Today, the Audain Foundation and the Resort Municipality of Whistler announced that they have entered talks to create a 2,500-square-metre museum and sculpture garden focusing on the Audain collection.
The privately financed museum would be located on a large piece of land across the street from Whistler’s municipal hall.
“My wife and I have been looking for a place where our collection of British Columbia art could be exhibited on a permanent basis for the public’s enjoyment,” collector Michael Audain said in a release. “The potential site we are looking at is in an excellent location adjacent to Whistler Village and is surrounded by beautiful stands of trees.”
The Audain collection, which had a major exhibition at the Vancouver Art Gallery in 2011, contains an important collection of indigenous and contemporary West Coast art, including a large group of Emily Carr paintings.
“Whistler has a long-term plan to boost its facilities for arts and culture, so we are thrilled Michael Audain may select our community to house his outstanding collection,” said Mayor Nancy Wilhelm-Morden. “Whistler recognizes that cultural tourism is an area of opportunity for Whistler to expand our visitor base, enhance the experience of resort guests to this unique area, and to drive tourism.”
No dollar figure has been announced for construction. “It is too early in the game; we need to complete our planning and design work before we know exactly how much the new museum could cost,” added Audain.
