The Arts Festivals and Presenters component of Arts Across Canada encourages Canadian arts organizations to present and exhibit quality art and literary works to Canadian audiences. Grants support festivals and presenters to showcase important artistic work, strengthen artistic practice, and build bridges between artists and audiences.
Please see guidelines for details and the translation deadline date.
Individuals who are Deaf or who have disabilities, including those living with mental illness, and require accommodation at any stage of the application process may be eligible for additional assistance.
Activities - what is eligible
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
You can't apply for activities that receive funding from another Canada Council program or those on the general list of ineligible activities.
Who can apply
Types of potential applicants to this component include:
- festivals, presenters and touring networks
Your eligibility to apply to this component is determined by the validated profile created in the portal.
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 your 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: Travel, Representation and Promotion, Translation, Literary Publishing Projects, Small-Scale Activities, Digital Strategy Fund, Leadership for Change: Grants for Organizational Development, Flying Squad and Visiting Foreign Artists.
- be an incorporated not-for-profit arts organization
- work with a professional staff
- have at least 5 years of continuous professional programming that is accessible to the public
- pay fees to the artists and arts organizations you present or exhibit