Closed
Source verified October 4, 2026
Local Festivals — Building Communities Through Arts and Heritage
Funding for community festivals showcasing local arts and heritage
Get notified when Local Festivals — Building Communities Through Arts and Heritage reopens
Latest source updateLast Update: October 1, 2026Latest change: The Local Festivals application guidelines now require a recurring festival with a prior eligible edition and substantially rewrite the festival, expense, and evaluation rules.View change
Latest source update
Last Update: October 1, 2026
Latest change: The Local Festivals application guidelines now require a recurring festival with a prior eligible edition and substantially rewrite the festival, expense, and evaluation rules.
Local Festivals guidelines revised
The Application guidelines for Local Festivals were substantially revised. Eligibility now requires a recurring arts and heritage festival with at least one prior edition that met program requirements, and the festival must be primarily live, in-person, local, and delivered over more than one calendar day within a maximum four-week period. The list of eligible and ineligible activities, eligible expenses, and evaluation criteria were also rewritten, including new expectations for accessibility, community support, promotion, organizational capacity, and a required final report for previously funded applicants.
Funding available
$ 200,000
Deadline
Unspecified
Location
Canada
Overview
The Local Festivals — Building Communities Through Arts and Heritage program offers up to $200,000 in funding to support recurring local festivals that showcase the work of local artists, artisans, heritage performers, and Indigenous cultural carriers. Eligible activities include events and programming that celebrate and promote local arts, heritage, and community engagement.
Receipt of requests is now closed
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At a glance
Funding available
Financing goals
- Increase performance through digital transformation
- Conduct research and development activities
- Reduce environmental footprint
Eligible Funding
- Maximum amount : 200,000 $
- Up to 100% of project cost
Funds Providers
Eligible candidates
Eligible Industries
- All industries
Location
- Canada
Legal structures
- Non-profit
- Public or Parapublic institution
Annual revenue
- All revenue ranges
Organisation size
- All organization sizes
Audience
- Indigenous Peoples
- 2SLGBTQI+
- Canadians
Non-profit candidates
Sector of operation
- Culture and Arts
- Economic, Social and Community Development
- Diversity and Inclusion
Target groups
- General public
- Indigenous peoples
- LGBTQ+ community
- Rural / Remote communities
- Artists / creatives
- Nonprofits / charities
- Community leaders
- Minority groups
Revenue structures
- All structures
Scope
- Local
Next Steps
1
Determine your project
2
Validate your eligibility
Availability timeline
2026
Periods: 2
Activities funded
- Recurring festivals that present the work of local artists, local artisans, local heritage performers or specialists, and local First Nations, Inuit and Métis cultural carriers.
- Live performances of music, dance and theatre, arts and heritage demonstrations and workshops, sharing of cultural traditions, and audience engagement activities related to arts and heritage.
- Activities undertaken in the context of Indigenous celebrations, such as Pow wows, seasonal celebrations, traditional knowledge gatherings, and events that showcase Indigenous artistic, cultural or heritage practices.
Official resources
Application form
Eligibility
Who is eligible?
- Local non-profit incorporated organizations.
- Local non-profit unincorporated groups.
- Local band councils, local tribal councils, or other local Indigenous governments or organizations (First Nations, Inuit or Métis).
Who is not eligible
- For-profit businesses.
- Municipal, provincial, federal or territorial governments and their agencies, councils or commissions.
- Educational institutions such as universities, colleges, school boards, public libraries, and hospitals.
- Organizations with a religious mandate as their primary focus.
- Groups or organizations operating with exclusively provincial/territorial, national or international mandates.
- Groups with more than 50% of board members residing outside the locality, region, or province.
- Unions.
Eligible expenses
- Only project-related cash expenses are eligible.
- Fees and expenses of local artists, local artisans, local heritage performers or specialists, local cultural carriers and local Indigenous Elders.
- Fees and expenses for temporary event contractors, rental and temporary installation of items such as lighting, sound, venues and tents, and event logistics such as security barriers, portable toilets and garbage bins.
- Expenses related to copyright and operating licenses, advertising and promotion targeted to the local population, and translation costs into French, English, local Indigenous languages and ASL interpretation.
- Fees and expenses related to volunteer management, financial audits when required by the program, and insurance for eligible activities.
Ineligible Costs and Activities
- Activities of a religious or political nature, activities of a primarily commercial nature, sports or recreational activities, entertainment activities unrelated to arts and heritage, and activities whose primary purpose is fundraising or contest.
- Film screenings and activities that are exclusively virtual, activities taking place outside of Canada, activities of a provincial, territorial, national or international nature, celebration of historical events that did not take place in Canada, and programming that exclusively features activities presented by board members of the applicant.
- Activities that are, in whole or in part, an extension of your organization’s regular or permanent programming, and conferences and other events not intended for the general public.
- Your organization’s ongoing operating expenses, fees and expenses of non-local artists and related heritage or cultural carriers, costs related to creation, production, research, books and exhibitions, alcohol permits and alcohol-related expenses, digital or virtual programming and live streaming, equipment and capital expenses, and souvenirs.
- Fees and expenses for security personnel and ambulance services, and fireworks.
Eligible geographic areas
- Organizations located within Canada.
Selection criteria
- The program funds projects with clear objectives and measurable results.
- The extent to which eligible arts and heritage activities constitute the majority of festival programming and are a primary component of the festival.
- The number of eligible arts and heritage activities involving local artists and performers, the proportion of local artists and performers relative to non-local artists and performers, and how prominently they are featured in promotional materials and public communications.
- The number of community supporters involved and the type and value of support provided, as well as the number of volunteers, volunteer hours, estimated attendance, accessibility, and the effectiveness of promotional activities.
- The ability to carry out the festival on a reasonable and balanced budget, the results of previous editions, contingency plans, and the extent to which official languages requirements, diversity and inclusion requirements will be met.
How to apply
- Step 1: Familiarization with the guidelinesCarefully read the guidelines on submitting applications for the Local Festivals component.
- Step 2: Preparation of the application packageGather all the required documents, such as brochures, programs, financial statements, promotional material, final report from the previous edition (if applicable), and a signed copy of the confirmation form of support from the municipal administration or equivalent authority.
- Prepare additional documents according to your organization's status (incorporation documents, bylaws, additional financial statements, charters, etc., depending on specific requirements).
- Step 3: Access the Canadian Heritage portalCreate or access your file on the Canadian Heritage online funding portal.
- Step 4: Filling out the application formComplete the online application form with all required information about the project and the organization.
- Step 5: Submission of the application and supporting documentsAttach all mandatory supporting documents to the completed application form.
- Submit the electronic application via the funding portal, before 11:59 PM (ET) on the appropriate deadline according to the festival start dates.
- Step 6: Follow-up and confirmationReceive an acknowledgment of receipt within two weeks after submission of the application. If no confirmation is received, contact the support team at info@pch.gc.ca or at 1-866-811-0055.
Additional information
- The program requires public acknowledgment of the financial support of the Government of Canada in both French and English in all communications and promotions related to the project.
- Funded activities must take into account the needs of all people in Canada, including Indigenous peoples and groups from diverse religions, cultures, abilities, sexual orientations, and gender identities.
- All records and documents related to the project must be kept for five years in anticipation of a possible audit or program evaluation.
- Measures in favor of diversity, inclusion, and respect for official languages must be applied within the framework of the project.
Contacts
Frequently Asked Questions about the Local Festivals — Building Communities Through Arts and Heritage Program
What is the Local Festivals — Building Communities Through Arts and Heritage?
The Local Festivals — Building Communities Through Arts and Heritage program offers up to $200,000 in funding to support recurring local festivals that showcase the work of local artists, artisans, heritage performers, and Indigenous cultural carriers. Eligible activities include events and programming that celebrate and promote local arts, heritage, and community engagement.
How much funding can be received?
Local Festivals — Building Communities Through Arts and Heritage Funds up to 100% of admissible expenses, capped at $200,000 per project.
Who is eligible for the Local Festivals — Building Communities Through Arts and Heritage program?
To be eligible for the Local Festivals — Building Communities Through Arts and Heritage program, you must:
The applicant must be a local non-profit organization or a local indigenous council/government.
For-profit businesses are not eligible.
The festival must have been successfully organized in the last two years.
What expenses are eligible under Local Festivals — Building Communities Through Arts and Heritage?
Recurring festivals that present the work of local artists, local artisans, local heritage performers or specialists, and local First Nations, Inuit and Métis cultural carriers.
Live performances of music, dance and theatre, arts and heritage demonstrations and workshops, sharing of cultural traditions, and audience engagement activities related to arts and heritage.
Activities undertaken in the context of Indigenous celebrations, such as Pow wows, seasonal celebrations, traditional knowledge gatherings, and events that showcase Indigenous artistic, cultural or heritage practices.
Who can I contact for more information about the Local Festivals — Building Communities Through Arts and Heritage?
You can contact Government of Canada by email at info@pch.gc.ca or by phone at 1-866-811-0055.
Where is the Local Festivals — Building Communities Through Arts and Heritage available?
The Local Festivals — Building Communities Through Arts and Heritage program is available across Canada.
Is the Local Festivals — Building Communities Through Arts and Heritage a grant, loan, or tax credit?
Local Festivals — Building Communities Through Arts and Heritage is a Grant and Funding