Building Unity: Leading a Nonprofit from Spark to Succession, by Michael Prosserman. ECW Press, Toronto, 2020; 288 pp.: ISBN 978-1-77041-563-8 This is a book about leading innovation in the non-profit sector, built on the unique experience and language of hip hop or breakin’ culture. Mike Prosserman is a gifted professional dancer, a b-boy who…
In late summer of 1940, three boys exploring the French countryside climbed into a deserted fox den and descended into a world that humans had not visited in 20,000 years. The caves of Lascaux are famous for their age and timeless beauty; chambers filled with countless meticulous images. At a time when early humans were…

A little more than a year ago, the Metcalf Foundation collaborated with The Philanthropist to curate a series on the public value of arts and culture in Canada. At that time, we were keen to highlight artists’ voices and illuminate the potency and variety of the arts’ contributions to Canada. As long-time cultural funders, we…

Il y a un peu plus d’un an, la Fondation Metcalf a collaboré avec The Philanthropist pour préparer une série d’articles sur la valeur publique des arts et de la culture au Canada. À cette époque, nous désirions mettre en lumière la voix des artistes ainsi que la force et la diversité de la contribution…

This is the sixth and final installment in our series about arts and culture philanthropy. The series is published as a collaboration between The Philanthropist and The Metcalf Foundation. A few years ago, at the Metcalf Foundation, we began to think about developing a new granting stream for our performing arts program. Recognizing the value of including…
Il y a quelques années, à la Fondation Metcalf, nous avons commencé à réfléchir au développement d’un nouveau volet de subventionnement pour notre programme consacré aux arts de la scène. En reconnaissant l’importance de faire participer des membres de la communauté au processus de conception, nous avons décidé de poser une simple question à 100 artistes…

This is the fifth installment in our series about arts and culture philanthropy. The series is published as a collaboration between The Philanthropist and The Metcalf Foundation. When people gather for a pops concert by Symphony Nova Scotia, Chris Wilkinson scans the lobby of the Dalhousie Arts Centre in Halifax. The last thing the symphony’s…

Later this year, Canadians will vote in the 43rd federal election. Many non-profit organizations, networks, and coalitions see elections as a critical opportunity to raise relevant public policy issues. Recently, the rules for charities engaging in public policy have become a prominent source of debate and discussion in government and the sector. As we countdown…

The Tangled Garden – A Canadian Cultural Manifesto for the Digital Age, by R. Stursburg with S. Armstrong. James Lorimer and Co. Toronto, 2019; pp: ISBN 9781459413283 This is not a book about J. E. H. MacDonald’s iconic 1916 painting or about the garden (now restored) in the City of Vaughan that inspired it….

This is the fourth installment in our series about arts and culture philanthropy. The series is published as a collaboration between The Philanthropist and The Metcalf Foundation. Three videos. Three extraordinary and diverse companies. In these short films, we hear from the artistic and administrative leadership of Peggy Baker Dance Projects, The Musical Stage Company, and Why Not Theatre….