$66,500 awarded to 16 recipients in second 2026 round of funding for Windsor’s Arts, Culture and Heritage Fund (ACHF)

Published

Local artists and creators submitted thirty-six applications in the second round of ACHF funding for 2026. This included twenty-nine applications from individuals and seven applications from organizations. Of these, sixteen projects — twelve grants to individuals, and four grants to organizations — will receive support for arts, culture and heritage projects in the community.

The funding requests totalled about $164,000. With $66,500 available in this round, the competition was high, and the jury made difficult decisions. The jury was pleased to see fifteen of the total submissions in this round come from first-time applicants, and excited to be able to select six of those to receive funding. Additionally, fourteen of the projects will receive their full funding request. The jury selected a strong mix of projects across genres including music, performing arts, storytelling, film, dance, and visual arts; and some important projects supporting diversity, inclusivity, heritage, and the celebration of humanity in the city of Windsor.

The ACHF, approved by City Council, awards grants to individuals and cultural organizations to help stimulate creative and economic growth. Each project could be funded to a maximum of $5,000 in a given round. $133,000 in project funding is available each year, administered through two rounds of $66,500 each. In 2026, City Council approved a recommendation to increase funding by $15,000 to a total of $133,000 annually, representing a 13% funding increase to the program.

Since the launch of this program in 2014, and including this current round:

  • 1,066 applications have been submitted for consideration for funding;
  • 529 individual projects have received funding;
  • $1,319,000 has been awarded in project funding to local arts, culture and heritage initiatives benefitting our community, including funding for:
    • 36 community arts-based programs and initiatives,
    • 80 visual arts projects and initiatives,
    • 67 literary arts projects and initiatives,
    • 99 performing arts projects and initiatives,
    • 139 musical arts projects and initiatives,
    • 72 film arts projects and initiatives, and
    • 36 heritage and culture projects and initiatives.

The City extends congratulations to the following 2026 Round 2 recipients:

Asil Moussa. $5,000. Rana & Dina. Funding for artist fees and festival fees for a short film.

CJAM 99.1 FM. $5,000. 2026 Higher Ground Music Festival. Funding for artist fees, design, and artwork for a multi-genre music and arts festival.

Riverfront Theatre Company. $5,000. “Something Rotten!” Musical. Funding for costumes and set construction for a theatre production.

Madeline Mazak. $5,000. Racetrack Project. Funding for artist fees and production costs for a documentary. 

Jo Taylor. $5,000. Community Collaborations. Funding for artist fees, printing, venue rental, and advertising for a performing arts series. 

Garth Jackson. $5,000. No Cure for Pain. Funding for design, layout, and printing costs for a photo documentary book.

Bangladesh-Canada Association, Windsor-Essex. $5,000. International Mother Language Festival. Funding for artist fees and venue rental for a multi-genre arts and culture festival. 

Gabrieli Campanaro Cacenote. $5,000. The Art We Carry. Funding for artist fees, venue, materials, production and installation costs, and promotion of an arts exhibition and workshops. 

Christopher Yepez. $5,000. The Woodland Special with ‘Lil Misho. Funding for artist fees, music, rehearsal, venue, and production costs for an Indigenous music, dance, and media arts festival. 

Jamie Greer. $4,200. Lost Parade Album Recording. Funding for studio recording and mastering costs. 

Sam Bourque. $4,130. Music is Everywhere: The LIVE Experience. Funding for artist fees, venue, advertising, and tour for a music video. 

Claudio D’Andrea. $4,000. Bus Stop, Bus Goes. Funding for artist fees, venue, and production costs for a short film. 

Sara Fontaine. $2,500. The Broadway Bunch: All That Jazz. Funding for artist fees for a live music theatre performance. 

Alex Aideira-Leite. $2,500. The Coffee House Combo: LIVE at Mackenzie Hall Jazz Album. Funding for mixing and mastering, and digital album art for a live recording of a jazz performance. 

Giovanni Abati. $2,170. Environmental Art Show. Funding for artist fees, venue, and music for an art exhibition.

Black Kids in Action. $2,000. Black History Month Stage Production: Race of Purpose. Funding for artist fees, props, and costumes for a Black History Month theatrical performance. 

The City extends thanks to the returning ACHF jury members who participated in the evaluation of the 2026 ACHF funding rounds. The jury consisted of the following:

  • Dan MacDonald – Arts writer (Upfront Magazine, ROOM Magazine); radio programmer (CJAM-FM, Hear + Now); radio host (The Dan MacDonald Show on AM800 CKLW; 89.X); performing artist; published poet and author; event emcee (including City-led initiatives and events); arts educator; festival and event producer. 
  • Vincent Georgie – Executive Director and Chief Programmer for WIFF (Windsor International Film Festival) for ten years; arts board member (WIFF, and Windsor Symphony Orchestra); administrator, programmer, educator; holds an MBA and PhD in film marketing; major film representative at events including Toronto International Film Festival (TIFF), Cannes, Telluride, and invited attendee to the Academy Awards, Golden Globe Awards and Emmy Awards.
  • Matthew Dumouchel – Past president of Windsor Light Music Theatre (recipient of the arts organization 2024 Windsor Mayor’s Arts Award); actor; artist; small business owner; Director of Operations at the Windsor-Essex Chamber of Commerce.
  • Madelyn Della Valle – Museum Windsor Curator; heritage; literature, administrator; programmer; educator; community board member; connected to/works with local heritage, French and Italian communities.
  • Sheila Wisdom – Former City Councillor for City of Windsor; former Executive Director for the Windsor Symphony Orchestra; arts board member; arts volunteer.

Call for 2027 ACHF Jurors:

The City of Windsor is currently seeking would-be jurors for the 2027 funding rounds of the Arts, Culture & Heritage Fund (ACHF) grant program. 2027 funding will be awarded in two rounds, with funding application dates yet to be set. Windsor residents who possess an aptitude for business; an eye for arts, culture and heritage; and a commitment to a vibrant cultural community are encouraged to apply to serve as volunteers on the ACHF jury to evaluate applications for next year. If you feel you have the qualities needed to help select winning entries, please apply today. This is a meaningful opportunity to spend a small amount of time and have a significant impact on our community.

The ACHF Juror Application form is available and administered entirely online, with no requirement to print and mail documents. When you select the Juror Application link during intake phases, you will be redirected to the MyWindsor Portal and required to create a local account or use an existing Google account to proceed with your application. 

Opportunities for Sponsors, Donors, and Community-Builders with the ACHF:

As the ACHF program continues to evolve, the City offers two ongoing possible opportunities for partnership between sponsors, donors, and community builders in connection with the ACHF grant program to help support arts, culture and heritage in Windsor.

Those who wish to register as a Patron will be provided with information on funded ACHF projects that are seeking additional funding support to realize their project goals and increase community impact. City staff will facilitate a meeting between interested parties to see what possibilities exist. 

Those who wish to register to become an ACHF Partner will have the opportunity to donate funds to the ACHF funding stream, which will increase available funding in a given round, thus increasing opportunities for additional creators and projects to receive funding. The ACHF Jury will adjudicate all funding requests, and City staff will work with ACHF Partners to determine the best fit for donations in any given round. 

Those wishing to take advantage of these unique opportunities to direct support to Windsor’s arts, culture and heritage creative community are asked to reach out to culturalaffairs@citywindsor.ca to begin the conversation.

Further details on the ACHF program guidelines and objectives, application process, eligibility requirements, success stories from previous recipients, and deadline dates for funding rounds as available are posted at www.ACHFWindsor.ca online.

Quotes:

“It is wonderful to have $133,000 available this year to be awarded to individuals and organizations through the City’s ACHF program. The results of the program continue to speak for themselves, with over $1.3 million in funding awarded to over five hundred innovative projects since the program launched. The ACHF remains one of many components of Council’s overall significant investment in arts, culture and heritage in Windsor. Congratulations to the funding recipients for our first round this year. Windsor’s creative community is bursting with incredible talent and experiences for residents and visitors to explore. We look forward to seeing these new projects come to life in Windsor!”
- Windsor Mayor Drew Dilkens

“Thank you so much for this wonderful news! I’m very happy and grateful that ‘The Art We Carry’ was awarded the grant. Thank you to the jury and the ACHF team for believing in this project. I’m excited to bring it to life!”
- Gabi Campanaro, ACHF Recipient

“We are thrilled that our International Mother Language Festival has been awarded the grant from the Arts, Culture and Heritage Fund. Thank you for your support and for all your guidance throughout this process. We look forward to a successful event.”
- Mohammad Jalal Uddin, President, Bangladesh-Canada Association, Windsor-Essex, ACHF Recipient

To learn more about arts, culture and heritage services at the City of Windsor, visit www.CityWindsor.ca or contact 311.

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