A visionary $1.5-million donation by Danielle Lysaught and Paul Hamelin in support of local art at the MMFA
From left to right: Mary-Dailey Desmarais, Zhao-Ionescu Chief Curator; Paul Hamelin and Danielle Lysaught, patrons; Jo-Anne Duchesne, Director General of the MMFA Foundation; Stéphane Aquin, The Rossy Foundation Director of the MMFA; and Laureen Bardou, Senior Director - Philanthropy at the MMFA Foundation. Photo: Frédéric Faddoul
Great news for local contemporary art: the MMFA Foundation is delighted to announce a remarkable donation of $1.5 million by patrons Danielle Lysaught and Paul Hamelin. Made as part of the major fundraising campaign The Museum Transforms Lives (2023-2028), this donation will endow the Hamelys Fund for Contemporary Quebec and Canadian Art.
As philanthropists who are deeply committed to their community, Danielle Lysaught and Paul Hamelin are particularly interested in the visual arts, education and health fields. They are the founders of Projet Casa, a space for contemporary art exhibitions by emerging or unrepresented artists. This project has made them keenly aware of the key role that museums play in the lives and careers of artists.
The donation by Danielle Lysaught and Paul Hamelin will enable the development and transformation of the Hamelys Fund for Contemporary Quebec and Canadian Art, an endowment fund that will henceforth be dedicated to the MMFA’s activities aimed at supporting the visibility, dissemination, research, acquisitions and conservation of the collection of contemporary Quebec and Canadian art (2000 to today).
Complementing the Gail and Stephen A. Jarislowsky Chair in Contemporary Quebec and Canadian Art (1945 to Today), this endowment will also support projects designed to promote the visibility of artists from Quebec and Canada, both at home and abroad. It will encourage exchange, collaboration, the sharing of expertise and the emergence of fresh perspectives through initiatives that foster dialogue between the artistic, cultural and museum communities. In this way, the endowment fund will help the Museum strengthen its position as an essential reference in the world of contemporary Quebec and Canadian art.
“Supporting the work of contemporary local artists has always been a priority for us. As donors and friends of the MMFA for many years, we wanted to continue to build on this commitment through a project that will enable the Museum to remain a vital hub where people and ideas converge in celebration of contemporary art for many years to come,” say Danielle Lysaught and Paul Hamelin.
“This marks the continuation of a long-standing relationship between the Museum, its Foundation and Danielle and Paul. Their visionary contribution goes straight to the heart and attests to their confidence in our institution, their commitment to artists and their support for creation,” explains Jo-Anne Duchesne, Director General of the MMFA Foundation.
“This major donation will allow the Museum to further strengthen its commitment to contemporary Quebec and Canadian art by providing tangible support for research, acquisitions, conservation and the promotion of current artistic practices. It also represents crucial backing for emerging artists, whose voices help shape the future of our collection and the world in which we live. We are deeply grateful to Danielle and Paul for this incredibly generous commitment,” says Mary-Dailey Desmarais, Zhao-Ionescu Chief Curator.
About the Hamelys Fund for Contemporary Quebec and Canadian Art
Created thanks to a major donation by Danielle Lysaught and Paul Hamelin, this endowment fund is dedicated to the promotion of contemporary Quebec and Canadian art (2000 to today) at the MMFA. It offers essential support to emerging local artists, while allowing the Museum to position itself as a leader in the field on the world stage.
