal is achievable
- Budget is reflective of what is proposed
- Audience is identified and appropriate
- Proposal does not duplicate existing experiences or programs
- Proposal provides valuable access to arts and culture opportunities for the general public and/or Brampton creatives
Artistic Experience (36%):
- Applicant/s meets the qualifications of the Community Connects program
- Has some experience facilitating arts and culture programs
- Demonstrated understanding of the needs of creatives
- Active in their artistic/creative discipline
- Proposal contributes to and is aligned with the applicants career
Community Engagement (18%):
- Demonstrated commitment to supporting the Brampton creative community
- Work experience, personal outlook, and/or lived experience connect to BAO’s mission and core values.

Selection Panel

The selection panel will consist of:

BAO Staff
Local artist/s

Payment

The successful applicants for this program will be paid a one-time payment of $500.00 up to $1000.00 Canadian.*

*The payment is expected to cover any necessary costs or materials, and no further compensation will be made to the writer for costs associated with the program.

Additional Information and Accessibility Support

If you have any questions about this call or require assistance, accommodations or additional support to complete this application, please contact Katy Belshaw, Head of Programming at katy@bramptonartsorganization.ca at least one week before the deadline.

Application Submission

Interested applicants are asked to complete the application form before Sunday, November 23rd at 11:59 p.m.

Please note that only applications submitted through the formal submission process will be accepted, unless otherwise previously arranged due to accessibility needs. You will receive a confirmation email when your application is submitted. Check your spam/junk mail folder if it doesn’t arrive in your inbox.

Apply Here

Notification

Applicants will be notified of their application status within two calendar months of the application deadline. Communication about the status of your application will be through email.

Please note that only applications submitted through the formal application process will be accepted, unless otherwise previously arranged due to accessibility needs.

Call Opens: November 4, 2025
Application Deadline: Sunday, November 23, 2025
Fees: FREE – zero cost to apply
Payment: $350.00 Canadian (+HST if applicable) per selected poem

The Brampton Arts Organization (BAO) is seeking poems from Brampton-based poets and writers to celebrate National Poetry Month. Works will be showcased on signs at transit stations and on buses across the city.

April is National Poetry Month and to celebrate BAO is seeking up to 20 poems by local Brampton-based poets and writers to showcase on signs at transit stations and on buses across the City of Brampton for select weeks during summer and fall of 2026.

We believe in the transformative power of words to inspire and enrich the daily experiences of Brampton residents through a selection of unique and poignant poems displayed throughout Brampton transit. Together, we hope to bring moments of literary beauty and contemplation into everyday life while spotlighting local writers.

For over a month, a select group of poems will be printed and installed at transit stations and on buses across with additional potential features on BAO social media, Garden Square screen and recreation centres.

NOTE: BAO is not able to provide the location or high resolution photos of your poem if selected.

We want to showcase a collection of short poems in a variety of styles and languages.

Keep in mind that selected poems will be displayed in public spaces; as such, they will be seen by everyone, including young children. We aim to showcase positive, optimistic work.

Submission Guidelines

Open to all poets (professional, emerging, first-time, etc.)
You may submit up to 2 poems for consideration but we will not select more than one per writer
Poems must be short: less than six lines long and no more than 200 words
Poems can be new or recent original work
Poems may be in any language
A translation must be provided for poems that are not in English
PSAs or advertising materials will not be considered

File specifications: Please upload a single file containing your poem/s. Poems must be typed one poem per page and single spaced.

Content Requirements

Poems’ content should be intended for a general audience and accessible to people of all ages and backgrounds. Poems with the explicit use of alcohol, smoking, illegal drugs, horror, offensive language, nudity, explicit sexual activity and/or violence will not be considered.

Selection Process and Criteria

Submissions will be evaluated by BAO staff and local writers (the “Selection Committee”) according to the following criteria:

The poem’s suitability to the goals of the project.
The poem must not have been part of the 2024 or 2025 Brampton Poetry Project.
Priority will be given to poets and writers residing in Brampton; however, consideration will also be given to writers outside of Brampton whose work has been influenced by Brampton and who have a strong connection to the city.
The selection committee will, at its discretion, determine if submissions are suitable for a general audiences that includes children.
The selection committee will prioritize applicants who self-identify as belonging to one or more of the following groups or intersecting marginalized identities: Indigenous, Persons of Colour, Deaf Persons, Persons with Disabilities, Newcomers, Persons Living with Mental Illness, and 2SLGBTQIAP.
We strongly encourage applications from these communities and will accommodate applicants with a disability during our process per the Ontario Human Rights Code guidelines and other applicable legislation. If you wish to self-identify, please do so via your submission application.

BAO reserves the right to select and retain the artist(s) whose submissions are deemed most appropriate for this project. We may request clarification or additional information, as deemed necessary to evaluate the submissions. Applicants are expected to reply to staff communication within three business days. Additionally, BAO will determine the number of selected submissions and the right to not proceed with awarding an honorarium if the applicant substantially departs from the terms outlined in this call. Substantial departure includes, but is not limited to lewd, inciting violence with respect to others or against the BAO or the City of Brampton or city property, making derogatory remarks about the city or its citizens.

Selection Committee

Brampton Arts Organization Staff
League of Canadian Poets
Local Brampton Poet/s

Payment

Writers selected for this opportunity will be paid a one-time payment of $350.00 Canadian dollars* (+HST if applicable) per poem to:

Have your work presented on signs at transit stations and on buses across the city, on the Garden Square LED screen and across the social media and websites of Garden Square Brampton, BAO, and the City of Brampton.
Promote your participation in the exhibition online and on social media by tagging @baobrampton and #BramptonPoetryProject on each post related to the project.

*The artist payment includes any necessary costs or materials, and no further compensation will be made to the artist for costs associated with participating in the project.

Additional Information and Accessibility Support

Application Submission

Interested applicants are asked to complete the application form before Sunday, November 23rd at 11:59 p.m.

Apply Here

Notification

Applicants will be notified of the results by the end of January 2026. Communication about the status of your submission will be through email.

Please note that only works submitted through the formal submission process will be accepted, unless otherwise previously arranged due to accessibility needs.

Reserved Rights of Brampton Arts Organization

The Artist (Poet) will retain all right, title, and interest, including moral rights, to the submitted work. The Artist will provide to the Brampton Arts Organization (BAO) a broad irrevocable, paid-up, royalty-free, and otherwise cost-free license to use, publish, reproduce, adapt, exhibit, copy, and create derivative works for the submitted works, including the right to modify the size of the work submitted with respect to this opportunity.

The Artist understands that BAO will keep any documents of any type, including images, submitted by the Artist in accordance with its record-keeping obligations as required by applicable statutes, regulations, and by-laws. The Artist represents and warrants that the Artist is the exclusive owner of the rights conveyed to BAO and that the Artist has full power and authority to license the submitted work.

The Artist warrants and represents that the submitted work is original to the Artist and does not violate any intellectual property rights of any other person or entity contrary to the Copyright Act or otherwise provided at law.

Call Opens: November 18, 2025
Application Deadline: December 12, 2025
Fees: FREE – zero cost to apply
Payment: $250.00 Canadian (+HST if applicable) per selected film

We welcome submissions from all Brampton filmmakers, producers, crew, actors, and screenwriters. We want to showcase the depth and range of screen-based work being created in Brampton. Submit your finished or in-progress work.

Consideration will be given to Peel-based submissions but Brampton-based submissions will be prioritized.

Film Submission

Interested applicants are asked to submit their work before December 12th at 11:59 p.m.

Please note that only applications submitted through the formal submission process will be accepted, unless otherwise previously arranged due to accessibility needs.

Apply Here

Upcoming Calls for Artists

Call Opens: November 25, 2025
Fees: FREE – zero cost to apply