Open call for Project Assistance: Professional Arts Festivals (Canada)

A festival is an event that includes related arts and cultural activities and programming presented over a continuous period of more than one day. Grants received through this program are intended to encourage specific art forms or practices, increase the availability of arts in the community, and support the artistic programming of festivals.

Grant Amounts

• Maximum request amount is $25,000.

Eligible Projects

• Examples of a specific project include but are not limited to:
  • A visual arts exhibition within a multidisciplinary festival.
  • A specific screening series with B.C. filmmakers within a Media Arts festival.
  • A series of writing workshops for emerging novelists within a larger literary festival.
  • A showcase for young audiences within a music festival.
• Examples of a specific component include but are not limited to:
  • Artist fees for performing and contributing artists as a component of overall festival expenses.
  • Expenses related to accessibility and accessible programming.
  • Fees for Elders and Knowledge Keepers.

Who Can Apply?

• Designated Priority Groups 
  • The BC Arts Council has committed to targeted investment in underserved and equity-deserving organizations and the development of equity support initiatives, including a policy to support designated priority groups. These identified groups will be the focus of BC Arts Council strategic measures, through dedicated programs, funding prioritization processes, partnerships, and outreach.
• The BC Arts Council’s designated priority groups include applicants and arts and cultural practitioners who are:
  • Indigenous (First Nations, Métis, or Inuit) Peoples
  • Deaf or experience disability
  • Black or people of colour
  • Located in areas outside greater Vancouver or the capital region
• Organization Eligibility 
  • To be eligible, an organization must be:
    • A professional arts and culture organization registered and in good standing as a non-profit society or community service co-op in B.C. for at least one fiscal year prior to application with:
      • The majority of key staff (paid or volunteer) and board members based in B.C.
      • Creative control and decision making for programming and engagement primarily maintained within the organization and by leadership based in B.C.
      • A purpose or mandate dedicated to arts and culture programming and activities.
  • An Indigenous (First Nations, Métis, Inuit) community organization registered and in good standing as a non-profit society or community service co-op in B.C. for at least one fiscal year prior to application with:
    • The majority of key staff (paid or volunteer) and board members based in B.C.
    • A commitment to offering regular arts and culture activities.
    • An Indigenous (First Nations, Métis, Inuit) government in B.C. that offers regular arts and culture activities.
    • A professional arts and culture organization operated by a local government in B.C. for at least one fiscal year prior to application, that:
    • Maintains an ongoing arm’s length, community-based board of management or advisory structure that sets policy for the organization’s programs and services.
    • Holds a dedicated programming space and has at least one dedicated staff person in an artistic, curatorial, or administrative leadership position who is responsible for programming and engagement.
• Arts or Curatorial Collective Applicants 
  • To be eligible, an Arts or Curatorial Collective must:
    • Be established and readily identified as a collective of a minimum of 3 independent artists, curators, or arts and cultural practitioners who are active in their field of practice and who meet the criteria below. NOTE: The collective may include additional members who do not meet the criteria below as long as at least 3 eligible core members have been identified and meet the following:
      • Have a minimum of two years of practice in their field following basic training, with roles that hold creative control of projects.
      • Have a demonstrated body of previous work as an individual practitioner, including at least one public presentation of work for which an artist fee or equivalent was received.
      • Have a demonstrated history of creating or presenting work as a collective and have a clear commitment to a current practice. At a minimum, the collective must have:
        • A demonstrated body of previous work by current members of the collective.
        • At least one public presentation of work by the current collective, for which artist fees or equivalent were received.
  • An eligible Arts or Curatorial Collective must also:
    • Engage skilled artistic, curatorial, and administrative leadership for project or service delivery.
    • Not be applying on behalf of the activities of a for-profit business.
    • Fairly compensate artists, arts and cultural practitioners, technicians, Elders, and Knowledge Keepers. Compensation must align with project and community contexts and industry standards within the field of practice.
    • Follow international intellectual property rights standards and cultural ownership protocols.

For more information, visit British Council Arts Council.