Golden’s arts community received a boost this fall thanks to a generous gift from long-time locals Mike and Mandy Cantle. The Cantles have donated $35,000 to their fund to help support the Cantle Grant for the Arts, held by the Golden & District Community Foundation (GDCF).
This new contribution doubles the size of their existing fund and, in turn, doubles its granting power. Within a year, the Cantle Grant for the Arts will be able to provide twice as much support to grassroots arts initiatives in Golden and Area A.
For Mike and Mandy, this gift is about ensuring the arts remain a vibrant part of community life. “We’ve always believed in giving back to our community, both financially and by volunteering,” they share. “It’s been exciting to see the variety of grant requests come forward and the projects we’ve been able to support.”
So far, their fund has helped bring to life:
● Supporting a keyboard purchase to share synthesizer skills with local youth
● An arts mentorship opportunity for local youth
● A workshop to train a local life drawing facilitator
● The Pollinator Project: beginner watercolour workshop
● A rug hooking workshop
● A screen printing workshop
● Hiring a music examiner to prepare teachers and students for the Royal Academy exams
● A video photography project
By focusing on small, grassroots efforts, the Cantle Grant for the Arts is designed to encourage creativity at every level, from emerging artists to long-standing community organizations. And now, with this additional funding, its impact will only grow.
Rachel Gamble, Executive Director of GDCF, expressed gratitude for the Cantles’ vision: “Mike and Mandy have been incredible champions for the arts in Golden. Their generosity ensures that more people will have access to artistic opportunities that inspire connection, learning, and joy.”
Behind the scenes, contributions to the GDCF are pooled and invested through the Vancouver Foundation, generating an average return of about 5%. These returns provide the annual funding for grants, while the original contributions remain invested to grow over time. This model ensures that every fund, including the Cantle Grant for the Arts, creates a permanent source of support for the community. In this way, donors can be confident that their generosity will have both an immediate impact and a lasting legacy, benefiting Golden & Area A for generations to come.
While time and energy are often barriers to volunteering, Mike and Mandy’s story is a reminder that giving financially is another powerful way to strengthen the community. Their decision to grow the fund now means lasting benefits for years ahead.
The next round of the Cantle Grant for the Arts will open in January 2026, offering local artists and organizations an even greater opportunity to dream, create, and share their work.
Learn more at www.goldencommunityfoundation.ca/cantle-family-fund
