The British Columbia Photography and Media Arts Society
Charitable organization · North Vancouver, British Columbia · BN 896593498RR0001 · Arts
Source: T3010 return, FPE 2024-12-31. Split of total expenditures ($5,404,688) as filed with the CRA.
The British Columbia Photography and Media Arts Society is a charitable organization based in North Vancouver, British Columbia, classified by the CRA under arts. In its fiscal year ending December 31, 2024, it reported $6M in revenue and $5.4M in expenditures.
Its funding that year was roughly 22% from donations, 15% from government. In 2024, 20 other registered charities reported granting it a combined $752K.
Compared with 296 arts charities of similar size, its share of spending on mission — charitable programs plus grants to other charities — ranked above 47% of peers. Its highest-paid position fell in the $200,000–249,999 range. The charity reported 24 permanent full-time positions.
Revenue has grown substantially over its filings on record here, from $3.1M in 2020 to $6M in 2024. Its filed list of directors and trustees shows 12 names.
In its own words
The british columbia photography and media arts society operates the polygon gallery a public art gallery specializing in photography and media arts. Exhibition publication programs lectures film screenings educational tours and artists recreations are held throughout the year.
Ongoing-program description from its T3010 filing, verbatim.
The ledger, 2020–2024
| Year | Revenue | Spending | Programs | Fundraising | Gifts out | Net assets |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2024 | $6M | $5.4M | $4.2M | $676K | — | $568K |
| 2023 | $5.3M | $5M | $3.9M | $661K | — | $565K |
| 2022 | $5.5M | $4.8M | $3.5M | $747K | — | $556K |
| 2021 | $3.9M | $3.5M | $2.6M | $442K | — | $1,341 |
| 2020 | $3.1M | $2.8M | $2M | $391K | — | -$180K |
Revenue printed in red where the year ran a deficit. Fiscal years by period end.
Money between charities, 2024
Received $752K from 20 charities:
- Aqueduct Foundation$185K
- Vancouver Foundation$177K
- The Christopher Foundation$100K
- United Way British Columbia$50K
- Canada Gives$45K
- Djavad Mowafaghian Foundation$44K
- Michael and Inna O'Brian Family Foundation$25K
- RBC Foundation$25K
- BenefAction Foundation$25K
- Chan Family Foundation$25K
- Freybe Foundation$20K
- The Polar Foundation$10K
- The Polar Foundation$6,983
- Deux Mille Foundation$5,000
- CHIMP: Charitable Impact Foundation (Canada)$3,000
- The Hamber Foundation$2,000
- Charitable Gift Funds Canada Foundation$1,500
- Canadian Online Giving Foundation$1,267
- Nicola Wealth Private Giving Foundation$1,000
- Canadahelps Canadon$144
As reported on the donors’ own T3010 qualified-donee schedules.
What it pays
Its ten highest-paid positions, by band:
- $200,000–249,9991 position
- $160,000–199,9991 position
- $120,000–159,9991 position
- $80,000–119,9997 positions
- Permanent full-time positions24
- Total compensation, all staff$2.5M
Schedule 3 of its 2024 return. The CRA discloses bands, not names or exact salaries.
Directors & trustees (2024)
Kevin Shoemaker (past chair); Lindsay Bailey (trustee); Kevin Hisko (chair); Christine Haebler (trustee); Pardeep Dhaliwal (trustee); Janice George (trustee); Liz Magor (trustee); Diana Sawers (trustee); Richard Mew (treasurer); Hannah Rickards (trustee); Andrew Strang (trustee); Catherine Dangerfield (trustee).
As listed on its 2024 return.
Check the source
Every figure on this page is from The British Columbia Photography and Media Arts Society’s own T3010 filings, published by the Canada Revenue Agency. Verify against the CRA’s charities listing (search BN 896593498RR0001), or read how we compute the receipt.