Call for Arts Circulation and Touring Program (Canada)

Deadline: 23-Sep-2026

The BC Arts Council Arts Circulation and Touring – Organizations and Collectives program provides project grants of up to $25,000 for eligible British Columbia arts organizations and collectives to support touring, circulation, presentations and travel. The program helps B.C. artists and artistic works reach audiences within and outside the province while strengthening professional networks and access to arts and culture.

What Is the Arts Circulation and Touring Program?

The Arts Circulation and Touring – Organizations and Collectives program is offered by the BC Arts Council to support the mobility and circulation of artistic work.

The program provides financial assistance for eligible activities that allow B.C.-based arts organizations and collectives to:

• Tour artistic performances and works.
• Circulate exhibitions and cultural projects.
• Present artistic work to audiences outside the applicant’s home base.
• Host visiting artists or cultural practitioners.
• Travel for artistic presentations.
• Develop future touring and circulation opportunities.
• Build connections with venues, presenters and cultural organisations.

All funded activities must contribute to the exposure and circulation of B.C. artists and artistic work.

Why It Matters

Touring and circulation can help artists and arts organizations access new audiences, professional opportunities and cultural networks.

The program supports this process by helping cover eligible costs associated with travel, presentations and artistic circulation.

It can also improve access to arts and culture by enabling artistic work to reach communities beyond an organization’s normal operating area.

What Funding Categories Are Available?

The program has two funding categories.

Category 1: Outbound Compensated Touring

This category supports the circulation or touring of established artistic and cultural work to specific venues or events.

The receiving venue or event must provide guaranteed compensation.

Examples may include:

• Touring performances.
• Exhibition circulation.
• Presentations of established artistic works.
• Cultural projects presented at confirmed venues.

The maximum grant under this category is $25,000.

Category 2: Inbound and Outbound Travel

This category supports travel associated with arts and culture projects.

Eligible activities can include:

• Travel to present artistic work.
• Hosting visiting artists or practitioners.
• Travel for project planning.
• Participation in events that can lead to future touring opportunities.
• Travel connected with circulation and touring development.

The maximum grant under this category is $15,000.

Geographic Requirement

Funded activities must take place at least 80 kilometres from the applicant’s home base.

Applications must also identify:

• Specific venues; or
• Specific invitations associated with the proposed activity.

This requirement helps ensure that funding supports genuine circulation, touring or travel opportunities rather than routine local activities.

How Much Funding Can Applicants Request?

The maximum grant amounts are:

• Up to $25,000 for outbound compensated touring.
• Up to $15,000 for inbound and outbound travel.

Applicants may generally request up to 50% of eligible project expenses.

Applicants belonging to the BC Arts Council’s designated priority groups may request up to 65% of eligible expenses.

The final grant amount may depend on the eligibility and assessment of the proposed expenses and available programme resources.

What Expenses Are Eligible?

Eligible project costs can include expenses directly associated with the supported circulation, touring or travel activity.

Examples include:

• Transportation.
• Accommodation.
• Per diems.
• Registration fees.
• Shipping.
• Artist fees.
• Other eligible project-related expenses.

Applicants should ensure that their budgets accurately reflect the costs required to deliver the proposed activity.

Fair Compensation Requirements

Projects must provide fair compensation to artists and cultural practitioners.

Compensation should follow appropriate industry standards.

Applicants should therefore ensure that artist fees and other professional payments are properly reflected in the project budget.

Who Is Eligible?

Eligible applicants can include several types of arts and cultural organizations and collectives based in British Columbia.

These include:

• Non-profit arts organizations.
• Indigenous community organizations or governments.
• Arts or curatorial collectives with at least three members.
• Arts organizations operated by local governments.
• Arts organizations operated by public post-secondary institutions.
• Eligible book publishers.
• Eligible periodical publishers.

Applicants must be based in British Columbia.

Organizational Eligibility Requirements

Applicants must meet the programme’s organizational requirements.

The organization or collective must:

• Be based in B.C.
• Provide public arts and culture programming in British Columbia as a primary activity.
• Have provided this programming for at least one year before the application deadline.
• Meet the relevant eligibility requirements for its organizational type.
• Have a specific venue, event or invitation for the proposed activity where required.

Collectives applying under the programme must have at least three members.

What Types of Projects Are a Good Fit?

A strong project is one that clearly demonstrates how funding will increase the circulation or exposure of B.C. artistic work.

Suitable activities may include:

• A B.C. theatre company touring an established production to confirmed venues outside its home base.
• An arts collective presenting an exhibition in another community.
• An organization travelling to an invited international arts event.
• Hosting an artist whose participation contributes to a confirmed cultural project.
• Travel connected to developing a future touring opportunity.

The activity must meet the programme’s geographic and invitation or venue requirements.

How to Apply

Applicants should develop their proposal around a clearly defined circulation, touring or travel activity.

Step 1: Confirm Eligibility

Check that the organization or collective:

• Is based in B.C.
• Meets the applicable organizational category.
• Has provided public arts and culture programming for at least one year.
• Meets any applicable priority-group requirements.

Step 2: Select the Correct Category

Determine whether the project is primarily:

• Outbound compensated touring, or
• Inbound/outbound travel.

Selecting the appropriate category helps ensure the proposed expenses and activities match the programme’s purpose.

Step 3: Confirm the Venue or Invitation

Identify the specific venue, event or invitation connected with the project.

The activity must take place at least 80 km from the applicant’s home base.

Step 4: Prepare the Project Budget

List eligible expenses such as:

• Travel.
• Accommodation.
• Per diems.
• Registration.
• Shipping.
• Artist fees.

Ensure that artist and cultural practitioner compensation is fair and consistent with industry standards.

Step 5: Calculate the Grant Request

Determine the eligible project expenses and calculate the appropriate funding request.

The applicable maximum is:

• $25,000 for outbound compensated touring.
• $15,000 for travel.

The standard contribution limit is up to 50% of eligible expenses, increasing to up to 65% for designated priority groups.

Step 6: Demonstrate Artistic and Community Value

Explain how the project will:

• Increase exposure for B.C. artists.
• Reach new audiences.
• Strengthen professional relationships.
• Support artistic circulation.
• Improve access to arts and culture.
• Create future touring or presentation opportunities where relevant.

Tips for a Strong Application

Applicants can strengthen their proposals by:

• Providing confirmed venues or invitations.
• Clearly explaining why the proposed travel or tour is important.
• Demonstrating audience and community benefits.
• Providing a realistic and detailed budget.
• Including appropriate artist fees.
• Explaining how the activity supports the organization’s broader artistic objectives.
• Showing how the project can strengthen future professional networks.
• Clearly separating eligible project expenses from regular operating costs.

Common Mistakes to Avoid

Applicants should avoid:

• Proposing activities within 80 km of their home base.
• Applying without specific venues or invitations where required.
• Requesting more than the applicable funding limit.
• Failing to meet the one-year public programming requirement.
• Providing unclear or unsupported project costs.
• Underbudgeting artist compensation.
• Treating routine organizational operations as a touring project.
• Failing to demonstrate the circulation or exposure benefits of the proposed activity.

Arts Circulation and Touring Grants at a Glance

• Funder: BC Arts Council
• Programme: Arts Circulation and Touring – Organizations and Collectives
• Location: British Columbia, Canada
• Maximum touring grant: $25,000
• Maximum travel grant: $15,000
• Standard funding: Up to 50% of eligible expenses
• Priority-group funding: Up to 65% of eligible expenses
• Minimum distance: 80 km from applicant’s home base
• Eligible applicants: B.C.-based eligible arts organizations, Indigenous organizations or governments, collectives and publishers
• Collective requirement: At least three members
• Programming requirement: Public arts and culture programming as a primary activity for at least one year
• Key expenses: Travel, accommodation, per diems, registration, shipping and artist fees
• Compensation: Artists and cultural practitioners must be fairly compensated

Frequently Asked Questions

What is the BC Arts Council Arts Circulation and Touring grant?

It is a project grant programme supporting B.C.-based arts organizations and collectives with the circulation, touring and travel of artistic and cultural work within or outside British Columbia.

What is the maximum grant for touring?

Organizations and collectives can receive up to $25,000 for outbound compensated touring.

How much can applicants receive for travel?

The travel category provides grants of up to $15,000 for eligible inbound and outbound travel activities.

How far from the home base must the activity take place?

The supported activity must take place at least 80 km from the applicant’s home base.

Can arts collectives apply?

Yes. Eligible arts or curatorial collectives can apply, provided the collective has at least three members and meets the programme’s other requirements.

How much of the project cost can the grant cover?

Applicants can generally request up to 50% of eligible project expenses. Designated priority groups may request up to 65%.

Do artists have to be fairly compensated?

Yes. Projects must ensure fair compensation for artists and cultural practitioners in accordance with applicable industry standards.

Conclusion

The BC Arts Council Arts Circulation and Touring – Organizations and Collectives programme provides important support for B.C. arts organizations and collectives seeking to tour, circulate artistic works, travel for cultural projects and develop new professional opportunities.

With grants of up to $25,000 for outbound compensated touring and $15,000 for eligible travel, the programme can help organizations reach new audiences while strengthening the visibility and mobility of British Columbia’s arts and culture sector. A successful application should demonstrate eligibility, provide a confirmed venue or invitation, meet the 80-kilometre requirement, present a clear project plan and budget, and ensure fair compensation for participating artists and cultural practitioners.

For more information, visit BC Arts Council.