The Museums Assistance Program (MAP) supports heritage institutions and workers in preservation and presentation of heritage collections through several components, each with its own eligibility criteria. The Exhibition Circulation Fund component assists museums with costs related to hosting travelling exhibitions originating from another Canadian non-profit organization, an Indigenous organization, or from a federal heritage institution, and borrowing artifacts for exhibition purposes from federal institutions.

Important Notice:

Due to higher-than-normal volume of applications, funds for Exhibition Circulation Fund are limited. Applicants strongly encouraged to speak to regional program advisor prior to submitting application.

Program Objectives:

• Assist museums with costs of hosting travelling exhibitions from Canadian sources
• Support borrowing of artifacts from federal institutions for exhibition purposes
• Facilitate access to heritage across Canada
• Promote circulation of Canadian travelling exhibitions

Eligible Project Types:

1. Hosting a travelling exhibition: Host travelling exhibition originating from another Canadian non-profit organization, Indigenous organization, or federal heritage institution (on condition that same expenses were not reimbursed to lending institution by MAP as part of exhibition development/circulation project).

Note: Travelling art exhibitions must meet MAP's heritage-related objectives. Only retrospective exhibitions or those presenting historical perspective are eligible. For contemporary art exhibitions, organizations may seek support from Canada Council for the Arts programs.

2. Borrowing artifact(s): Borrow artifact(s) from federal institution for exhibition purposes.

Key Requirements:

• Program is highly competitive; requests for funding typically exceed available resources
• Submitting application does not guarantee funding
• No yearly limit to number of projects for which organization may apply
• Applications accepted on continuous basis
• Submit application about 4 months prior to project start date
• When possible, apply for funding within federal fiscal year (April 1 to March 31) of project
• Expenses incurred before application submission cannot be funded

Eligible expenses for hosting travelling exhibition:

• Rental fees
• Pro-rated salaries and wages
• Transportation, packing, crating, installing/dismantling exhibition, temporary storage (when necessary)
• Additional security costs
• Additional insurance
• Equipment rental, incremental administration costs, promotion and communication expenses
• Translation of public material in both official languages and other applicable languages
• Creation of education materials, media kits and marketing materials in conjunction with travelling exhibition

Eligible expenses for borrowing artifact(s):

• Rental fees
• Pro-rated salaries and wages
• Packing, transportation, installation and dismantling
• Special security costs
• Additional insurance
• Marketing