Festivals & Festival Investment Grants

High quality festivals and celebrations contribute to a community's well-being and economic health.

The pursuit of arts, culture and tourism opportunities is one of our primary objectives as a means to strengthen our downtown and enhance livability. Learn more about festivals held in Victoria with CityVibe, the guide to summer festivals and events.
 

Planning a festival in the City of Victoria? Read on to learn more about the City's Festival Investment Grants.

COVID-19 Resources and Information 

The Arts, Culture and Events Team has compiled information and put together a list of resources to help connect local artists and organizations with the support they need. For more information, click here. 

Festival Investment Grants

The Festival Investment Grant is intended to nurture outdoor festivals and celebrations held within the City of Victoria, facilitate their growth and ensure their continued success.

Outdoor festivals and celebrations add to the vitality and cultural diversity of the City.  The City's annual grant and in-kind support nurtures the development and sustainability of high-quality annual festivals and celebrations. 

Application Process

Applicants must be submitted by email to culture@victoria.ca by December 31 at 4:30 p.m. Pacific Standard Time. Late applications, or applications submitted in person will not be accepted.

In order to provide additional time for festival organizers to pivot and assess options for future presentations, the 2020 final reporting and 2021 application intake has been pushed to December 31, 2020. Guidelines and final reporting documentation templates will be modified and posted by October 31st. Applicants will be asked to submit contingency plans and budget scenarios with their applications that reflect possible future conditions where COVID-19 health orders may be in effect that restrict gatherings over 50.

Budgets

Accurate, realistic and detailed budgeting is critical for the long and short term success of festivals and events.  Careful completion of the revenue and expenditure sheets will help determine your event's cultural investment in the community and highlight annual changes to your festival. It is critical that applicants ensure the following specific details are adhered to:

  • Budgets are submitted using the templates provided
  • In-kind sponsorships are clearly identified as in-kind
  • In-kind sponsorships are shown in revenues AND expenditures in equal measure
  • Blended sponsorships if in-kind and cash contributions must be reflected separately

A budget that does not conform to the above format will not be reviewed.

Below are examples of how to correctly identify in-kind revenues and expenditures. Note that the in-kind sponsorships on the revenues side are identical to the in-kind on the expenditures side. Additionally, West Coast Bakery's in-kind sponsorship of $500 is a separate line item from their $250 cash donation.

Documents and Forms

Reporting:

Timeline

  • Deadline for receipt of application                         December 31 at 4:30 p.m.
  • Review                                                                   January - February
  • Staff recommendations and awards                      February/March
  • Initial cheques cut                                                  July 1
  • 20% holdback cheques released                           Upon receipt of final report
  • Final report due                                                      December 31 at 4:30 p.m.