Events & Festivals Fund

Logistical and production costs

• Performers, artists, and artisan fees
• Rental of security barriers, toilets, tents, lighting, sound equipment, and/or venues
• Permits and insurance
• Hiring of a production company
• Costs associated with sustainability initiatives for the festival

Promotional support

• Creative development and associated agency fees in support of media that is part of an integrated, multi-faceted marketing campaign
• Fees to purchase radio/tv/print/digital advertising that presents a unified tourism message
• Social strategy and implementation (including costs related to contracted community management)
• Public relations and associated fees
• Content development including photography, video and written content (shot list must be included with the application). Travel Alberta’s Content Studio may review and determine the scope of the project and may get involved to generate optimal results and cost savings
• Website development and/or E-commerce platforms

• Event sponsorship
• Salaries and wages of employees
• Purchasing of goods and services for resale
• Purchasing of equipment
• Costs associated with acquiring alcohol or cannabis consumption permits
• Accommodation
• Hosting
• Ticket surcharges
• Prizing and gifting (including volunteer apparel/swag)

Note: Travel Alberta has the right to determine what expenses are deemed eligible and ineligible, even if they are not listed here.

• Your events or festivals and associated expenses must occur between April 1, 2026, and March 31, 2027.
• Expenses must be invoiced by a qualified third party and documented in a financial reconciliation.
• Must be two or more days in length and target overnight visitation, with a focus on establishing an annual event.
• Must charge an admission fee to the overall event.
• Must be able to report on visitor numbers and overnight stays.
• You must contribute a minimum of 25% of the total event or festival cost. The amount of funding that is being contributed by Travel Alberta will be assessed after your application has been submitted. See example table and further explanation below.
  • This means, if your total event or festival costs are $100,000, you need to contribute at least $25,000 (25%) and Travel Alberta may provide up to a maximum of $75,000 (75%).

Analysis generated from:

• Number of attendees (total or incremental versus prior year)
• Ticket price
• Overnight accommodation stays

• Application period: Applications open in Fall 2025 and close in late Fall 2025. Late submissions will not be considered.
• How to apply: When intake is open, the application link will be available on our website under Events and Festivals Fund. When you click on the application link, you will be redirected to our Grant Management Tool (GMT) to log in and complete the application.
• Complete your application: Fill out the application form completely. Remember, you can save your progress if you need more time or additional information before submitting.
• Multiple events: An organization can submit multiple applications in a funding year. A separate application must be submitted for each event. The maximum combined, eligible grant disbursement for a single organization is $150K shared across all successful applications.
• Funding requirements for Events and Festivals: Applicants must be able to cover at least 25% of the total project costs.
• Travel Alberta’s authority: We have the final say in managing funding requests. Due to the highly competitive nature of the investment program, we may have to say no to some projects even if they meet certain criteria.
• Funding approval process and timing: The investment decisions for the 2026/2027 intake period will be made in early 2026. If Travel Alberta approves your funding request, you will receive a notification and funding agreement. 
• Receiving the funds: Once everything has been finalized and the agreement has been executed by both parties, the funding will be deposited directly in your bank account through an Electronic Funds Transfer (EFT).