Fairs, Festivals and Events Fund

You can submit a maximum of three applications. You must complete a separate application package for each eligible event.

• You cannot submit applications for recurring instances of the same event
• Only one grant will be issued per eligible event
• Two organizations cannot receive grants for the same event
• You will not receive more than $500,000 in total funding

Failure to submit a required final report from previous intakes of BCFFE may affect future funding decisions or may result in the repayment of funds to the Province.

2023 BCFFE recipients please note: If your grant was $200,000 and over, you must submit a report within three months following the event.  If your grant was under $200,000 you are only required to submit a report if requested by the Ministry.  

Events previously funded through the Tourism Division of the Ministry of Tourism, Arts, Culture and Sport are not eligible for the BCFFE funding within the same calendar year. 

• For example, if you received funding for your 2024 event, you are only eligible for 2025 funding, provided your event meets the mandatory criteria 

This also applies to events that previously received funding from the BCFFE Fund for an event that was postponed to 2024/25.

Eligible events:

• Sporting events and festivals, such as:
  • Spectator sport events
  • Organized races
  • Exhibition events
  • Tournaments and competitions
• Arts and culture events and festivals, such as:
  • Live music, film, mural, or cultural festivals 
  • Performances
  • Art walks
  • Comic conventions
• Community celebrations and gatherings, such as:
  • Seasonal festivals or celebration 
  • Culinary (food or beverage) events
  • Fairs, rodeos and exhibitions 
• Agri-tourism events, such as:
  • Festivals held on farms, orchards or vineyards

Ineligible events:

• Events that are primarily commercial/retail, religious, political or academic in nature, such as: 
  • Consumer shows
  • Trade shows
  • Conventions
  • Fashion shows
  • Meetings and conferences
  • Seminars and clinics
  • Rallies or demonstrations 
  • Educational competitions
  • Craft fairs or swap meets
  • Farmers' markets
• Shows, tours or recurring events held for more than 21 days in a calendar year
  • Summer music concert series
  • Seasonal spectator sport games/leagues
• Pageants
• Award shows
• Events held at summer camps or training clinics
• Neighbourhood block parties
• Events with the primary purpose of fundraising or contests
• Events in the bid phase

• Events must be open to all members of the public. Events only available to the organization's members are not eligible 

• Events that take place more than 21 days in a calendar year are not eligible for funding 
• If you are hosting a recurring event, such as a series of summer music concerts or a seasonal spectator sport league, your event may be eligible if it occurs fewer than 21 times in a calendar year, whether it takes place consecutively or not 

• To ensure the success of your event, we require you to have other funding sources. This may include revenue from ticket sales, contributions from your organization, private contributions, and other levels of governments 
• Event organizers must complete an event budget template that demonstrates anticipated revenue-generating activities, such as ticket sales, entry fees and vendor fees. The budget must also reflect all other funding sources 

• While event budgets are not required to be balanced, event organizers must complete a budget that demonstrates sufficient cash flow to meet minimum operating costs. Event budgets with significant surpluses or deficits may not receive a grant

• Event budgets must demonstrate minimum operating budgets of $10,000

• The event venue must be secured at the time of application. Event organizers may be asked to provide evidence that the event venue is secured, such as through municipal permits, rental agreements or other documentation
• Events in the bid phase are ineligible 

• The primary purpose of an eligible event cannot be fundraising activities 
• Events may contribute to fundraising efforts, such as hosting not-for-profit organizations that are collecting donations at the event venue. BCFFE funds cannot be used for financial contributions to support charities 
• Events may host vendor tables, sell merchandise, or sell food and beverage, but this cannot be the primary purpose of the event. This means that consumer shows, trade shows, and craft fairs are ineligible 

You can use grant funds to pay for:

• Consultation with Indigenous communities and honorariums for Indigenous community members 
• Operational costs directly related to the event execution, such as event staff, volunteer management or equipment rental
• Artists' fees
• Wages or contractor fees for event production 
• Health and safety requirements 
• Insurance related to event execution 
• Venue rental fees
• Marketing and promotion
• Signage and collateral 
• Program guides 
• Hospitality costs (e.g. food/beverage sold at event) 

You can't use grant funds to pay for:

• Operating costs for the organization producing the event (e.g. utilities, debt repayment, office expenses) 
• Seed money for start-up businesses 
• Capital expenditures (construction, renovation or purchase of property or equipment) 
• Feasibility studies
• Fundraising activities
• Gifts
• Prize money
• Legal fees