Creative BC : Interactive Fund

Deadline: June 15, 2026

Program Summary:

A partnership between Creative BC and the BC Arts Council, The Interactive Fund supports the creation of high quality, original interactive digital media projects that support diversity in artistic expression, demonstrate clear connections between art and technology, and provide opportunities for access, dissemination, and engagement with audiences and within the B.C. arts and culture sector.  

Aims:

• Encourage the creation of high quality, original, interactive digital media content
• Foster innovation and experimentation at the intersection of art and technology.
• Invest in projects that are creatively and financially achievable and show a clear path to broad access and engagement.
• Support projects that can demonstrate positive impacts on or for the arts and culture sector.

Project Eligibility:

This program is open to all phases of the content creation process for interactive digital media works. This can include early-stage research or development, prototyping, coding, alpha or beta builds through to final delivery and versioning. You do not have to complete the entire project in this one phase. In your project plan you must propose a viable phase of work and demonstrate your ability to complete that phase of work should you be successful.

Projects should be:

• Primarily digital, with interactivity central to the experience; it allows users, whether individually or in groups, to make choices that impact their experience.
• Entertaining, informative, or educational with a strong narrative point of view or statement.
• Designed to be experienced by the end user on a digital media platform, network, or device that is capable of interactivity; or in an exhibition or performance setting, such as a gallery, museum, theatre or public space.

Types of eligible projects include, but are not limited to:

• Digital art installations.
• Interactive / immersive theatre presentations.
• Location based or public interactive installations and presentations.
• Interactive websites.
• Interactive narrative content.
• Virtual Reality/Augmented Reality experiences.
• Mobile/tablet applications.

Creative BC recognizes that new technologies and ways of connecting with an audience change rapidly. If a project does not strictly fall in the above list, but is innovative, new and provides diverse content which meets the intentions of the program, applicants are encouraged to apply.

With the introduction of the Video Games Business Development and Video Games Early Stage Growth programs, applications positioned as conventional, primarily commercial video games are not eligible for the 2026/27 Interactive Fund. Playable media or projects that incorporate game-like elements and mechanics may still qualify, especially if they push the boundaries of form, experimentation, and creative vision. Eligible content may also include video game content adapted into physical installations, mixed media, location-based experiences, live performance, or other digital exhibition and art forms. These applications will be considered on a case-by-case basis, with emphasis placed on their intended use, audience, and artistic objectives.

If you are uncertain about your eligibility, please contact Nicholas Klassen at nklassen@creativebc.com.

Grant Amount:

Maximum funding that can be requested is $50,000

Overall Funding Envelope Available: $600,000

Targeted Funding: A minimum 30% of funding will be dedicated to projects majority owned and controlled by applicants that are from BCAC designated priority groups and Creative BC key equity deserving groups, including Indigenous, Black, People of Colour, LGBTQ2IA+, people with disabilities, women and/or people or organizations based in the regions outside Greater Vancouver or Greater Victoria.

Eligible Applicants:

Applications will be accepted from individuals, incorporated companies, not-for profit organizations or collectives that work primarily in or demonstrate a commitment to the arts and culture sector.

Individuals applying must be a B.C. resident. A B.C. resident is defined as:

• Either a Canadian citizen or a Permanent Resident – who has resided in British Columbia for at least 200 of the 365 days prior to the application.
• Have filed income tax returns in B.C. for the taxation year prior to the application.

Companies applying must:

• Be a company incorporated in British Columbia or Canada with its head office in British Columbia.
• The primary owner / majority common voting shareholder(s) of an incorporated company must be a B.C. resident(s).

Not-for-profit organizations applying must be:

• Incorporated under the Society Act.
• With its head office in British Columbia.

Collectives are:

• Unincorporated, groups, ensembles, or collectives of three or more individual professional artists or cultural practitioners, where the majority of members are B.C. residents.

Whether applying as an individual, society, company or collective:

• 100% of the copyright of the project must be owned and controlled by the applicant.

(Exceptions may be granted for co-productions or partnerships where copyright ownership granted to the B.C. applicant is commensurate to the B.C. applicant’s financial, technical and creative contribution and control.)

• You must be in good standing with Creative BC and the BC Arts Council.

Note: Applicants are limited to one application to the Interactive Fund per society, company, subsidiary, or individual in any given intake round. Further, successful recipients from the previous two rounds of the Interactive Fund – in 2023 and 2024 – are not eligible to apply in this intake round.

Targeted Equity Funding and Designated Priority Groups:

Creative BC acknowledges that there have been historical barriers to access, and that supporting new and diverse talent is crucial to a vibrant and thriving arts and culture sector. Creative BC has identified the following as target equity groups:

• Indigenous (First Nations, Métis, and/or Inuit) peoples;
• Black;
• People of Colour;
• LGBTQ2IA+; or
• Women
• People with disabilities.

Similarly, BCAC has recognized the following as designated priority groups for support:

• Indigenous (First Nations, Métis, and/or Inuit) peoples;
• Deaf or experience disability;
• Black or people of colour; or
• Located in regional areas in B.C. outside of greater Vancouver (not including Bowen Island) and the capital region (not including Sooke, Metchosin, the Gulf Islands, or the Juan de Fuca electoral area).

In order to achieve these complementary strategic goals, a minimum (30%) of the available envelope will be committed to projects led by individuals (or companies/organizations that are majority owned / managed by individuals) from any of the above target equity or designated priority groups. Real creative and financial control of the project must rest with these qualifying individuals.

Applicants will need to positively declare through our self-identification form in order to be considered an equity/priority applicant.