AGW Foundation
The founding generation of the Art Gallery of Windsor was committed to benefitting the people of this region by collecting, preserving and exhibiting historical and contemporary Canadian art. Out of this vision the AGW Foundation was established in 1979 to receive and invest donations with the aim of dedicating income to acquiring and conserving a permanent collection.
Of parallel importance to these supporters was the relocation of the Gallery to downtown Windsor from its first home in Walkerville, a process involving intense negotiation with various levels of government, as well as donation of personal resources.
A great advance in the resources of the Foundation became possible in 1993, when the AGW board leased the Gallery's building on Riverside Drive for use as an interim casino. The bulk of the rental income was dedicated to the Foundation's endowment, which is held in perpetuity to operate the AGW as a major Canadian museum and as an art embassy for millions of Americans. Between 1998 and 2008, the Foundation disbursed over $7,000,000 from income on the endowment to the Gallery.
By its nature, a foundation takes a long view. It envisions a future for the institution it serves, working steadily toward that future by helping to fund present operations while planning, always, for the longer term. A foundation dedicated to an art gallery believes in the importance of the visual culture of human creativity -- from the beginning, now, and for successive generations. It is a truism that all art was once "contemporary," newly made for its own time. Over time, this art becomes our window on the past and a mirror of our common humanity: "We were here, we did this, this is our gift to you, to hand on in your turn."
Dr. Lois Smedick
Past President, AGW and AGW Foundation
