The Vancouver Art Gallery is pleased to announce that RBC has generously contributed $1.7 million through RBC Emerging Artists to provide mentorship, visibility, and leadership opportunities for emerging Canadian artists through various art programming. RBC’s funding will also support the new Vancouver Art Gallery, which is estimated to open in 2028.
“We are proud to support the Vancouver Art Gallery’s Emerging Artist programming through this donation,” says Martin Thibodeau, Regional President, British Columbia, RBC. “This gift marks RBC’s largest donation to the arts and is a significant milestone in RBC’s long-standing support of the Gallery’s public programs. Together, with partners like the Vancouver Art Gallery, RBC Emerging Artists is helping artists bridge the gap from emerging to established in their art form. These voices are important to building inclusive, vibrant communities, and strong economies.”
Since 1979, RBC has played a role in the Vancouver Art Gallery's journey, providing over half a million dollars of support for the Gallery's community programs. This dedication has helped strengthen the Gallery's mission to connect people, art and ideas, and highlights the shared belief in the power of art to shape our communities. RBC's support has been pivotal in the success of programs such as 'Art Connects–Raising Diverse Voices,' for which the Gallery remains deeply grateful.
“RBC Emerging Artists exemplifies the Gallery's mission to support, nurture and promote the next generation of British Columbian artists," says Anthony Kiendl, CEO & Executive Director of the Vancouver Art Gallery. "We are immensely grateful for RBC's impactful commitment to the arts and their dedication to providing emerging artists with the tools they need to succeed.”
The RBC Emerging Artist Program is an initiative that will be integrated into the programming at the Vancouver Art Gallery, aimed at offering support for emerging artists in British Columbia. This program will be designed to take a holistic approach, providing mentorship, visibility and leadership opportunities for its participants while facilitating their professional development through collaboration with the Gallery and its extensive network. The primary focus of the program will be to not only support emerging artists from education to full-time employment but to also provide the necessary skills, mentorship and creative platforms to provide provincial, national and eventually international engagement opportunities.
