Bank of America Deepens Support for the Arts in Canada
Bank of America has announced three major initiatives aimed at supporting the arts in Canada, including recent funding for restoration projects in Montreal and Toronto, as well as serving as the lead sponsor of the American Institute for Conservation's Annual Meeting and Conference, which was held in Montreal this year.
These initiatives build on the company’s long-standing commitment to cultural preservation in Canada, having supported various cultural initiatives through its global Art Conservation Project since 2013. The project aims to conserve important works of art and broaden public access to the arts in the country.
Drew McDonald, Country Executive and President of Bank of America Canada, stated, "At Bank of America, we believe that investing in the arts enriches lives, and we support nonprofit partners to expand access while preserving art and heritage for future generations." The company has been operating in Canada since 1903 and currently has a workforce of approximately 1,000 employees in the country.
In Montreal, funding will be directed to the Montreal Museum of Fine Arts (MMFA) for the restoration of Alice Rahon's sculpture “Juggler” (1946). This artwork is one of only 18 historic pieces worldwide to receive a conservation grant from Bank of America. The museum plans to stabilize and restore the sculpture to ensure its long-term protection while retaining its identity as a marionette.
Additionally, the American Institute for Conservation's 2026 Annual Meeting featured programming focused on the theme “Conservation at the Intersection of Innovation and Tradition.” In a related initiative, the AIC hosted a Community Partnership Project at McGill University's Redpath Museum, which aimed to improve the storage conditions for the museum's collections.
In Toronto, the Art Gallery of Ontario (AGO) received funding from Bank of America for the conservation of three works by Canadian painter Pegi Nicol MacLeod, who was a pioneer of Modernism. Maria Sullivan, Head of Conservation at AGO, emphasized the importance of preserving MacLeod's contributions to Canadian art.