You require a permit to present programming in Toronto parks. Toronto Arts Council grant recipients may be eligible for free permits or for reimbursement of park permit fees.

Most arts events require a special events permit from City of Toronto, Parks & Recreation. TAC grant recipients may be eligible for reimbursement of park special event permit fees.

Purpose:

Toronto Arts Council’s Arts in the Parks permit reimbursement program provides reimbursements to Toronto Arts Council-funded artists, arts organizations and collectives working in Toronto Parks who participate in Toronto Arts Foundation’s Arts in the Parks program. The purpose of the program is to mitigate prohibitive permitting costs associated with producing events that are part of the Arts in the Parks initiative. The maximum reimbursement amount is $8,000 in 2025.

Eligibility:

Applicants must hold a project, operating or strategic programs grant for the current or previous year. Applicants must participate in the Toronto Arts Foundation’s Arts in the Parks program and offer free arts programming in a Toronto park permitted by Parks, & Recreation. The Permit Reimbursement program will reimburse the cost of Special Events permits only for up to $8,000.

To register for Arts in the Parks, please contact: 

Alexandra Loewen (she/her) 
Interim Manager, Events & Initiatives 
Toronto Arts Foundation  
416 392 6800 x215 
alexandra@torontoarts.org 

Arts in the Parks Permit Reimbursement application process:

Once you have registered to participate in Arts in the Parks and once your event has taken place you may apply to TAC for a reimbursement of P&R special events permit costs. To apply, please submit the following documentation to the Animating Toronto Parks Program Manager, following completion of your event and no later than December 31 of the year in which the event took place, by email:

• the receipt for payment for the Special Events Permit
• the Special Events permit notice
• confirmation that event took place as planned
• confirmation that your event was offered free of charge to the public.  (Note: Although you may collect donations, there may not be any barrier to entry or perceived barrier to entry, such as ticketing or pay-what-you-can for events in city parks.)
• confirmation of participation in Arts in the Parks*.