Description:
- The Creative Enquiry Lab is a strategic funding program designed to encourage arts organizations and collectives to explore creative possibilities through an exploratory design process.
- It partners with students from Toronto Metropolitan University's (TMU) Creative School Design Solutions Super Course, where students from diverse academic backgrounds collaborate using design thinking—a user-focused, creative problem-solving approach.
- The program supports arts organizations in addressing significant organizational challenges (e.g., programming, administration, outreach, marketing) by prototyping innovative solutions with student teams.
- The challenge addressed must be relevant to the broader community, other arts organizations, or the arts sector.
- Organizational leadership must be actively involved in the project.
Objectives:
- To foster innovative ideas and build new capacity within Toronto arts organizations and collectives.
- To provide hands-on design thinking experience to students.
- To enhance organizational knowledge and skills in the arts sector through transdisciplinary collaboration.
Target Beneficiaries:
- Incorporated non-profit arts organizations or unincorporated artist collectives operating on a not-for-profit basis.
- Collectives must have at least two professional artists, mostly Toronto residents.
- Organizations/collectives must be based in the City of Toronto and meet residency and operational criteria.
- Applicants must be professional artists or organizations recognized in their artistic tradition.
- Applicants must contact the Program Manager before applying.
Application Process:
- Applications are submitted online via TAC Grants Online by the deadline (e.g., August 14, 2025).
- No budget submission is required; guidance suggests allocating about two-thirds of funds to project lead fees and one-third to materials/expenses.
- Applicants must articulate a clear organizational challenge and its broader relevance.
- Successful applicants sign an agreement with TMU's Creative School and participate in an 8-month program from January to August.
- The program includes an introductory session, regular meetings with student teams, a prototype demo day, and a post-program cohort for peer support.
Key Features:
- Grant amount: $15,000.
- Program duration: 8 months (January to August).
- Collaboration with TMU students in a design thinking course.
- Two-stage program: initial collaborative design and independent prototype development.
- Includes an in-person introductory session and a public demo day.
- Optional cohort peer support sessions post-April.
- Accessibility supports available for Deaf artists and artists with disabilities.
- Applicants can receive this grant once every two years.
- Excludes projects funded by other TAC grants or operating grants.
This program uniquely combines academic design expertise with arts sector challenges to drive innovation and capacity building in Toronto's arts community.
