This week the City of Victoria announced that its Festival Investment Grant program (FIG) will support 46 festivals in 2023.
As part of this pilot project, the following Victoria-based events and festivals will split $390,470 in funding to enhance Victoria’s vibrancy, while celebrating our cultural diversity.
Some of the events that will receive funding include:
- Victoria Pride Week
- Outstages Festival
- African and Caribbean Cultural Week
- Khalsa Day Parade
- Folktoria Multicultural Festival
- Festival Mexicano
- One Wave Gathering
- Rendez-vous Victoria
- Victoria Highland Games
Among the projects funded are five community celebrations, seven new or emerging festivals, 30 established festivals, three signature festivals, and a community-led Canada Day celebration.
“This year, the Festival Investment Grant program had a record number of applications from local non-profit organizations,” said Mayor Marianne Alto in a press release.
“I’m thrilled to see the exciting lineup of diverse, inclusive, family-friendly events, from dance and theatre to music and community performance. This signals Victoria’s return to a strong festival season, which we are all very much anticipating,” said Alto.
In addition to those selected, Penmar Community Arts Society has been awarded funding to produce a large-scale Inner Harbour celebration including live entertainment and family-friendly activities.
Many of the festivals receiving funding are celebrations of the diverse cultures and communities that make up Victoria.
Victoria residents and visitors will also have a wide range of artistic disciplines to choose from, whether it’s a day at the Art Gallery Paint-In, enjoying the Symphony in the Summer Festival, or taking in a performance during SKAMpede.
The FIG program, now in its 24th year, has seen more than $4 million in grants nurture the development and sustainability of high-quality annual festivals and celebrations.
