Spotlight on GivingTuesday 2025

Today is GivingTuesday—a day in which we pitch in to help build a better world, one small act of generosity at a time.

Since its inception in 2012, this annual generosity movement has inspired millions of people around the globe to give, whether it's an act of service like helping a neighbour in need or donating some time or money to a cause they care about. Big or small, everyone has something to contribute and every act of generosity counts towards building a kinder, more equitable world.

On this GivingTuesday, we encourage you to think of all the ways the arts have added to your lives and consider lending your support to the sector. Whether it's attending a festival, seeing a show at a local venue, supporting artists and makers by shopping local (check out our Local Holiday Gift Guide for some great gift ideas this year!) or making a donation to a local arts organization, there are many ways to show your support for local arts.

Here are just a few ideas from some of our members with active campaigns (and some information about Business & Arts NL’s own work and programs you can support).

DART 2021 artist-in-residence Rozalind MacPhail (left) with fellow artist Nina Elliott.

Digital Arts Residency in Twillingate (DART) Program

In 2020 and 2021, Grow Twillingate launched a digital arts residency, and it's making a comeback in 2026!

While many artists' residencies exist, the digital arts residency sets it apart by supporting a focus on digital and rural development. DART is intended to inspire digital creativity and new work inspired by Twillingate, its place, heritage, natural environment, people and culture. The hope is that DART participants will creatively gain something while also leaving behind something of cultural value.

Grow Twillingate's mission is to provide a space to live and work, mentorship, connections and opportunities for community engagement to allow a practicing artist the time, space and freedom to create art.

On this GivingTuesday, please consider giving to the Digital Arts Residency in Twillingate. For more information, please contact Suzanne White, Executive Director, at ed@growtwillingate.com.

NSO

As we enter the Christmas season—a time of celebration, generosity, and gathering with those we love—we are reminded of how vital this period is for not-for-profit organizations like the NSO. While you prepare for the holidays, we ask you to once again consider supporting The Big Give during this year’s GivingTuesday. Your generosity is essential to helping us continue offering programs on stage, in schools and in seniors’ homes across Newfoundland and Labrador.

The Newfoundland Symphony Orchestra is a not-for-profit professional orchestra and the largest employer of professional musicians in the province. We exist to promote, preserve and advance orchestral music and the orchestral community throughout Newfoundland and Labrador. Our work includes our concerts, our educational programming and our outreach initiatives—guided always by five core principles:

• Artistic Excellence

• Leadership and Innovation

• Accessibility

• Community Nurturing

• Diversity and Legacy Building

While we continue to grow our audiences, secure sponsorships and receive support from foundations, we rely on donors like you to sustain the ongoing work of the orchestra. Your contribution ensures we can inspire a love of classical and instrumental music in young people, and it supports more than 80 Newfoundland and Labrador musicians who perform with the NSO and contribute to the cultural life of our communities. And what is that contribution? For the NSO it is $1.5 million put back into the local economy, contributing to the nearly half a billion dollars generated by the cultural industry in our province.

Quite simply, individual donors make our programs possible.

Because of your support—and as the province’s only orchestra and largest arts organization—we are able to enrich lives and strengthen communities through music.

Donations to the NSO can be made here: https://nsomusic.ca/support/individual-giving/

St. John’s International Women’s Film Festival

When you donate to the St. John’s International Women’s Film Festival (SJIWFF), your support pays local artists right here in Newfoundland and Labrador. As Canada’s longest-running women’s film festival, SJIWFF celebrates women and gender-diverse creators and holds an unyielding commitment to an equitable, artist-driven industry.

Every October, thousands gather in downtown St. John’s for SJWIFF’s flagship event—the annual Festival and Film Industry Forum. We bring career-changing opportunities to filmmakers in our province, connecting creators, funders, producers and industry experts from around the world. Fostering a love of film year round, SJIWFF screens the best cinema worldwide for local audiences and celebrates films created right here.

Whether you saw a film you loved at this year’s festival, know a filmmaker making incredible work, or want to support our artistic community, your donation makes a difference to working artists. Here’s just a few examples of what your donation supports:

• Screening fees for films. We pay artists every time we show a film, no exceptions.

• Access to career-changing programming for local filmmakers.

• Speaker fees for filmmakers to share their work through Q&As, panels and more.

Donate online and receive an automatic tax-deductible receipt: https://www.canadahelps.org/en/charities/sjiwff/

Business & Arts NL

On this GivingTuesday, we invite you to support Business & Arts NL by becoming a member. Your membership directly contributes to building a more vibrant, connected and resilient arts and business community in Newfoundland and Labrador.

Our work is grounded in three pillars:

Capacity Building
We help artists and arts organizations build skills and confidence through professional development, mentorship and practical tools that support long-term sustainability.

Connections
We bridge the gap between the arts and the private sector, creating meaningful collaborations, strategic partnerships and opportunities for artists and businesses to work together in new and impactful ways.

Community
We foster a culture where creativity is valued and integrated into everyday life, strengthening local economies, enriching communities  and expanding opportunities for artists and organizations across the province.

Did You Know?

Business & Arts NL also has a registered charitable arm, Engaging Community and Arts NL, dedicated to public outreach and education.

If you’d like to support the next generation of creative leaders, please consider:

• A monthly donation: Your steady support ensures that workshops and resources are always available to artists.

• A one-time gift: Help fund specific workshops and community initiatives.

Your support helps us continue offering high-quality programming that fosters a thriving creative economy in Newfoundland and Labrador.

Click here and scroll down to take a look at our membership section and learn about some wonderful local arts organizations across the province you can support!