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, 2026.
Organizations and individuals are invited to present events as part of the celebration. Event Registration is now open! Please review eligibility below and Create an Account to get started.
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.
View 2025 Highlights to see stories and stats from a record-breaking celebration.
What is Culture Days?
Founded in 2010 by the Canadian Arts Summit, Culture Days is a national campaign that connects thousands of free and PWYM (Pay-What-You-May) arts, culture, and heritage events across Canada. Culture Days invites the public to get hands-on and behind-the-scenes to highlight the importance of arts and culture in our communities.
Millions of participants attend events every year as part of Culture Days
Events include hands-on workshops, exhibitions and installations, performances and screenings, tours, local festivals, open houses and studios, as well as knowledge sharing activities and digital experiences
Culture Days is Canada’s largest cross-country celebration of arts, culture, and creativity
Resources:
Connect with Your Regional Offices for local support, partnerships, and regional marketing
Who can participate?
Anyone! Culture Days is open to:
Grassroots and community groups
Public libraries
Independent artists, collectives, studios and galleries
Arts, culture, and heritage institutions
Local and specialty festivals
Municipalities and more!
Learn more about past participants including event organizers, artists, organizations, ambassadors and communities, in the Culture365 Blog.
Event eligibility and how to participate
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:
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.
Common programming inquiries
Sports or recreational events
Sports or recreational activities are eligible if they have a clear cultural, artistic, or heritage component. These components must be clearly outlined in the event title and description.
Self-guided Events or Tours
Culture Days events should actively engage the community and ideally provide participants with opportunities to interact directly with each other and with you as the event host/organizer. As such, we recommend that events be scheduled at specific times, and include an active organizer presence on-site throughout the event.
If you are hosting or programming a multi-stop self-guided tour, please register the program as one event (as opposed to registering multiple stops). If applicable, include a link with maps and stop details.
Library programs
Library programs are eligible if they have a clear focus on arts and culture and include interactive, participatory elements that actively engage attendees.
Commercial businesses
Commercial businesses may participate if the event is free (or PWYM), has a clear connection to arts and culture, and is not primarily promotional or sales-driven, with an emphasis on a participatory experience or public engagement.
Farmer’s Markets
Farmers Markets may register events or programming within their market that highlight arts and culture and include free, participatory elements. These components must be clearly outlined in the event title and description. Examples: free musical performances, family programs/craft workshops, etc.
Online Events
Livestreamed or live digital events must have all details confirmed and a public link provided at the time of registration. Pre-recorded video or audio content is typically not eligible for listing.
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.
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.
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.
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.
Read more about our PWYM policy
Pay-What-You-May policy
Culture Days updated its free admission policy in 2019 to include a Pay-What–You-May (PWYM) option for entry to Culture Days events. In doing so, Culture Days affirms its commitment to free admission as a means to reduce barriers to access, while recognizing that producing a Culture Days event incurs expenses—PWYM offers an avenue for cost recovery for organizers while keeping free admission as a requirement for participation. In the event registration form, you can list that your event accepts PWYM donations for admission.
PWYM should never be utilized to deny a member of the public access to an event, nor can it be used to enforce paid ticketed entry.
If you are organizing an online program, the participating artist(s) can ask for donations through various platforms that enable a PWYM model for live streams or online programs. You are also welcome to include links to any other site to collect donations.
Next Steps:
Create your Culture Days account
If you are unsure your event is eligible, contact [email protected] before you register
Event Registration FAQs
When does event registration open and close?
Event registration is now open and will close Friday, September 4th at 11:59pm ET. Organizers are encouraged to register early to maximize visibility and benefit from promotional opportunities.
Some regional Culture Days offices have other promotional deadlines through the summer.
Can I edit my events after I submit them?
Yes. You can edit your event at any time by logging into your Dashboard. Make sure your updates are saved before the beginning of Culture Days or your event date.
What can I expect from the event review process?
Events are reviewed individually by Culture Days team members, typically within 48 hours of submission, except on weekends.
If your event is approved for publication, you will receive a confirmation email to your registered account. If our teams have additional questions or need clarification on eligibility, you will be contacted via email.
Can I register multiple events or recurring activities?
Yes. You can register multiple events under one account. Recurring activities should be listed as a single event with multiple dates when possible.
What if my event is cancelled or details change?
Update your event listing as soon as possible in your Dashboard so audiences see the most accurate information.
What if I miss the registration deadline?
If you miss the deadline, email us at [email protected] Late registrations may still be accepted, but visibility and support may be limited.
I’m having trouble with my Hub or Team account, what should I do?
Benefits of registering your events
Registering your event helps you reach more audiences and get more support.
Be discovered locally. Your event appears in Culture Days’ geo-located search and interactive map, helping nearby audiences find what’s happening around them.
Targeted reach. By listing your event and adding tags for region, activity type, language, and accessibility, your event is easier to discover by interested audiences.
Benefit from national marketing. Registered events are included in Culture Days’ advertising, media, and public relations campaigns, generating over 500 million impressions each year.
Access free promotional tools. Get ready-made and customizable marketing and outreach templates and social media tools.
Next Steps:
Create your Culture Days account
Access your Culture Days Dashboard for event registration and marketing tools
National Day for Truth and Reconciliation
Each year, September 30 marks the National Day for Truth and Reconciliation.
About the National Day for Truth and Reconciliation (NDTR)
The National Day for Truth and Reconciliation (NDTR) honours the lost children and survivors of residential schools and their families, endeavours to acknowledge and better understand the history and harms done and, as individuals and members of our communities, engage in actions which advance Truth and Reconciliation.
Since 2022, Culture Days has set September 30 as a day to create space exclusively for events organized to commemorate the NDTR, including those aimed at sharing First Nations, Métis, and/or Inuit experiences and perspectives celebrating the creative and cultural expressions of Indigenous people and communities.
In order to ensure that Indigenous voices and participation are central to any event planned for the National Day for Truth and Reconciliation, there are additional questions for organizers to answer during the registration process. If the proposed event does not appear to appropriately and meaningfully reflect the above, Culture Days may contact the event organizer for more details.
National Day for Truth and Reconciliation
September 30 is the National Day for Truth and Reconciliation, a day to honour the lost children, survivors of residential schools, and their families. In recognition of this day, Culture Days highlig...
Frequently Asked Questions
The Art of Arabic calligraphy, BC Culture Days. Image courtesy of Nikhat Qureshi.About Culture DaysWhat is Culture Days?Culture Days is a national celebration of arts, culture and heritage that takes...
Creating a Culture Days hub
A hub is a collection of 3 or more events connected geographically or thematically.
Benefits of a Hub
Increase attendance and awareness of events
Showcase diverse local arts and cultural activity
Develop partnerships with other organizers and collaborators
Attract media coverage
Examples
Public library hosting multiple events
Main Street arts walk or plaza festival
Nuit Blanche-style downtown installations
Online series on a shared theme
How to Create a Hub
Go to your Culture Days Dashboard → click “Hubs”
Minimum 3 published events required to display hub publicly
Add your events or invite other organizers to join
For more details, review our step-by-step guide for creating a Culture Days hub.
Email us at [email protected] for assistance.