Province providing support for fairs, festivals, events

VANCOUVER, B.C. — The provincial government is providing $30 million to support events through the B.C. Fairs, Festivals and Events (BCFFE) fund.

The one-time grant will cover up to 20 per cent of the event budget, to a maximum of $250,000.

Depending on the number of applicants received, the ministry of tourism, arts, culture and sport may provide grants over 20 per cent of the budget. 

Single organizations holding multiple events will be capped at $500,000.

“The past three years have been incredibly difficult for people in the tourism industry, including live events, and we know not every business has fully recovered,” said Lana Popham, minister of tourism, arts, culture and sport. 

“Our government is proud to provide funding to support fairs, festivals, and events throughout B.C. as they re-establish themselves. We know that these types of gatherings fill British Columbians’ hearts with joy. We also know that in many cases, they support a greater economy right across the province.”

This investment reportedly builds on the BCFFE program initially launched in 2021, which provided one-time grants to support the safe return of events earlier in the pandemic.

Eligible events include sports, arts and culture, community celebrations, agricultural fairs and rodeos.

Examples of eligible expenses include operational costs, health and safety measures, venue rental, marketing, wages and promotion.

Applications will be accepted until March 3rd, 2023, for events between April 1st, 2023 and December 31st, 2024.

The ministry encourages organizations to submit their applications as soon as possible.

For more information and to apply for funding, visit the provincial website.