While the word “festival” may be a scary thought right now, some are, in fact, still planning to go ahead in Burnaby.
Four of them have applied for grant funding from Burnaby City Hall, two of them specifically citing how they will limit exposures and curb the spread of COVID-19. In all cases, however, city staff recommended holding off on approving grants until the city is sure events of their size will be allowed in B.C.
The Korean Writers’ Association has asked the city for a $4,000 grant – at least double the grants the association has received annually since 2015 – from the city for its Canada-Korea Literary Festival. The event is expected to be held on Oct. 10.
Organizers of the International Martial Arts Cultural Festival, scheduled for Oct. 23, are asking the city for an $11,284 grant.
The city has also received grant requests from two larger festivals in September, organizers of which outlined how they would avoid large crowds to avoid spreading COVID-19.
The Nikkei National Museum and Cultural Centre, which organizes the annual Nikkei Matsuri Family Festival, is asking for $25,000 from the city, compared to $10,000 to $18,000 grants in the past.
The festival typically draws crowds of over 14,000, according to a staff report. To limit the crowd size, the museum told the city it would stretch the event out over five days and extend its hours to disperse the attendees over time. Organizers also said they would reconfigure the event’s layout, organize online activities and “restrict access if necessary,” according to the city staff report.
The UniverCity Community Association is seeking a $12,000 grant from the city – an increase from the $8,000 it received in 2019 – for its annual SFU StreetFest.
The community association said it would be creating online activities and limiting the number of attendees to comply with provincial regulations around COVID-19.
Council has not made a decision on the grant applications.
