Canadian Artists in Venice Endowment Receives $1 Million from The Jack Weinbaum Family Foundation Français
VENICE, Italy, May 8, 2019 /CNW/ - The National Gallery of Canada Foundation announced yesterday a gift of CAD $1 million from The Jack Weinbaum Family Foundation of Toronto for its Canadian Artists in Venice Endowment. The gift will support the production of major exhibitions at the Canada Pavilion for the artist or artists chosen to represent the nation at the renowned Biennale di Venezia. In recognition of the gift, the National Gallery of Canada has renamed one of its contemporary art exhibition spaces the GALERIE WEINBAUM FAMILY GALLERY.
"The importance of this gift cannot be overstated," said Karen Colby-Stothart, CEO of the National Gallery of Canada Foundation. "Building this endowment is a gift from one generation to the next and offers a stable future to the Venice program. We thank The Jack Weinbaum Family Foundation profoundly for their vision and partnership."
The announcement was made today in Venice as the preview week of the 58th International Art Exhibition La Biennale Arte 2019 got underway. Ms. Colby-Stothart and Dr. Sasha Suda, Director and CEO of the National Gallery of Canada, received the gift from Carol Weinbaum, Vice-President of The Jack Weinbaum Family Foundation in Toronto.
"Building a sustainable financial strategy for our artists at the Venice Biennale is so important to their performance and focus," said Carol Weinbaum. "We are delighted to make this gift and very excited to see Canada's artists shining among the best."
The Jack Weinbaum Family Foundation has a long and dedicated history of promoting the visual arts in Canada and has generously supported the exhibitions at the Canada Pavilion in Venice for many years.
"We are grateful to The Jack Weinbaum Family Foundation for their commitment and support of Canadian contemporary art," said Dr. Suda. "This generous gift will enable Canadian artists to stand out at one of the most important contemporary art exhibitions in the world. We are particularly excited about featuring Isuma in Venice this year - the first art exhibition presented in the newly restored Canada Pavilion."
Established in 2015 with founding gifts from the Donald R. Sobey Family Foundation and the Koerner Foundation of Toronto, the Canadian Artists in Venice Endowment at the National Gallery of Canada Foundation provides vital financial support to Canadian artists representing Canada at the Venice Biennale. The donation brings the total capital raised for the endowment to $5.1 million. The Foundation aims to raise an additional $5 million over the next two years, establishing a new and permanent revenue stream for the Venice program. The Gallery offers generous room naming opportunities to incentivize contributions to this high profile national initiative. The Canada Council for the Arts also contributes essential funding in support of the Canadian representation at the Canada Pavilion.
The Venice Biennale is one of the most important recurring international gatherings of the contemporary art community. Every two years, upwards of 80 countries send official entries to the Biennale where coveted art prizes have attracted top talent and defined artists' careers for over a century. Canadian artists have been presented for more than 60 years at the Canada Pavilion, owned by the National Gallery of Canada on behalf of the nation and built by famed architects BBPR of Milan. Canada's participation has been instrumental in promoting the reputation of Canadian artists and their work within the global artistic community.
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, please visit gallery.ca/membership-giving/ngc-foundation
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 centre 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, Facebook, YouTube and Instagram.
SOURCE National Gallery of Canada
For media only - for more information, please contact: Josée-Britanie Mallet, Senior Media and Public Relations Officer, National Gallery of Canada, [email protected] / (613) 990-6835
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