News Releases - 2002
Canada Council Art Bank celebrates 30th anniversary
Ottawa, 5 February 2002 - The Canada Council Art Bank, which rents contemporary Canadian art to government and private sector organizations across the country, is celebrating its 30th anniversary this year.
The Art Bank was created in 1972 with a mandate to develop a collection of Canadian artworks for use in federal offices and public buildings; in recent years, the Art Bank's services have also been extended to private sector clients. Today, the Art Bank has the world's largest collection of contemporary Canadian art - some 18,000 works, one-third of which are rented at any given time. The Art Bank's 30th anniversary coincides with the 45th anniversary of the Canada Council for the Arts, which was created by an Act of Parliament in 1957.
During its 30-year history, works from the Art Bank's collection have been seen by thousands of Canadians in public spaces of every description, from transit terminals to passport offices. Increasingly, the works are also being seen inside and outside the offices of corporate Canada, including the high tech and marketing sectors. Some pieces have even made their way into embassies abroad, restaurants and television and film sets - including the current CTV television series The Associates - providing even greater exposure for Canadian artists. Over the past two years, the Art Bank has held exhibitions in Halifax, St. John's, Calgary, Edmonton, Montreal and Regina, and displayed its works at numerous conferences and other events.
After a period of uncertainty in the mid-1990s, the Art Bank streamlined its operations, increased its revenue base to the break-even point and resumed purchasing art in 2000.
"The concept of the Art Bank is as valid today as it was 30 years ago," said Art Bank Director Victoria Henry. "There have been changes over the years, but our mandate is still the same: to support and promote Canadian artists by making their works accessible in offices and public spaces across Canada."
To kick off its 30th anniversary activities, the Art Bank will hold a Mardi Gras Carnival evening on Tuesday, February 12 at its Ottawa headquarters, 921 St. Laurent Boulevard, from 6-9 p.m. Representatives of the media are welcome to attend.
Ms. Henry said the Art Bank chose the Mardi Gras theme because "Mardi Gras is bright and bold and colourful and diverse - just like our collection of Canadian art. It's also an excuse to celebrate, to have fun, to laugh and to play, and after 30 years, we have a lot of cause for celebration."
A virtual tour of the Art Bank is available on the Canada Council's web site: www.canadacouncil.ca/artbank.
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