Vancouver Folk Music Festival is officially back on for Summer 2023
Music lovers, rejoice! One of the city’s most popular summer events is officially back on for 2023.
Vancouver Folk Music Festival (VFMF) announced today that thanks to “a tremendous outpouring of support,” the festival will happen from July 14 to 16, 2023.
This comes nearly two months since this year’s VFMF was initially cancelled due to financial challenges and just a few weeks after the Government of British Columbia set aside $30 million in one-time grants to help eligible events stay afloat.
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“Last month’s funding announcement by the BC government was a game changer for the festival,” said Erin Mullan, newly appointed folk festival board president, in a release. “This new funding, combined with the strong support of our other funders, partners, other festivals, and the community at large, means we can hold a 2023 festival.”
The government grant covers up to 20% of the total event budget to a maximum of $250,000. Organizations that host multiple events will have their grant capped at up to $500,000.
Public events held by non-profit entities, for-profit organizers, and local governments are eligible, with the events required to take place between April 1, 2023, and December 31, 2024.
Vancouver Folk Music Festival/David Niddrie
“This funding is an exciting announcement for the sector. Music audiences and festival partners have all asked for help to save their events. We can all use a helping hand right now, so this funding will go a long way to keep events happening over the next two summers,” said Mark Zuberbuhler, past president of the Vancouver Folk Music Festival Society.
The folk festival is also working on increasing other revenue streams, including focusing on sustainable funding for the long-time Vancouver event. VFMF is currently holding a #FundTheFest campaign, saying that monthly donors can make a big difference in the future of the fest.
Vancouver Folk Music Festival/thefestival.bc.ca
VFMF’s new and expanded board of directors is currently working with an advisory group of programmers from other folk festivals to curate a summer lineup with a diverse range of artists. Attendees can expect to enjoy a mix of local, regional, national, and international artists this summer, as well as collaborative projects and the return of the workshop stages.
With files from Kenneth Chan and Amir Ali
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