Vancouver, B.C. (August 20, 2024): Lindsay Mearns, a Vancouver-based artist, has donated $2 million to Arts Umbrella. The extraordinary gift will be permanently endowed in the Arts Umbrella Foundation, ensuring young people in Metro Vancouver and across Canada can continue to access high-quality arts education. Arts Umbrella will acknowledge this significant commitment through the naming of the “Lindsay Mearns School of Dance”.
In 1994, Lindsay Mearns and her family established the Dale Mearns Fund, which has provided meaningful annual scholarships for the past 30 years to promising young artists. This significant new donation will further expand access to the highest calibre arts education that inspires children and youth to lead creative, authentic and courageous lives.
Arts Umbrella’s recognition of Mearns’ generosity is represented by the naming of the Lindsay Mearns School of Dance. With this naming, all three schools of arts disciplines at Arts Umbrella have been named through philanthropic gifts– including the Audain School of Art & Design and the Robert M. Ledingham School of Theatre, Music & Film.
“We are so very grateful to Lindsay Mearns for this impactful gift,” says Paul Larocque, President & CEO of Arts Umbrella. “From the beginning, equitable access to high-calibre arts education programs has been integral to Arts Umbrella’s philosophy and, today, continues to be our guiding principle. It is our belief that financial, socio-economic, and physical barriers should never prevent a young person from participating in the arts.”
“I’ve always turned to creating art to guide me through many moments in life,” says Lindsay Mearns. “It’s so meaningful to me, and I know how meaningful it is to young kids to have this experience.
Arts Umbrella’s School of Dance is recognized worldwide for its groundbreaking training in contemporary ballet, with a talented faculty of artists teaching a variety of dance styles. Under the leadership of Artemis Gordon, Artistic Director, the rigorous program has flourished and is designed for dancers ages 6-22, balancing physical development with emotional and intellectual growth. Accessibility is a core value of the School of Dance program, with scholarships and bursaries enabling participation from children of all backgrounds.
Canada’s leading non-profit organization dedicated to youth arts education, Arts Umbrella has locations in Vancouver and Surrey, and delivers donor-funded programs at schools, community centres, neighbourhood houses and healthcare facilities across Metro Vancouver and beyond. The non-profit provides accessible arts education to underserved communities, collaborating with 110 partner locations, including the Vancouver School Board, Surrey School District, Children’s Hospital, and Covenant House. Arts Umbrella serves approximately 20,000 young people annually, with over 77% participating in programs at no cost.
For more information about Arts Umbrella, please visit www.artsumbrella.com.
