On Friday, December 6, 2019, the Hamilton Arts Council, in partnership with the Hamilton Public Library and the Art Gallery of Hamilton, launched its BUILDING CULTURAL LEGACIES exhibition. Thanks to a $249,800 Grow grant awarded by the Ontario Trillium Foundation in 2017, this digital storytelling project focuses on building knowledge, sparking creativity and deepening connections by engaging people from diverse communities and generations in sharing their stories of the history of visual arts in Hamilton between 1950-2000.

“Congratulations to the Hamilton Arts Council on receiving this important OTF grant. The Building Cultural Legacies exhibition will play an important role educating and inspiring future generations. Thank you for ensuring Hamilton’s art history is celebrated and providing space for artists to share their stories.” – Andrea Horwath, MPP for Hamilton Centre

BUILDING CULTURAL LEGACIES presents not only a survey of Hamiltonian artists and art institutions, but their personal anecdotes and perspectives, featuring community contributions from diverse writers, researchers and archives.

Artists and related organizations working between 1950-2000 are invited to continue in sharing by submitting their images and stories to the BUILDING CULTURAL LEGACIES website in order to present a more truthful and dynamic snapshot into our shared past. The exhibit runs from November 23rd – May 18th at the Art Gallery of Hamilton. Featuring works by local artists Jim Chambers, Roger Ferreira, Conrad Furey, Cees and Annerie van Gemerden, Catherine Gibbon, Hortense Gordon, V. Jane Gordon, Elizabeth Holbrook, Donna Ibing, Bryce Kanbara, Peter Karuna, P. Mansaram and George Wallace, along with archival materials from Hamilton’s art history.

Photos by Cindy Cui.