Youth Engagement Program

In order to be eligible for support through this program, an eligible applicant must meet the criteria of one of the following categories:

Category I:

-Be an arts and cultural organization assisted by the BC Arts Council in the five most recent years (2013/14-2017/18 government fiscal years) through BC Arts Council operating or discipline-specific project programs;

OR

-Be an incorporated nonprofit arts and cultural organization assisted through the programs of the BC Arts Council’s Shared Cost Arrangement partners in the two most recent years (BC Touring Council – Community Presenters Assistance: 2016/17 or 2017/18 fiscal years; First Peoples’ Cultural Council – Aboriginal Arts Development Awards and Creative BC – Arts Innovation and Interactive funds: 2015/16 or 2016/17 fiscal years).

Note: 2017/18 applicants to BC Touring Council’s Aspiring and Emerging Artists Touring and Training programs or the First Peoples’ Cultural Council’s Aboriginal Youth Engaged in the Arts program are not eligible to apply to this program.

Category II:

-Be an incorporated nonprofit arts and cultural organization that has not received support from the BC Arts Council or its partners (above) in the designated years but: has a specific mandate to provide quality arts experiences for children and/or youth; and, is otherwise eligible for support within a discipline-specific program at the BC Arts Council.

-Be a First Nations Band Council or Friendship Centre.

Individuals, collectives and unincorporated groups are ineligible to apply to either category of this program.

Applicants are encouraged to explore opportunities for partnerships and collaboration. An application may be submitted by one organization on behalf of the partners.

All applicants are urged to determine their eligibility with the appropriate program officer prior to submitting an application.

British Columbia schools and school groups may be the primary participants or audiences for proposed projects. However, the program is not intended to directly support curriculum-based activity. Other programs of the BC Arts Council exist to support arts-in-education activity and school-based programs.

Projects supporting early career practitioners are eligible; however, this program will not support projects in professional training or post-secondary studies in the arts. Other programs of the BC Arts Council exist to support training and post-secondary studies along with professional development opportunities for early career practitioners.

Awards are not available for:
-General operating activity.
-Project phases that have begun prior to the application deadline.
-Capital expenditures (construction, renovation, or purchase of property or equipment).
-Fundraising.
-Start-up costs or seed money.
-Feasibility studies.
-International travel costs of foreign artists visiting British Columbia.
-Travel to international symposia.
-Conferences or competitions.
-The creation or preparation of performances/exhibitions for competitions.
-Projects that are secondary to other purposes (e.g. fundraising events, conventions, or family,
religious or community celebrations).
-Subsistence to artists, curators, or other arts professionals.
-Projects or activities that are funded through other programs of the BC Arts Council or its third party delivery partners.
-Projects taking place outside British Columbia.
-Curriculum-based activity.
-Professional training or post-secondary study.
-Professional development of early career practitioners.

Support from this program may form up to 100% of the total project budget. Proposals demonstrating diversified revenue streams may receive priority.

All applicants, especially new applicants, are urged to discuss their request with Council staff prior to submission.

Applicants in Category II MUST confirm their eligibility by email with the appropriate program officer before submitting an application and will be required to submit supplementary application materials.

The application deadline is January 15, 2018.

If the deadline falls on a weekend or statutory holiday, the deadline becomes the next business day.

Decisions will be made within sixteen weeks of the application deadline.