Artists for Kids has been fortunate to have a variety of donors and supporters who have embraced the work we do and the programs we offer. With their generosity and contributions, we have been able to expand our offerings, and provide financial assistance for those families whose kids could otherwise not discover the untapped creativity inside of them.
"...opened Oliver's most wonderful thank you note to my parents' memorial fund for some scholarship assistance to him...Please tell him how much I appreciated and enjoyed all parts of his note. And to you: this is why we give support to your summer camp. I hope Gordon Smith gets as much enjoyment from his support as I do from ours." - Irene
Our Donors and Sponsors contribute in a variety of ways. Whether it's with financial support, in-kind donations, or gifts of significant pieces of work for the AFK Permanent Collection, we are grateful for our community's continued trust and support of our programs and gallery.
The Gordon and Marion Smith Foundation for Young Artists
The Gordon and Marion Smith Foundation for Young Artists established a permanent endowment fund, whose increasing annual revenues is granted to Artists for Kids, to ensure the success and viability of Artists for Kids and their programs and to support the Gordon Smith Gallery of Canadian Art, in perpetuity.
The Tuey Charitable Foundation
The Tuey Charitable Foundation generously supports our Gallery Program to bring art and stories to children through our "Windows to Canadian Art" program at the Gordon Smith Gallery. The Foundation also supports Artists for Kids to bring materials and equipment to students and classrooms with curated art kits.
The Christopher Foundation for the Arts
The Christopher Foundation generously supports Artists for Kids' Gallery Program to continue to offer the exceptional experiences in Art Education that we bring to our community. The Foundation has been instrumental in providing resources to bring to our programing, experiences that build connection and belonging to all that we do, and to ensure that all children and youth have access to be involved.
The Idea Partner Marketing Inc.
The Idea Partner Marketing Inc. has generously worked with Artists for Kids to create their logos and visual mark. Additionally, The Idea Partner consistently provides financial support for campers to attend our Paradise Valley Summer School of Visual Arts Camp each year.
The Edwina and Paul Heller Memorial Fund
Over many years, the
Edwina and Paul Heller Memorial Fund have assisted countless of students to attend camp, participate in our after school art programs and day camps. Funding has also provided the ability to acquire materials and equipment to allow students to have access to experiences in a range of visual art.
The North Vancouver School District
In 1989, the North Vancouver School District listened carefully to the founders of Artists for Kids. The District learned about Artists for Kids' model for fund-raising and their passion to ensure Arts Education for all, existed and continued. With this, the NVSD funded the first limited edition that AFK published, with Bill Reid. From this point, the District has never stopped cheering on Artists for Kids, including being open to build a cultural space at the Education Services Centre. In 2012, the Smith Foundation, brought together multiple funding sources, including a generous 2 million donation from Michael Audain, that enabled the Gordon Smith Gallery of Canadian Art to be built at the Education Services Centre, and to become an integral space for our community to gather.
The Beech Foundation
The Beech Foundation has been a long standing patron of Artists for Kids, supporting children and youth by providing funding for bursaries and materials for our Paradise Valley Summer School of Visual Arts camp.
OPUS
OPUS has been a community patron since Artists for Kids' inception. Opus supports AFK with materials for: our camps, professional development workshops, and our Artist in Residence programs which has made a significant difference to our programming and ability to offer to our children, educators and artists the exceptional experiences and resources that Artists for Kids is known for.
ArtStarts
ArtStarts brings artists into our community through their funding, allowing all of us, to learn from each other through our collective stories. Our Artist in Residence Program as well as teacher workshops are supported by ArtStarts' annual grant.
CUPE 389
CUPE 389 has supported Artists for Kids for many years by providing funding for bursaries to support children and youth to attend AFK's Paradise Valley Summer School of Visual Arts camp.
Heffel
Heffel has continued to support Artists for Kids through their appraisals and sales. Heffel's expertise has been pivotal to allow the vision of the AFK Permanent Collection and AFK Print Program come to fruition.
RBC Foundation
RBC Foundation has generously committed to Artists for Kids by offering a community engagement grant each year to support our Gallery Program in addition to volunteering to help with our programming.
Individual donors
We are grateful for the individual donors who have supported us for over thirty years.