SUN LIFE FINANCIAL ARTS + CULTURE PASS CASE STUDY: OPENING DOORS TO ARTS + CULTURE

The Sun Life Arts + Culture Pass enhances cultural vibrancy in by enabling under-represented audiences to participate in artistic and cultural events.

BACKGROUND In 2010, with support from the In 2012, the Library Foundation Calgarians and has added new arts Calgary Foundation, the Calgary finalized a multi-year investment and culture partners every year. In Public Library piloted a new with Sun Life Financial to expand 2015, Sun Life Financial increased initiative to provide arts and the program across the city, and their multi-year commitment, culture experiences to low-income launched the initiative at all 18 enabling upgraded infrastructure Calgarians. The project was community libraries with the to streamline the program and introduced at five libraries in high- support of 20 arts partners. moving ticket distribution to an needs neighbourhoods for one year Since then, the Sun Life Financial electronic platform. The new with the help of three founding arts Arts + Culture Pass has received system and rebranded program partners. an overwhelming response from was launched in August 2016.

The Sun Life Financial PROGRAM Arts + Culture Pass has received more than $1 MILLION IMPACT of in-kind support from SINCE 2012, DEMAND FOR THE 43,094 local arts, dance, theatre, SUN LIFE FINANCIAL ARTS + low-income Calgarians cultural and music CULTURE PASS HAS GROWN organizations. EXPONENTIALLY. UPDATES of all ages have MADE IN-LIBRARY, INCLUDING attended experiences TELEVISION SCREENS WITH that enrich the human LISTINGS, HAVE SIMPLIFIED AND ENHANCED THE experience. CUSTOMER EXPERIENCE. Local arts partners have grown from 3 to 40+

PROJECT GOALS IMPACT • Improve the quality of life of Thanks to Sun Life Financial’s under-represented audiences to financially-barriered Calgarians generous investment, low-income participate in artistic and cultural through access to arts and culture Calgarians can access tickets to events. In challenging economic times, experiences arts and culture experiences in people have to make difficult decisions • Increase civic participation and our city. With this investment and about how to best use their income, social inclusion of all Calgarians generous donations received from and cultural experiences are often while enhancing cultural vibrancy local arts and culture organizations, considered to be a luxury. • Increase access and connection the Library has distributed tickets to The Sun Life Financial Arts + Culture for Calgary arts and culture individuals and families who would Pass is so much more than free organizations with under- not otherwise have been able to tickets—it sparks imagination and represented audiences access these experiences. opens up access to a new world This initiative enhances cultural of experiences for individuals and vibrancy in Calgary by enabling families. “Thank you very much for providing access to the arts, music, theatre, sports and other events in the city. As a low-income Calgarian who is struggling with two terminally ill parents, this program provides me the opportunity to lose myself in theatre or the arts for a few hours.”

IN KIND SUPPORTERS Ballet d.talks Alberta Theatre Projects Downstage Royal Canadian College of Organists Early Music Voices Sage Theatre Calgary Bach Society Scorpio Theatre Calgary Civic Symphony Front Row Centre Players Spiritus Chamber Choir Calgary European Film Festival StoryBook Theatre Calgary International Children’s Festival Global Fest Calgary International Film Festival Instrumental Society of Calgary Theatre Calgary Calgary Multicultural Choir Kensington Sinfonia Timepointe Ensemble Kids Up Front Calgary University of Calgary Calgary Philharmonic Orchestra Luminous Voices Vertigo Theatre Calgary Renaissance Singers & Players Lunchbox Theatre Vocal Latitudes Calgary Wind Symphony Mount Royal Kantorei Youth Singers of Calgary City of Calgary Recreation Department National Music Centre - Studio Bell

“None of these outings would be possible for us without this program and we are SO grateful. As a single mom, I am so happy to be able to offer my girls exposure to really great music, theatre, musicals and other events.”

INVESTMENT AT THE LIBRARY Culture is a vital contributor to the As a Founding Partner of Add In— quality of life and is needed now the Campaign for Calgary’s Library, more than ever due to the recent Sun Life Financial is helping to economic climate. Through this create the best public library in the partnership, Sun Life Financial world for Calgarians. The $350 million city-wide campaign and the Calgary Public Library are is building capacity for each and increasing the quality of life of many every community library and includes Calgarians who otherwise would projects with a strong impact for Library customers. Add In will take a great not be able to afford arts and culture library and make it exemplary to ensure tickets—opening up a new world of that the citizens of Calgary have the experiences. best public library in the world.

CALGARY PUBLIC LIBRARY FOUNDATION Hillier Block 429 8th Avenue SE Calgary, Alberta T2G 0L6 P 403 221 2002 addin.ca