A new, state-of-the-art cultural building in Vancouver is one step closer to becoming a reality.
The new art gallery would be the most environmentally sustainable one in the world and the first passive house gallery in North America.
A passive house is an ultra-low energy building by performance standards.
On Monday it was announced that almost $30-million in funding has been provided by the federal government to support the new Vancouver Art Gallery, set to open in 2027.
The gallery needs $400 million in total to achieve its fundraising goal.
Anthony Kiendl, director of the art gallery, said they are now at 70 per cent of their fundraising goal.
“We are going to be telling the story to the world of how this province began, starting with our Indigenous Peoples, celebrating them, listening to their stories, their culture their history, their art, and learning from them,” Vancouver Centre MP Hedy Fry said Monday.
There have been a lot of controversies recently over funding pursued and pulled in regards to the Royal BC Museum but officials at the Vancouver Art Gallery said this project has been a long time coming.
“This will be a centre for people gathering, for exploring creativity and ideas – those are essential things, so they really contribute to the health of our society. In the case of Vancouver Art Gallery, we’re seeking $400 million; so far, most of that has come from private volunteers and supporters, so this is a really reasonable project,” Kiendl said.