Each year, the City of Barrie is proud to celebrate Culture Days, a Canada-wide celebration designed to catalyze and inspire public participation in arts and culture.
Culture Days programs invite the public to show appreciation for arts and culture in their own communities and nationwide. The Culture Days organization supports a Canada-wide network of arts, culture, and heritage organizers to facilitate free public events in their communities every year.
Running September 18 until October 4, 2026, Culture Days is Canada's largest cross-country celebration of arts, culture, and creativity.
Call for Programming
Individuals, organizations, and businesses from Barrie and the immediate surrounding area are invited to submit proposals for activities/events to celebrate Culture Days Barrie (September 18–October 4, 2026). Limited funding is available. Honorariums of up to $800 are available per activity. The deadline to apply is Monday, June 22 at 11:59pm. Please note:
- The format can be in-person or self-guided. Disciplines can include visual arts, dance, theatre, music, history and heritage, architecture and design, culinary arts, craft, storytelling, etc.
- Activities must be free or accept pay-what-you-can donations.
- Activities must be unique offerings (not already being hosted by the applicant, not something that has been funded through the Culture Days Barrie program in the past).
- Activities must increase awareness of the arts and offer the community the opportunity to participate in an art form.
- Culture Days has set September 30 aside to create space exclusively for events organized to commemorate the National Day for Truth and Reconciliation, including those sharing First Nations, Métis, and/or Inuit experiences and perspectives celebrating the creative and cultural expressions of Indigenous people and communities.
- Multiple proposals from one applicant are welcome, though no more than one proposal will be selected per applicant.
The Culture Days Barrie selection committee will review the proposals and weigh them against these criteria. Activity selection will take place in early July and selected activity providers will be notified by the end of the day on Wednesday, July 15.
Once again, Doors Open Barrie (September 26) is part of Culture Days! Paired with Culture Days, Doors Open provides a unique opportunity to present free, hands-on arts activities in participating sites, giving residents and visitors a chance to learn about Barrie’s arts, heritage and business community. Sites and businesses offering a unique visitor experience can register to participate as a site by July 6. Visit barrie.ca/DoorsOpen for more details.
Partners
Culture Days wouldn't be possible without the coordination of many in Barrie's arts sector. Thank you to all our partners for your passion and dedication to a healthy and vibrant cultural sector:
For even more programming, visit the Barrie Public Library’s Calendar of Events and check out the Maclaren Art Centre’s current exhibitions.