Theatrical exhibition program

For independent cinemas and theatrical exhibitors, promoting Canadian films can be both creatively rewarding and financially challenging. The Theatrical Exhibition Program is designed to ease that pressure by helping theatres across Canada invest more confidently in marketing and promotion when they bring Canadian feature films to the big screen. Delivered by Telefilm Canada with support from the Government of Canada, this program recognizes exhibitors who actively program Canadian content and helps them build audiences for those releases.

Rather than focusing on a single film, the program looks at your theatre’s recent track record. Funding is tied to the performance of Canadian films you’ve exhibited over the past year, rewarding consistent support of domestic cinema. Successful applicants can receive non-repayable funding of up to about $10,000 to offset eligible promotional expenses, such as advertising, outreach, or audience engagement activities tied to theatrical releases. This makes it especially relevant for commercial exhibitors who want to strengthen visibility for Canadian films without stretching already tight marketing budgets.

Open to qualifying exhibitors nationwide in the arts and culture sector, the program is currently accepting applications and is best suited to theatres with established box office reporting practices. For exhibitors interested in understanding how funding is calculated, what promotional costs are covered, and how to prepare a strong application, reviewing the full program details through GrantHub is a smart next step.