Click to download our Building a Legacy 2 brochure (PDF)

OUR CHALLENGE... The AGH annual operating budget now stands at about $4.5 million dollars a year.

Of this budget only 33% or $1.5 M is derived from relatively stable sources of revenue such as the City of Hamilton, the Canada Council for the Arts, the Ontario Arts Council and the AGH current endowments.

The balance or $3 million (67%) is generated every year through: Retail Operations, Hospitality and Corporate Services, Special Events, Annual Campaign, Memberships, Programming Activities, Admission and Tours and One-time Grants.

This budget does not provide for:

• The maintenance of the current collection and its conservation, restoration and research.
• The purchase of artworks to augment what is widely considered one of Canada’s finest art collections.
• Library and archival needs that serve as a vital resource for our community and ensure the preservation of Canada’s and Hamilton’s cultural heritage.
• The growth of our Programmes so that they continue to engage our audiences.

OUR RESPONSE... Building a legacy through building endowments.

Programming & Operations Endowment: the need - $10M dollars
This endowment will provide $500,000 (calculated as yielding an average of 5% interest a year) towards the annual activities of the Gallery, decreasing substantially the financial vulnerability of the AGH. From 33% in stable revenues, the Gallery will grow to 45%.

Building Maintenance & Future Growth Endowment: the need - $1.5M dollars
This endowment will provide $75,000 (calculated as yielding an average of 5% interest a year) towards building maintenance and future capital needs. The Building Maintenance and Future Growth Endowment will protect the investment already made in the renovated building and allow us to plan preventative maintenance expenditures proactively.

Permanent Collection Endowment: the need - $1.5M dollars
Generating an average of $75,000 a year, this endowment will ensure that the permanent collection, library and extensive archival documents are properly maintained. Additionally, this endowment will enable the Gallery to build the permanent collection through the purchase of artworks.

Please note: All campaign donations are payable over a five year period. All donations are tax deductible. Please see the Donor Recognition section of this document for the various forms of recognition offered by the Gallery.

Types of Gifts:

The most frequent types of gifts are gifts of cash. It should be noted, however, that donors can elect to give the following and still receive recognition under the Gallery’s recognition programme.

Some examples include:
1. Securities
2. Life insurance
3. Donations of artworks to the permanent collection or to be sold to generate revenues for the permanent collection endowment
4. Legacies
5. Retirement Plan Gifts
6. Charitable Remainder Trust
7. Gift Plus Annuity

The AGH suggests that you consult your tax accountant or, in the case of estate planning, your solicitor, to determine the most fiscally advantageous way of making a donation to the Gallery.

There are many ways to contribute to the endowment -- from Adopting an Artwork each year for five years to naming a space in the Gallery. For more information about how you can help build a Legacy, please download the Building a Legacy 2 brochure (PDF) or contact Louise Dompierre at 905-527-6610, ext. 228 or louise@artgalleryofhamilton.com.