Although the arts foster shared experiences across diverse groups, only 6% of Canadians rank arts and culture charities as important; less than 2% of all donations on CanadaHelps.org are directed to this sector
TORONTO, Nov. 20, 2024 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — According to the results of a new Ipsos poll conducted on behalf of CanadaHelps, the country’s largest online platform for donating and fundraising, Canadians who engage in arts and culture activities at least two to three times a month are more likely to personally embrace cultural diversity (78%) compared to Canadians who never engage in arts and culture activities (44%). These activities include visiting museums or art galleries, attending concerts, watching dance performances, attending film festivals, and more.
Only 6% of Canadians prioritize arts and culture charities as important causes to support. Despite the important role these charities play in uniting Canadians around shared experiences, only 1.4% of all donations on CanadaHelps.org are directed to arts and culture charities. However, donations to arts and culture charities have increased on CanadaHelps.org by at least 7% from January 1, 2024 to October 31, 2024 compared to the same period in 2023.
The poll also revealed that Canadians who frequently engage with arts and culture organizations experience better mental health compared to Canadians who never engage. Among those polled, 13% of Canadians who never engage with arts and culture activities report feeling lonely or isolated, versus 7% of Canadians who engage with arts and culture activities once a week, or those who participate two to three times a month (8%). 42% of Canadians who participate in arts and culture activities once a week report that their mental health is excellent or very good, while 46% of Canadians who engage in arts and culture activities two to three times a month report having excellent or very good mental health. Of those Canadians who never engage with arts and culture, 35% report their mental health being excellent or very good.
“With polarization on the rise in Canada and around the world, we need to find ways to bring Canadians together to bridge our differences,” said Duke Chang, President and Chief Executive Officer of CanadaHelps. “Arts and culture charities convene Canadians and share each other’s stories, highlighting how we are more similar than we are different, and breaking down stigma and prejudice against others.”
Additional Poll Findings
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While 6% of Canadians prioritize support for arts and culture causes, support for mental health and research ranked the highest (39%), followed by animal welfare and animal rights (32%), climate change/environmental protection (31%), poverty in Canada (31%), and medical research/treatment (30%).
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When it comes to charitable giving, Saskatchewanians and Manitobans prioritize medical research/treatment (39%) and senior care (41%). Albertans emphasize medical research/treatment (33%) and women’s/girls’ health (28%), while showing less concern for poverty (25%). Download the full report for additional provincial and territory data findings.
“Cultural organizations create spaces for joy, connection, and understanding in our communities as well as help build national unity and identity,” said Aubrey Reeves, President and Chief Executive Officer, Business / Arts, a national Canadian charity which celebrates and supports partnerships between arts charities and non-profits with for-profit companies. “The arts and culture are also vital to Canada’s economic and social well-being, employing hundreds of thousands of individuals and generating billions in economic impact. As these organizations face rising costs and funding instability, donations remain a powerful investment, ensuring the arts and culture continues to enrich and strengthen our communities.”
Declining Social Connections and Fewer Donors
Data from The Giving Report 2024 illustrates that a declining sense of community connection is directly related to giving behaviour. The report released earlier this year reveals that only 53% of Canadians with smaller social networks donate, compared to 84% of those with larger social circles. The data also shows that the number of Canadians with six or more close friends plummeted by 40 percent over the past ten years, leading to reduced rates of donation and volunteerism.
According to recent data, Canada is the second most polarized nation when it comes to giving, only behind Great Britain. Citizens in the United States, Mexico, Brazil and other nations surveyed all indicate more willingness to help others regardless of their beliefs or community affiliations.*
About the Ipsos Poll
These are some of the findings of an Ipsos poll conducted between November 1st and 5th, 2024, on behalf of CanadaHelps. For this survey, a sample of 1,000 Canadians aged 18 years and over was interviewed. Weighting was then employed to balance demographics to ensure that the sample’s composition reflects that of the adult population according to Census data and to provide results intended to approximate the sample universe. The precision of Ipsos online polls is measured using a credibility interval. In this case, the poll is accurate to within ±3.5 percentage points, 19 times out of 20, had all Canadian adults been polled.
About CanadaHelps
CanadaHelps is Canada’s largest online donation and fundraising platform, and a charity advancing philanthropy through technology. For Canadians, CanadaHelps.org is a safe and trusted destination for discovering and supporting any charity in Canada. CanadaHelps also develops affordable fundraising technology used by more than 30,000 charities, and provides free training and education so all charities can increase their impact and succeed in the digital age. Since 2000, more than 4.8 million people have donated upwards of $3.2 billion through CanadaHelps. Connect with CanadaHelps on X, Facebook, Instagram and LinkedIn.
Note to Media:
A media kit including source survey data is available for download here.
*GivingTuesday Global, The Giving Bridge: A Lookback at 2023 Trends in Global Generosity
Media Contacts:
Jodi Echakowitz
Boulevard PR (on behalf of CanadaHelps)
[email protected]