B.C. government injects $30 million into festivals still struggling to recover after pandemic
Events are eligible for the onetime rescue funding if they take place anywhere between April 2023 and December 2024
Vancouver Folk Music Festival
AMID NEWS that large-scale summer events like the Vancouver Folk Music Festival and the Squamish Constellation Festival are still struggling to survive in the wake of the pandemic, the B.C. government today announced a $30 million cash injection.
“The past three years have been incredibly difficult for people in the tourism industry, including live events, and we know not every business has fully recovered,” said Lana Popham, Minister of Tourism, Arts, Culture and Sport, in the announcement today.
In recent weeks, the Vancouver Folk Music Festival has cancelled this summer’s event, later withdrawing a motion to dissolve the society, due to the festival’s financial difficulties. The board has also launched a fundraising and volunteer drive to help save the festival.
VFMF Society’s board has stated the organization needs anywhere from $400,000 to $600,000 per year going forward to sustain the fest. The board’s proposal for a vote among members to dissolve the society met with swift public response. The board then delayed its annual general meeting to try to find ways to save the fest and ended up holding the town hall on February 1.
Through the B.C. Fairs, Festivals and Events fund, the government is providing $30 million in one-time grants to eligible events in response to challenges the sector is facing, including loss of staffing and volunteers, supply-chain issues, and a cautious return of audiences. Grant amounts will be as much as 20 percent of the total event budget, to a maximum of $250,000. Depending on the number of applications received, the Ministry of Tourism, Arts, Culture and Sport may provide grant amounts higher than 20 percent of the event budget. Single organizations holding multiple events will be capped at $500,000 per organization.
“This funding is an exciting announcement for the sector,” Mark Zuberbuhler, president of Vancouver Folk Music Festival Society, said in a reaction released today. “Music audiences and festival partners have all asked for help to save their events. We can all use a helping hand right now, so this funding will go a long way to keep events happening over the next two summers.”
Thursday’s announcement is similar to a provincial announcement in 2021 offering $30 million via a one-time Festivals, Fairs and Events Recovery Fund to events to keep them afloat during the pandemic.
The folk fest board had noted that it was only able to produce the 2022 festival in large part because of COVID-related grants that were—until today—no longer available.
The Squamish Constellation Festival echoed that concern in the weeks before the funding announcement. Cofounder Kirsten Andrews told Stir the 2022 event would not have taken place without last year’s Festivals, Fairs and Events Recovery Fund.
“We’re really grateful for the funding we received, but the province has been somehow shortsighted in the idea that we would be bouncing back so quickly,” Andrews said at the time. “The funding was only for one year and across the board all governments have been remiss in looking at events like ours—events held over one weekend in the summer don’t have the chance to make money back over the year.”
Applications will be accepted until March 3, 2023. Events between April 1, 2023 and December 31, 2024 are eligible for funding. Organizations are encouraged to submit their applications as soon as possible.
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