Audain Foundation announces $2 million donation to Arts Umbrella at annual Splash Art Auction
Gift to build children’s and youths’ arts programs to meet increasing need, as well as to promote availability to underserved communities
Philanthropists Michael Audain and Yoshiko Karasawa. Photo by Ashia Bonus
ARTS UMBRELLA RECEIVED a huge extra fundraising boost at its annual Splash Art Auction at the Fairmont Hotel on the weekend.
Philanthropists Michael Audain and Yoshiko Karasawa announced a $2 million donation to the children and youths’ arts-education charity, via the Audain Foundation. The gift will be permanently endowed in the Arts Umbrella Foundation. Arts Umbrella said it would acknowledge the commitment through the naming of the Audain School of Art & Design.
Arts Umbrella said the gift would enhance its capacity to respond to the community's growing needs, while also increasing access to its high-calibre arts education across visual art, theatre, dance, and more. The donation is also earmarked for promoting the availability of programs, particularly in marginalized and underserved communities.
“What inspired the Foundation most to make this gift was learning about the reach Arts Umbrella has across the province,” Michael Audain, chair of the Audain Foundation, said in the announcement. “We are all familiar of the extraordinary work done at Granville Island and in the Lower Mainland but to understand how many children and youth are accessing Arts Umbrella programming in suburban communities was a surprise and we wanted to support that.”
The foundation has a history of contributing to the arts here and across the province—especially in visual arts. It has committed to contributing $100 million for the new Vancouver Art Gallery, and gives out the annual $100,000 Audain Prize to senior artists in British Columbia. It has also named the Audain Artistic Director of Art & Design as part of Arts Umbrella's recent Capital Campaign.
Bidding closes Monday, October 23 at noon for the online portion of the Splash Art Auction, with artworks by the celebrated local and Canadian likes of Dina Goldstein, Tiffany Blaise, Lincoln Clarkes, Brent Comber, Sandeep Johal, Will Rafuse, and Michael Soltis.
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