Canada Arts Presentation Fund

On this page

• Programming
• Development
• Creative Export Strategy
• Supplemental funding allocated to the Canada Arts Presentation Fund
• COVID-19 support measures

The CAPF provides financial assistance to organizations that professionally present arts festivals or performing arts series (arts presenters) and organizations that offer support to arts presenters.

Through the CAPF, Canadians have access to a variety of professional artistic experiences in their communities. Each year, the CAPF supports approximately 680 professional arts festivals and performing arts series, as well as other activities related to art presentation, in more than 270 cities or communities across Canada.

The CAPF has 2 main components — Programming and Development. The Programming component has 2 streams: Professional Arts Festivals and Performing Arts Series Presenters; and Presenter Support Organizations.

You can consult the Grouped Arts Evaluation: Canada Arts Presentation Fund, Canada Cultural Spaces Fund, and Canada Cultural Investment Fund 2013-2014 to 2017-2018.

Programming

Professional Arts Festivals and Performing Arts Series Presenters

This stream provides support to existing professional arts festivals and performing arts series presenters, to offer a variety of professional artistic experiences to Canadians.

Apply Programming: Professional Arts Festivals and Performing Arts Series Presenters

Presenter Support Organizations

This stream provides support to existing presenter support organizations, to assist with activities and services that help arts presenters to evolve professionally in their field.

Apply Programming: Presenter Support Organizations

Development

This component provides support for the emergence of arts presenters and presenter support organizations for under-served communities or artistic practices.

Note: An organization cannot apply to the Programming component and the Development component in the same year for its regular programming activities.

Apply Development — Canada Arts Presentation Fund

Creative Export Strategy

As announced on March 15, 2023, the Creative Export Strategy has been renewed for the period of 2023-24 to 2025-26. For more information, please visit the Creative Export Strategy web page.

Previously, through Canada’s Creative Export Strategy (2018-2023), the Canada Arts Presentation Fund (CAPF) was allocated $500,000 per year for a period of five years ending March 31, 2023, to offer supplemental support to existing CAPF recipients for activities that contribute to a favourable environment for Canadian cultural export by promoting Canadian artists to international markets.

Arts presentation organizations that previously accessed this support through the CAPF (Creative Export Envelope) can now apply for export support funding through the Creative Export Canada program’s two funding streams.  Applicants can contact the program to discuss their projects and determine which of the two streams is a better fit for their activities. 

Supplemental funding allocated to the Canada Arts Presentation Fund

Budget 2019 provided $8 million in additional funds to the CAPF for 2 years, 2019-2020 and 2020-2021, to support the delivery of more arts events across the country. This investment provided additional support for professional arts festivals, performing arts series presenters, and presenter support organizations, as well as new arts presenters in under-served regions. It enabled more Canadians to see, hear and celebrate the talents of Canadian artists and have access to artistic experiences that reflect Canada’s diversity. It also helped promote the talents of Canadian artists in more communities across the country.

On November 30, 2020, through the Fall Economic Statement, the Government announced a 1-year extension of the $8 million in additional funding to the CAPF, for 2021-2022. Subsequently, on April 19, 2021, Budget 2021 confirmed this supplemental funding for 2 additional years, for 2022-2023 and 2023-2024.

COVID-19 support measures

Canada Arts and Culture Recovery Program (CACRP) for Professional Arts Presentation Organizations

Please note that the application period for this fund is now closed.

Following Budget 2022, the CACRP was announced in June 2022. The CAPF was allocated $4 million in additional funds for 2022-2023, to provide relief to not-for-profit organizations in the professional arts presentation sector that own or operate a presentation venue and that are experiencing significant viability and business continuity challenges.

The Canada Arts and Culture Recovery Program for Professional Arts Presentation Organizations will provide targeted support to existing program recipients that own or operate an indoor facility as a presentation venue, whether purpose-built or adapted, as well as other not-for-profit organizations that can demonstrate they regularly provide such type of venues for the professional live performing arts. Support will be provided for costs related to operating a venue for the period of April 1, 2022, to March 31, 2023.

Re-engaging Audiences Fund for Professional Arts Presentation Organizations

Please note that the application period for this fund is now closed.

On June 28, 2021, the Government of Canada announced new measures to help alleviate the financial impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic for the arts, culture, heritage and sports sectors.

As part of the Reopening Fund for Arts, Culture, Heritage and Sport Sectors, the CAPF will provide additional support totaling $25 million in 2022-2023, through the new Re-engaging Audiences Fund for Professional Arts Presentation Organizations. The objective of this fund is to help stimulate the relaunch of the arts presentation sector by providing support to eligible professional arts festivals, performing arts series presenters and presenter support organizations, for targeted activities aimed at encouraging the return of audiences to the live performing arts.

For further information on other funding opportunities, please visit Funding — Culture, history and sport.