Frequently Asked Questions

Culture Days is a national celebration of arts, culture and heritage that takes place every Fall across Canada. During this time, Culture Days programs invite the public to engage with hands-on activities and behind-the-scenes experiences, emphasizing the vital role that arts and culture play in our communities. Millions of people participate in thousands of free, interactive events across the country.

The goal of Culture Days is to provide barrier-free opportunities for the public to participate in arts and cultural experiences—with the aim of inspiring ongoing involvement in the cultural life of local communities.

• Download the Culture Days One-Pager

The Culture Days National organization is a non-profit, charitable organization established in 2011. We collaborate with provincial and territorial partners, as well as a network of thousands of event organizers—from grassroots volunteers to major institutions— whose combined efforts make this nationwide initiative a success. 

Our role includes providing marketing and industry development resources, and managing an annual, multi-tiered advertising and promotional campaign that links thousands of Culture Days events through a common thread. Learn more about our history on our About page.

The next national Culture Days celebration will take place September 18th–October 4th, 2026.

In Alberta, Culture Days celebrations start on September 1st and continue throughout the month to align with Alberta’s Month of the Artist. For more details, please visit Alberta Culture Days.

In Quebec, our affiliated organization Les Journées de la Culture runs a weekend-long mirror initiative.

Culture Days happens across Canada, in hundreds of cities, towns, First Nations, and rural areas. 

If you’re in Quebec, please visit our affiliated organization Les Journées de la Culture.

While the Culture Days celebration is the main highlight of our efforts to celebrate arts and culture across the country—it’s not all that we do! Throughout the year, we continue to connect the public to arts and culture through research, blog series, interviews, webinars, and other special projects. 

Culture Days is also active on social media, where we share inspiring stories, advocate for arts and culture sector support, and engage with audiences across the country.

Follow us on Instagram, Facebook, Twitter, and LinkedIn

In Quebec, our affiliated organization Les Journées de la Culture runs a weekend-long mirror initiative with a separate listing of events.

Find all contact info in the Contact Us page.

If you are organizing an event for Culture Days, or have an existing event you would like to include in the celebrations, it must meet the following criteria for inclusion:

1. Clear connection to arts, culture, and/or heritage.

Your event must have a strong and clearly defined connection to arts, culture, and/or heritage, with the activity centering artistic, cultural, or creative practices and expression. Your event description should clearly explain how participants will engage with or experience arts and culture.

2. The event should have a participatory or interactive element, or provide a unique experience to the public.

Events should offer a unique experience that fosters community engagement, and/or provides opportunities for the public to access behind-the-scenes activities, sneak peeks, or take part in the creative process.

3. Takes place during the Culture Days dates.

Your event must be scheduled to take place (at least once) during the official Culture Days national event dates. Only events occurring within this timeframe are eligible for listing on the national Culture Days website.

4. Must be registered on the Culture Days website

All events must be registered on the Culture Days website. Registration ensures your event is included in the national listing and accessible to the public.

Registration is free. Register your events at culturedays.ca/dashboard

The deadline to register events is Friday, September 4th at 11:59pm ET. Organizers are encouraged to register as early as possible to maximize visibility and benefit from promotional opportunities.

5. It must be free or PWYM for the public to attend

There should be no mandatory cost for entry to any Culture Days event—this ensures that all events are open and accessible to the public. Organizers may choose to also have a Pay-What-You-May (PWYM) option for admission, or solicit donations.

For more details on eligibility, check out our Event Organizer Guide. Need inspiration? Explore our Programming Ideas resource.

Anyone in Canada can participate as an event organizer! Culture Days is an opt-in event with a low barrier for participation. If you want to host a free or Pay-What-You-May arts and cultural program or event, simply register (for free!) on the Culture Days website.

Before registering events, you’ll need to create an Account on the Culture Days website. After signing up, you’ll be able to access all the features and manage your events through your Dashboard.

To create an event, visit your Dashboard, click on “Events,” and follow the prompts. For detailed instructions, download our step-by-step guide on creating an event.

A hub displays a group of Culture Days events that are related, either by location or theme, on a single page. To create a hub, go to your Dashboard, click on “Hubs,” then “create a hub,” and follow the prompts. Once your hub is set up, you can invite other events to join in!
Learn more about hubs here.

Culture Days registration opens annually in the Spring. Stay informed with the latest updates by subscribing to our newsletter and provincial newsletters here.

No. Organizers are not expected to offer programming for the entire run of Culture Days. As long as your event takes place sometime within these dates, you can participate!

Culture Days does not typically program events—the creative control belongs to organizers and communities! While Culture Days does review, approve, and publish events during registration, this process is just to ensure they meet basic requirements and comply with policies.

Some provincial Culture Days offices do organize specific events and programs. We encourage you to visit your region’s page (click ‘Regions’ in the main menu) to learn more about their initiatives.

While Culture Days does not provide annual direct funding, there may be provincial or regional support available for your event. We recommend contacting your provincial office for more details, or reaching out to us at [email protected].

Explore our Funding Opportunities page to find grants and funding opportunities across the country. 

In Alberta, most Alberta Culture Days events are supported by grants through the Ministry of Culture, Multiculturalism and the Status of Women. Find more information about the program here, or contact [email protected].

In Saskatchewan, many Culture Days Saskatchewan hubs receive support through SaskCulture’s funding program. Learn more about their opportunities here, or contact [email protected].

Funding Opportunities

Whether you’re planning for Culture Days events or other arts, culture, and heritage programs, here is a list of funding opportunities with upcoming or rolling deadlines from across the country to be...

Culture Days events must be free to attend, or offer optional Pay-What-You-May admission.

At Culture Days, we believe that arts and culture should be accessible to everyone. Offering free admission during the national Culture Days campaign is one effective way to reduce barriers for audiences, while also creating promotional and audience-building opportunities for organizers. However, we understand that organizing events incurs expenses. Therefore, there are no restrictions on soliciting voluntary Pay-What-You-May admission or collecting donations. 

Culture Days also upholds the importance of paying artists and presenters fairly for their time, expertise, and contributions. Since Culture Days does not produce or program events, we leave payment decisions to event organizers. We strongly encourage all organizers to compensate their artists equitably. For guidance, please consult professional associations like CARFAC for artist fee guidelines.

You can also check out Ontario Culture Days’ resource: Fair Pay for Artists.

Culture Days offers a variety of resources to help organizers plan and execute their events successfully. Our teams work to foster connections and collaboration among organizers, groups, and communities. Culture Days also runs an annual nationwide advertising and public engagement campaign, assists with event promotion, distributes surveys and research, and hosts the event listing platform to maximize visibility for your activities.

• Check out our Event Organizer Guide

• View our Webinars

• Access FREE customizable templates and promotional tools in your Dashboard

Event Organizer Guide

Join thousands of creators and event organizers for Canada's largest cross-country celebration of arts, culture, and heritage. The next Culture Days celebration takes place September 18 – October 4, 2...

The National Day for Truth and Reconciliation (NDTR) honours the lost children and survivors of residential schools and their families. It encourages us to acknowledge and better understand the history and harms inflicted and, as individuals and members of our communities, engage in actions which advance Truth and Reconciliation.

Accordingly, Culture Days has set aside September 30th to create space exclusively for events commemorating NDTR. Including those which share First Nations, Métis, and/or Inuit experiences and perspectives, celebrating the creative and cultural expressions of Indigenous people and communities.

To ensure that Indigenous voices and participation are central to these events, organizers will be asked to answer additional questions during the registration process.

If an event does not appear to appropriately and meaningfully reflect the above, Culture Days may contact the organizer for more details.

An event or activity that meaningfully centres the voices and experiences of First Nations, Métis, and Inuit communities, while helping to advance Truth and Reconciliation in your community. The event should honour the spirit and aims of the National Day for Truth and Reconciliation, and/or celebrate and highlight the creative expressions and perspectives of Indigenous communities.

Your event or organization does not have to be Indigenous-led to register. However, the activity must be developed and/or carried out in partnership with Indigenous artists, community members, or partners. It is essential to centre the voices and experiences of First Nations, Métis, and Inuit communities as part of the ongoing Truth and Reconciliation process.

No. If you are hosting an event on September 30th that is unrelated to the aims and spirit of the National Day for Truth and Reconciliation, it cannot be included in the Culture Days public listing. Public commemoration is a vital component of Truth and Reconciliation. Accordingly, Culture Days has set aside September 30, 2024 to create space exclusively for events that reflect these values. 

Yes. However, please note that on September 30th, your event will not be listed in the Culture Days public search and event listing for that day only. All other dates for your event will still be featured.