Sherbrooke launches artist grant program

The city of Sherbrooke launched its Grant Program for artists, authors, artisans, and artists’ collectives Tuesday in an effort to preserve and encourage culture, which is essential to community development.

“This program represents a mark of recognition by the City of Sherbrooke for the work of our creators. It is a lever for the development, pursuit or complete realization of an artistic project, which will benefit the entire community,” said Sherbrooke Mayor Steve Lussier.

Professional and emerging artists can submit project proposals to the program starting July 12, 2021. The city is in partnerships with nearly 500 artists. Those with professional status can receive a maximum of $10,000.

Artists in the process of becoming professionals can receive for a maximum of $5,000. And emerging artists can receive up to $1,000. The grants awarded to individuals can cover up to 80 per cent of expenses related to the project.

However, all projects must be completed between November 2021 and December 2022. The call for projects closes at noon on Aug. 20, 2021. An external jury will evaluate each project entry, and competition results will be sent to artists the week of Oct. 18.

“This support, in the form of a grant, is an additional action aligned with the cultural policy (2016-2026), particularly with regard to the retention of our local talent. It is also a tangible response from the City to its cultural community, which has been particularly hard hit over the past year,” said Paul Gingues, Chair of the Sherbrooke Culture Committee.