Funds for art grants vary from event to event. Depending on the event budget, the number of art project applications, and whether your budget includes items that art grants do not fund, you may not be awarded the full sum of the grant application that you submit.

Notes:

• Applying to be juried in the first round will increase likelihood of being awarded money for an art project. We will not guarantee any remaining funds for the 2nd round of jurying.
• Contractual Obligations/Requirements
  • Artists will be provided 100% funds up front and are no longer required to submit receipts but are required to keep their receipts for a period of 90 days after the event where their art is to appear in case of audit
  • All grants will be required to submit proof of completion (photos or videos of project at BITF) 1 month after the event is complete to [email protected] (see below “How will i get paid?”).

If proof of project is not received, the artist will be deemed “Not in Compliance”. Refer to FAQ for details: https://gvias.org/grants/

Any individual artist, team of artists or established group (for teams of artists, please have one person submit an application for the group) may apply. Applicants must be a member of Greater Vancouver Interactive Art’s Society (GVIAS). Membership is free and can be obtained by applying through the GVIAS website at this link: https://gvias.org/gvias-membership/.

Theme camps may apply for artistic installations in publicly accessible areas of their camp that add to the enjoyment for everyone. Art grants are not provided for general camp infrastructure or decor.

GVIAS Art Grants will cover the cost of the materials required to build your art project. Depending on the event budget, the number of art project applications, and whether your budget includes items that art grants do not fund (see FAQ), you may not be awarded the full sum of the grant application that you submit.

Please note: GVIAS Art Grants will not fund projects that have already completed prior to the request for funding, with the exception of necessary refurbishments critical to the project.

Additionally, GVIAS Art Grants will NOT fund:

• Fixed assets totalling 50% or more of your total project budget (e.g. a drill, speaker, generator, shade structure)
• Consumables (e.g. food, alcohol, fuel, body paint, stickers or other project swag, batteries)
• Pre-made decor items
• Labour costs

Transportation funds are designed to assist artists with the cost of transportation of art projects to/from GVIAS events.

Transportation funds have a set maximum and can be used to cover:

• Gas
• Rental trailer/vehicle required for transport
• Ferry ticket

Maybe. Chill spaces are a part of the experience, but Art Grants are primarily to support interactive art that creates participatory experiences. The jurying process for chill spaces is competitive, and funds awarded are limited. 

If you are applying to create a chill space, we encourage you to get creative, think outside the box, and imagine a project that clearly meets the jurying criteria above. The majority of your budget should be for artistic creations you/your team are making yourselves, rather than standard infrastructure such as carports.

Successful applicants in the Main Round must sign a contract to receive their grant. 100% of the grant amount is paid upon signing the contract. 

The grants are paid out via email money transfer using the primary artists contact email.

Completion of the project includes : 

• Submit proof of completion (photo or video of project at BITF) no later than 30 days after the event.
• Artists who do not submit proof of project at the event in which they received a grant for will be deemed “Not in Compliance”. Refer to FAQ for details: https://gvias.org/grants/

Submission of receipts is not required, but artists are asked to retain receipts for 90 days after the event for which their art was funded. An audit of your project may be initiated by the Grants Committee if there is reason to question the use of grant funds or your submitted budget compared to the finished product.

Simple. Complete our application form.

If successful, you will be sent a grant contract by email, instructions on how to sign will be included.

Our deadlines are firm. If you miss a deadline to submit an application you will have to wait until grants rounds reopen to apply. If you miss a deadline for submitting a contract you will forfeit your grant.

If you do not fulfill the obligations agreed to in your contract, GVIAS may find you “not in compliance” and refuse you funding in the future. This includes failing to show your project at the event promised].

 Introduced in 2020. (Yes we know it’s 2024)

Artists who are not in compliance with their contracts will be handled as follows:

• Artists who receive funding but do not deliver may be deemed as not compliant at the discretion of the Grant Committee
• If you are not compliant you WILL NOT be eligible for an Art Grant in the future until:
  • Your art is present at a GVIAS event
    OR
  • You pay back the funds to GVIAS that were awarded to you

Burners pride themselves in devising better, more efficient ways of doing things. We encourage artists to imagine and experiment with ways to sustainably source materials, minimize waste, and utilize renewable energy sources. 

Here are some considerations as you dream up your project:

• Are there ways to source materials needed for your project more sustainably? Ie, borrow from someone in the community, re-use or repurpose materials
• Resource: How to Figure Out Electrical Loads for Theme Camps
• Since 2023, the BitF DPW has provided a library of modest battery systems available in case of unexpected electrical issues. 
• Developing a renewable energy plan to power your project helps reduce our impact on the planet and can help reduce noise and wastage from generators and other traditional power sources. Questions on optimizing your project’s energy use can be directed to [email protected]