Media Release
The National Ballet of Canada’s Endowment Foundation Celebrates 25 Years
May 15, 2025... Amanda Ram, Interim Executive Director of The National Ballet of Canada, shared today that The National Ballet of Canada, Endowment Foundation marks its 25th anniversary, becoming one of the largest performing arts endowments in Canada valued at $124 million. The Foundation provides crucial, long-term funding that fuels the company’s groundbreaking new works, vital community outreach and the well-being of the National Ballet’s artists.
The Endowment Foundation was established in 2000 under the bold vision and leadership of inaugural Board Chair Jim Pitblado to provide the National Ballet with a permanent source of financial strength. It was a moment that reshaped the company’s trajectory and set a lasting standard for leadership in Canadian arts philanthropy.
“We've come such a long way," remarked Pitblado. “From the earliest beginnings of receiving Endowment gifts in the early 90s to forming the current Endowment Foundation, the deep generosity and foresight of our wonderful National Ballet donors has driven our success. This has allowed us to make meaningful Endowment Foundation grants to the company, year after year.”
Today, much of the Endowment Foundation’s success can be credited to the steady hand of David Macdonald, who has Chaired the Board for over two decades. Under his leadership, the Endowment has not only grown significantly but also led the way in pioneering smart, sustainable funding models.
“The support and resilience of the Endowment Foundation has been and will continue to be instrumental to sustaining The National Ballet of Canada in challenging times and will make a critical contribution to realizing the company's artistic vision in the years ahead,” said Macdonald.
Every gift to the Endowment Foundation makes a difference but a series of landmark contributions have defined its growth over the past 25 years, including visionary gifts from Joan and Jerry Lozinski, Donald K. Johnson, Sandra and Jim Pitblado, Walter Carsen and Mona Campbell.
The power of legacy giving is also embodied by the 300 current members of the Celia Franca Society, a community of donors who have committed to leaving a future gift to ensure that the National Ballet continues to thrive for generations to come. The growth of Endowment funds has been amplified by matching programmes from government partners – principally the Canada Cultural Investment Fund’s Endowment Incentives component as well as the Ontario Arts Foundation’s Arts Endowment Fund Program.
As we mark the 25th anniversary of the Endowment Foundation, The National Ballet of Canada is deeply grateful to every donor, past and present. Their support has made it possible for the company to dream bigger, reach further and remain a leader in the arts, not just today but for generations to come.
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The National Ballet of Canada gratefully acknowledges the ongoing support of the Canada Council for the Arts; the Ontario Arts Council; the City of Toronto through the Toronto Arts Council; the Government of Canada – Department of Canadian Heritage with the Honourable Steven Guilbeault, Minister of Canadian Culture and Identity; and the Government of Ontario with the Honourable Stan Cho, Minister of Tourism, Culture and Gaming and Minister of Sport.
Jim Pitblado, C.M. and David Macdonald. Photo by Bruce Zinger.
For more information, please contact:
Touchwood PR
Andréa Grau, Founder and Owner
Keira Hunt, Senior Manager of Publicity and Promotions
Chelsea Cabello, Senior Publicist
NBOC@touchwoodpr.com
The National Ballet of Canada
Catherine Chang, Associate Director of Communications & Content Strategy
Kate Dresser, Communications Manager
Media@national.ballet.ca