A benefit event organized by W. Bruce C. Bailey raises $1 million for the MMFA
Peter Doig (born in 1959), Study for Iron Hill, 1991, oil on canvas. MMFA, in process of acquisition. Photo Courtesy of Michael Werner Gallery
On June 4, the second edition of Bruce Bailey's Canadian Fête Champêtre, organized by Canadian collector, major patron and friend of the MMFA, W. Bruce C. Bailey, was held to raise funds for this major Quebec institution. The benefit event, on Bailey’s enchanting country estate just outside Toronto, brought together 600 prominent figures from the world of the arts, business, politics and philanthropy, who all made a financial contribution to this fundraiser out of friendship for Bailey and in support of the MMFA. The event raised $1 million for the MMFA and will be used to support the institution’s activities.
In addition to this exceptional contribution, the work Study for Iron Hill was gifted to the Museum by artist Peter Doig. Painted in 1991, this canvas depicts a Quebec countryside evocative of the childhood memories of this British artist, credited with breathing new life into contemporary figurative painting. Study for Iron Hill is the first work by Doig to enter the MMFA’s collection. The Museum devoted an exhibition to his work in 2014.
Acknowledgements
We are grateful for the generosity of artist Peter Doig and collector W. Bruce C. Bailey for their gifts, as well as the hundreds of people who made financial contributions to Bruce Bailey's Canadian Fête Champêtre 2022. The teams at the Museum and its Foundation sincerely thank them as well as all the volunteer members of the organizing committee of the second edition of this benefit event for the Museum.
The MMFA also wishes to thank all of the sponsors of Bruce Bailey's Canadian Fête Champêtre 2022: Presenting sponsor Rogers Communications Inc., Platinum Sponsor and creator of the East Room Lounge within the Fête East Room and Derreck Martin, the Bensadoun Family Foundation, Carol and David Appel, artverb*, The Bailey Collection, Jim Balsillie and Neve Perić, Chronomics, Cloudsley Cellars, Common Good, Dancing Bee Equipment, Dax Dasilva, Emblem Flowers, Feheley Fine Arts, GenesisPR, The Gilder, Hatch, Heaps Estrin, Kiehl’s, Laurent Duvernay-Tardif, Brian M. Levitt and Portia Leggat, Medcan, Mellecey Wine Group, Miller Thomson LLP, Mosaic, Partisans, Phillips, Sajo Inc., The Schulich Foundation, Miriam Shiell Fine Art, TD, True Patriot Love, and Cory Vitiello.
W. Bruce C. Bailey also wishes to thank Suzanne Rogers, guest of honour of the Fête Champêtre 2022, for her lifelong commitment to philanthropy.
