Canada Pavilion at Venice Biennale (courtesy National Gallery of Canada(.
The National Gallery of Canada Foundation announced today the successful closure of its $10-million Canadian Artists in Venice Endowment.
Launched in 2015, the endowment now has a yearly investment income that provides full financial support in perpetuity for artists chosen to represent Canada at the Venice Biennale’s Canada Pavilion.
Kapwani Kiwanga is representing Canada in 2024 at the Biennale. Her work is being presented in partnership with the National Gallery of Canada Foundation and the Canada Council for the Arts. Born in Hamilton, Ont., she currently lives in Paris.
Participation in the Biennale has been essential to promoting Canadian artists and art internationally, noted Jean-François Bélisle, the National Gallery of Canada’s director and CEO, in a news release.
“The Biennale is a key part of the global arts ecosystem,” he said.
“We feel fortunate to have fortified the longevity of our presence at the Canada Pavilion through a unique model of private and public partnerships resulting in the endowment.”
More than 80 countries send artists to La Biennale di Venezia, more commonly referred to in English as the Venice Biennale. Held every two years, it is the world’s oldest and most important curated contemporary art event.
For more than 60 years, Canadian artists have exhibited at the Biennale’s Canada Pavilion, which is owned by the National Gallery of Canada on behalf of the country.
Source: National Gallery of Canada Foundation
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