Arts Festivals and Presenters Grant Program – Canada

Grants support festivals and presenters to showcase important artistic work, strengthen artistic practice, and build bridges between artists and audiences.

Funding Information

• up to 60% of your total annual revenues, averaged over the last 3 years.

Eligible Activities

• You can apply for a contribution towards activities that:
  • bring artistic programming to Canadian audiences through presentation or exhibition of Canadian work (as well as international work, if applicable) within a biennale, festival or a series of at least 3 events.
  • support artists and strengthen artistic practice.
  • build relationships between artists and the Canadian public.

Ineligible Activities

• The following activities and expenses are not eligible for grants from the Canada Council:
  • activities proposed by someone under 18 years old
  • activities that are illegal according to the Criminal Code of Canada
  • artistic activities that are led by non-professionals (this does not apply to new and early career artists)
  • activities that are carried out to satisfy the course requirements of an educational institution
  • activities that directly support the delivery of an educational program or course
  • activities that are funded by the Social Sciences and Humanities Research Council (SSHRC) (unless applying to a component of Creating, Knowing and Sharing: The Arts and Cultures of First Nations, Inuit and Métis Peoples)
  • self-publishing or author-subsidized publishing of literary works (unless applying to a component of Creating, Knowing and Sharing: The Arts and Cultures of First Nations, Inuit and Métis Peoples)
  • activities carried out by organizations that have not paid, or do not pay, fees or royalties to artists according the standards of the arts practice or sector
  • fundraising activities
  • capital expenditures, unless explicitly eligible
  • contests and competitions (including prizes and awards), except practices in:
    • powwow
    • hip-hop and urban arts – such as street dance battles, poetry slams, etc.
  • any expenses incurred due to COVID-19-related measures, including quarantine expenses
  • contributions to endowment funds.

Who can apply?

• Types of potential applicants to this component include:
  • festivals, presenters and touring networks.
• To be eligible, your organization must present, exhibit or disseminate the work of Canadian artists (as well as international artists, if applicable) through a festival, biennale or other form of presentation in Canada. You must also meet the following basic criteria:
  • presently receive core support from this component. If your organization is presently receiving core support from another component, you must contact a program officer to confirm your eligibility before you apply. Or
  • have received 1 composite grant or 3 project grants from the Canada Council in the last 5 years. This excludes grants from the following components and programs: Small-Scale Activities, Travel, Translation, Literary Publishing Projects, Representation and Promotion, Digital Generator, the COVID-19 Emergency Support Fund, Grow Stage 1 and the Canada-Korea Connections Fund.
  • be an incorporated not-for-profit arts organization
  • work with a professional staff
  • have at least 5 years of professional programming that is accessible to the public
  • pay fees to the artists and arts organizations you present or exhibit.

For more information, visit Canada Council for the Arts.