Canada 150 Art for the Nation Summit explores Canada's visual arts, innovation, philanthropy, market and global brand

OTTAWA, June 13, 2017  /CNW/ - In recognition of Canada's 150^th anniversary of Confederation, the National Gallery of Canada Foundation, under the patronage of His Excellency The Right Honourable David Johnston, Governor General of Canada, presents today a day-long set of conversations with pre-eminent Canadians and special guests composed of artists, collectors, philanthropists, museum directors, art historians and leaders from the government, business voluntary and cultural communities.

"The Canada 150 Art for the Nation Summit aims to salute the immensely talented Canadians who bring life and intellectual vigour to our visual arts and to the institutions which give impetus to their creativity", said National Gallery of Canada Foundation Chair and Chair of the Summit, Thomas d'Aquino.

Speakers at the Summit include The Honourable Bill Morneau, Minister of Finance, Graham Flack, Deputy Minister of Heritage, and twelve leading authorities from the world of the visual arts.

The Summit is organized around three themes and three panels designed to explore the importance of Canada's visual arts in building national identity both at home and abroad.

Art, Collecting and the Market

Moderator: Marc Mayer, Director and Chief Executive Officer, National Gallery of Canada

Panelists:
James M. Bradburne, Director General of the Pinacoteca di Brera and the Biblioteca Braidense, Milan, Italy
David Heffel, President, Heffel Fine Art Auction House
Rob Sobey, Chairman of the Sobey Art Foundation, business leader and philanthropist

Art, Canada, and the World

Moderator: The Honourable Patricia Bovey, Canadian Senator and art historian

Panelists:
Simon Brault, Director and Chief Executive Officer, Canada Council for the Arts
Ed Burtynsky, Fine art photographer and lecturer
Geoffrey Farmer, Contemporary artist whose work is currently on view at the Canada Pavilion during the 57th International Art Exhibition – La Biennale di Venezia

Art, Innovation, and Philanthropy

Moderator: Katerina Atanassova, Senior Curator of Canadian Art, National Gallery of Canada

Panelists:
Pierre Lassonde, Chair of the Canada Council for the Arts, business leader, philanthropist and museum builder
Emily Braun, Distinguished Professor at Hunter College and the Graduate Center of the City University of New York (CUNY), Art Historian and Curator of the Leonard A. Lauder Collection
Michael Audain, business leader, philanthropist and museum builder

"The Canada 150 Art for the Nation Summit is an inspired leadership initiative by the National Gallery of Canada Foundation.  What a privilege to welcome to the Gallery such an extraordinary group of artists, collectors, philanthropists and museum experts, and to be in the company of some of the best policy minds in the country," said Marc Mayer.

"The Summit, spearheaded by our Foundation's Chairman, speaks to the superb collaboration between the Gallery, the Gallery Foundation Board of Directors and the Foundation team," said Karen Colby-Stothart.

The Canada 150 Art for the Nation Summit will be followed on June 13^th by the Foundation's annual Distinguished Patrons Soirée.  The Soirée salutes the Gallery's principal donors from across Canada and this year highlights the individuals, families and companies who have supported the Canada 150 Art for the Nation special anniversary initiative.  A major attraction of the evening will be the architect of the National Gallery of Canada, Moshe Safdie, who will be interviewed by Summit Chair, Thomas d'Aquino.

About the National Gallery of Canada                                 

The National Gallery of Canada is home to the most important collections of historical and contemporary Canadian art. The Gallery also maintains Canada's premier collection of European Art from the 14th to the 21st centuries, as well as important works of American, Asian and Indigenous Art and renowned international collections of prints, drawings and photographs. In 2015, the National Gallery of Canada established the Canadian Photography Institute, a global multidisciplinary research center dedicated to the history, evolution and future of photography. Created in 1880, the National Gallery of Canada has played a key role in Canadian culture for well over a century. Among its principal missions is to increase access to excellent works of art for all Canadians. For more information, visit gallery.ca and follow us on Twitter @NatGalleryCan

About the National Gallery of Canada Foundation
The National Gallery of Canada Foundation is dedicated to supporting the National Gallery of Canada in fulfilling its mandate. By fostering strong philanthropic partnerships, the Foundation provides the Gallery with the additional financial support required to lead Canada's visual arts community locally, nationally and internationally. The blend of public support and private philanthropy empowers the Gallery to preserve and interpret Canada's visual arts heritage. The Foundation welcomes present and deferred gifts for special projects and endowments. To learn more about the National Gallery of Canada Foundation, visit ngcfoundation.ca and follow us on Twitter @NGC_Foundation.

 

SOURCE National Gallery of Canada

For media only: please contact: Josée-Britanie Mallet, Senior Media and Public Relations Officer, National Gallery of Canada, 613-990-6835, [email protected]