KAMLOOPS, British Columbia, August 19, 2008 - Kamloops-area residents and visitors will benefit from having an art gallery able to host the largest-ever retrospective of the work of artist Daphne Odjig and other touring exhibitions, than nks to an investment from the Government of Canada.
Betty Hinton, Member of Parliament (Kamloops-Thompson-Cariboo), on behalf of the Honourable Josée Verner, Minister of Canadian Heritage and Status of Women and Minister for La Francop honie, today announced funding for the Kamloops Art Gallery.
Funding of $14,406 will be used by the Kamloops Art Gallery to purchase and install equipment that will allow it to host historically-based travelling exhibitions. Additional fundin g of $15,000 helped the Gallery host the touring exhibit "The Drawings and Paintings of Daphne Odjig" from June 8 to August 21, 2008.
"The Government of Canada is pleased to support local heritage facilities such as the Kamloop s Art Gallery," said Minister Verner. "These institutions are important to the vitality of communities across Canada. They help strengthen Canadians' awareness of and pride in our rich cultural heritage."
"Our wonderful a rt gallery collects artifacts, documents, and specimens of British Columbia's natural and human history, safeguarding them for residents and visitors from across Canada and around the world." said Mrs. Hinton. "Our Government is committed to sup porting facilities, such as the Kamloops Art Gallery, that enrich the cultural life of our communities and create a legacy of excellence."
"The Kamloops Art Gallery is delighted to receive this important funding to improve the physi cal condition of our exhibition galleries, ensuring the preservation of cultural heritage for generations to come," said Michelle Stanford, President of the Board of Trustees, Kamloops Art Gallery. "Given recent cuts to programs that support the museum sector, we take this as an important sign that the Federal Government fully realizes the difference Canadian museums are making in their communities and the value collections have toward understanding our cultural diversity."
Th e Kamloops Art Gallery is the principal gallery for the visual arts in the Southern Interior of British Columbia. The Gallery is committed to the belief that art is an essential part of the human experience. It is dedicated to making this belief tangible within the communities it serves.
The Government of Canada has provided this funding through the Cultural Spaces Canada Program of the Department of Canadian Heritage. This program contributes to improved physical conditions for artistic crea tivity and presentation or exhibition. It is designed to improve access for Canadians to the performing, visual, and media arts, as well as to museum collections and heritage exhibitions.
Information:
Dominic Go sselin
Press Secretary
Office of the Minister of Canadian Heritage and
Status of Women and Minister for La Francophonie
819 997-7788
Ginette Montreuil
Regional Manager
Communications
Western Region
Canadian Heritage
604 666-6504
Media Relations
Canadian Heritage
819 994-9101
1 866 569-6155
