$617K in Surrey arts/culture grants for 94 groups that follow the rules

Ninety-four arts, culture and heritage organizations will receive a share of $617,125 in grants from the City of Surrey in 2025, some for as much as $25,000 each.

Launched in 2012, the Cultural Grants program supports “a wide range of arts and cultural activity in Surrey” including music festivals and concerts, dance and visual art competitions, theatre and culinary events, cultural celebrations, special heritage projects and more.

The deadline for 2025 applications was last October, with 16 “guidelines” to follow.

Top among the rules is that all grant-funded events “must be welcoming and accessible to the public.” Also, grant funding can’t support events hosted at private residences, the city won’t fund 100 per cent of a project or event, and organizations hosting ticketed events are urged to provide city staff with two complimentary tickets for attendance, among other guidelines.

With application evaluation now done, a 26-page report to the city council details the 2025 allocations, with 11 organizations receiving operating grants totalling $195,000. Four of those will each receive top-dollar amounts of $25,000 for operations including Vancouver International Bhangra Celebration, Royal Canadian Theatre Company, Semiahmoo Arts Society and VISAFF South Asian Film Festival Society.

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