BC Government News Release: B.C. fairs, festivals, events benefit from recovery funding

Details from the BC Government Release below:

People throughout B.C. will be able to enjoy more arts, culture, sports and community occasions as the Province supports more than 680 events.

“We’re thrilled that people can once again safely enjoy their local fairs, festivals and events with their families and friends,” said Melanie Mark, Minister of Tourism, Arts, Culture and Sport. “We heard overwhelmingly from event organizers that grants, not loans, were key to keeping their doors open to the public and workers employed. Our government answered their call to action, as we know the major impact these community gatherings have on our mental health and local businesses around them.”

The Government of B.C. is providing nearly $30 million through one-time grants to eligible event organizers to support their efforts to resume safely. Grant amounts for each event are as much as 20% of the total event budget, for a maximum of $250,000.

Events that have received the Fairs, Festivals and Events Recovery Fund grant include the Concord Pacific Dragon Boat Festival, Pacific Rim Whale Festival, Quesnel Children’s Festival, Elk Valley Pride Festival and many more in 134 communities throughout British Columbia.

Recipients demonstrated the economic and social benefits to the community and strong local or regional support. Eligible expenses include operational costs, health and safety measures, venue rental, marketing, wages, and promotion.

Quick Facts:

• Applications for the Fairs, Festivals and Events Recovery Fund grant were accepted from Aug. 27 to Oct. 1, 2021, for events that were scheduled between July 1, 2021, and Sept. 30, 2022.
• The regional breakdown for recipients of the Festivals, Fairs and Events Recovery Fund grant is:
  • Cariboo Chilcotin Coast – 17
  • Kootenay Rockies – 44
  • Northern B.C. – 43
  • Thompson Okanagan – 131
  • Vancouver, Coast & Mountains – 317
  • Vancouver Island – 141
• Eligible events include arts, culture and sporting events and festivals, community celebrations and gatherings, agricultural fairs, rodeos and exhibitions.
• Through the BC Major Anchor Attractions grant, $36.8 million was provided to more than 80 anchor attractions and tour buses.

To see the list of recipients for the Fairs, Festivals, and Events Recovery Fund, visit: https://news.gov.bc.ca/files/BCFFE_Funded_Events.pdf

Backgrounder, quotes and full release: https://news.gov.bc.ca/releases/2021TACS0078-002377

Media Contact:

Ministry of Tourism, Arts, Culture and Sport
Media Relations
250 208-4309