Donors to Arts and Culture Organizations in Canada (January 2004)
This report shows that 451,000 Canadians 15 years of age or older made direct financial donations worth about $47.9 million to arts and culture organizations in 2000. The 451,000 arts and culture donors in 2000 represent a 21% decrease over the estimated 571,000 donors in 1997. Despite the decrease in the number of donors, the value of donations increased significantly, from $39.4 million in 1997 to $47.9 million in 2000. This increase – 22% – is double the rate of increase in the value of donations to any type of non-profit organization (11%).
The number of donors to arts and culture organizations – 451,000 – is less than half of an estimate of the number of Canadians who attend more than 10 arts performances, festivals and public art gallery exhibitions in a year. These figures appear to show that there is significant room for donor development in the arts and culture, but the report recognizes that donor development in the arts and culture can have many obstacles.
The report also examines the motivations and opinions of donors, as well as the demographic characteristics of arts and culture donors. Provincial estimates of the number of donors and the value of donations to arts and culture organizations in 2000 are also provided.
