Don’t delay! Apply to the Canadian Forces Artists Program today

November 28, 2023 - Defence Stories

Apply to the Canadian Forces Artists Program! The deadline to apply is November 30, 2023 at 11:59 pm EST.

There’s still time to apply for the Canadian Forces Artists Program (CFAP)! But don’t delay – submit your application today. Not sure what to include on the application? We’ve asked for advice from successful applicants in previous years to help you get started.

Artists who have been part of the CFAP during previous cycles include Adrian Stimson, whose design was selected this summer for the National Monument to Canada’s Mission in Afghanistan, Leslie Reid, David Collier, Gertrude Kearns, William MacDonnell, and countless others. Stimson’s advice for future artists, or anyone wanting to apply to the program, is as follows: “Be open to new experiences.”

When it comes to filling out the application form, Reid says: “If I have any advice, it would be to make the proposed project as relevant as possible to a particular aspect of military activity or history. I know that my project gained much support because I was looking into the Royal Canadian Air Force history of mapping in the North, which had had little research done, with little available history. However, the focus of my project was the very contemporary issue of climate change.”

According to Kearns, “An opportunity with the CFAP can either be an isolated experience or an invaluable opportunity to develop an interest in the Canadian Forces.” In other words, successful applicants are encouraged to make the most of their deployments – artists are invited to share the same food and lodging as military members. In the past, artists have deployed to operations in Canada and overseas to Ukraine, Sudan, and the Middle East.

About the Canadian Forces Artists Program

The CFAP supports independent, creative works that record Canadian Armed Forces (CAF) members at home and around the world. We bring professional artists wherever operational conditions allow and encourage artists to capture a wide variety of activities. The goal of the program is for artists and Canadians to learn more about our people in uniform. The CFAP operates on a two-year cycle – the next group will deploy between 2024-2025. 

Who can apply?

Applicants must be Canadian citizens or permanent residents of Canada and meet the definition of professional artist, which includes the following criteria:

• have at least two years of professional practice in their field, following their training or education;
• have produced an independent body of work; and
• have received the recognition of their peers through a history of public exhibitions.

Please note, applicants cannot apply for activities that are carried out to satisfy the course requirements of an education institution or directly support the delivery of an education program or course.

How to apply

Apply online using the application form. When filling out the form, please note that all required support material must be accessible through a file-sharing platform (Dropbox, We Transfer, etc.) using the full URL.

Once complete, submit your application by email to: CanadianForcesArtistsProgram-ProgrammedartsdesForcescanadiennes@forces.gc.ca.

Important: To apply for the 2024-2025 program cycle, make sure to submit your application before 11:59 pm EST on November 30, 2023.

Selection process

Once submitted, each application is evaluated by a selection committee made up of experienced arts professionals. Applications are evaluated using the following criteria:

• artistic merit;
• rationale; and
• suitability.

The selection committee will also work to make sure there is fair and equitable representation among selected artists. 

Travel and living expenses

The CFAP brings artists on deployments where operational conditions allow for seven to tendays. The CFAP covers the costs of travel and living expenses for the duration of the deployment. Please note, the program will only support artists travel expenses from Canada. If based internationally, travel costs to Canadian departure and return points are the responsibility of the selected artist. 

Artistic independence

Artists maintain complete artistic independence and ownership over their works. At the end of the program cycle, selected artists will have an opportunity to support the creation of a group exhibit, to showcase their works created during or after their deployment. 

Related

• Canadian Forces Artists Program - Canada.ca
• Calling all artists: The Canadian Forces Artists Program is accepting applications for its upcoming 2024-2025 program cycle - Canada.ca
• Winning design selected for the National Monument to Canada’s Mission in Afghanistan has roots in the Canadian Forces Artists Program - Canada.ca
• Exhibit shows results of artists’ deployment with the Canadian Armed Forces - Canada.ca