Released on May 7, 2013
Events this week in Saskatoon and Regina will celebrate new partnerships between business and arts organizations and the artsVest™ program during a successful two-year pilot.
“ArtsVest™ has proved to be a great way to build innovative new partnerships between businesses and arts organizations,” Parks, Culture and Sport Minister Kevin Doherty said. “The economic and social benefits of these relationships contribute to a vibrant and growing arts, culture and heritage sector, supporting our growing economy and enhancing our enviable quality of life.”
Since the pilot program began two years ago, 269 registered participants have benefited from capacity-building sponsorship training. Ninety two arts and cultural organizations pre-approved for $700,000 in matching funds and more than 200 businesses have participated. As a result, the first year of artsVest™ Saskatchewan generated $821,653 in private sector sponsorship. When combined with the matching funds incentive, Saskatchewan saw more than $1.17 million enter local economies. Results of sponsorships in the second year of the program are currently being tallied and will be available later this spring.
“Across the country, artsVest™ has proven itself an important asset to every community it enters by helping to facilitate partnerships between local businesses and arts and culture organizations,” Business for the Arts President and CEO Nichole Anderson said. “We are extremely pleased at the successful results in Saskatchewan and the program's impact on the province's creative community.”
The provincial program was so successful in its first year that a Saskatchewan partnership was awarded the inaugural national artsVest™ Outstanding Partnership Award at the 2012 National Business for the Arts Partnership Awards in October. Francophone theatre company La Troupe du Jour and weekly community newspaper Saskatoon Express were recognized with the national artsVest™ Outstanding Partnership Award for their exemplary efforts to stimulate business sponsorship and corporate engagement in arts and culture in Saskatchewan.
“The Saskatoon Express is proud to play a part in bringing awareness to our readers and our community about the diverse range of arts and entertainment opportunities the city of Saskatoon has to offer,” Saskatoon Express General Manager Shannon Simpson said. “We are particularly pleased with the partnership we have developed with La Troupe du Jour.”
“ArtsVest™ assisted our company in developing creative sponsorship opportunities that bring an entirely new level of engagement of local businesses with the arts,” La Troupe du Jour artistic and executive director Denis Rouleau said.
Business for the Arts aims to strengthen arts and culture in Canada by connecting arts organizations to business patrons, volunteers and ambassadors and by providing resources for arts and business leaders to establish and build successful partnerships.
ArtsVest™ is a matching incentive and sponsorship training program created by Business for the Arts and has been delivered in Saskatchewan with funding support from SaskCulture, the Government of Saskatchewan and Canadian Heritage.
Visit www.businessforthearts.org or www.artsVest.com for more information.
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For more information, contact:
Sean St. George
Parks, Culture and Sport
Regina
Phone: 306-787-9087
Email: sean.stgeorge@gov.sk.ca
Cell: 306-526-8635