Founded by Michael Audain, the Audain Foundation was established in 1997 for the purpose of supporting the visual arts in British Columbia with grants and endowments for capital projects and exhibitions at major public art galleries and educational institutions. More recently, the Foundation has expanded its scope to include support for the Canadian artist, Jean Paul Riopelle, as well as an interest in wildlife conservation.
The Foundation has been instrumental in founding Whistler’s Audain Art Museum, the Audain Art Museum Foundation, the Grizzly Bear Foundation and the Jean Paul Riopelle Foundation which all operate independently under the Canada Not for Profit Corporations Act.
The Foundation supports innovative exhibitions, education programs, publications and art acquisitions with special privilege given to British Columbian Artists and Canadian artist Jean Paul Riopelle in the provinces of British Columbia and Quebec and in Ottawa at the National Gallery of Canada.
Please contact us for more information about visual art grant applications.
The Foundation supports organizations carrying out research, demonstration, and educational projects with the purpose of protecting and conserving wildlife in British Columbia’s land and surrounding waters.
Vision: A future where all of British Columbia’s species and ecosystems are flourishing.
Mission: To strategically support organizations that work to affect policy change while fostering collaborative relationships with all levels of government and charitable organizations for lasting benefit and impact.
Please contact us for more information about wildlife conservation grant applications.
The Audain Prize for the Visual Arts was created by the Audain Foundation in 2004 to recognize outstanding achievements of British Columbia’s artists and is one of Canada’s most prestigious honours for the visual arts. The recipient is chosen through a jury process and the $100,000 award is presented annually in the fall.
The Audain Travel Awards provide a grant in the amount of $7,500 to five young artists enrolled in a full-time visual arts programs at the undergraduate or graduate level, with the goal of enabling them to travel and view art. The Foundation partners with the following universities for this opportunity; University of British Columbia, University of Victoria, Simon Fraser University and Emily Carr University of Art & Design.
Founded and built by Michael Audain and Yoshiko Karasawa, the Audain Art Museum opened to the public in 2016 with the purpose of collecting and exhibiting art from British Columbia. Designed by Patkau Architects, the 56,000 square foot Museum’s permanent collection includes art from the Audain Collection while special exhibitions by Canadian and international artists rotate in the temporary exhibition galleries. The Museum is governed by its Board of Trustees.
The Audain Foundation offices are located at:
900 – 1333 West Broadway
Vancouver, BC V6H 4C2
The general mandate of the Audain Foundation is to financially support
qualified donees as defined by the Income Tax Act in the areas of
the visual arts and wildlife conservation.
Please contact us for more information about our grant opportunities
and application process.
info@audainfoundation.com | 604.871.4211
Media requests or general inquiries can be made to the contact below.
info@audainfoundation.com | 604.871.4211
If you are interested in making a donation to the Audain Foundation in support of our visual arts or wildlife programs we accept donations, bequests and legacy planning. Please contact us for further information.