Campaign Priority

Spark Creativity + Culture

Studying creativity and culture illuminates the human experience and helps make sense of our world. By supporting the arts and humanities at U of T, you can help us develop the critical tools for imagining better ways of living.

We all know the feeling of being changed by an idea, transported by words, or moved by a work of art. The study of history, philosophy, film, music, literature, and language enriches our lives by creating meaning, empathy, and understanding and opening our minds to new possibilities.  

For nearly two centuries, the University of Toronto has been home to artists, scholars, and iconoclasts—from Northrop Frye and Marshall McLuhan to Margaret Atwood, Malcolm Gladwell, and Michael Ondaatje—who have transformed disciplines, challenged cherished beliefs, and inspired new generations of thought leaders.  

The arts and humanities are just as central to our research and teaching mission today. These fields teach us how to reason, create, collaborate, and consider values and viewpoints outside our own experience. They help us think deeply about the structures and discourses that shape our world and what we can do to build a more just and equitable future. 

From breaking ground in the digital humanities to studying Indigenous knowledge systems to examining the implications of artificial intelligence, U of T students and faculty are reaching across disciplines to explore the most consequential topics of our time. With your support, we will develop the fearless and empathetic thinking needed to navigate a world of rapid social, technological, and environmental change. 

Discover how U of T is sparking creativity and culture

An image of part of a string orchestra, showing sheet music on a stand in front of a cello player.
Revitalize a cornerstone of Toronto’s cultural life

The revitalized MacMillan Theatre, the Faculty of Music’s largest performance space, will be a destination in the heart of Toronto.

In the grassy courtyard of Hart House, on a sunny day, four people sit cross-legged on yoga mats.
Enhance programming and spaces at Hart House

Hart House Renewal will make our beloved student centre for arts, dialogue, and wellness even more welcoming and physically accessible.

On a tabletop holding scrolls, papers and a laptop, 2 young women unroll and measure an ink drawing of windswept trees.
Transform human inquiry for the information age 

The Critical Digital Humanities Initiative equips scholars with technical and design expertise and fosters collaborations that deepen our understanding of power, culture, and social justice.

A close-up of an old-fashioned metal film reel.
Protect Canada’s cultural assets

As music, television, and film undergo transformational change, the University of Toronto Media Commons is working to preserve a vibrant Canadian cultural trove.

A lobby with curved and padded benches and one wall covered in growing plants. A big sign reads: O.I.S.E.
Support a marquee space for collaboration at OISE

OISE Commons will transform a dated ground floor into a forum for creativity, innovation, and sharing ideas.

In an artist’s illustration, 5 musicians play string instruments on a stage. Behind them, big windows show Toronto at night.
Create a high-tech venue for talented musicians

The Jay Telfer Forum will combine beauty and technology in the heart of the city’s renowned cultural precinct.

Help us spark creativity & culture:

Choose a featured initiative to support with a donation today, create a legacy through a planned gift or contact us to discuss possibilities.