CONNECT arts organizations across Canada with private-sector funders and volunteers through our programs and training services 

artsVest connects arts organizations to funding partners in the business community through matching funds and sponsorship training; artsVest has connected 370 businesses with 135 arts organizations in 11 communities and will be launched in another 15 municipalities over the next four years.

artsPitch connects arts organizations to professional training with respected business advisors in fundraising and sponsorship, marketing, and media relations; arts organizations are given an opportunity to present their latest strategies and ideas to business professionals and receive constructive feedback.

boardLink connects arts organizations to business professionals interested in volunteering on a board or committee. Live matching events occur annually in cities across Canada, connecting hundreds of business professionals to dozens of arts organizations. The program also exists on-line for year-round volunteer matching.

artsScene connects young professionals to their artistic community. Through artful networking events, artsScene introduces business professionals to unique experiences that engage them with the arts as patrons, volunteers, and donors. artsScene is led by volunteer committees in cities across Canada, including Edmonton, Calgary, Toronto, Montreal, and Halifax with plans for more cities in 2010.

Communicate the concerns and interests of the arts sector at a national level through our forums, publications and advocacy work 

artsSummit – an annual forum organized in partnership with the Banff Centre that facilitates information-sharing between the Board Chairs, Artistic Directors and Executive Directors of Canada’s largest arts organizations. The three day Summit includes outstanding keynote speakers and in-depth panel discussions covering a diverse range of pertinent topics to the arts, from audience engagement to the state of the economy.

artsAdvocacy – Business for the Arts continues to press for important tax incentives to stimulate private sector investment in the arts and facilitate communication between the arts sector and government. 

artsResearch communicates the latest trends revealed through our annual surveys of over 1000 arts and culture organizations in Canada. Business for the Arts commissions annual research that helps the private, government and arts sectors measure the health of the arts sector, identify key areas of need and ultimately inform giving practices.

artsRoundtables facilitate informationsharingbetween our business members, public sector funders and foundations to better understand the status, strategies and gaps in arts funding. Roundtables are hosted in several cities across Canada.

Recognize business leaders who have demonstrated outstanding investment in the arts

BftAawards – The annual Business for the Arts Awards Gala honours and celebrates the contributions of Canada’s foremost business leaders and companies to the arts.

The Edmund C. Bovey Award is given to an individual business professional who has demonstrated exemplary leadership support of the arts. The winner receives a cheque for $20,000 to give to the arts organization(s) of his or her choosing.

The Globe and Mail Business for the Arts Awards comprise four awards which recognize companies that show an outstanding commitment to the arts in Canada.

The Arnold Edinborough Award recognizes an individual young professional under the age of 40 who has demonstrated exceptional leadership and volunteerism in the arts. The winner receives a cheque for $5,000 to give to the arts organization(s) of his or her choosing.

The following are sources for the statistics seen in the Business for the Arts Brochure. 

Sources: Ipsos-Reid - Focus on the Arts 2000, Department of Canadian Heritage; Hill Strategies Research - Arts and Culture Volunteers in Canada 2003; Independent research by the Rotman School of Business; Statistics Canada - Focus on Culture; Toronto's Cultural Plan for the Creative City, 2005, Valuing Culture:  Measuring and Understanding Canada’s Creative Economy, A report by the Conference Board of Canada, 2008.