Business / Arts

Arts, Media and Entertainment

Toronto ON

Celebrating 50 years in 2024, Business / Arts is a national charitable organization that shows the power of partnership between business and the arts. In 1974, Business leader Edmund C. Bovey responded to a call from the Canada Council for the Arts to mobilize business support for the arts. Bringing together 50+ Chief Executive Officers from across Canada, the Council for Business and the Arts in Canada (now known as Business / Arts) was established. For over 50 years, the mission has remained the same—to champion business investment in the arts and build strong, lasting partnerships between the arts, business, and government in Canada. Through a variety of initiatives, Business / Arts is uniquely positioned to bring together business, private patrons, government, and the arts, all in the service of supporting the growth of Canada’s arts sector. The organization’s focus is on three main objectives: to convene and lead; to support and facilitate; to share, amplify, and advocate. 

Business / Arts leads several programs that strengthen the leadership and capacity of both large and small arts organizations. The signature artsvest program is a national mentorship training program designed to build capacity in Canada’s cultural sector. artsvest provides small to mid-sized arts, culture, and heritage organizations with resources, expertise, and training in marketing, board governance, and sponsorship, along with matching incentive funds and peer-to-peer networking. To date, 5,966 representatives from 2,576 organizations have participated in the artsvest training and formed 5,864 partnerships with businesses, raising over $26.8M in new private sector investment. Combined with matching funds, the overall impact is $37.2M to Canada’s cultural sector. 

In 1998, Business / Arts and the Banff Centre for Arts & Creativity invited the chairs, executive directors, and artistic directors of 20 of Canada’s largest arts organizations to a summit. The first Canadian Arts Summit was predicated upon the belief that these influential leaders could, by working together, better support Canadian artistic aspirations. The Summit has grown and continues to play a vital role in bringing together leading voices from Canada and internationally to help shape the future of arts in Canada. In 2024, the Summit gathered 170+ senior arts leaders and advocates in Banff for three days of collaboration and will reconvene in 2025 at the National Arts Centre on April 3–5. 

Business / Arts further supports leadership development via the Emerging Leadership Program, which provides mentorship and networking opportunities to the next generation of arts leaders from across the country. The organization also delivers on its mission to share, support, and advocate for the sector, producing the quarterly Arts Response Tracking Surveys (ARTS) and monthly Speaker Series webinars, equipping 2000+ arts organizations with data and tools to navigate emerging trends confidently. 

Through the annual Business / Arts Awards Celebration, the organization honours exemplary philanthropists, corporations, partnerships, and community changemakers. The event brings together over 300 guests annually to recognize and celebrate these outstanding contributions to the arts and to inspire others.