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Application Deadline: September 23, 2026
Program Summary (Organizations & Individuals):
Arts Circulation and Touring supports circulation, touring and travel activities. The program supports opportunities that enhance exposure of B.C. artists and artworks. It also supports access to arts and culture experiences within the province. Activities can take place inside of British Columbia or outside of the province. Eligible individuals, organizations and arts and curatorial collectives can apply.
Creation or development of new works or programming, and self-presented tours are not supported in this program.
What It Funds:
There are two categories of Arts Circulation and Touring grants:
Category 1: Outbound Compensated Touring
- Circulation or touring of existing or established artistic and cultural performances, exhibitions, and works originating from the applicant to specific venues* or events that are providing compensation.
- Compensation must be guaranteed artist or presentation fees and/or in-kind contributions for travel or accommodation. Non-guaranteed fees (for example, box office revenues or ticket sales; in-kind festival passes or registrations; staffing, marketing or box office support; or venue costs) are not considered eligible compensation for outbound tours.
- Outbound activities must take place at least 80km away** from the applicant’s home base.
Category 2: Travel
- Inbound:
- Hosting, presentation, or circulation of existing or established artistic and cultural performances, exhibitions, and works
- Bringing in artists or artistic leadership for planning future inbound touring and circulation.
- Outbound:
- Uncompensated touring or other travel opportunities where an applicant has been specifically invited.
- Participation in events focused on the promotion, planning, or network development for the purposes of future circulation and touring opportunities.
- All travel opportunities must include a specific invitation, confirmation, or proof of registration.
- Inbound activities must originate from at least 80km away** from the applicant’s home base.
- Outbound activities must take place at least 80km away** from the applicant’s home base.
*Venues can include: a theatre, gallery, library, museum, festival site or space, community centre, or any other space or site where the activity is taking place.
**Other determining factors such as relative isolation, travel via ferry, cumulative distances, etc. may be taken into consideration.
Grant Amount:
Maximum grant amounts:
• Category 1: Outbound Compensated Touring. Up to $25,000.
• Category 2: Travel – Inbound and Outbound. Up to $15,000.
Eligible Applicants:
To be eligible, an organization must be:
- An arts organization registered and in good standing as a non-profit society or community service co-op in B.C. for at least one fiscal year prior to application with:
- OR
- An Indigenous (First Nations, Métis, Inuit) community organization registered and in good standing as a non-profit society or community service co-op in B.C. for at least one fiscal year prior to application with:
- The majority of key staff (paid or volunteer) and board members based in B.C.
- A commitment to offering regular arts and culture activities.
- OR
- An Indigenous (First Nations, Métis, Inuit) government in B.C. that offers regular arts and culture activities.
- OR
- An arts organization operated by a local government in B.C. for at least one fiscal year prior to application, that:
- Maintains an ongoing arm’s length, community-based board of management or advisory structure that sets policy for the organization’s programs and services.
- Holds a dedicated programming space and has at least one dedicated staff person in an artistic, curatorial, or administrative leadership position who is responsible for programming and engagement.
- Offers ongoing public programming by experienced arts and cultural practitioners.
- Primarily operates with autonomy, holding creative control and decision making for programming and engagement within the organization, with separate financial records for operations. See Financial Statement Requirements section below for more detail.
- OR
- An arts organization operated by a public post-secondary institution in B.C. for at least one fiscal year prior to application, that:
- Holds a dedicated programming space and has at least one dedicated staff person in an artistic, curatorial, or administrative leadership position who is responsible for programming and engagement.
- Offers ongoing public programming by experienced arts and cultural practitioners, the majority of which is not programming of faculty or student works.
- Primarily operates with autonomy, outside of curriculum, holding creative control and decision making for programming and engagement within the organization, with separate financial records for operations. See Financial Statement Requirements section below for more detail.
- OR
- A eligible book publisher or arts periodical publisher that meets the eligibility requirements for either the BC Arts Council Project Assistance: Literary Arts, Operating Assistance: Literary Arts, or Operating Assistance: Book Publishers program.
- OR
- A registered Arts Activator Organization. Arts Activators are strongly advised to contact a Program Advisor to confirm the eligibility of their proposed project.
To be eligible, an individual must be:
- Be a Canadian citizen or Permanent Resident of Canada.
- Be a B.C. resident who ordinarily resides in B.C. and has lived in B.C. for at least 12 continuous months immediately prior to submitting an application. For more information, review our Determining B.C. Residency page. You must be prepared to provide documentation to support your residency status (if requested).
- Be recognized as professional by other practitioners working in a similar discipline.
- Demonstrate professional status by submitting a CV or resume that indicates the following:
- Details about the appropriate and relevant training you have completed in your discipline that has prepared you to work in your field of practice. Training may be through postsecondary institutions, traditional knowledge transfer, or apprenticeship with a qualified practitioner.
- Have a minimum two years of being paid to do your work in your field following basic training.
- Meet discipline-specific criteria outlined below:
- Performing Artists: A demonstrated body of previous professional work for which you have received professional fees.
- Visual or Craft Artists: At least two professionally curated shows or exhibitions for which you have received professional fees.
- Visual Arts Critics or Curators: Curated two or more exhibitions or published two or more works of critical writing for which you have received professional fees.
- Media Artists: Directed, created, or held creative control on at least one project subsequent to basic training for which you have been paid professional fees. This may include student works which have been professionally exhibited or screened.
- Creative Writers: At least one book (or equivalent – 40 pages of poetry or 120 pages of prose) professionally published.
- Arts Administration, Publishing, Producer, Artistic Support Staff: Two or more years of full- or part-time paid employment (permanent or contract) in arts or cultural administration or artistic support at an arts organization, or at a professional book or periodical publisher.
- D/deaf, Disability and Mad Arts: A demonstrated body of work in or across any artistic practice for which you have received professional fees.
- Community-Engaged Arts Practice: Facilitated two participatory arts projects in a community setting or learning environment.
- Multi- and Interdisciplinary Practice: A demonstrated body of professional public work that integrates multiple fields of practice, and for which you have received professional fees.
- Museum or Indigenous Culture Centre Professionals: Two or more years of full- or part-time paid employment (permanent or contract) in a museum or Indigenous Cultural Centre.
- Production and Technical Personnel: Two or more years of full- or regular part-time paid employment (permanent or contract) in arts and cultural production or as a technician in an arts and culture institution, organization, or venue. OR
- For Indigenous artists who don’t meet the discipline-specific criteria above: Have received at least one grant through the First Peoples’ Cultural Council Individual Artists Program or Indigenous Arts Program and not have any overdue final reports for that grant.