Applications open now for festival funding

Investing in celebrations of sports, arts, culture and farming helps build great communities. The economic return also benefits many tourism and hospitality businesses — a sector that is still recovering from the pandemic and the current slowdown in consumer spending.

The Chamber continues to be a vocal advocate for this sector, and we applaud this morning’s news that the BC Fairs, Festivals and Events fund is being extended.

“The BCFFE program single-handedly saved our business and that of many of our colleagues here in BC,” 17 Black Events executive director Scott Gurney said. “The program has also ensured that businesses within BC’s live event ecosystem, like specialty service providers, suppliers and rental companies, have been able to survive, too. The impact of this program reaches far and wide with its economic outcomes, but more importantly, from a social point of view, it has ensured that British Columbians have continued access to arts, culture and live events.”

Events between April 1, 2024, and Sept. 30, 2025, are eligible for funding to cover expenses ranging from operational costs, Indigenous consultation and honorariums, to venue rental, marketing, wages and promotion.

Applications are being accepted until 11:59 pm, Feb. 25. Organizations are encouraged to submit their applications as soon as possible.

“We are extremely grateful for the past two years of BCFFE funding,” Rifflandia Entertainment Company president and CEO Nick Blasco said. “Suffice to say, the program has been essential to the growth and future of our festival and so many others throughout the province.”