The Sun Life Arts + Culture Pass enhances cultural vibrancy in Calgary by enabling under-represented audiences to participate in artistic and cultural events.
Background
In 2010, with support from the Calgary Foundation, the Calgary Public Library piloted a new initiative to provide arts and culture experiences to low-income Calgarians. The project was introduced at five libraries in high needs neighbourhoods for one year with the help of three founding arts partners.
In 2012, the Library Foundation finalized a multi-year investment with Sun Life Financial to expand the program across the city, and launched the initiative at all 18
community libraries with the support of 20 arts partners. Since then, the Sun Life Financial Arts + Culture Pass has received an overwhelming response from Calgarians and has added new arts and culture partners every year. In 2015, Sun Life Financial increased their multi-year commitment, enabling upgraded infrastructure to streamline the program and
moving ticket distribution to an electronic platform. The new system and rebranded program was launched in August 2016.
Program Impact
Since 2012, demand for the Sun Life Financial Arts + Culture Pass has grown exponentially. Updates made in-library, including television screens with listings, have simplified and enhanced the customer experience.
43,094 low-income Calgarians of all ages have attended experiences that enrich the human experience.
The Sun Life Financial Arts + Culture Pass has received more than $1 million of in-kind support from local arts, dance, theatre, cultural and music organizations.
Project Goals
- Improve the quality of life of financially-barriered Calgarians through access to arts and culture experiences
- Increase civic participation and social inclusion of all Calgarians while enhancing cultural vibrancy
- Increase access and connection for Calgary arts and culture organizations with underrepresented audiences
Impact
Thanks to Sun Life Financial’s generous investment, low-income Calgarians can access tickets to arts and culture experiences in our city. With this investment and generous donations received from local arts and culture organizations, the Library has distributed tickets to individuals and families who would not otherwise have been able to access these experiences.
This initiative enhances cultural vibrancy in Calgary by enabling under-represented audiences to participate in artistic and cultural events. In challenging economic times, people have to make difficult decisions about how to best use their income, and cultural experiences are often considered to be a luxury. The Sun Life Financial Arts + Culture Pass is so much more than free tickets—it sparks imagination and opens up access to a new world of experiences for individuals and families.
Investment at the Library
Culture is a vital contributor to the quality of life and is needed now more than ever due to the recent economic climate. Through this partnership, Sun Life Financial and the Calgary Public Library are increasing the quality of life of many Calgarians who otherwise would not be able to afford arts and culture tickets—opening up a new world of experiences.
The $350 million city-wide campaign is building capacity for each and every community library and includes projects with a strong impact for Library customers. Add In will take a great library and make it exemplary to ensure that the citizens of Calgary have the best public library in the world.
As a Founding Partner of Add In—the Campaign for Calgary’s Library, Sun Life Financial is helping to create the best public library in the world for Calgarians.
