Applications for the 2026 Arts Fund are now open

Waterloo Region – The Region of Waterloo has awarded $265,000 in 2025 arts funding to local arts organizations, artists and collectives.

Region of Waterloo Arts Funding received more than 170 applications, totalling over $2 million funding requests from various organizations and artists throughout Waterloo Region. Submissions encompassed various artistic practices, including theatre, visual arts, music, dance, film, multimedia, writing, performance, and photography.

“The Region of Waterloo remains committed to providing arts funding to empower the work of local arts organizations, artists and collectives,” said Regional Chair Karen Redman. “It’s wonderful to see such a wide variety of projects and how they will enhance cultural vibrancy within Waterloo Region.”

MT Space, the 2025 to 2027 administrators of the arts funding, collaborated on the guidelines and application submission process. To ensure equitable and informed decisions, the peer assessment jury included established and emerging artists from across Waterloo Region, reflecting the diverse ethnicities, artistic practices and lived experiences represented in the applications.

"This was an incredibly competitive process that saw jury members pre-score and deliberate applications over the course of four days based on artistic merit, community impact, professional development, and financial viability. Seeing the number of high calibre projects and applications has made me realize how much the arts sector has grown and expanded – it gives me a great deal of hope for this community,” said Pam Patel, artistic director of MT Space.

The jury was comprised of the following local artists:

• Anandi Carroll-Woolery
• Angela Onuora
• Don Russell
• Jascha Narveson
• June Sung
• Sam Varteniuk

This jury of Peer Assessors independently reviewed and scored applications pre-screened for eligibility by the Arts Funding Program Administrator. The jury then met for four consecutive days to discuss applications and come to a consensus on a final ranking that determined which applications were successful for this round.

2025 Region of Waterloo Arts Funding projects:

• A Better Tent City
• Alvin Witcher
• Alysha Brilla
• Amir Al-Azraki
• Bangishimo
• Bonn Park Media
• Carol Spooner
• Chudear (Chu) Oyual
• Destination 55
• Grand River Jazz Society
• Jessica Penney
• John McKinley
• Joni NehRita
• Kitchener-Waterloo Little Theatre
• Kitchener-Waterloo Society of Artists
• Levant Canada
• Lily Gyamfi-Kumanini
• Michael Cameron
• Michèle Wilmot
• NUMUS Concerts
• Olivia Brouwer
• OuttaWork Actors Inc.
• Paige Smith
• Rhapsody Dance Project
• Sally Anne Owens
• Shalaka Jadhav
• Sharl G. Smith
• Snowblind Collective
• Spectrum Waterloo Region
• Stella Zhou
• Tara Butler
• Textile
• The Creek Collective
• Treading Theatre Project
• Unwrap Theatre
• UpTown Waterloo Jazz Festival

The 2026 Region of Waterloo Arts Funding application window is now open for artists, collectives, and arts organizations until April 30, 2026. For more details and to apply, please visit regionofwaterloo.ca/ROWarts.

About MT Space

Since 2004, MT Space has committed to working with artists from Indigenous, immigrant, refugee, and other marginalized and racialized communities. MT Space has grown from a company that produces one show yearly to an organization that brings culturally and socially relevant work from across the country and worldwide to our Waterloo Region community. We have challenged the preconceptions of theatre to create, produce, and present work that is accessible and affordable to low-income families while creating a space for marginalized voices to be heard. mtspace.ca

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