TD commits $200,000 to Contemporary Calgary for Three In-house Educational Positions, To Improve Accessibility, Remove Financial, Language and Cultural Barriers For Over 8000 Children and Youth

Calgary, Alta (January 11, 2024) - Contemporary Calgary (701, 11 Street SW) is thrilled to have received support from TD Bank Group, through the TD Ready Commitment, for its Educational Programming Initiative. TD has very generously donated $200,000 over two years to support the hiring of a full-time TD Educational Coordinator along with two part-time facilitators. Programming developed and delivered through the Educational Programming Initiative is offered for free to youth aged 5 to 18.

The Educational Programming Initiative supports the TD Educational Coordinator and Facilitators in their career development while also helping to mitigate barriers that might keep kids from coming to the gallery. The barriers can be logistical or attitudinal, and include things like financial barriers, language or cultural barriers, limited scheduling, as well as not knowing about the gallery, feeling intimidated by large spaces, or thinking that it’s a space where they don’t belong.

The TD Educational Coordinator has a mandate to develop partnerships with other organizations that support youth who may not currently attend art galleries.

“I moved to Canada as a teen, and the whole experience was a significant adjustment for me. Attending high school here was sometimes challenging, but the place where I felt most connected was in my art class. We could communicate through the visual arts regardless of our backgrounds or the languages we spoke. Now, as an adult, I’m really happy to be able to offer free art classes to kids from all different backgrounds at the art gallery. We’re using art to connect the community”, says Yilu Xing, TD Educational Facilitator who has been hired through generous support from TD.

“TD’s support of our Educational Programming Initiative is truly transformative for Contemporary Calgary. While we have always offered educational programming, being able to assemble a diverse team of emerging professionals to focus specifically on delivering innovative workshops is truly amazing,” says David Leinster, CEO, of Contemporary Calgary.

“We’re so proud to support Contemporary Calgary’s work to amplify diverse voices and make art more accessible for local youth”; said Curtis Sands, District Vice President for Calgary Southwest, TD Bank Group. “Through the TD Ready Commitment, our corporate citizenship platform, we’re investing in initiatives that help people feel more included and connected to their communities.”