Advisory: As Halifax Water is currently undertaking work at the Fountain campus, we ask our community to not drink the water at the Fountain campus. We will update you as soon as the work has been completed.

NSCAD University Announces new TD Financial Literacy Program for Creative Entrepreneurs

NSCAD University today announced the launch of the TD Financial Literacy Program for Creative Entrepreneurs. The program, funded through a donation of $150,000 from TD Bank Group, will be operated from the newly established Creative Entrepreneurship Lab (CEL) at NSCAD University.
“We are thrilled by TD’s leadership to expand financial literacy into new fields,” said NSCAD Interim President Sarah McKinnon. “NSCAD shares TD’s desire to make a positive economic impact on our local community by empowering artists, designers and makers with the knowledge, skills and confidence to commercialize their talents.”

The creative economy encompasses publishing, visual arts, audiovisual/cinema, music, performing arts, plastic arts, media arts, and design. According to UNESCO, this industry represents $2.5 trillion and employs more than 30 million individuals worldwide. Over a decade the global export of creative goods has grown by 7%, making it one of the most promising and resilient sectors in the global economy.

“We’re proud to support the new TD Financial Literacy Program for Creative Entrepreneurs in collaboration with NSCAD,” said Jenn Auld, Vice President, Atlantic Region, TD Bank Group. “Through the TD Ready Commitment, the Bank’s global corporate citizenship platform, we aspire to help open doors to a more sustainable and inclusive tomorrow and create the conditions Canadians need to succeed in a changing world. Through this program, we hope to provide creative professionals in Nova Scotia with the financial advice and confidence to reach their goals.”

The TD Financial Literacy Program for Creative Entrepreneurs will be accessible to NSCAD students, alumni and other makers in the province. Local TD team members will be participating as mentors and in other roles within the Creative Entrepreneurship Lab. NSCAD will be receiving at total gift of $150,000 over three years from TD.

This program will complement experiences NSCAD students can access through internships and practicum placements. It also dovetails with the new Anna Leonowens Certificate in Gallery and Studio Management that launched in February 2021 and the Creativity and Innovation Certificate that will be delivered in partnership with Dalhousie Executive Education this spring.

“We have heard from our alumni that the consideration of one’s work as a business becomes apparent to many creators after graduation,” said Dr. McKinnon. “By working with TD through our CEL, we hope to reach artists when they are ready to hear this message. All artists are businesspeople, and with TD’s support we can help more of them make the leap from makers to marketers with confidence.”

The program aspires to build a more diverse and vibrant economy in Nova Scotia while contributing to the cultural fabric of our province. For more information visit https://nscad.ca/creative-entrepreneurship-lab/

 

About the Creative Entrepreneurship Lab (CEL):
The CEL will serve as an entrepreneurship development and business support hub that works with artists, designers, craftspeople, cultural workers, social enterprise and community organizations, as well as with public and private sectors, to help the creative industry to become a preeminent economic driver for the province. The first program launching from the CEL will be the TD Financial Literacy Program for Creative Entrepreneurs.

About TD Global Corporate Citizenship:
TD has a long-standing commitment to enriching the lives of its customers, colleagues and communities. As part of its corporate citizenship platform, the TD Ready Commitment, TD is targeting CDN $1 billion (US $750 million*) in total by 2030 towards community giving in four areas critical to opening doors for a more inclusive and sustainable tomorrow – Financial Security, Vibrant Planet, Connected Communities and Better Health. Through the TD Ready Commitment, the bank aspires to link its business, philanthropy and human capital to help people feel more confident – not just about their finances, but also in their ability to achieve their personal goals in a changing world. For further information, visit www.td.com/tdreadycommitment.