Philanthropy, the donation of money to good or worthy causes to the benefit of all, is alive and well in Canada, though almost invisible in the world of visual arts. As our relatively affluent society continues to grow, putting more strain on public resources, health care and education get much attention as they adapt to a changing world. Comparable adjustments are just barely underway in the funding of the visual arts in Canada. As public resources strain to keep up with an aging infrastructure and ballooning artist population, the private sector needs to play an increasingly important and visible role.
However, the status of art is confusing because it belongs ...