Ottawa Art Gallery just shy of its $3.5M fundraising goal

The Ottawa Art Gallery won't move into itslong-awaited new facility next doorforanother year, but it is now only a few hundred thousand dollars shy of itsfundraising goal of $3.5 million.

Some of the big steps toward hitting that goal have come from local residents, who've been motivatedto donate$100,000 each.

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Thegallery'sboard chair Lawson Hunter committedthat large sum, asdidBrian and Susan Lahey.

Glenn and Barbara McInneshave been collecting contemporary art since the 1960s,when theyboughttheirfirst painting from local artist Duncan De Kergommeauxfromhis then-gallery in BellsCorners.

Over the decades, they've collected hundreds of more works from artists,becomefriends with many of themand drawn a lot fromhearing their perspectives.

"They've given us a lot and we can give something back to help create a gallery wheremore people can see their art," said Glenn McInnesof thecouple's large donation. "It's as simple as that."

McInnes, the gallery'sfirst board chair,was amongthose whoworked hard in the late 1980s tohelpfound the municipal galleryina few former courtrooms onDalyAvenue.

He has also madeasecond donation, with Mayo Graham, to set up a founders' lobby in the new buildingthat will explain the municipal gallery's origins.

'This is kind of our moment'

The gallery's CEO and director says there is "something in the air,"a feeling of city-building in Ottawa.

Alexandra Badzak says donations of all sizes have come from residents and artists.

"I think what it does show is that people have confidence in the plan going forward, in the institution, and that this is kind of our moment," saidBadzak.

Badzakkeeps a pair of pink, steel-toed boots in her office so she can check in on construction progress next door,but settingup theinstitution for its opening in 2017 is definitely herbigger job.

That includesproving to donors that the gallery is ready for its next phase.

She has been growingthe operating budget, solidifying the staff, andsetting up the programs so that it can hit the ground running when the doors open in a four-times larger space.

Doing its fundraising homework

All thatgroundwork laid behind the scenes means thateven before the Ottawa Art Gallery kicked off its fundraising campaign in September 2015, organizers were confidentit would succeed, said Badzak.

The team spoke with the Great Canadian Theatre Company about what worked and didn't in its capital campaign.

The local theatre company opened its Irving Greenberg Theatre Centre on Wellington StreetWest togreat fanfare in 2007, only to have to return to city council in 2013 asking for money to pay down construction debts.

The Ottawa Art Gallery alsoconsulted other cultural institutions in Canadagoing through big building projects.

"We learned from that. We learned to set our goal in a modest way. Ottawa is a complicated town to raise money in," said Badzak.

It helped thatthe bulk of the construction costs for the new facility at WallerStreetand the Mackenzie King Bridgeare being borne by the city, the province, and the private sector developers. Thatletsthe gallery focus on $3.5 million infit-up costsand an endowment fund.

Room for art lovers of all ages

McInnescreditsBadzakand board chair Hunter for the fundraising success.

"They're just people you want to help," said McInnes."They create a wide circle for a lot of people to be in."

"I think in a town the size of Ottawa you just can't raise that kind of money if you don't have a real wide community of followers."

Badzakis already growing that circle. She's looking at setting upa pilot projectwith The Royal Mental Health Centre, among other partnerships.

In the new facility, she pictures a place wherefamilies can havebrunch at the gallery and then let thechildren take part in an art activity.

"A place where you can drop in after work,have a glass of wine, take in the art for free, and have great conversation about art. Wouldn't that be wonderful?"