Women’s Art Initiative

Artistic

Equity

Support the AGO’s commitment to elevating women artists. A $15,000 pledge over three years funds exhibitions showcasing female artists, offers dynamic learning opportunities, and helps us address historical underrepresentation of women artists in museums.

$5,000+/year

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Black and white illustration of a person holding up an enigmatic frame or box and showing it to two other people

WAI

Benefits

You’ll enjoy

Community engagement: connect with a dynamic group of individuals passionate about supporting women artists
Exhibition support: contribute to the development and promotion of exhibitions featuring women artists
Collection building: participate in the acquisition of artworks by women artists, enriching the AGO’s collection
Research and publications: support scholarly research and publications focused on women artists and their contributions to art history
Philanthropic impact: make a meaningful philanthropic commitment towards gender equality in the arts
Recognition: Women’s Art Initiative donors receive honorary Curators’ Circle membership in recognition of their support

WAI

Get in Touch

Make your impact

For more information on Women's Art Initiative, including annual events and honorary Curators’ Circle membership, please contact us.

The AGO extends immense gratitude to the Women’s Art Initiative and Founding Chair Michelle Koerner for their transformative support.

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Joyce Wieland. Young Woman's Blues, 1964. Wood, paint, found objects, plastic, 53.3 x 30.5 x 22.2 cm. The University of Lethbridge Art Collections; purchased with funds provided by Canada © National Gallery of Canada, Ottawa.

Opening June 21, 2025

Joyce Wieland: Heart On

Judith Leyster. Self-Portrait, c.1630. Oil on canvas, Unframed: 74.6 × 65.1 cm. National Gallery of Art, Washington, Gift of Mr. and Mrs. Robert Woods Bliss, 1949.6.1. Courtesy National Gallery of Art, Washington.

May 6 - July 1, 2024

Making Her Mark: A History of Women Artists in Europe, 1400-1800

Sarindar Dhaliwal. The cartographer’s mistake: the Radcliffe Line. Chromira print, 107 x 107 cm.

Sarindar Dhaliwal. The cartographer’s mistake: the Radcliffe Line, 2012. Chromira print, 107 x 107 cm. Collection of the Art Gallery of Ontario. Purchase, with funds by exchange from the J.S. McLean Collection, by Canada Packers Inc., 2020. © Sarindar Dhaliwal

July 23, 2023 - July 14, 2024

Sarindar Dhaliwal: When I grow up I want to be a namer of paint colours

photo of paul anthony smith, seven women

Paul Anthony Smith, Untitled, 7 Women, 2019. Unique picotage on inkjet print, coloured pencil, spray paint on museum board, 101.6 x 127 cm. The Hott Collection, New York © Paul Anthony Smith. Image courtesy of the artist and Jack Shainman Gallery, New York

September 1, 2021 - February 21, 2022

Fragments of Epic Memory

Haegue Yang. Woven Currents – Confluence of Parallels, 2020. Aluminum venetian blinds, powder-coated aluminum hanging structure, steel wire rope, LED tubes, cable, Dimensions Variable.. Purchase, with funds from Eleanor and Francis Shen, the David Yuile and Mary Elizabeth Hodgson Fund, Women’s Art Initiative, the Janet and Michael Scott Fund, the Contemporary Circle Fund, the Ivey Foundation Contemporary Art Endowment Fund, funds from Sandra and Leo Del Zotto, the Jay Smith and Laura Rapp Fund and the Molly Gilmour Fund, 2020. © Haegue Yang 2020/22

October 1, 2020 - April 5, 2021

Haegue Yang: Emergence

Woman with bubble of water hovering above her open hand.

Hito Steyerl, ExtraSpaceCraft (detail), 2016. Three-channel HD video, environment, 12 mins., 30 secs. Image CC 4.0 Hito Steyerl. Image courtesy of the artist, Andrew Kreps Gallery, New York and Esther Schipper, Berlin.

October 24, 2019 - February 23, 2020

Hito Steyerl: This is the future

Rebecca Belmore, Fringe, 2008. Cibachrome transparency in fluorescent lightbox, 81.5 x 244.8 x 16.7 cm. National Gallery of Canada, Purchase, 2011. © Rebecca Belmore

July 12 - October 21, 2018