Getting that Grant with Canada Council – Part Two

Getting that Grant with Canada Council – Part Two
Wednesday, February 11, 2026
10:00 am PST / 11:00 am MST / 12:00 pm CST / 1:00 pm EST / 2:00 pm AST / 2:30 pm NST
60 minutes
Hosted on Zoom
Live captions available 
Member Exclusive / Free Registration

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The Canada Council for the Arts has modernized its granting systems, programs and processes, bringing a more seamless, accessible, efficient, and secure experience to the arts community. This includes opening the Council’s updated portal, where, for the first time, grant- and prize-based funding opportunities are available in one place. Join representatives from Canada Council for the Arts as they provide an overview of their updated portal. The portal demo will be led by Noora Sagarwala, Program Manager in the Arts Across Canada and Abroad program, and Eric Sauvé, Chief Information Officer. Hosted by author Zeina Sleiman, this webinar runs approximately 60 minutes, including a Q&A period. This is a member-exclusive webinar. 
 

Noora Sagarwala is the Program Manager of Arts Across Canada and Abroad at the Canada Council for the Arts, where she manages granting programs that support the mobility, visibility, and impact of Canadian artists and arts organizations across the country and around the world. With over two decades of experience in the cultural sector, she brings a deep understanding of public arts funding, policy development, stakeholder engagement, and strategic program design. Prior to joining the Council, Noora held roles at the Ontario Arts Council, Emancipation Arts/FreeUp!, MANIFESTO, the Young Centre for the Performing Arts/Soulpepper Theatre Company, and the Canada Dance Festival. Her work has consistently focussed on supporting artists, advancing equity, and strengthening systems that serve the arts community. Noora holds an MBA from the Schulich School of Business with a focus on arts and media management. She is passionate about public service, inclusive leadership, and building funding programs that are transparent, responsive, and forward-looking.
 

Eric Sauvé is the Chief Information Officer at the Canada Council for the Arts. In this role, he leads the delivery of a comprehensive digital shift mandate to better support and enable the Council’s programs and activities. Eric, who is fully bilingual, brings over 20 years of senior digital leadership experience in both the public and private sectors. He has led the development of digital and security strategies, as well as the delivery of major transformational initiatives. He is trained in cyber security, enterprise architecture, product management, agile process and business administration. Eric has a passion for outdoor adventures, which he shares with his partner of 20 years and his three daughters. He is an avid musician and banjo player.

Zeina Sleiman is a Palestinian Canadian writer based out of amiskwacîwâskahikan (Edmonton). Her debut novel Where the Jasmine Blooms was a finalist for the 2025 Forest of Reading Evergreen Award and her story My Father’s Soil was a finalist for the 2025 CBC Short Story Prize. Her writing has been supported by grants from the Silk Road Institute, the Canada Council for the Arts, the Alberta Foundation for the Arts and the Edmonton Arts Council. Her second novel, We Loved Anyway is set to be released in the Fall of 2027.