Gordon and Marion Smith Foundation Welcomes New ED

The Gordon and Marion Smith Foundation for Young Artists this month welcomed Astrid Heyerdahl as its new executive director.

Heyerdahl joins the foundation from Coquitlam’s Evergreen Cultural Centre, where she was visual arts manager. There, she initiated a variety of exhibitions and programs, including a group show on expanded forms of drawing, a permanent art collection, and a survey of the art of Georgia Straight co-founder Pierre Coupey created with the West Vancouver Museum. Previous to this she worked at the Harbourfront Centre in Toronto inspiring a new direction for their education department. 

She completed her Honours BA in Visual Arts from the University of Western Ontario, her Masters of Art History in contemporary Canadian Art from the University of Toronto, and her Masters of Education in Gallery Pedagogy from York University. 

"Astrid is a rising star in the industry and a perfect fit given the Foundation's creative artistic, curatorial and educational aspirations," said Mauro Vescera, Smith Foundation Board President.

Heyerdahl will lead the Smith Foundation on a $5 million endowment campaign to raise funds for projects such as the year-old Gordon Smith Gallery of Canadian Art, a 4,000 sq. ft. purpose-built gallery home to the Artists for Kids Teaching Collection of Canadian Art, and the Paradise Valley Summer School of Visual Art program, the largest residential children’s art camp of its kind in Canada.

For more information, visit the Foundation website: gordonsmithgallery.ca/SmithFoundation