Keeping the arts alive through annual federal matching opportunity!

With the lifting of pandemic restrictions and the opening of our communities, you can hear music in the air and see dancing in the streets! As we saw in this year’s Unraveling report, arts and culture organizations have been significantly impacted by the pandemic. Without being able to gather in concert halls, at school festivals or in local theatres, artists have found ways to continue their art form through the virtual world and bring joy to others through these challenging times of isolation. But the operations of the organizations have been impacted by loss of ticket and event revenue and declining volunteer engagement. With the support of many donor advised fundholders, and those who supported the Victoria Foundation’s discretionary Arts and Culture Fund, the Foundation has continued to support the arts and the artists through the pandemic. One way we do this is by partnering with local professional arts organizations in seeking matching funding through the Endowment Incentives program of the Canada Cultural Investment Fund, created by the Department of Canadian Heritage. This program provides matching funds, up to one dollar for every dollar raised, to create new endowment funds or enhance existing funds, and powerfully grows investment in the arts community while helping establish long-term sustainability for the organizations involved. For 15 years, the Foundation has facilitated these kinds of gifts for many local professional arts organizations, including Ballet Victoria, Belfry Theatre, Canadian College of Performing Arts, Dance Victoria, Early Music Society of the Islands, Open Space Arts Society, Pacific Opera Victoria, Victoria Conservatory of Music, Victoria Symphony and Victoria Film Festival.

The Victoria Conservatory of Music has benefited greatly from our partnership with the Victoria Foundation and the matching endowment program which matches all gifts that are designated each year to our endowment funds held at the Victoria Foundation. These funds are instrumental in helping us to build operating sustainability for the organization and our scholarship and bursary program to assist more and more students every year. A perfect example is the Eric & Shirley Charman Young Musicians Bursary which was established at the Victoria Foundation in November 2017. With the continued support of donors and the endowment matching program, the fund now stands at $1.5 million – providing us with permanent funds to financially support students and their families as they pursue their musical dreams!  

Jane Butler-McGregor, CEO

When Arabella and Robert first approached me about establishing a national dance award to support young dancers continuing their training at an international institution, I immediately suggested  we talk to the Victoria Foundation.  By establishing a fund at the Foundation, Arabella and Robert could be comfortable in the knowledge that their investment will be held in perpetuity and the annual grant for the award will grow each year.  And Dance Victoria as the beneficiary of the fund could apply to the Canadian Heritage Endowment Incentives program to match Arabella and Robert’s gifts to the fund.  We are excited to be able to award the first Arabella and Robert Dance Award in spring 2022, joining the Chrystal Dance Prize, funded through a bequest gift from Dr. Chrystal Kleiman which was matched when the fund was established in 2009.  These awards contribute to the development of our international profile and in turn bring more attention to the artists and projects we support. Stephen White, Producer Gifts of all sizes can be made through the arts organization, or directly to the Victoria Foundation, for the purposes of the organization’s endowment fund. With matching grants, every contribution counts. All gifts are held in perpetuity, while the annual grants from the fund act as a continuing source of support for the arts organization. For eligibility for the 2021 match, please make your gift to the arts organization or the Victoria Foundation by October 31^st to allow time for the application process. If you would like to learn more about how you can help keep the arts alive in our region, please contact us at 250.381.5532 or [email protected].