Canadian Heritage: CAPF Programming: Professional Arts Festivals and Performing Arts Series Presenters

Next Deadline: April 1, 2026 (for projects starting between April 1st and June 30th of the following year. When an application deadline falls on a Saturday, Sunday or statutory holiday, it is extended to the following working day)

Program Summary:

The Professional Arts Festivals and Performing Arts Series Presenters sub-component of the Canada Arts Presentation Fund (CAPF) supports existing professional arts festivals and performing arts series presenters to offer activities that connect artists with Canadians in their communities. This is primarily achieved through performances, as well as through audience development and outreach initiatives such as pre- or post-show panel discussions, public lectures and workshops, residencies, demonstrations, public rehearsals, and other forms of community engagement activities

Objectives and expected results for the Programming: Professional Arts Festivals and Performing Arts Series Presenters sub-component:

The Professional Arts Festivals and Performing Arts Series Presenters sub-component supports existing professional arts festivals and performing arts series presenters to offer activities that connect artists with Canadians in their communities. This is primarily achieved through performances, as well as through audience development and outreach initiatives such as pre- or post-show panel discussions, public lectures and workshops, residencies, demonstrations, public rehearsals, and other forms of community engagement activities.

The expected results of the Professional Arts Festivals and Performing Arts Series Presenters sub-component include the following:

• Arts presenter organizations offer a variety of professional artistic experiences to Canadians; and
• Canadians in all regions of the country engage and participate in a variety of professional artistic experiences offered by arts presenters.

Eligible projects:

The following projects are eligible under the Professional Arts Festivals and Performing Arts Series Presenters sub-component:

• presentation of a minimum of three distinct professional shows, as part of a performing arts series, in one or several artistic disciplines and from more than one province or territory;
• presentation within a festival format of at least three distinct professional performances or events from one or several artistic disciplines and from more than one province or territory;
• community engagement activities, including audience development/outreach activities (see Glossary for more details);
• professional development/networking activities for arts presenters such as attending workshops and conferences;
• partnerships and collaborations including other arts presenters, not-for-profit arts community organizations and/or educational institutions; and
• volunteer participation including training and training materials.

Applicant Eligibility:

To be eligible for funding from the Professional Arts Festivals and Performing Arts Series Presenters sub-component, your organization must be:

• a not-for-profit organization incorporated under Part II of the Canada Corporations Act or the Canada Not-For-Profit Corporations Act (or under corresponding provincial or territorial legislation);
• a provincial, territorial or municipal institution (including agencies and public educational institutions that organize presentation activities for the public); or
• an Indigenous institution or organization (Inuit, Métis, First Nations).

All eligible organizations must:

• have a clear arts presentation focus in their vision or mandate that is reflected in their by-laws and/or other governance documents;
• have as their mission the presentation of works of professional artists;
• keep separate, clear and exact accounts for these presentation activities;
• have been in continuous professional operation for a minimum of one year prior to the application deadline;
• present works that originate from more than one province or territory;
• provide the presentation venue, as well as technical and promotional support for the presentation;
• charge an admission fee to the public for part or all of the presentation season or the festival; and
• pay a guaranteed fee to professional artists for presentations offered within a festival or series and provide professional presentation conditions. (The contractual commitments concerning remuneration to artists by Fringe and street-performer festivals also meet CAPF eligibility requirements).

Performing Arts Series Presenters must also:

• have presented in a professional manner a minimum of three distinct shows, or a series of performances within a season, created, produced and performed by other professional artists.

Professional Arts Festivals must also:

• have presented in a professional manner a festival lasting a minimum of three consecutive days, of various works created, produced and/or performed by professional artists; and
• program a festival that extends over a period of three days (minimum) to four weeks (generally) and includes the presentation of a minimum of three distinct professional works/performances.

Media arts festivals must also:

• demonstrate a commitment to presenting works by independent professional artists, including films, video or audio productions, and new media. We will give priority to media arts festivals where artists are remunerated to undertake outreach activities with the general public during the festival.