BCAC — Project Assistance: Community Arts Festivals

• Most recent festival brochure, program, or schedule
• Letters from up to two festival partners or collaborators, if applicable
• Organization profile updates and required uploads
• Signed financial statements for the two most recent completed fiscal years
• List of confirmed or proposed artists, technicians, Elders, or Knowledge Keepers with fees and biographies

Who is eligible?

• Community arts organizations in B.C.
• Indigenous community organizations in B.C.
• Indigenous governments in B.C.

Who is not eligible

• Private or for-profit entities
• Educational institutions
• Local governments
• Social service organizations
• Organizations dedicated to archives, heritage sites, or industrial sites

Eligible expenses

• Fees for B.C. or Canadian professional artists and technicians
• Fees for Elders or Knowledge Keepers

Ineligible Costs and Activities

• Operating expenses
• Capital expenses
• Feasibility studies, start-up costs, or seed money
• Project deficits or contingency funds
• Fundraising activities and commercial recordings or demo reels

Eligible geographic areas

• British Columbia

• Alignment with reconciliation, equity, diversity, inclusion, and access goals
• Feasibility of the project and organizational capacity
• Fair pay and a healthy, sustainable work environment
• Community involvement and Indigenous protocol considerations
• Budget size and total eligible fees requested

• Step 1: Prepare your application
  • Review the program guidelines and checklist
  • Update your organization profile and required uploads
  • Gather support material, artist lists, and project details
• Step 2: Register or log in to the online system
  • New applicants must register and create a profile
  • Returning applicants log in and update their profile
  • Registration requests may take up to five business days
• Step 3: Complete and submit the online application
  • Fill in the application form and required tables
  • Upload the required documents and support material
  • Submit through the Grant Management System before the deadline
• Step 4: Wait for review and results
  • The application is reviewed after submission
  • Notifications are sent by email to the primary contact

• Applications are reviewed for eligibility first
• Eligible applications are assessed by an internal BC Arts Council committee
• Funding amounts and conditions are determined through the assessment process
• Applicants are notified in writing by email, usually within 16 weeks after the deadline
• Final reports must be submitted after the project is completed

• Applications are accepted until February 18, 2026.
• Results are expected in late March 2026.
• Only one application per organization is accepted.
• Next intake is expected in 2027.