*2022 APPLICATIONS NOW CLOSED*
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Geoff McMurchy (1955–2015), Kickstart’s founding Artistic Director, was a pioneer in the local and international disability arts community. Anyone who knew him will tell you that he was an amazing Artist, and a trailblazer in the disability arts and culture community, who influenced a huge number of people.
Geoff’s dream was that disability art be considered on the same level as all art. “My interest is that the art that is presented should not be through the filter of ‘disability’; I would like it to be appreciated as art, and you don’t have to like it,” he once said.
Kickstart wants to keep Geoff’s voice and spirit alive, so in 2019 we created the Geoff McMurchy Artist Development Grant. The grant is given annually to an Artist that identifies as living with a disability, residing in British Columbia, working in any media to support them directly with their artistic practice.
ELIGIBILITY
o Must be a resident of British Columbia
o Must be a practicing artist in any discipline
o Must identify as: mad, D/deaf, disabled, crip, chronically ill, sick, etc (self-identification welcome)
The 2022 Grant Recipient will receive:
o $3,000 cash award for artistic related costs
o $250 Gift Card generously donated by OPUS Art Supply
o A one year Membership to Kickstart
o NEW: The opportunity to collaborate with Kickstart to present programming applicable to your artistic practice. This will involve working one-on-one with our Artistic Director to develop programming from the ground up. The successful grant recipient will be supported through one-on-one mentorship in order to plan out the programming, apply for funds from the appropriate granting body, and execute the programming for our community. Not only is this an opportunity to showcase the recipient and their artistic practice, it is an opportunity to strengthen an artist’s professional skillset, and engage with our community. While the stages of program planning and grant writing are unpaid, the artist will build into their grant a fee schedule that will pay them for the work of executing the programming.
Thank You to all who apply; the chosen recipient will be notified by August 31 2022.
Due to the volume of applications received we will only be contacting the successful candidate. A formal announcement of the recipient will be made via our website, newsletter and social media.