PIA’s mission is to “fund and champion contemporary visual art through philanthropy, volunteerism and education”. In this pursuit, PIA supports artists and projects that provide thoughtful and challenging perspectives on our world. As a result, PIA may, at times, associate itself with controversial points of view, opinions, and activism from the diverse individuals and groups that PIA supports. The views expressed by these individuals and organizations are their own and do not necessarily reflect the policies or points of view of PIA or its members. PIA is comprised of 200+ members from different cultural, ethnic, and religious demographics, and as an organization, PIA strives to meet our core principles of tolerance, the health of dissent, freedom of association, and freedom of expression.

“Commissioned by PIA, LandMarks2017/Repères2017 was a pivotal moment in my practice. Art is one way to critically contemplate the conditions of society, and this series of projects by 12 artists was impressive and necessary to mark Canada’s sesquicentennial. The photographs from my project, entitled Long View, have been reworked for the façade of the National Gallery of Canada, currently on view until Spring 2026.”

Jin-me Yoon
Visual Artist

“We are immensely grateful for Partner’s in Art’s support for the creation of an original work by Anila Agha Quayyum for the Aga Khan Museum’s Light: Visionary Perspectives exhibition. Through the generosity of PIA, Quayyum created A Thousand Silent Moments (Rain Forest) – a unique, immersive installation inspired by works from our permanent collection. We are proud to be able to be the first venue to display a work by Anila Agha Quayyum in Canada and thrilled to see how this work continues to enthrall and inspire our visitors.”

Marianne Fenton, Special Projects Curator, and Bita Pourvash, Associate Curator
The Aga Khan Museum

“Partners in Art provides valuable funding to help realize a variety of compelling contemporary art projects across Canada. We are very grateful for the contributions PIA has made to a number of projects at MOCA Toronto in recent years, meaningfully supporting the museum’s commissioning programme, which works closely with artists to provide them with opportunities to explore and expand their practice while also delivering unique, site-specific experiences for audiences.”

Kathleen Bartels
Executive Director & CEO, MOCA

“Partners in Art has demonstrated exceptional commitment to highlighting Canadian artists on the world stage. Since its inception, PIA has offered invaluable support to Canada’s representation at the Venice Biennale and the National Gallery of Canada’s commitment to providing Canadian artists with a platform to exhibit their work and receive global recognition. This exposure not only benefits the artists themselves but also serves to showcase the diversity and richness of Canada’s arts scene to the rest of the world. The National Gallery of Canada and the National Gallery of Canada Foundation are privileged to collaborate with such a devoted, passionate, and generous organization as PIA.”

Lisa Turcotte
Chief Executive Officer, National Gallery of Canada Foundation