Emily Carr University Receives $5M Donation from Audain Foundation

Emily Carr University of Art + Design will get a big boost to its campus expansion plan, thanks to a $5-million donation from philanthropist Michael Audain and his family foundation, the Audain Foundation for Visual Arts. 

According to Emily Carr's media release, this is the single largest individual gift received by the University, and will create an enhanced visual arts learning environment offering a studio-based education reflective of the diversity and complexity of contemporary art. The Audain School of Visual Arts will be a cornerstone for the new Emily Carr Great Northern Way Campus. 

The School will encompass the existing Faculty of Visual Art + Material Practice which houses painting, ceramics, print media, illustration, photography, sculpture and drawing.

“Emily Carr University of Art + Design is indisputably the best art school in Canada and a major reason why Vancouver has become such an internationally important centre for visual arts over the last few decades,” says Michael Audain. “With this grant from our family foundation, I’m helping to kick off Emily Carr University's capital campaign. We hope that individuals and businesses quickly climb aboard with their support.”

The gift is in addition to a commitment made last year by Mr. Audain to establish the Audain Distinguished Artist in Residence Program that will launch in Fall 2013.