PR Newswire
New funding supports cultural preservation initiatives in Montreal and Toronto, including sponsorship of major international conservation conference
Key points
- Expanded funding and programming help to preserve art and cultural heritage in Canada
- Support combines conservation leadership with long–standing local ties in Canada
- Since 2013, Bank of America has funded several initiatives in Canada spanning restoration projects and partnerships with leading cultural institutions
- Bank of America’s roots in Canada go back to 1903
TORONTO, May 29, 2026 /PRNewswire/ — Bank of America today announced three major initiatives supporting the arts in Canada, including recent funding for restoration projects in Montreal and Toronto, as well as lead sponsorship of the American Institute for Conservation’s Annual Meeting and Conference, which took place this year in Montreal.
These efforts build on the firm’s long-standing commitment to cultural preservation in Canada. Since 2013, Bank of America has supported several cultural initiatives across the country through its global Art Conservation Project and partnerships with leading cultural institutions, helping to conserve important works of art and expand public access to the arts.
“At Bank of America, we believe that investing in the arts enriches lives, and we support nonprofit partners to expand access while preserving art and heritage for future generations,” said Drew McDonald, Country Executive and President of Bank of America Canada. “We’re especially proud of our long-standing roots in Canada, dating back to 1903, and of our broad presence across the country of 1,000 teammates who help clients drive growth globally.”
Montreal
Bank of America is providing funding to the Montreal Museum of Fine Arts (MMFA) to restore Alice Rahon’s Juggler (1946) through its Art Conservation Project. It is one of only 18 historic artworks worldwide to receive the conservation grant by the firm.
A complex marionette sculpture – with a deeply moving story, Juggler was created shortly after World War II, when Rahon, an eminent figure of the Surrealist movement, turned to the cosmos to contemplate the continuation of humanity after such a catastrophe.
The work is in unstable condition today. The current system of presentation in a transparent plexiglass box induces physical stress in the structure and increases the risk of breakage, torsion, and deformation of the metallic components and micro-lift in the gold paint layer.
The grant will enable the complete restoration of the artwork, bringing together MMFA curators, conservation specialists, and a puppeteer to conduct expert analysis, restore movement, and create a custom suspension harness and display case that ensure long-term protection while honoring the work’s identity as a marionette.
“Alice Rahon’s Juggler is an extraordinary work of postwar Surrealism, and its conservation is essential to preserving the stories and artistic voices that shape our cultural memory,” said Mary-Dailey Desmarais, Zhao-Ionescu Chief Curator of the Montreal Museum of Fine Arts. “The financial support enables us to stabilize and restore this remarkably delicate sculpture so it can be shared with the public as the artist intended. The collaboration with the bank allows us to protect a vital piece of artistic heritage and deepen our commitment to conservation excellence in Canada.”
In line with Bank of America’s commitment to art conservation, the firm was the lead sponsor of the American Institute for Conservation’s (AIC) Annual Meeting and Conference this year —marking its fourth year supporting the event—which took place in Montreal. AIC is a leading membership association for conservators and allied professionals dedicated to preserving cultural heritage, representing more than 3,500 individuals across more than 40 countries.
This year’s programming included talks, panels, and presentations centered on the theme “Conservation at the Intersection of Innovation and Tradition,” exploring how conservation practices evolve at the edge of experimentation while remaining deeply rooted in continuity, legacy, and community.
As part of the conference, the AIC led a Community Partnership Project at McGill University’s Redpath Museum. Also supported by Bank of America, the initiative brought together emerging and established conservation professionals to help improve storage conditions for the museum’s collections. The team worked on the conservation of a unique collection of historic woven baskets and developed a plan to enhance the institution’s long-term preservation capabilities.
“Bank of America’s support for our meeting and this project continue to demonstrate their outstanding commitment to preservation and the arts,”
said Lissa Rosenthal-Yoffe, Executive Director of AIC. “Being able to gather as a community and give back to our hosting city is incredibly meaningful—Bank of America is an essential partner in this work.”
Toronto
The Art Gallery of Ontario (AGO) in Toronto also received funding from the Bank of America Art Conservation Project™ for a restoration project to support the conservation of three works by Canadian painter Pegi Nicol MacLeod (1904–1949), an influential pioneer of Modernism.
“Pegi Nicol MacLeod was a trailblazing Modern artist, and her paintings are a treasured part of the AGO Collection. Stabilizing these works so they may return to public view is an important step in advancing recognition of her remarkable legacy,” said Maria Sullivan, Head of Conservation, Art Gallery of Ontario. “Thanks to Bank of America’s generous support, our conservation team can address long–standing structural challenges in these paintings and ensure that MacLeod’s vivid, dynamic vision can once again be experienced by audiences in Canada and beyond.”
Bank of America
Bank of America is one of the world’s leading financial institutions, serving individual consumers, small and middle-market businesses and large corporations with a full range of banking, investing, asset management and other financial and risk management products and services. The company provides unmatched convenience in the United States, serving nearly 70 million clients with approximately 3,500 retail financial centers, approximately 15,000 ATMs (automated teller machines) and award-winning digital banking with approximately 59 million verified digital users. Bank of America is a global leader in wealth management, corporate and investment banking and trading across a broad range of asset classes, serving corporations, governments, institutions and individuals around the world. As the #1 small business lender in the United States (FDIC), Bank of America offers industry leading support to approximately 4 million small business households through a suite of innovative, easy-to-use online products and services. The company serves clients through operations across the United States, its territories and more than 35 countries. Bank of America Corporation stock (NYSE: BAC) is listed on the New York Stock Exchange.
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Reporters may contact
Tom Rottcher, Bank of America
Phone: 1.551.275.7211
[email protected]
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SOURCE Bank of America Corporation
