Cultural Space Grants

Capital grants

Review the 2026 capital grants information guide PDF file (480 KB)

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  Small Grants for Cultural Spaces

  Grants up to $25,000 to provide improved capital building-based funding support for:

  • Space planning and research
  • Building improvements and accessibility upgrades
  • Mentorships between organizations or between organizations and professionals to support planning, knowledge sharing, and capacity building related to cultural space
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  Cultural Infrastructure Grants (CIG)

  Matching grants up to $250,000 for capital building-based projects including:

  • Space planning and research
  • Acquisition (purchase), renovation, or expansion of an arts and cultural facility
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  Critical Assistance Capital Grants

  When to apply: Anytime in 2026 (until budget is fully allocated)

  Grants up to $25,000 to support urgent building life-safety upgrades and other critical time-sensitive support for cultural spaces, including:

  • Unforeseen and urgent replacement, repairs, or life-safety capital infrastructure projects
  • Building code consultation for time-sensitive projects
  • Assistance with permit fee costs

  Review Appendix C of Council report 17703 PDF file (351 KB)

Affordable Spaces operating grants

Review the 2026 operating grants information guide PDF file (400 KB)

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  Affordable Spaces grants

  Grants up to $40,000 for facility operating costs for local non-profit space operators who provide subsidized affordable space for Vancouver-based artists and/or cultural organizations.

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  Eligible applicants for any cultural spaces grant program

  Cultural spaces grant programs may be available to provincially registered, Vancouver-based (within Vancouver city limits) non-profit societies or cooperatives in good standing External website, opens in new tab, and/or federally-registered charitable organizations with a publicly stated culture-first vision, mission, and/or mandate having an independent, active governing body composed of volunteers.

  We strongly encourage applications from xʷməθkʷəy̓əm, Sḵwx̱wú7mesh Úxwumixw, səlilwətaɬ, and urban Indigenous non-profit organizations.

  Organizations we don't fund

  We don't fund organizations with a publicly stated primary purpose, vision, mission, or mandate to support:

  • Child care
  • Education
  • Employment
  • Health care
  • Recreation
  • Religion
  • Social services 
  • Sports
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  Eligible requests

  Your organization may apply for a cultural spaces grant for:

  Capital grant streams

  Funds designated to support costs for building-based planning and/or improvement projects.

  • Small grants for cultural spaces (up to $25,000)
    • Funding support for smaller cultural space projects, including space planning, research, building improvements and upgrades, accessibility, and mentorships between organizations or between organizations and professionals to support planning, knowledge sharing, and capacity building related to cultural space.
  • Cultural Infrastructure grants (up to $250,000)
    • Matching funds for space research and planning, or to complete capital projects; buy, build, renovate, or expand a cultural facility
  • Critical Assistance capital grants (up to $25,000)
    • For urgent building life-safety upgrades and/or urgent replacement/repair
    • Assistance with permit fee costs that are not already supported in an approved CIG or Small Cultural Spaces grant project for renovation, construction, or change of use permits for secured (owned or leased) cultural space, with landlord approval. Find more information on what permits are needed and to obtain documentation checklists for submitting permit applications. Contact planners to determine eligibility for permit fee assistance under the Critical Assistance Capital Grant program.
    • Assistance with building code consultation for time-sensitive projects
    • Open January 2026 - contact planners for access

  Affordable Spaces operating grant stream

  Funds designated to support facility operating costs.

  • Affordable Spaces grants (up to $40,000)
    • Facility operating costs for organizations that operate space for the express purpose of supporting independent artists, arts organizations, or both.

  What is not eligible for Cultural Spaces Capital Grants

  Non-profit organizations that are not based in Vancouver and/or whose primary purpose or program activity is the provision of childcare, education, employment, health care, recreation, religion, social, or sport are not eligible to apply for the Cultural Spaces Grant program. Non-profit organizations providing these other services may be eligible for community grants.  

  We generally do not provide Cultural Spaces grants for:  

  • Organizations that do not have arts and cultural mandates or whose activities do not meet the Cultural Spaces Program priorities and eligibility criteria, or do not align with the Making Space for Arts and Culture directions of Reconciliation and decolonization; cultural equity and accessibility; and securing affordable, accessible, and safe cultural spaces.
  • Projects or items that would normally be covered by the landlord under current lease terms.
  • Any work that is already underway or completed prior to the application deadline. For Critical Assistance applications, we may consider funding support for work already underway to address life-safety issues.
  • Legal costs (for Critical Assistance Grant projects.) 
  • Equipment purchase, repair or replacement; including equipment that is display, presentation or exhibition-related, non-integral portable or temporary lighting/audio/visual/power systems and/or equipment, heaters, tents, pottery wheels, computer or communication systems, furniture, or appliances.
  • Projects that are considered regular or routine repair and maintenance or part of ongoing, day-to-day operations.
  • Residential housing or home-based businesses.
  • Strategic planning, capital campaigns, fundraising or marketing activities. Review Cultural Grants Program
  • Programming, including artistic research and/or creation. Review arts and culture grants
  • Operations or administrative items such as day-to-day staffing costs, moving expenses, storage costs, tools, non-space related training, computer software, food and beverages (unless as part of community engagement for space planning project)
  • Organizations with 3 or more open Capital grants for incomplete projects.
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  Cultural spaces resources

  • 2026 Capital grants information guide PDF file (509 KB), including glossary of terms
  • 2026 Affordable Spaces grants information guide PDF file (400 KB), including glossary of terms
  • Culture|Shift
  • Making Space for Arts and Culture, Vancouver’s 10-year Cultural Infrastructure Plan
  • Capital projects planning cycle PDF file (172 KB)
  • Available capital funding programs PDF file (228 KB)
  • Sample financial statements PDF file (53 KB)
  • Final report template Excel file (37 KB) for projects funded before 2022, otherwise, find this in your VanApply account