Victoria, BC – After an incredible ten years in Victoria’s inner harbour, the Bateman Foundation board and the Bateman family have decided to suspend operations of the Bateman Gallery. The last day of the Bateman Gallery will be February 18.
The foundation began the new year with high hopes for plans to revitalize the commitment to the mission with a re-imagined community art and nature centre in the heart of Victoria and an ambitious fundraising outreach campaign. Unfortunately, compounded challenges have created an untenable situation to recover from the post-pandemic landscape and rising operational costs.
“Unfortunately, our situation is not uncommon. It is disheartening to see that many arts and culture organizations are in the same boat – struggling to survive because of funding cuts, depleted donors, and limited government support and options,” said David Schneider, Chair of the Bateman Foundation.
“The Board and Bateman family are incredibly proud of our dedicated, hard-working team and their accomplishments. We’ve made a tremendous impact on the community and uplifted partners aligned with our values on art and the protection of nature. One silver lining of our closure is the hope it will sound the alarm to the community that we must not take our spaces for culture and art for granted. We need to start today to prioritize funding to protect our cultural institutions.”
The Bateman Foundation would like to thank the community, all partners, and funding organizations for their outstanding support in helping us create award-winning programming and exhibits for almost ten years.
The Bateman Foundation invites the public to celebrate the last day of the Bateman Gallery on February 18. Admission to the gallery is free all day, with a special appearance with Robert Bateman from 12 PM to 2 PM for signing and free activities throughout the day.
If you have any questions or comments, you can continue to contact the Bateman Foundation at [email protected]. Please note that during this transition, there will be limited communication monitoring after March 10.
About the Bateman Foundation
The Bateman Foundation is a nationally registered charity with a mission to build a relationship with nature through art. Founded by renowned artist and naturalist Robert Bateman, the foundation uses art to understand the environment. It is one of the only non-profits in Canada that primarily uses artwork to promote a connection to nature.
The Bateman Foundation reaches over 300,000 people across North America, educates more than 4,000 people through the flagship education program NatureSketch, and welcomes more than 15,000 visitors to the gallery.
Through educational programs, community collaborations and gallery exhibitions, the Bateman Foundation inspires a generation of people to build a deeper relationship with the natural world. For more information about the Bateman Foundation, visit batemanfoundation.org.
The Bateman Foundation is located on the traditional lands of the Lekwungen People, also known as the Songhees and Esquimalt First Nations.