Today, the City of Toronto officially announced it will provide nearly $2 million in funding for 44 approved local cultural festivals in 2023.
Deputy Mayor Jennifer McKelvie (Scarborough-Rouge Park) and Councillor Shelley Carroll (Don Valley North), Chair of the Economic and Community Development Committee, were joined by representatives from Caribbean Carnival, Celebrate Toronto and Toronto Dragon Festival at City Hall to celebrate the cultural festivals receiving funding this year.
The funding is being made available through the City’s Cultural Festival Funding Program (CFFP). Funds are intended to help cultural event organizers deliver diverse and sustainable programming that contributes to the vibrancy of Toronto’s neighbourhoods, attracts visitors, builds community, and stimulates positive economic impact for local businesses all year long.
Multi-year recipients and returning favourites include Salsa on St. Clair, Luminato, Caribbean Carnival and Pride Festival 2023. Annual recipients include Tkaronto Music Festival 2023, Toronto JerkFest, Francophonie en Fete, Scarborough Summerfest 2023, St. Patrick’s Festival and Celebrate Toronto. Nineteen new recipients will receive funding for their cultural festivals in 2023, including the Toronto Dragon Festival. The full list of CFFP recipients will be available online in the coming weeks after agreements have been signed.
The City has received an increasing number of requests from more recently established festivals to access City supports and funding. The CFFP, which was created in 2021 to address that demand, aims to increase the reach, accountability and transparency of City funding to cultural festivals. 2023 CFFP recipients were selected by a peer advisory body, along with City staff, using established criteria that were developed with stakeholders and communities seeking support. This is the second year that the City is offering this funding program.
Three different CFFP streams recognize the festivals’ varying sizes, capacity, and community impact. Long-standing, major annual events are eligible for multi-year funding and annual grants up to a maximum of $650,000 each. Other established festivals will be eligible to apply for annual operating funding up to $150,000 each. Smaller and newer organizations and festivals produced by Business Improvement Areas are eligible for project grants up to $25,000 each.
More information about the CFFP, eligibility criteria, program guidelines and how to apply is available on the Arts and Culture Grants webpage.
Quotes:
“On behalf of the City of Toronto and City Council, I am thrilled that through the 2023 budget we are funding $2 million for cultural festivals that contribute immensely to the economic and social life and vibrancy of Toronto. The Cultural Festivals Funding Program supports the development of the festival sector, while promoting access, equity, inclusion, service innovation, excellence and resilience. I look forward to joining tens of thousands of Torontonians and visitors to our city at many of the cultural events and festivals that will be taking place across the city starting as soon as this spring.”
– Deputy Mayor Jennifer McKelvie (Scarborough-Rouge Park)
“The Cultural Festivals Funding Program is a key component of Toronto’s economic and cultural recovery. This investment will help sustain our city’s vibrant cultural festivals and allow for another successful festival season in 2023, attracting both visitors and investment across the city. I look forward to seeing the wonderful diversity of events our communities will put on with this program’s support in the months ahead.”
– Councillor Shelley Carroll (Don Valley North), Chair of the Economic and Community Development Committee.
Toronto is home to more than three million people whose diversity and experiences make this great city Canada’s leading economic engine and one of the world’s most diverse and livable cities. As the fourth largest city in North America, Toronto is a global leader in technology, finance, film, music, culture and innovation, and consistently places at the top of international rankings due to investments championed by its government, residents and businesses. For more information visit the City’s website or follow us on Twitter, Instagram or Facebook.
Media contact: Media Relations, media@toronto.ca