COMEDY CONTENT CREATION GRANT

TIM SIMS ENCOURAGEMENT FUND

COMEDY CONTENT CREATION GRANT,

APPLICATION GUIDELINES AND EVALUATION

The CANCOM funding infrastructure is designed to stream resources for development and creation of Canadian comedy IP made by independent Canadian comedians and comedy troupes.

Comedians will have access to grants for financial and promotional support for the planning, development, writing and performance of original comedy content for presentation and distribution on the global digital media market.

This Comedy Content Creator Grant campaign is presented, in part, by the onVIVA Live Video Network. www.onviva.tv

The Tim Sims Encouragement Fund Award is presented by the Ontario Arts Foundation (OAF) and CANCOM.

You may only apply for either the Comedy Content Creator Grant, or be nominated the Tim Sims Encouragement Fund Award at this time.

For the complete Comedy Content Creation Grant guidelines, please download the PDF file here. If already a CANCOM Member, please log in to apply. If not, become a CANCOM Member to apply.

BECOME A MEMBER

COMEDY CONTENT CREATION GRANT

Deadline for application (EXTENDED) and notification of results

The Application deadline has been EXTENDED by the CANCOM Selection Committee to 11:59pm, December 12th, 2021.

It is the intent that funding decisions are made by the Selection Committee three to six weeks after the deadline for applying has passed.

Grant Amounts

Up to $2,000

Once approved, funding is payable as a single lump sum of the total grant being assigned by CANCOM to your project.

Who can apply?

Canadian comedians, including sketch, improv and stand-up comedians living in Canada, or abroad.

What can you apply for?

Video or audio-only content in an independent project, or in support of a larger project you are developing.

Types of content that are eligible for this specific pilot program:

1. Performance for an in-person audience that’s recorded for digital broadcast at a later date.

(e.g. A show at a comedy club/theatre for a live audience that you record and upload to your social media channels).

2. Performance for an in-person audience that’s livestreamed online for a digital audience, plus, recorded for rebroadcast at a later date.

(e.g. An improv show at a theatre venue that you livestream and post again later on your social media channels.)

3. Performance in-studio, or in-the-field that’s recorded and digitally broadcast at a later date.

(e.g. A sketch show, or Web Series that you record on set in a studio or on location, edit, and upload to your social media channels).

4. Performance on set in-studio, or in-the-field that’s livestreamed online for a digital audience, plus, recorded for rebroadcast at a later date.

(e.g. A show that’s livestreamed for a digital audience only, and posted for rebroadcast or on-demand again later on your social media channels).

All applicants must:

  • Have a CANCOM Membership profile. There is no fee for registering as a CANCOM Member. If applying as a troupe/duo, all individuals in the troupe/duo must have a CANCOM Membership. Register for your CANCOM Membership here

  • Create an onVIVA Video Network Artist Profile. There is no fee for creating an onVIVA profile. If applying as a troupe/duo, the artists can create a single onVIVA profile. Create your onVIVA profile here.

All successful grant recipients must:

  • Premiere the content funded by the CANCOM grant on their onVIVA profile page exclusively for 90 days, but will be able to present and distribute their content in any medium or on any platform after its 90-day premiere broadcast period.

  • Promote the premiere broadcast of their content on their onVIVA profile page through their other social media or marketing channels.

All applicants:

  • Own their content (100%) and its publishing rights.

  • May present and distribute their content in any medium or on any platform after its 90-day premiere broadcast on the onVIVA Video Network.

  • May freely enter into any agreement with third parties in association with their content.

Evaluation Process:

Your application to CANCOM will be assessed by Peer Assessors, who are  working Canadian comedy artists from various disciplines. They will evaluate  each of the applications based on the following weighted criteria: 

  • Project Description (50%) 

  • Artistic Growth (20%)

  •  Budget (20%) 

  • Marketing Plan (10%)

Other Application and Evaluation Details:

Peer Assessors are not eligible to apply, or be associated with an application or  its outcome, in any CANCOM grant program for which they are evaluating  applications. 

The criteria for approval of grants by CANCOM are inspired by the quality of the  project, the opportunity for artistic growth of the applicants, and how it promotes  Canadian production, investment and ownership of IP by independent Canadian  comedy artists. 

CANCOM is focused on comedy artist development and creating a large talent  pool, so projects will not be discounted based exclusively on an absence of  existing credits and/or experience.

Required Information for each Application

Applicants should expect to provide details about their project related to the  following questions:

What’s your project all about, who is involved and why should it be made?

Why is this project meaningful for you?

How are you going to let people know about your project and engage them?

How will you afford the scale of the project for which you’re applying for a grant?

For the complete Comedy Content Creation Grant guidelines, please download PDF file here. If already a CANCOM Member, please login to apply. If not, become a CANCOM Member to apply.

BECOME A MEMBER

COMEDY CONTENT CREATION GRANT

TIM SIMS ENCOURAGEMENT FUND AWARD, NOMINATION GUIDELINES AND EVALUATION

The Tim Sims Encouragement Fund was established in 1995 in memory of Tim Sims, a well-known comedic performer, writer, director and supporter of up-and-coming comedic performers.

Since 2015, a $2,500 award is given annually to a graduate of the Comedy Writing and Performance program at the Humber College, School of Creative and Performing Arts and, this year, a $2,500 award will also be given to a candidate assessed by comedy peers through The Foundation for Canadian Comedy (CANCOM).

For the complete Tim Sims Encouragement Fund Award nomination guidelines, please download PDF file here. If already a CANCOM Member, please login to apply. If not, become a CANCOM Member to apply.

Award Amount

$2,500

The anticipated award will be $2,500, subject to review by the Ontario Arts Foundation (OAF) and in consultation with Lindsay Leese, the founder of the Tim Sims Encouragement Fund. The selection of the winner is at the sole discretion of the CANCOM Selection Committee, and the award will come directly from the OAF to the recipient.

Deadline (EXTENDED) for nomination and notification of results

The deadline for nominations has been EXTENDED by the CANCOM Selection Committee to 11:59pm, December 12th 2021.

It is the intent that funding decisions are made by the Selection Committee three to six weeks after the deadline for nominations has passed.

Eligibility Requirements

To be eligible for the Tim Sims Encouragement Fund Award, candidates must:

  • be in the early stages of their career; 

  • be actively pursuing a career in comedy, performing publicly upwards of seven times annually, for no longer than two years;

  • perform their own original work;

  • perform in the field of any of the following live comedic forms: stand-up  comedy, sketch comedy, improvisation, theatre, musical comedy, clown and  performance art;

  • not be a previous recipient or nominee of the award;

  • perform in Toronto, Ontario;

  • be an Ontario resident;

  • a Canadian citizen or Permanent resident of Canada; and 

  • have been a resident in Canada for at least one year as of the date of the  nomination.

Selection Process

The CANCOM Selection Committee will select a nominee who they deem is an outstanding emerging comedic performer as shown through their unique ability and deep dedication to pursuing original work in comedy including, but not limited to, stand-up comedy, sketch troupes or individual performance, improvisation, musical performance, and performance artists.

Your nomination will be evaluated based on the following criteria:

  • Comedic ability

  • Originality
  • Risk taking

  • Point of view

  • Potential

  • Material

  • Productivity

  • Growth

Required Information for each Nomination

Nominees should expect to:

  • provide a short biography (100 words)

  • upload samples of relevant performance(s) and writing, (if relevant)
  • register to become a CANCOM Member. There is no fee for registering. (For duos or troupes, each performer must register); Register here

  • provide a short statement about why the award will support their artistic growth and professional advancement (200 words)

For the complete Tim Sims Encouragement Fund Award nomination guidelines, please download PDF file here. If already a CANCOM Member, please login to apply. If not, become a CANCOM Member to apply.