The Local Festivals component of Building Communities through Arts and Heritage provides funding to local groups for recurring festivals that present the work of local artists, artisans, heritage performers or specialists, and First Nations, Inuit and Métis cultural carriers. The program celebrates local arts and heritage while increasing opportunities for local artists and cultural carriers to be involved in their community. Celebrations of 2SLGBTQI+ communities and Indigenous cultural celebrations are eligible.

Program Objectives:

• Provide local residents with opportunities to volunteer in their community through planning and delivery of arts and heritage activities
• Integrate local artists, artisans, heritage performers, cultural carriers and Indigenous Elders into community through arts and heritage activities
• Integrate local community support into planning and delivery of arts and heritage activities
• Provide local residents with access to their own local arts and heritage

Expected Program Results:

• Local residents have opportunity to get involved in their community through arts and heritage
• Local artists, artisans, heritage performers, cultural carriers and Indigenous Elders have opportunity to get involved in their community
• Local community associations and businesses have opportunity to support local festivals
• Local residents have access to local arts and local heritage

Key Eligibility Requirements:

Prior festival requirement: Applicants must have successfully organized a prior edition of the festival within the last 2 years that met all eligibility requirements. The most recent edition must have:

• Had dedicated arts and heritage activities as majority of programming
• Featured local artists and performers as primary component
• Presented eligible activities for more than 1 calendar day and less than 29 consecutive days

Festival requirements: Eligible festivals must:

• Present work of local artists, artisans, heritage performers, and local First Nations, Inuit and Métis cultural carriers
• Feature local performers as primary component in programming and promotion materials
• Integrate volunteers into project planning and delivery
• Feature live, in-person activities delivered by local artists and cultural carriers
• Be easily accessible to local community
• Be promoted to local residents
• Receive cash and in-kind support from local community supporters
• Receive support from municipality or equivalent authority
• Have balanced budget (total expenses equal total revenues)
• Present eligible activities for more than 1 calendar day over period of less than 29 consecutive days

Ineligible activities:

• Events of religious or political nature
• Primarily commercial events (food preparation for sales, art/craft sales, book fairs)
• Sports or recreational activities
• Entertainment unrelated to arts and heritage (e.g., bouncy castles)
• Activities primarily for fundraising or contests
• Film screenings and exclusively virtual activities
• Activities outside Canada or of provincial/territorial/national/international nature
• Celebration of historical events not taking place in Canada
• Extensions of organization's regular or permanent programming
• Programming exclusively featuring board members
• Conferences and events not intended for general public
• Festivals funded by Canada Arts Presentation Fund or other Canadian Heritage programs
• Events celebrating national holidays (Canada Day, National Indigenous Peoples Day, Saint-Jean-Baptiste Day, Canadian Multiculturalism Day, National Acadian Day, National Day for Truth and Reconciliation)