Mission and Values

Our Mission

We champion contemporary art, artists and organizations to provide thoughtful perspectives on our world.

Our Vision

We live in a society where art is valued and understood as an integral component of the human condition: our communities, our economies, and our environments.

Our Values

We believe that by educating its members, it produces better contemporary art projects and a larger population of art supporters. Our values are embedded in our approach.

Education

  • Being volunteer-driven and having committed members
  • Involving and engaging members
  • Providing leadership development and mentoring for our members
  • Education of our members and the general public

Project-based collaboration

  • Always supporting an open dialogue and exchange of ideas
  • Seeing collaboration as a driving force in art projects
  • Being responsive to extraordinary, creative ideas
  • Having a willingness to support ground-breaking projects. Being visionary.

Independent Approach

  • Remaining independent (financially and by not being aligned with any single institution)
  • Being nimble and risk-takers
  • Being transparent

Our Primary Beneficiaries

  • The general public for the cultural and educational opportunities made available by Partners In Art projects
  • The art community in Canada — including artists, curators, art educators, art critics, art dealers — for the funds raised in support of the visual arts
  • The city of Toronto for the cultural capital that can be generated by the projects supported by Partners In Art

Disclaimer

PIA’s mission to champion contemporary art, artists and arts organizations to provide thoughtful perspectives on our world may at times associate PIA with controversial points of view, opinions and activism of the diverse individuals and groups that PIA presents and supports. The views expressed by these individuals and organizations are their own and do not necessarily reflect the official position, policies or points of view of PIA or of members.We will continue to strive to meet our core principles of tolerance, the health of dissent, freedom of association, and freedom of expression.

“PIA has played an important role within the cultural landscape here in Canada, through their support of a multiplicity of exhibitions and projects, but also through the way they support diverse avenues and channels through which to access those projects, which is very much aligned with our vision here at The Power Plant.”

Nabila Abdel Nabi
Curator, The Power Plant

“We are so lucky! Partners in Art are ‘game-shifters’. They have adopted the contemporary art scene, raising critical dollars with ever chic style and strategic savvy. PIA enables organizations such as OCAD, MOCCA, The Power Plant (the list goes on) to flourish..and with their leverage..to support an exchange of ideas, the internationalization of the Toronto scene and new commissions. Thank-you Partners in Art– you are extreme philanthropists.”

Sara Diamond
OCAD, President

“Partners in Art makes an extraordinary contribution to the aesthetic culture of our community by being true partners with leading edge arts organizations and helping them to realize and communicate new ideas. PIA is an enlightened and enlightening group of patrons!”

Gail Dexter Lord
Co-President, Lord Cultural Resources