Funding
Grants at a Glance: A CALENDAR showing the annual grant program cycles.
BCAC Funding
The BCAC provides grants to B.C. based individual artists, arts professionals, collectives, and organizations.
There are three main types of grant programs:
Individual arts grants – project-based grants for artists, including young and pre-professional artists in all disciplines.
Project assistance grants – project-based grants for specific initiatives by individuals, collectives and organizations.
Operating assistance grants – ongoing support for B.C.-based, not-for-profit arts and cultural organizations and for-profit book publishers.
These grants support a wide range of arts activities, including creation, production, presentation, training, and professional development. The funding programs can be viewed as a list or searched using a number of criteria to help you discover quickly which grants you may be eligible for.
Partnerships
The BCAC also provides a number of funding programs that are administered through partnerships.
Indigenous Arts and Culture Programs
The BC Arts Council supports the artistic development of Indigenous artists and organizations across British Columbia. Indigenous Peoples (First Nations, Métis, and/or Inuit) are welcome to apply to programs delivered by the BC Arts Council. Indigenous arts and cultural practitioners are within the BC Arts Council’s Designated Priority Groups policy.
B.C. First Nations Artists
Over the years, the BC Arts Council has developed a longstanding partnership with First Peoples’ Cultural Council. In addition to accessing programs delivered directly by the BC Arts Council; B.C. First Nations artists also have access to dedicated programs supported by the BC Arts Council and other funders, and delivered by First Peoples’ Cultural Council, including:
Arts in Education Programs
The arts enhance creative thinking, accelerate cognitive development, and activate learning potential. The BC Arts Council supports professional artists to work with students in grades K-12 through its partnership with ArtStarts in Schools. The following programs are funded by the BC Arts Council and administered by ArtStarts in Schools:
Circulation, Touring & Presenting Programs
Circulation, touring and presentation of artistic and cultural works benefit artists and communities. The BC Arts Council supports this work to enhance professional and artistic opportunities and exposure of B.C. artists, collectives, and arts organizations regionally, nationally, and internationally.
The Arts Circulation and Touring program supports eligible arts and culture organizations, collectives and individuals with circulation and touring activities both within British Columbia and outside of the province.
The BC Arts Council also provides funding to pay professional fees for touring performing artists and supports audience and community development for community and professional presenters province wide through our partnership with BC Live.
The following programs are funded by the BC Arts Council in partnership with BC Live:
Community Presenters Assistance Program
Digital Media Program
Digital disruption and transformation continues to reshape the way we access and consume media. The BC Arts Council supports digital media through its partnership with Creative BC. The following program is funded by the BC Arts Council and delivered by creativeBC: Interactive Fund
Other Funding
There are a number of other programs offered by the government of British Columbia that support arts and culture in the province. The BC Alliance for Arts and Culture also offers a useful list and search tool for arts and culture funding from a variety of sources.