Landmark Donation from The Rossy Foundation to Endow the MMFA’s Director Position and Activities
From left to right: Mélanie Deveault, Jo-Anne Duchesne, Stéphane Aquin, Stephanie Rossy, Henry Mizrahi, Sara Pedersen and Laureen Bardou. Absent from the photo: Greg David, André Dufour and Neil Rossy. Photo Frédéric Faddoul
The MMFA Foundation announces that The Rossy Foundation is making a landmark contribution to The Museum Transforms Lives major fundraising campaign. It marks a milestone in the institution’s history.
Creation of The Rossy Foundation Director of the MMFA Chair
A major portion of the gift will serve to establish and endow the position of The Rossy Foundation Director of the MMFA, which will finance the compensation and strategic initiatives of the MMFA’s director position in perpetuity.
“We are grateful to The Rossy Foundation for this transformational gift, which will leave a lasting legacy on the Museum,” says Jo-Anne Duchesne, Director General of the Museum Foundation. “Endowing the director position will ensure stable, long-term leadership, providing the Museum with the ability to attract world-class talent and to fund strategic initiatives through an effective and sustainable funding model.”
“The Rossy Foundation is deeply committed to the vibrancy of Montreal and to strengthening civil society,” says Stephanie Rossy, Vice Chair of The Rossy Foundation. “The MMFA is a cornerstone of cultural life in the city and its influence extends far beyond. Through this gift, we aim to promote Canadian excellence and support accessible, high-quality programming for Montrealers and visitors from all over the world for generations to come.”
“I am honoured to be the first holder of this endowed position and thankful to The Rossy Foundation for its vision and confidence in our great institution,” says Stéphane Aquin, The Rossy Foundation Director of the MMFA. “This gift not only secures the Museum’s future, it also provides me and future directors with the resources to grow our world-class programming and thrive on the world stage.”
Endowed chairs—established in academic, healthcare and cultural institutions across North America—create capitalized funds whose investment income provides funding for key positions and initiatives. The MMFA was the first museum in Quebec to adopt this industry-leading philanthropic mechanism and is actively advancing it through its fundraising campaign to proactively develop it in Quebec cultural philanthropy.
Making art accessible for all
The donation from The Rossy Foundation will also support the Museum’s education and community engagement priorities. This includes offering free admission on certain days throughout the year and free participation in the Art Hive, a community art studio within the Museum where participants can explore their creativity under the guidance of an art therapist.
“This donation from The Rossy Foundation will provide essential support for the Museum’s activities, which reach a wide range of audiences,” says Mélanie Deveault, Director of Education, Community Engagement and Visitor Experience and holder of the Ariane Riou and Réal Plourde Chair in Art and Education in Service of the Community. “Research on art mediation has shown that the creative activities we offer enhance quality of life, bringing tangible benefits to our community.”
