Mécénat Musica, in collaboration with Québec philanthropists, have announced up to CAD2.5m (€1.7m) has been raised to support classical musicians – with the hope that pot will grow in value to exceed CAD25m. Established in honour and memory of internationally renowned opera singer Joseph Rouleau, the fund has been made possible in partnership with the Foundation of Greater Montréal, Fondation Québec Philanthrope and the Jewish Community Foundation of Montréal.
During his lifetime, Joseph Rouleau was a prolific fundraiser for classical music and emerging artists: he once told Radio Canada’s ICI Musique he was a quêteur professionnel – a professional beggar. In this spirit, the CAD2.5m fund honours, in perpetuity, his ambitions to support classical music.
Impressively, with matched funding from other individuals, families and governments, the foundation’s new fund has the potential to create up to CAD12.5m of capital, and up to CAD25m of capital and income over the next 25 years for classical music and cultural organisations.
Launched in 2013 Mécénat Musica is a unique cultural programme led by donors for donors and encourages individuals to make an in-perpetuity gift of CAD25,000 to a cultural organisation that is important to them, then encourages philanthropic families to match these individuals’ gifts with donations of CAD250,000 or CAD2.5m.