Q. Do all the collaborators have to be Canadian citizens?

Though the project's collaborators can be citizens or residents of other provinces or countries, the Project Lead must be a Canadian citizen or landed immigrant - even if no one else working on the project is. Canadian citizens or landed immigrants currently residing abroad are also eligible to be Project Leads.

Q. Do all the collaborators have to be artists?

With the exception of the Project Lead, none of the collaborators are required to be professional Canadian artists. All manner of artistic collaborations by professionals working in any field are welcome to apply.

Q. Does the project have to be based in Toronto or Ontario?

Fresh Ground new works is Harbourfront Centre's national commissioning programme - we are interested in exploring partnerships with artists and organizations from right across Canada. Don't let distance prevent you from applying!

Q. What kind of artistic creations are of interest to the selection committee?

As a contemporary arts centre, Harbourfront Centre presents works in arts and culture from a variety of genres, including – but not limited to:

Collaborations by artists working in any of these areas—and especially collaborations which cross over any of these areas—are of interest to our selection committee. Please surf our website for an overview of our programming.

Q. Are you looking for partnerships with larger, solidly-established companies and artists or can younger, newer voices also apply?

Fresh Ground new works is open to both established and emerging artists. Though the Project Lead must be a working professional artist (as defined here), collaborators can be either established professionals or emerging artists - or a combination of both. Because one of the goals of Fresh Ground new works is to encourage multi-disciplinary collaborations across artistic fields and genres, applicants need not necessarily be members of a professional company or organization – though cross-company collaborations are, of course, encouraged!

Q. What do you mean by projects that incorporate more than one discipline or field?

Basically, that collaborators involved in the project's creation work in different disciplines – whether they be artistic or otherwise.

Q. In the case of site-specific visual art pieces, is this to be a permanent work?

Unfortunately, this is not an option we can consider at this time.

Q. No mention is made of where in or outside Harbourfront Centre this work might be installed or presented. Is it up to the applicant to propose a space?

We have tried to leave the wording of the Call for Submissions as open as possible, so that you and your collaborators can decide whether or not you wish to specify where on our site the final work should be presented or installed. Proposals can be specific or vague in this regard, but if your project is chosen we may ask you to be flexible, as venue availability will depend on a number of factors, including programming already in place.

Applicants are welcome to propose exhibition or presentation anywhere on our ten-acre site – whether indoors or outdoors, in traditional or non-traditional spaces. If you are unfamiliar with our site, or are applying from outside of the GTA, please visit the Venue Rentals section of our website for a list of the various theatres and multi-purpose venues at Harbourfront Centre. For information about the exhibition spaces, please visit the Visual Arts section of our website.

Because the Power Plant Contemporary Gallery's programming is determined on a longer planning cycle than the rest of Harbourfront Centre's exhibition spaces, it is unfortunately not a potential site for Fresh Ground new works projects.

Q. I would like to visit the proposed site to better situate my proposal. Is there a site tour planned?

Because of the volume of applications, we are unfortunately unable to facilitate site tours. For those applicants unfamiliar with Harbourfront Centre's "footprint", you will find information on our site and venues via the Venue Rentals section of our website, as well as on the Maps page.

Please also feel free to come down to our site and wander around our public spaces. Building hours are posted here.

Q. Are proposals targeting young audiences welcome?

Absolutely! Through HarbourKIDS, Harbourfront Centre has recently revitalized its family programming model, and we are definitely interested in ideas targeting families and young audiences.

Q. Are there specific dates within the season that have been allotted for project exhibition or presentation?

Again, we have tried to leave this as open as possible so that you and your collaborators can suggest timelines and length of exhibition or engagement based on the nature of their project. Some flexibility in terms of dates will be necessary, due to existing Harbourfront Centre programming already in place, so once projects have been chosen as Fresh Ground new works award recipients, actual presentation dates will be determined in consultation with Harbourfront Centre.

Q. Why have you specified between April 2009 and May 2010 as the presentation dates?

Simply because Harbourfront Centre's fiscal year begins in April.

Presentation dates are one area where both Harbourfront Centre and the award recipients will have to be flexible, since there are so many variables that can impact when we are able to schedule your project, should it be selected as a Fresh Ground new works commission (i.e. venue availability, other programming already on the schedule, your team's availability etc.).

Q. Can we have other sources of funding?

It is the goal of Fresh Ground new works to be a catalyst, initiating collaborative projects that might not otherwise have been considered or have been feasible. The commission aims to be "seed" money for your project - your initial source of funding. That said, depending on the nature of the project, $20,000 may not cover your entire costs. If asked to proceed to Stage Two of the application process, you will be asked to indicate other potential sources of revenue (i.e. government granting bodies, private foundations, sponsors etc.).

Q. We've workshopped our project already, but it's never been presented in a completed form (we're still working on it!). Is it still eligible?

Work that is in development is eligible, as we recognize that in many cases Fresh Ground funding is applied to a project that is a work-in-progress. However, projects that have already been presented to the public in their completed form are not eligible.

Q. In terms of budgets, what should be considered?

Your team will be responsible for all costs associated with the development, creation, delivery, installation at and removal of the work from Harbourfront Centre. If the work is a performance piece, production costs (i.e. equipment rental, staff costs etc.) should be considered, though Harbourfront Centre will waive all venue rental fees.

Your team should also be aware that, if your project is selected as an award recipient, cheques will be issued in the name of the Project Lead (unless otherwise requested by your team), and that GST is payable on that amount. A T4A will be issued at the end of the calendar year in the name of the Project Lead.

More information about budgets will be provided to short-listed applicants at Stage Two of the application process.

Please feel free to contact us with specific questions you don't find answered on these pages and we will do our best to provide the answers!

Fresh Ground new works was made possible this season by the generosity of several individual donors who have actively assisted in the creation of new Canadian art works: Robert & Anne Marie Canning, John Harkness, George Myhal, Jim & Sandra Pitblado, Michael & Sonja Koerner, Wil & Judy Matthews, Peter Allen, Margaret & Jim Fleck, Lionel F. Conacher & Joan Dea, and by a grant from Imperial Tobacco Canada Arts Fund.