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History & Administration of the Fund:
A group of professional artists and arts supporters in the
Saint John region joined forces some years ago to organize a number of highly successful fundraising events:
Art in the City Studio Tour (2003)
Art and Artifacts (2005) and
Whodunit? (2007).
The proceeds from these events have gone to establish the Greater Saint John Professional Artists Fund which is managed through the Greater Saint John Community Foundation.
Beginning in 2014, The New Brunswick Museum and the Saint John Arts Centre have been managing the annual application process and the awarding of the grant. A three person jury will review all applications.
Purpose of the Fund
The goal was to bring this fund to a point where at least one annual grant of $1000 could be drawn from the interest and awarded to a professional visual artist who
needs financial assistance to pursue aspects of their careers (for example: studio rental, exhibit costs, art materials, research travel, etc.) Unlike other arts grants, there is no final report.
Application Deadlines
- Applications are being accepted as of 15 Jul 2026
- Deadline for applications by e-mail is: 15 Aug 2026
- Grants to be announced: 28 August 2026
Eligibility Criteria
Artists applying for this grant:
Must meet the criteria of being a professional artist as defined by artsnb. (Please see below for definition.)
Must reside within the following geographic boundaries:
Welsford, Grand Bay-Westfield, City of Saint John, Rothesay, Quispamsis, Hampton, the Kingston Peninsula and St. Martins
Or, as a professional artist, have contributed to one of the three fundraising events previously mentioned.
Submission Criteria
All submissions must include:
· A completed application form
· Description of how the award will be used (250 words
or less)
· Artist’s CV
Submit Applications to:
director@sjartscentre.ca
with the SUBJECT line:
2026 Greater Saint John Professional Visual Artists
Fund
Questions about Applications
If you have any questions please contact:
Andi Emrich
Executive Director, Saint John Arts Centre
(506) 633-4870
director@sjartscentre.ca
Definition of a Professional Artist
For the purposes of this grant, only those who fit the criteria applicable to visual artists are considered.
A Professional Artist:
• Is an individual who has specialized training in an artistic discipline (not necessarily in academic institutions), and who is recognized as such by her or his peers (artists working in the same artistic discipline), who is committed to devoting more time to the artistic activity if financially feasible, and who has a history of public presentation in a professional context.
• Practices an art and offers services in exchange for remuneration as a creator, as a performer, or as a director in one or more of the following arts disciplines: theatre, dance, music, visual arts, literary arts, craft, or media arts.
To qualify as a Professional Artist, check 3 of the following criteria, including ONE of those set out in paragraphs 1, 2, 3, or 4:
1. The artist receives or has received remuneration for works, notably in the form of sales, royalties, commissions, fees, residuals, grants, or awards that can reasonably be considered an integral part of the income that the artist earns from his/her professional activity;
2. The artist has made earnings or suffered losses resulting from the exploitation of his/her works and corresponding to the whole of his/her artistic career;
3. The artist has received tokens of professional recognition from the public or peers, notably honourable mentions, awards, bursaries, or critical attention in the media for his/her work;
4. The artist has earned a degree, diploma or certificate in fine arts or creative writing from a recognized institution;
5. The artist has presented works to the public through exhibitions, performing arts activities, publications in book form or in periodicals, invited readings, production and/or broadcast of creative scripts by theatre, radio, or television, showings, or any other means corresponding to the nature of the works;
6. The artist is represented by an art dealer, a publisher, an agent, or other similar representative, depending on the nature of his/her activity;
7. The artist has signed a service contract with a producer;
8. The artist devotes a reasonable percentage of his/her professional activity to promoting and marketing works, attending auditions, seeking patrons or agents, submitting work to publishers, magazines, theatres, radio, and television, and other similar efforts, depending on the nature of his/her activities