Support for renovations for buildings that house artists’ studios

Last updated May 5, 2023
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Arts organizations and real estate non-profit organizations that would like to develop affordable artists’ studios can get funding for feasibility studies and renovation work.

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Ended

Description

This program, which is offered by the city and Québec’s Ministère de la Culture et des Communications, offers subsidies to support the development of affordable creative spaces. It has three complementary and independent components.

Financial assistance aims to support projects that meet the needs of artists with a professional practice in visual arts or crafts.

Funding

This program, which has a $30 million budget, is part of the “A Boost for Recovery - Acting Now” plan. Selected projects could receive a maximum of up to $5,460,000 in financial support.

Eligibility criteria

  • Be an arts/culture non-profit organization that works primarily in the feed of creating, producing or distributing visual arts and crafts, whose members are professional visual artists and craftspeople or recognized professionals in these fields.
  • Be an owner or tenant of a building located in the Montréal agglomeration.
  • Submit a project with a minimum area of at least 465.5 m2 (5,000 square feet) that must be occupied by visual artists or craftspeople.
  • Include a project manager.
  • Have a collective method of ownership that is at least 20 years old (purchase, rental or other) for use as artists’ studios.
  • Be a real estate non-profit organization that is constituted as a not-for-profit legal entity with at least five years of experience delivering similar projects.
  • Own or rent a building in the Montréal agglomeration.
  • Submit a project with a minimum area of at least 465.5 m2 (5,000 square feet) that must be occupied by visual artists or craftspeople.
  • Include an arts/culture organization.
  • Have a collective method of ownership that is at least 20 years old (purchase, rental or other) for use as artists’ studios.

Application evaluation

A jury will evaluate applications for components 1 and 2 with respect to the following three criteria:

  1. The organization’s general situation

The arts/culture organization or property manager must demonstrate balanced financial management and the professional quality of its activity.

2. Project viability

The project must guarantee that rent remains affordable through a viable long-term business model.

3. Project impacts

The project’s location and development must meet the needs of professional Montréal visual artists and craftspeople.

Documents to download

See complete program conditions

Ended

Component 1: Project planning

Through this component, you can get a subsidy for expenses related to studies and specialized services before the project is implemented.

The maximum financial assistance of $100,000 can cover up to 90 per cent of eligible expenses. The subsidy will be paid in two instalments.

Submit a project

It is no longer possible to submit a project. The deadline was July 26, 2021.

Ended

Component 2: Renovation work

Through this component, you can get a subsidy for construction, renovation or expansion work on buildings that are fully or partially occupied by artists’ studios.

Maximum financial assistance of $5,000,000 can cover up to 90 per cent of eligible expenses for work in the areas targeted by the project. The subsidy will be paid in three instalments.

You do not have to apply for Component 1 in order to apply for Component 2.

Submit a project

It is no longer possible to submit a project. The deadline was February 13, 2023.

Current

Component 3: Project stabilization

This component sets out two types of financial aid to assist you in stabilizing your project before and after the work is performed.

This subsidy aims to compensate loss of revenue related to renovating space occupied by artists’s studios. It corresponds to an amount of $26.90 per renovated square metre up to $100,000.

Financial assistance is reserved for arts/culture organizations and property managers that are eligible for Component 2, and is paid to them automatically.

This subsidy aims to cover the increase of general property taxes after construction, renovation or expansion work is performed. It is reserved for arts/culture organizations and property managers that are eligible for Component 2 and that had work performed.

A maximum of $130,000 is awarded per fiscal year. You could receive an amount of up to 100% of the property tax increase for a period of two fiscal years.

Submit a project

You can apply for Component 3 - Tax Increase after finishing your work, within three years of receiving your notice of eligibility for Component 2.

Submit a project

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