Business for the Arts (BftA), Canada's only national association of business leaders who support arts and culture, and the Government of Saskatchewan are excited to announce a new partnership that will see artsVest, Business for the Arts' flagship matching grant program, operating across Saskatchewan over the next two years.
artsVest is a sponsorship training and matching incentive program that will be delivered in Saskatchewan with funding from the Government of Saskatchewan and Canadian Heritage, with support from SaskCulture, Inc. The program, which will build lasting partnerships between cultural organizations and businesses across Saskatchewan, will provide $300,000 for training and operational costs as well as $700,000 in matching incentive grants to help cultural organizations generate new private sector support.
"Business for the Arts is delighted to partner with the Government of Saskatchewan to support the growth and development of the province's cultural sector," Business for the Arts President and CEO Nichole Anderson said. Business for the Arts estimates that approximately 120 culture organizations will form partnerships with an estimated 260 businesses over the next two years in Saskatchewan - stimulating over $1 million in private sector investment.
"Saskatchewan is home to hundreds of innovative and dedicated cultural organizations and a business sector which has shown incredible support for our vibrant culture scene through events such the Saskatchewan Pavilion at the Vancouver 2010 Olympic Winter Games and this spring at Prairie Scene in the nation's capital," Tourism, Parks, Culture and Sport Minister Bill Hutchinson said. "artsVest is the perfect next step in building on that strong partnership between culture and business to further grow prosperous and creative communities across Saskatchewan and expand culture's impact on our economy."
With $1.6 million in funding from Canadian Heritage over the next two years, Business for the Arts has begun the national expansion of their artsVest program, and will now work with The Government of Saskatchewan, Ministry of Tourism, Parks, Culture and Sport and SaskCulture to bring these successes to cultural organizations and businesses of all sizes and disciplines from across the province.
For more information, visit www.businessforthearts.org.
