National Music Centre is a 2-star charity. It has reasonable overhead costs but is not financially transparent and has a below average results reporting grade. Before you give, read Charity Intelligence's report. 

The National Music Centre (NMC) is a museum and performance venue in Calgary, AB. NMC focuses on Collections and Programs. NMC has a collection of more than 2,000 pieces that help tell the stories of music in Canada. It also has a “living” collection of instruments that artists can access to make music. Along with these collections, NMC has an online collection that features 150 of its most popular pieces. NMC’s Programs include performances, education and youth programs, an Artist in Residence Program, music therapy, and an artist development program.

In F2021, NMC launched 4 new physical exhibitions and 3 digital exhibitions. It also added 251 new items to its collection in 2021. NMC’s living collection was used for 8,848 hours in F2021. NMC also held 50 recording hours over 118 days in F2021 and had 1,062 studio recording hours.

NMC served 2,547 artists in F2021. It held 67 live performances, 15 livestreams, and six co-productions. NMC released 16 online learning videos in F2021. It also hosted five artist residencies.

During F2021, NMC had 34,668 general admission visitors. Its live events and co-productions had 3,954 attendees. In F2021, total guests were 58,137, a 45% increase from F2020.

National Music Centre received $5.0m in donations in F2020. Of this amount $3.4m was from related parties, which includes donors and companies that share common directors and/or officers with NMC. It also received $1.4m in government grants and $919k from sale of goods and services and rental income. Fundraising costs were 19% of donations and administrative costs were 14% of revenue in F2020. This results in total overhead spending of 34%. For every dollar donated to NMC, 66 cents go to the cause. This is within Ci's reasonable range for overhead spending.

NMC paid external fundraisers $1k in F2020, $25k in F2019, and $41k in F2018. It did not report how much was collected by these fundraisers. 

NMC reported grants of $297k in F2020, including $152k to NMC Music Foundation.

NMC had negative net funding reserves of ($53.8m) due to $13.2m in gross reserves along with $67.0m in long-term debt. This includes donor-endowed funds of $567k. Without this debt or endowed funds, it could cover its program costs at the F2020 for nearly 3 years with its funding reserves.

NMC has a 100% ownership in the King Eddy, a restaurant and live music venue. NMC recorded an equity gain (loss) of ($81k) in F2020, ($340k) in F2019, and ($370k) in F2018. This has been included in investment income.  

This charity report is an update that is currently being reviewed by National Music Centre. Comments and edits may be forthcoming.

Updated on July 19 2022, by Emily Downing.