BMO Announces Significant Donation to WAG’s Inuit Art Centre

Winnipeg, Manitoba, December 8, 2015 – The Winnipeg Art Gallery is pleased to announce the financial support of $1 million from BMO Financial Group for the WAG’s new Inuit Art Centre. As the project’s largest private donation to date, BMO’s funding brings the Centre one step closer to fruition. The game-changing initiative will engage audiences of all ages and backgrounds with Inuit art, culture, and history.

“BMO Financial Group’s generous gift helps the Winnipeg Art Gallery build more bridges between Canada’s north and south,” says Dr. Stephen Borys, WAG Director & CEO. “Building on the long-standing relationship between BMO and the WAG, the Inuit Art Centre will inspire Canadians with this vibrant culture and art form like never before.”

As Canada’s oldest civic art gallery, the WAG started banking with BMO in 1912. For more than 100 years, BMO has supported the Gallery in countless ways, including in 2013 as title sponsor of 100 Masters: Only in Canada, the most successful exhibit in WAG history. BMO’s gift to the Inuit Art Centre is the latest example of the organization’s strong commitment to the WAG and Canadian art.

“BMO is deeply committed to arts and culture in Canada, and we are proud to help support the development of the Winnipeg Art Gallery’s Inuit Art Centre,” said John MacAulay, Senior Vice-president, Prairies and Central Canada Division, BMO Bank of Montreal. “One of the many benefits of Canada’s diverse population is a rich and dynamic arts community, and this initiative will provide a platform to educate Canadians of all ages on an important part of our shared history and culture.”

The WAG holds in trust the world’s largest public collection of contemporary Inuit art. With more than 13,000 pieces, the collection represents half of the WAG’s total permanent art collection. The Inuit Art Centre will allow this extensive cultural resource to be shared to its full potential. The Centre will also house the WAG’s nationally recognized Studio art and learning program. More than a building, the Inuit Art Centre will be a national programming hub to support Inuit art and artists.

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About The Winnipeg Art Gallery
The Winnipeg Art Gallery is a cultural advocate – a lens and forum – helping people see and experience more through art. Playing a vital role in the community, engaging and enriching people of all ages and backgrounds through art and culture, the Winnipeg Art Gallery thrives as a creative, innovative, and accessible place for learning, discovery, and inspiration.

The WAG holds in trust the world’s largest public collection of contemporary Inuit art. Using the art as a vehicle, the creation of the Inuit Art Centre allows the WAG to further celebrate and engage with Inuit art and Indigenous cultures through exhibition, research, education, and art making. It will also house the WAG’s nationally recognized Studio art and learning program.

About BMO Financial Group
Established in 1817, BMO Financial Group is a highly diversified financial services provider based in North America. With total assets of approximately $642 billion as of October 31, 2015, and close to 47,000 employees, BMO provides a broad range of retail banking, wealth management and investment banking products and services to more than 12 million customers and conducts business through three operating groups: Personal and Commercial Banking, Wealth Management and BMO Capital Markets.

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For more information and to arrange interviews, please contact:

Catherine Maksymiuk
Manager, Media & Marketing
Winnipeg Art Gallery
(204) 789-1767
Media-Manager@wag.ca

Jessica Leroux
Coordinator, Media Relations
BMO Financial Group
(416) 867-3996
Jessica.leroux@bmo.com

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