Hey! Thanks for stopping by. Event submissions are now closed. 

If you’re a keener and want to get a jump start on next year, congrats! We’ve left these guidelines here for you:

The Festival presents inspiring opportunities to connect, co-create, and celebrate diverse ways to learn about the world around us. In these unique times, a lot of new learning is happening as we adjust to COVID-19.

Through vibrant and thought-provoking social events, the Festival provides an opportunity to interact with each other and with local experts in an enlivening and creative learning environment.

Do you have an idea you’d like to share?

Are you doing something in the community that others could learn from and that you’re excited to share? We would like to hear about it! Through your proposal, we can start a conversation, facilitate your spark of an idea and shape it into a Festival event by providing capacity-building, program development and assistance with amplifying to an audience.

We are able to provide a small amount of funding to all of the ideas we select. The maximum award we are able to give to any one project is up to $1000. The money will support your work by covering some of the costs associated with your presentation at the Festival of Learning.

Program Themes 2021

Within these overarching themes we encourage exploration and creative expression. The themes include:

  • Art, crafts, & hobbies
  • Children & families
  • Business, jobs & careers
  • Science, technology & digital literacy
  • Health, wellbeing & self-care
  • Gardens, environment & sustainability
  • Language, faith & culture
  • Cooking & food

Ideas of possible topics to explore within the streams include:

  • A play about Indigenous language revitalization and reconciliation
  • Queer poetry writing workshop
  • A green building tour
  • Advances in tech and green energy panel discussion
  • Healthy cooking classes for those on a tight budget
  • A community garden tour
  • Creative storytelling for children
  • Nature walk and traditional plant use from an Indigenous perspective

What forms can an idea take?

We are keen to incorporate all forms of learning styles and formats including but not limited to:  workshops, dance recitals, lessons or performances, musical instruction or performance, visual art representations such as sculpture, painting, networking events, galas, panels, poetry readings, films, theatre performances, displays, roundtables, tours, keynote speakers, interactive arts, crafting, town halls, virtual performances, AR/VR, nature walks etc.

Guidelines & Eligibility

Your proposed event must:

  • Have a plan in place to follow the latest COVID-19 safety protocol
  • Encourage and promote an open, positive and inclusive community engagement component
  • Be hosted within your organization (or a partner organization) which resides within the City of Burnaby
  • Have a learning component and align with the goals and values of the Festival

Your proposal is strengthened by:

  • Highlight a COVID-19 response and recovery initiative
  • Meeting a community need
  • Thoughtful and informed inclusion of Indigenous perspectives
  • Consideration and knowledge generation that is sourced by or directly benefits underserved communities
  • The involvement of other partners, or includes other organizations you would like to work with
  • The use of creative and interactive elements within your pitch
  • Using an intersectional lens

For any questions about the submission process please contact Tara Flynn, Festival Director at: tara_flynn@sfu.ca