Financial aid for artists

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New and mid-career visual artists and artisans in British Columbia may be eligible for grants of $3,000 to $5,000 to help them develop their skills. A total $56,000 is available to assist visual artists and artisans to explore a new technique or a process that expands their artistic horizons. This is the sixth year for the Visual Arts Development Award program (VADA), which is financially supported by the Vancouver Foundation and run by the Contemporary Art Gallery. Proposals are evaluated on their quality and merit.

Although the deadline for applications is May 24, interested artists can get in under the wire if they apply via the internet: the application form and instructions for filling it out can be found at www.vada-awards.org. A frequently asked questions section online should make the process plain. Applications may also be picked up in person at the Contemporary Art Gallery, 555 Nelson Street in Vancouver.

For those who need additional information, the awards co-ordinator will respond to online queries within 48 hours. Applicants can e-mail her at celine@vada-awards.org.

Last year, 14 visual artists and artisans benefited from the VADA program. Their projects included learning to screen photo images on clay, working with artistic and technical digital video mentors, learning traditional regalia-making and storytelling from a First Nations Elder, and a self-directed program to learn how to build helium-filled structures.

Work in either traditional or contemporary methods and mediums is eligible, and applicants from all cultures are invited to apply. Opportunities VADA offers include the chance to learn from a senior artist, mentor or Elder, or to work in a self-guided program.