2026 Ambassador Call
Apply to be the 2026 BC Culture Days Ambassador!
Calling emerging artists from remote and/or rural communities.
Unfamiliar with Culture Days? Read about our organization here.
From left to right: 2025 BC Culture Days ambassadors, Jacki Gunn and Ashleigh Giffen.
Deadline to apply: March 23, 2026 at 11:59PM PT
*Before you submit an application, please read through the call and requirements. If at any point during the application process you require support or assistance, please email us at [email protected].
BC Culture Days is now accepting applications from emerging artists interested in becoming the 2026 BC Culture Days Ambassador. Emerging artists of all disciplines (from visual arts and craft artists to dancers, musicians, poets, writers, actors, and more) are invited to apply. This position is for emerging artists in B.C. who desire an equitable opportunity to advance their artistic career by developing event planning, facilitation, and community engagement skills, participating in a mentorship, and growing their professional network. It is a predominantly self-directed program with support from BC Culture Days staff and requires both in-person (in your local area) and online participation through the months of May to October 2026.
One emerging artist will be selected as the 2026 Ambassador and will develop, coordinate, and present a free community-based arts event in their local area for Culture Days. The event will engage the community in a hands-on, site-specific event exploring one or more artscaping activities. The proposed event must be low-barrier in nature and encourage public participation in a creative process (e.g. yarn bombing, a community sculpture or mural, a collective dance/music performance, or other collaborative art project) tailored to and in relationship with an outdoor community space.
The Ambassador will:
1. Receive an event budget and artist fee totalling $2,000 to present their community-engaged event during Culture Days (between September 18 - October 4, 2026).
2. Participate in a paid 3-month mentorship ($1,500 total for approx. 8 hrs/month) with an established artist of their choice.
4. Receive media training and act as a Culture Days media spokesperson from August-October.
Artists who self-identify as members of equity-deserving communities are strongly encouraged to apply.
Eligibility Requirements:
We invite you to apply if you meet all the following eligibility requirements:
Reside in B.C. (minimum 12 consecutive months) AND are a Canadian Citizen or Permanent Resident of Canada
Reside in a remote and/or rural community
Self-identify as an emerging artist
Are in the early stages of your artistic career
Devote a minimum of 24 hours per week to your art practice
Have demonstrated experience in actively engaging your community through the arts
Are available to participate in a mentorship from the months of May-August 2026
Are available to act as a spokesperson in your community during the months of August-October 2026, with the understanding that your image, bio, and artistic process will be shared on the BC Culture Days website and social media channels (i.e artist spotlights, project documentation, event promotion etc.)
Have strong communications and time management skills
Are not applying on behalf of an organization, collective, or business
Have not been previously engaged as a BC Culture Days ambassador
We strongly encourage applicants with an interest in Culture Days and its mandate to:
FOSTER appreciation and support of the artistic and cultural life that is lived, created and expressed across the country in urban, suburban, and rural areas alike;
PROMOTE direct interaction between creators and the public, as a key to increasing understanding and appreciation of art and culture; and
AFFIRM that every citizen is the guardian of the cultural life of his, her, or their community.
Ambassador Responsibilities
Networking and mobilizing
Networking with the local community to share knowledge and spread awareness of Culture Days, reaching out to community members such as individual artists, arts organizations, cultural organizations, heritage organizations, and businesses encouraging them to offer activities during Culture Days.
Organizing
Registering, coordinating, and presenting a Culture Days activity for the public. Ambassadors are responsible for managing their own project budget and time schedule.
Collaborating with at least one organization in the local community that will assist with the facilitation of the ambassador’s public event (eg. educational institution, equity-based charity, arts centre, municipality, arts council, community collective, cultural society, friendship centre, neighbourhood association, and so on).
Representing
Receiving media training to represent BC Culture Days as a spokesperson.
Acting as a spokesperson and media contact for BC Culture Days from August to October. The ambassador may be asked to participate in either in-person or virtual TV, radio, and newspaper interviews on behalf of BC Culture Days.
Mentorship
Participating in a paid 3-month (approx. 8 hrs/month) online or in-person mentorship with an established artist (with at least 15-20 years of professional experience).
Engaging in a professional relationship with the artistic mentor, focusing on building diverse skills in relation to artistic practice, professional development, community engagement, and more. Read this blog to learn about previous mentorship pairings.
Reporting
Providing regular updates and communicating with BC Culture Days staff about their work, event planning, and mentorship.
Completing a final report by October 31, 2026.
Submitting a one-year impact statement by October 31, 2027.
BC Culture Days Support:
The ambassador is required to work independently and collaboratively with community partners as well as BC Culture Days staff. Strong communication and time management skills are important. While the program is predominantly self-directed, BC Culture Days offers the following support:
Free marketing and media relations services, including social media posts and print posters
Access to a large arts and culture network and contacts for event facilitation
Assistance with mentorship matching
Assistance in building relationships with community partners and securing in-kind support in the way of venue space and materials
Consultation for event planning
Monthly check-ins via Zoom with BC Culture Days staff
Media training
Filling Out the Application
Please complete our online application by March 23, 2026 at 11:59PM PT. If you wish to complete a PDF version of the application form or prefer to submit your application as a video or voice recording, please email us at [email protected] to communicate your specific needs.
In the application, you will be asked to:
Provide an artist biography and CV.
Provide a summary of your event idea and creative activity, including a proposed event location.
Describe why you want to pursue an artistic mentorship at this time and why it will be beneficial to your artistic development.
List up to three potential mentors. Mentors must be artists residing in Canada with at least 15-20 years of professional experience.
Shortlisted candidates will be invited to submit a detailed event proposal and participate in a Zoom interview with BC Culture Days staff in late March/early April.
If you have questions or need more info, please contact: Nazanin Shoja, BC Culture Days Program Director at [email protected].
Key Program Dates
March 23, 2026 (11:59PM PT) - Deadline for applications
March 30-April 3 - Shortlisted candidates will be notified
April 10 - Deadline for shortlisted candidates to submit their event proposal and work references
April 13-17 - Shortlisted candidates will participate in an interview with BC Culture Days staff
Late April - Successful applicant will be notified and matched with a mentor
Mid-June - Ambassador Orientation Session via Zoom
July 1- Mentorship begins
July 31, 2026- Deadline for registration of ambassador event
Early August- Media training
September 30 - Mentorship ends
August-October - Media interviews
September 18-October 4, 2026 - Culture Days
October 31, 2026 - Final report deadline
October 31, 2027 - One-year impact statement deadline
*We strongly encourage applicants to review our ambassador alumni pages. Visit the “Culture Days Activity Examples” portion of this page to explore the range of programming that has been offered by ambassadors in the past.
Ambassador Testimonials
“My favourite part of being an ambassador was how it connected me to my local community. Those connections were the most enriching aspects of the experience. Creating strong collaborations and bonds with my co-hosts, working together to problem-solve, and exploring new creative ideas was incredibly rewarding. The teamwork pushed me into new spaces and beyond my usual boundaries in a way that was both exciting and safe.” - Amy Braun (2025 Ambassador in Valemount)
“It is so great that there is a program like this that supports emerging artists
with their creative ideas, which is an opportunity that doesn’t regularly come up. Without programs like the Ambassador Program, how are we (emerging artists) supposed to grow and become more established? After this program, I already feel more confident in my ability to pitch collaborations and advocate for my work and worth as an artist.” — Harmeet Kaur Virdee (2024 Ambassador in Surrey)
“The program is a great opportunity to connect with the wider community and other artists. The monetary support of the Ambassador Program is helpful to free up space to work on the ambassador project and other role responsibilities as well as develop new artistic skills. The mentorship component is invaluable for growth, and the ability to recommend an ideal mentor to BC Culture Days really allowed me to make a pointed choice about where I’d like to expand my artistic practice.” - Alex Chen (2022 Ambassador in Victoria)
You can read testimonials from our ambassador alum here.
BC Culture Days acknowledges that it carries out its work on the land of Indigenous nations throughout British Columbia. We are grateful for the continuing relationships with Indigenous people in B.C. that develop through our work together. We acknowledge and raise our hands to the xʷməθkʷəy̓əm (Musqueam), Sḵwx̱wú7mesh (Squamish), and səlilwətaɬ (Tsleil-Waututh) Nations, on whose unceded and ancestral lands we operate our main offices.