Arts and culture grants and awards

What you need to know

Every year, the City of Vancouver and the Vancouver Park Board award more than $17 million to non-profit arts, cultural organizations, and artists through a variety of grant programs.

We appreciate the value that the arts brings to the lives of our citizens and the life of our city. As Vancouver author and artist Douglas Coupland puts it, “A city without strong, consistent arts funding is basically a parking lot.”

To help meet the diverse needs of artists, organizations, and communities, our arts and culture grants are grouped into categories based on the type of support offered.

Arts and culture grants

Advertising for arts and culture non-profit groups

Find out how your arts and culture organization can advertise in transit shelters or on a video billboard.

Theatre Rental Grant Program

Provides a non-cash subsidy to cultural non-profits to assist with the costs of renting space at our theatre facilities.

Cultural projects and operating grants

Helps fund non-profit organizations to carry out a wide range of artistic and cultural activities, projects, and events.

Cultural Space Grants

Provides support for arts and culture organizations to plan, buy, build, renovate, or expand cultural spaces.

Public Art Grants

Invitation to professional not-for-profit arts and culture organizations and local First Nations Band Councils to apply for public art projects.

Grants for emerging artists

Creative Spark Vancouver provides small grants to emerging artists to engage young people in arts-based projects. Find out more.

Peer assessors for cultural grants, commissions, and awards

We're seeking peer assessors for a variety of opportunities to advance key directions of Culture|Shift: Blanketing the City in Arts and Culture.

Request for reconsideration

Council created a process for applicants to ask for a review of Operating and Project Grant recommendations made by the Assessment Committee.

Other funding opportunities

Find additional funding programs for your arts and culture organization from banks, governments, and organizations.

Arts and culture awards

City of Vancouver Book Award

The City of Vancouver Book Award recognizes authors who contribute to the appreciation of Vancouver's history, unique character, or residents.

Vancouver's Poet Laureate

The Poet Laureate is an honorary position that honours and celebrates the contribution of literature and poetry to life in Vancouver.

Artist Studio Awards

Provides Vancouver-based professional emerging artists with low-cost studios for up to 3 years.

Park Board community engaged arts and culture

Neighbourhood Matching Fund

Vancouver's Neighbourhood Matching Fund supports community efforts to make creative improvements to public land.

Artists in Communities program

The Artists in Communities program helps artists working with communities on joint interests. Check out our annual call for applications.

Artists in the Kitchen

We are hosting a pilot project at Kitsilano Community Centre focused on the cultural and creative practices associated with food.

Fieldhouse programs in parks

Explore activities at fieldhouses located in our parks. Find arts, sport, environmental, garden and local food, and social engagement programs.

Arts & Health

The Arts & Health Project offers seniors weekly arts workshops with a professional artist, an intern artist, and a seniors worker.

Community dance

Browse our dance residencies and join a dance activity with a diverse mix of people. Explore, create, and perform dance with pro dance artists.

Contact Arts and Culture

Get arts and culture news