Vancouver Art Gallery to receive largest cash gift to a public gallery in Canadian history
The largest single cash gift to a public art gallery in Canadian history is to be announced Thursday at the Vancouver Art Gallery.
A media advisory on Wednesday state that attending the announcement will be Michael Audain, businessman and arts philanthropist, and Anthony Kiendl , CEO and director of the VAG.
Also listed as attending are Melanie Mark, the provincial minister of tourism, arts, culture and sport, and Vancouver Mayor Kennedy Stewart.
“An announcement will reveal details on the largest single cash gift to an art gallery in Canadian history to support the construction of the new Vancouver Art Gallery,” the statement said.
In 2008, the province of B.C. announced it was giving $50 million for a new gallery. Since then, the City of Vancouver has contributed a site bounded by Dunsmuir, Beatty, West Georgia and Cambie known as Larwill Park. The VAG has chosen a building design by the Swiss architectural firm Herzog & de Meuron.
In October 2020, Kiendl told Postmedia that building a new gallery was one of the reasons why he was hired.
“Vancouver certainly not only deserves but demands a major centre for visual arts that reflects its standing in the visual arts world internationally,” he said.
