Deadline: 06-Nov-2025
The Arts Infrastructure Program in British Columbia is designed to strengthen the province’s creative ecosystem by supporting the development, improvement, and sustainability of arts and cultural spaces.
This initiative empowers eligible organizations to enhance the environments where artists and cultural practitioners create, collaborate, and connect with their communities. By investing in infrastructure, the program seeks to expand access, promote inclusion, and foster long-term growth within the arts and culture sector across B.C.
The program supports projects that catalyze the development of new or existing arts and cultural spaces through acquisition, renovation, or specialized equipment purchases. It also focuses on improving physical accessibility, enhancing opportunities for underserved communities, and supporting underrepresented artistic practices. A key goal of the program is to strengthen the overall capacity of organizations to operate and sustain spaces that enable vibrant cultural activity. All approved projects must be completed by December 31, 2028.
Funding is available under three distinct categories. The first, Planning and Consultation, provides up to $25,000 for research and planning processes that lay the groundwork for future facility development or enhancement. The second, Capital Improvements, offers up to $250,000 for construction, renovation, acquisition, or expansion projects that directly improve arts and cultural facilities. The third, Specialized Equipment Acquisition, provides up to $40,000 to purchase long-term use equipment necessary for artistic production and presentation.
Eligibility for the program extends to arts and culture organizations, Indigenous organizations, governments, and certain public-sector entities in British Columbia that have operated for at least two fiscal years. These organizations must be registered non-profits, community service co-ops, or Indigenous governments offering regular arts and cultural programming. Eligible applicants must demonstrate local governance, creative autonomy, and a sustained commitment to public engagement through arts and culture. They must also fairly compensate artists and cultural workers, adhere to intellectual property rights and cultural ownership protocols, and comply with legal requirements such as the Criminal Records Review Act.
The program excludes private and for-profit entities (with limited exceptions for book publishers), member-funded societies, social service organizations, schools, local governments, and heritage or library institutions. By ensuring that funding reaches organizations rooted in community impact and cultural integrity, the Arts Infrastructure Program aims to build a more inclusive, accessible, and resilient cultural landscape throughout British Columbia.
For more information, visit BC Arts Council.