For nurturing corporate support of the arts

Five years after becoming CEO of The Rooms Corporation, Dean Brinton achieved a cultural coup d’état in March when he secured a $2.5-million donation from Calgary-based Husky Energy, the largest corporate gift ever made to an Atlantic Canadian cultural institution. “It’s an unprecedented gift that will hopefully spark more like it in the region,” says Brinton. “In Atlantic Canada, cultural identity is a defining characteristic, so it’s important to form more partnerships like this.” 

Since The Rooms opened in 2005, Brinton, 51, has been steadily snagging private-sector donations to expand and improve the 180,000-square-metre, four-storey cultural facility in St. John’s that houses the provincial museum, art gallery, and archives. For example, last year Chevron delivered $400,000 to support an education program for schoolchildren, and in 2005 the Bank of Montreal gave $250,000 to produce education kits for rural schools.

Calling himself “the quarterback” on the Husky deal, Brinton took a business-like approach to the partnership during the 18 months leading to the donation announcement. “Husky was a cold call,” he says. “I knew the company was supporting other community ventures, and after doing some research I learned it’s a great believer in diversity. I came up with the number, and Husky didn’t negotiate.”

In fact, Husky’s donation accounts for half of the $5-million cultural tapestry exhibit, which will be called The Husky Energy Gallery and which will showcase some of the province’s most iconic artifacts and art. “Husky recognizes that contributing to heritage and arts is investing in the fabric of a community,” says Paul McCloskey, Husky’s vice-president of East Coast operations. “We’re very pleased Dean brought this opportunity to us.”

So what’s Brinton’s secret to securing private-sector donations during a recession? “I don’t think there’s any one technique to fundraising,” he says modestly. “But you do have to have a compelling project that fits with the donor. If you marry an idea or value to a project, you’ve got a chance.”