An Outstanding $1-Million Donation from the Gauthier Family Foundation

The Gauthier Family Foundation has offered crucial support for the Montreal Museum of Fine Arts Foundation’s 2023-2028 major fundraising campaign, The Museum Transforms Lives, in the form of a generous donation of $1 million. This exceptional gift – the largest ever made to the MMFA Foundation in support of artistic programming – will be used to fund cultural activities with the potential to raise the Museum’s profile on the world stage. Through this donation, the Gauthier Family Foundation is also reaffirming its commitment to encouraging the next generation of philanthropists by becoming a Patron of the MMFA Foundation’s Young Philanthropists’ Circle.

The founder of MAG Energy Solutions, Martin Gauthier is a committed philanthropist who supports a number of important causes. The Gauthier Family Foundation is notably involved in funding social housing initiatives through its partnership with the organization Toit à moi. “We believe that art is an essential form of expression,” says Martin Gauthier. “It conserves the memory of the past while also putting forth a vision for the future. The MMFA is much more than a museum – it is one of Montreal’s flagship institutions. For us, it reflects the evolution of our city: what it’s been through, what it is today and its chosen path for the future. And it is precisely its role as a pillar of our community that motivated our decision to support it,” he added.

Helping the Museum shine both at home and abroad

The largest portion of this important gift will go toward supporting the MMFA’s programming, collection and cultural initiatives with strong potential to raise its profile. This contribution will serve as a catalyst for the conception, creation, production and presentation of exhibitions and projects spotlighting contemporary art. It will also help the Museum showcase, conserve and restore major works, while fostering ties and dialogue with current artists and renowned experts in contemporary art.

“We would like to express our profound gratitude to the Gauthier Family Foundation for this exceptional gift, which is testimony to its confidence in the Museum and its belief in the vital role of art in our society,” says Mary-Dailey Desmarais, Zhao-Ionescu Chief Curator of the MMFA. “Thanks to this support, we will be able to pursue our efforts with renewed ambition, to showcase our collections and programming, and to allow even more people to discover the works, artists and ideas that lie at the heart of our mission.”

Forming the next generation of philanthropists

This gift will also provide support to the MMFA Foundation’s Young Philanthropists’ Circle over the next two years. This partnership aligns perfectly with the YPC’s mission of introducing young art enthusiasts to philanthropy and promoting contemporary art at the MMFA. With this donation, the Gauthier Family Foundation will become a Patron of the Young Philanthropists’ Circle.

“We are deeply grateful to the Gauthier Family Foundation for this visionary contribution,” says Jo-Anne Duchesne, Director General of the MMFA Foundation. “It is such an honour for us to receive the largest donation ever made by the Gauthier Family Foundation to the arts. Thanks to this support, the Museum will be able to continue to affirm its positioning as a key player both domestically and abroad, and to distinguish itself through its world-class programming.”