Open
Museum Assistance Program - Exhibition Circulation Fund
Last Update: March 12, 2026
Canada
Supports museums hosting travelling exhibitions and borrowing artefacts
Grant and Funding
Overview
The Museum Assistance Program – Exhibition Circulation Fund provides up to $15,000 per project to support the costs associated with hosting travelling exhibitions and borrowing artefacts from Canadian institutions. This funding is intended for non-profit museums and Indigenous organizations to facilitate access to heritage by covering expenses such as transportation, installation, security, promotion, and translation.
At a glance
Funding available
Financing goals
- Increasing community impact
- Develop strategic partnerships
- Marketing a product
Eligible Funding
- Maximum amount : 15,000 $
- Up to 70% of project cost
Timeline
- Open Date : February 3, 2026
Eligible candidates
Eligible Industries
- Information and cultural industries
- Educational services
- Arts, entertainment and recreation
Location
- Canada
Legal structures
- Non-profit
- Public or Parapublic institution
Annual revenue
- All revenue ranges
Organisation size
- 1 employees minimum
Audience
- Indigenous Peoples
- Persons with Disabilities
- Language Minorities
- Other Racialized Persons
- Rural or Northern Residents
- 2SLGBTQI+
- Canadians
- Youth (<40)
Non-profit candidates
Sector of operation
- Culture and Arts
- Diversity and Inclusion
Target groups
- Children & youth
- Indigenous peoples
- People with disabilities
- LGBTQ+ community
- Rural / Remote communities
- Artists / creatives
- Minority groups
Revenue structures
- All structures
Scope
- Municipal
- Provincial
- National
Activities funded
- Hosting travelling exhibitions that originate from another Canadian non-profit organization, Indigenous organization, or federal heritage institution, provided eligible expenses have not already been reimbursed to the lending institution.
- Borrowing artefacts from a federal institution for the purpose of public exhibition.
Examples of admissible projects:
$ 11,200
Borrowing navigation artefacts from Canadian Museum of History
$ 14,500
Hosting traveling dinosaur fossils from Canadian Museum of Nature
$ 14,800
Hosting Indigenous art from National Gallery of Canada collection
$ 12,600
Hosting photographic history exhibition from Pier 21 foundation
$ 14,300
Showcasing Inuit sculpture on loan from Winnipeg Art Gallery
$ 14,500
Bringing ROM’s textiles exhibition to new audiences with outreach
Eligibility
- The applicant must be an incorporated, non-profit Canadian museum with policies for key museum functions.
- For hosting a travelling exhibition, the museum must employ at least one paid professional staff (full-time, part-time, or seasonal, excluding students).
- For borrowing artefacts, the museum must have a loan agreement or letter of intent with a federal institution.
- Indigenous governing bodies or Indigenous organizations with a mandate to preserve and support Indigenous heritage are eligible.
- Projects must involve hosting a travelling exhibition from another Canadian non-profit, Indigenous, or federal heritage institution, or borrowing artefacts from a federal institution for exhibition purposes.
Who is eligible?
- Incorporated, non-profit Canadian museums
- Indigenous governing bodies with a mandate to preserve and support Indigenous heritage
- Indigenous organizations within Canada focused on heritage preservation
Who is not eligible
- Federal departments, Crown corporations, and agencies.
- Organizations whose principal mandate is not related to heritage.
- Contemporary visual art organizations seeking funding for exhibitions primarily featuring current works of living artists (unless the exhibition is retrospective or has a historical perspective).
Eligible expenses
- Rental fees related to exhibitions or borrowing artefacts.
- Pro-rated salaries and wages specific to project activities.
- Transportation, packing, and crating costs for exhibitions or artefacts.
- Installation and dismantling expenses, including temporary storage when necessary.
- Additional security and insurance expenses required for the project.
- Equipment rental and incremental project administration costs.
- Promotion, communication, and marketing costs.
- Translation of public-facing materials into both official languages and other relevant languages.
- Creation of educational materials, media kits, and marketing materials linked to the exhibition.
Eligible geographic areas
- Organizations located anywhere in Canada.
Selection criteria
- Relevance and community engagement, including alignment with the organization’s mandate and documented support or interest from funders or partners.
- Project planning and management, assessing the organization’s capacity and the adequacy of the timeline and resources.
- Project budget, evaluating justification of expenses, comprehensiveness, and identification of all contributions.
- Impact and evaluation strategy, ensuring outputs and outcomes are clear, measurable, and linked to an articulated evaluation method.
- Organization’s capacity, such as demonstrated financial stability and professional management structure.
How to apply
1
Read the Application Guidelines
- Carefully review the Application Guidelines for the Exhibition Circulation Fund
- Ensure you understand the eligibility, project, and expense requirements
2
Consult a program advisor
- Contact the nearest regional office of the Department of Canadian Heritage
- Discuss your project and confirm eligibility with a program advisor
- Address any questions or concerns before proceeding
3
Gather required documents
- Gather the completed application form, including budget, application checklist, and Declaration and Attestation
- Prepare all supporting documents, such as signed loan agreements and most recent financial statements
- Obtain copies of all procurement quotes as required
4
Access or request application forms
- Create or access an account with the Canadian Heritage Funding Portal (for hosting exhibitions)
- For borrowing artefacts, request application forms from the Museums Assistance Program national office
5
Complete the application package
- Complete all sections of the application form, ensuring accuracy and completeness
- Attach all required supporting documents
6
Submit the application
- Submit your application and all supporting documents electronically via the Canadian Heritage Funding Portal (for hosting exhibitions)
- For borrowing artefacts, send the application by email to map-pam@pch.gc.ca
7
Await results of evaluation
- Wait for the evaluation of your application by the program
- Monitor for requests for additional information or clarification
Additional information
- Applicants are encouraged to contact a regional program advisor before submitting due to limited funds available.
- There is no set deadline; applications are reviewed on a continuous basis.
- Funding may be provided either as a grant or a contribution, depending on project specifics.
- Products and communications developed with funding must be available in both official languages.
Contacts
map-pam@pch.gc.ca
819-997-0055
