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When we experience art—whether in the form of the performing arts, literature or the visual arts—we become immersed in the moment. We don’t usually think about what makes our enjoyment possible. At the heart of it is the artist’s vision, creativity and hard work. Often what fuels the art and the artist is the care and support of others. This support can be offered in a myriad of ways, but at its core are donations from benefactors.
In its 2025 World Giving Report, Charities Aid Foundation Canada notes that 84 per cent of Canadians did some type of charitable behaviour with 56 per cent donating money to a charity, but less than five per cent gave to arts and culture. Reasons for not giving include lack of information, not making a difference and…nobody asked me!
Within charitable giving in Canada, arts and culture ranks low compared to the religious, health, social services and education sectors. In 2013, Mécénat Musica answered the call to help amplify cultural philanthropy. It was created by donors to fill the philanthropic gap in Quebec culture, connecting donors to Quebec’s cultural organizations in a rational, strategic and impactful way. Donors behind Mécénat Musica conceived a program that leveraged their donations and connections, encouraging those who were willing and able to donate, by demystifying and simplifying the process.
In addition to the usual government donation tax credits, individual donors of $25,000 benefit from Quebec’s additional 25 per cent tax credit for a large cultural donation, which can be used once in a donor’s lifetime, and results in a net donation cost that can be as low as $5,425 after applying the combined tax credits. This $25,000 donation allows the donor’s choice of cultural organization to increase their permanent capital to $50,000 or more—seven to nine times the donor’s after-tax cost.
The donation of $250,000 of public company shares by Quebec resident corporations and shareholders can also have a net after-tax cost to the individual shareholder as low as $5,800 and can be matched by other donors and governments to create up to $1 million for the cultural organization chosen by the donor.
Mécénat Musica’s mission to ensure the financial autonomy of Quebec’s cultural organizations in the form of endowment funds (the principal amount remains intact and only the investment income is used) allows these organizations to have an ongoing annual income, helping them to have more visibility and peace of mind, operationally and artistically, in essence, forever.
Mécénat Musica partners with three major community foundations (Foundation of Greater Montréal, The Jewish Community Foundation and Fondation Québec Philanthrope) to administer its program. To date, an impressive $111 million of permanent capital has been created (including government matching), with $55 million of generous donations from individuals and philanthropic families. This permanent capital annually distributes $5.5 million of investment income (five per cent) to more than 50 Quebec cultural organizations (all are registered charities), supporting over 5,000 artists each year.
Prior to joining Mécénat Musica, most of the organizations surveyed for this article did not have an endowment fund strategy, focusing their finances short term and mainly on their artistic activities. If they had an endowment fund, the level that it is now with Mécénat Musica is considerably higher.
The unique combination of raising monies from large individual and family donations with Mécénat Musica’s help, along with matching grants from Mécénat Musica donor families and government-matching programs (Quebec’s Mécénat Placements Culture and Heritage Canada), accumulates to a substantial amount that becomes the permanent capital in the organization’s endowment fund. This permanent capital is invested and is managed by the organization’s choice of Mécénat Musica community foundation partners. The distribution of investment income (five per cent annually) provides the organization greater long-term financial security. Organizations surveyed generally amassed $1 million to $10 million over several years for their endowment funds.
Laurent Patenaude (Les Violons du Roy and La Chapelle de Québec) says, “Mécénat Musica offers two remarkable advantages…raising public awareness of the importance of donations to culture…[and]the exceptional matchmaking opportunities that significantly multiply the impact of donations received.” According to Yvan Gauthier (former CEO, Foundation of Greater Montréal), his foundation provided group information sessions to organizations to promote perpetual funds and inform them about matching programs. The matching funds from donors and governments create a larger amount to invest into the endowment fund, leading to what Kathy Assayag (CEO, Jewish Community Foundation) refers to as a “multiplier effect” and she sees her foundation as a steward of the funds.
Mécénat Musica’s strategic guidance and extensive network of donors who want to make meaningful cultural contributions greatly help consolidate and turbocharge philanthropic efforts, key motivating factors for member organizations. The members surveyed for this article unanimously report that their outlook to raising money for their endowment fund has changed dramatically since becoming part of the Mécénat Musica family. They’re encouraged to adopt a more personalized, informed and targeted approach, generating tailor-made presentations. Board members are more committed to personally add to the organization’s endowment fund and more actively champion the organization’s cause.
Taras Kulish (Orchestre Classique de Montréal) says of their efforts, “We developed the courage and the know-how, making big asks of our donor base in order to raise the large amounts needed for the campaign.” A number of respondents cite the importance of understanding the tax benefits behind major donations to communicate them effectively to potential donors.
Success often begets success. With a proven fundraising track record under the Mécénat Musica umbrella, organizations are strongly motivated to attract more major donors. Driven to further increase their funds, they have upped their fundraising activities. Initiatives include fundraising concerts, and hosting cocktail receptions and donor dinners to appeal directly to their audience. Some strategies are specifically targeted to patrons who are music lovers and/or who are passionate about supporting culture in general. Some focus on individuals and family foundations, while others engage within their own organization’s board of directors and within their personal circle of family and friends, casting a wider net by galvanizing everyone to advocate on their behalf.
From a donor’s perspective, Kelly Rice (Philanthropy and Communications Consultant) is enthusiastic about giving. He is happy to support choral music and is thrilled that his $25,000 donation tripled, ballooning to $75,000! Rice likes the idea that donors can have a notable impact on smaller organizations by providing them the opportunity to grow.
With the economic downturn and declining government support, he says, “It’s philanthropy that’s going to help move the needle…” Rice observes that philanthropists are passionate about the causes they support and that thanking them is important. He still reminisces about when soprano Myriam Leblanc gave him and his partner René Fréchette a Mécénat Musica Mini-Gala private thank-you concert in his living room. But not all donors want recognition and some even prefer to remain anonymous. Regardless, every donor is appreciated and thanked for their contribution.
All of the organizations who gave feedback, are optimistic about their future because Mécénat Musica and its donors enable them to dream big for the long term. By realizing a more secure future due to the recurring annual payout, they are less dependent on grants and other unsustainable income sources.
Mécénat Musica positively disrupts the traditional model for cultural philanthropy. It sparks hope that giving to culture and the arts will continue to grow and become infectious. Mécénat Musica is a unique movement that nurtures culture today so that it can thrive for future generations.
Impact of Mécénat Musica
Kathy Assayag
CEO, Jewish Community Foundation of Montreal
The program has been an engine of remarkable acceleration of donations to the arts. Arts and culture have always received the smallest share of overall philanthropy. This program has, with great genius and careful crafting, leveraged the power of philanthropy, normal donation tax credits, special tax credits in Quebec, matching funds from donors as well as federal and provincial government matches.
Valérie Beaudoin
CEO, Fondation Québec Philanthrope
By promoting the creation of endowment funds, the program enables organizations to strengthen their financial stability and autonomy while boosting the confidence of donors and public partners. Thanks to its influence and innovative model of collaboration between donors and artists, Mécénat Musica helps increase the strength, visibility, and impact of local cultural organizations, thereby supporting the vitality and sustainability of the arts community.
Yvan Gauthier
Yvan Gauthier
Consultant & former CEO, Foundation of Greater Montréal
Mécénat Musica has greatly contributed to transforming philanthropy into a culture by amplifying the perpetual donation movement, successfully coordinating philanthropists’ donations with government matching programs, and promoting the efforts of organisations and donors.
Kelly Rice
Kelly Rice
Donor, Philanthropy & Communications Consultant
One of the things that I found really wonderful with Mécénat Musica is the stewardship (of funding). What (it) has helped to do is to bring it all out in the open and demystify how it (cultural philanthropy) works and to make it clear about the impact of donation…and how you thank donors.
Ginette Gauthier, Paul Lafleur
Domaine Forget
Le Domaine Forget de Charlevoix
The interest income generated by endowment funds have a major impact on the presentation and development of our artistic activities. They provide us with reliable financial resources in perpetuity, which are essential to our budget and available without additional solicitation.
Adam Johnson
OSL
Orchestre symphonique de Laval
It helps us dream big, both in terms of our artistic creativity with exciting projects and in terms of how we engage with our patrons. Our organisation understands the importance of having the audacity to ask for a lot, and the results have a significant impact on our art by allowing us to offer the best to artists and audiences in our community.
OCM & Boris Brott
Taras Kulish
Orchestre Classique de Montréal
Mécénat Musica has given the cultural sector a big push toward a stronger financial future that otherwise would never have been possible.
Marc Boucher
Marc Boucher
Festival Classica
The impact of the program has enabled Festival Classica to further advance its mission and to make additional concrete contributions to the economic ecosystem of Quebec’s classical music community.
Kerry-Anne Kutz
Vox Aeterna – Festival de la Voix
Kerry-Anne Kutz. Photo: Frank Opolko
Vox Aeterna is able to hire world-class local artists to present concerts of varying genres to people of all ages and in particular, young audiences in our broader community. With the serious lack of grant funding that we now face, Vox Aeterna would not be able to pursue its ambitious programming.
Michel Paradis
La Fondation Grantham pour l’art et l’environnement
photo: Maxime Brouillet
Mécénat Musica will have contributed directly and indirectly to nearly a quarter of our endowment fund.
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Laurent Patenaude
Violons du Roy
Les Violons du Roy & La Chapelle de Québec
This program has enabled us to increase our resilience and consolidate our artistic future. The artists themselves are aware of this and grateful for the commitment of these visionary patrons.
Luc Beauséjour
Clavecin en concert
Luc Beauséjour
A proven model for establishing an endowment fund that generates perpetual income, independent of annual grants and ticket sales…the endowment model gives us the freedom to innovate without jeopardizing our financial viability.
Sophie Larivière
Ensemble Caprice
Ensemble Caprice
The philanthropic shift has enabled us to consolidate our financial foundations, giving us the means to create a multitude of artistic projects within our cultural community. This has resulted in a significant increase in work opportunities for our artists.
Frédéricka Petit-Homme
Ensemble Nigra Sum
Frédéricka Petit-Homme
I’ve met extraordinary people who have broadened my perspective and strengthened my resolve to lead with purpose. Being part of this network has taught me to connect, collaborate, and communicate more effectively. …It models what’s possible when art, philanthropy, and collaboration come together to build a more inclusive cultural ecosystem.
Alexander Reford
International Garden Festival
Jardins Metis
We program more than 100 cultural events every year…the Mécénat Musica collaboration will contribute to sustaining this program and to our ongoing collaboration with conservatories in the network…we are able to offer high-quality performances and events while building a stronger and more dynamic regional culture.
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