The Azrieli Foundation Launches The Azrieli Music Arts And Culture Centre

Making a bold new commitment to the arts in Canada, the Azrieli Foundation launched its Azrieli Music, Arts and Culture Centre (AMACC) on September 14 at an event in Montréal.

AMACC will be a catalyst, key funder and strategic partner in creating a resilient, impactful and connected arts sector. It will deepen the Foundation's work to discover, elevate, and amplify creative voices and grant broader access to meaningful arts experiences.

"With the Azrieli Music Arts and Culture Centre, we aim to support the continuum of arts engagement for all Canadians - from accessing quality arts education to enjoying the arts as vehicles for improved health and well-being," said Dr. Sharon Azrieli, Chair of the AMACC Advisory Council, to a group of artists, arts leaders and members of the media who gathered for the event at the Sofitel.

Fulfilling the philanthropic legacy of David J. Azrieli z"l, the Azrieli Foundation's mission is to improve the lives of present and future generations through education, research, healthcare and the arts.

The Foundation has focused its arts giving across six streams, most notably in arts education, emerging artist development and supporting artistic excellence. Since 2014, its support of music, arts and culture has grown exponentially, increasing by more than 2000%.

The Foundation has also grown its Azrieli Music Prizes into Canada's largest competition that celebrates excellence in music composition, placing it among the most important competitions in the world. It has also collaborated on important sector-building initiatives, including CANVAS - a North American-wide funding collective that fuels a 21st-century Jewish cultural renaissance.

After surveying the past decade of its commitment to the arts sector in Canada, the Foundation decided to increase its role in supporting arts, music and culture by establishing AMACC.

Through AMACC, the Azrieli Foundation will continue to serve as both a funder that opens doors to bold transformations and as a long-term collaborator making indelible, positive change.

Notes Azrieli: "By uniting our grant-making, sector collaborations, strategic initiatives, and Azrieli Music Prizes program under the AMACC banner, we will create an impact that is greater than the sum of its parts, ensuring more Canadians of all ages enjoy a deeper relationship with the arts."

About the Azrieli Foundation

With a firm belief that everyone has a contribution to make, the Azrieli Foundation has been opening doors, breaking ground, and nurturing networks for more than 30 years. The Foundation - the largest non-corporate foundation in Canada - funds institutions and operates programs in Canada and Israel.

About the Azrieli Music Prizes

Established in 2014, the biennial Azrieli Music Prizes (AMP) express the Azrieli Foundation's conviction that music is a vital human endeavour that allows humankind to express its creativity, expand its worldview and foster positive cultural exchanges. Open to the international music community, AMP accepts proposals for works from individuals of all ages, genders, nationalities, backgrounds and faiths. These proposals are submitted to three expert juries for review through an open call.