Agnes Etherington Art Centre (AGNES) is proud to announce the Government of Canada’s support in the realization of Agnes Reimagined, a living museum for the 21st century.

 A $2 Million contribution from Canadian Heritage’s Canada Cultural Spaces Fund brings AGNES’s new vision to life through a fully accessible renovation of the historic Etherington House into a welcoming cultural hub and live-in artist residence. The return of Etherington House back into a “home” makes hospitality the guiding ethos of Agnes Reimagined and renews Etherington’s original bequest of her home to Queen’s University to further the cause of art and community.

Agnes Reimagined has envisioned an entirely different architectural approach to museum building in Canada, inviting diverse, and often excluded, communities into the heart of a two-year schematic design process modelled on traditional Anishinaabe talking circles. “The process is proving as important as the outcome,” says AGNES Advisory Board member and Métis architect and artist Tiffany Shaw. “By bringing together community members around the kitchen table, the open-ended conversations around the future of the gallery echo the way women have gathered for generations, in many cultures, including in traditional Indigenous communities, and in Agnes Etherington’s own day and age.”

 Led by Anishinaabe-kwe artist and project collaborator Georgina Riel, talking circles also included museum staff and architects as well as members of Agnes Reimagined’s project management teams. Circles continue through design development, construction, and reopening.

 “Investing in cultural hubs is more than just financial support; it’s a testament to our belief in the power of arts and culture to transform lives and communities. The new Indigenous artist residency and the creation of three new presentation spaces within the historic Etherington House will strengthen community ties between AGNES and the community and encourage socially engaged and innovative projects. By supporting this groundbreaking renovation, our government is making a significant investment in enhancing physical spaces for arts, heritage, culture and creative innovation, which demonstrates our commitment to Canada’s arts and cultural sector,” says the Honourable Pascale St‑Onge, Minister of Canadian Heritage.

“The renovation of the historic Etherington House at AGNES marks an exciting chapter not only for AGNES and Queen’s University, but also for Kingston and the rest of Eastern Ontario,” says Mark Gerretsen, Member of Parliament for Kingston and the Islands. “It enhances our dynamic arts and cultural landscape while also positioning our city and the surrounding region as a lively hub for creativity, innovation, and community engagement that fosters a rich environment where artists and audiences alike can thrive.”

“Agnes Reimagined is an unprecedented opportunity to rethink museum practices by literally building alternative architectures that restructure them. Our new building won’t be a container for old systems. It is a proposition for new ideas,” says Emelie Chhangur, Agnes’s Director and Curator. “We are thrilled to welcome Canadian Heritage on our journey of transformation. This $2M commitment is validating as it signals that together we can ensure the cultural institutions of Canada’s future will no longer be those of Canada’s colonial past.”  

 Toronto’s award-winning architectural practice KPMB, in collaboration with Georgina Riel, Indigenous Affairs Consultant of RIEL Cultural Consulting, and Jennifer Nagai of PFS Studio, was awarded the international design competition for Agnes Reimagined in 2021. “Agnes Reimagined is a call to action to build a new future for museums in Canada.” says architect Bruce Kuwabara. “In this time of change, we are resetting all our relations in a design that is flexible, equitable and sustainable. The design prioritizes thermal comfort, energy efficiency and occupant wellbeing to deliver a welcoming museum experience.”

 Balancing the historic Etherington House, a three-story curvilinear pavilion features new kinds of museum architectures, which are built around the needs of diverse cultural traditions and protocols. These include a cluster of Indigenous self-determination spaces that hold ceremony, visitation and other relational, nation-specific forms of stewardship. “Indigenous Self-Determination spaces will allow for the continued use and implementation of our cultural practices and traditions, while also providing a safe space for Indigenous staff, students, artists and guests alike,” says Oneida Elder Te howis kwûnt (Allen Doxtator), member of Agnes’s Indigenous Advisory Circle and Cultural Advisor in the Office of Indigenous Initiatives (Queen’s University). “Another part of building Indigenous specific spaces is the education they can provide for non-Indigenous visitors, while also moving institutions towards more meaningful allyship and working friendships. Agnes Reimagined is a step toward reconciliation and Indigenizing spaces at Queens University.”

 “Queen’s is honoured to serve as home to this exciting project,” says Patrick Deane, Principal and Vice-Chancelor of Queen’s University. “The generous private and public funding that has come forward to support AGNES recognizes the importance of culture and art in our lives. This will be the largest public university-affiliated museum in Canada, where Western and Indigenous worldviews sit side by side as equals.”

 The renovation of Etherington House plays an integral role within a larger ecosystem of Agnes Reimagined, which includes a 200% increase in exhibition, public programming, education and other flexible, future-embracing, spaces. Offering durational stay and programming outside museum hours, the Etherington House renovation facilitates long-term relationships and trust-building, a core mission of AGNES’s new vision.

Agnes Reimagined would not be possible without transformational lead gifts totalling US$75 million from Bader Philanthropies Inc, a private foundation located in the Harambee neighborhood of Milwaukee, Wisconsin. The Foundation shares the values of Dignity, Compassion, Humility, Integrity and Service and strives to practice Cultural Intentionality, Embedded Philanthropy, Continuous Improvement, and Good Governance. “Agnes Reimagined embodies our commitment to fostering cultural enrichment and education,” says Dan Bader, President/CEO of Bader Philanthropies, Inc. “Through this initiative, we honor the legacy of Alfred and Isabel Bader, ensuring that their passion for art and learning continues to inspire future generations.” Through the leadership and philanthropy of the late Alfred Bader (Sc’45, Arts’46, MSc’47, LLD’86) and the late Isabel Bader (LLD’07), AGNES is home to the world-renowned Bader Collection. In 2021, Bader Philanthropies endowed AGNES’s Curator of Indigenous Art & Culture, twinning AGNES’s endowed Curator of European Art.

Construction for Agnes Reimagined began on May 13, 2024. AGNES stays active during its closure with a nomadic program of exhibitions, performances, land-based projects and artist residencies. Agnes Reimagined is scheduled to open in 2026.

An event with Mark Gerretsen, Member of Parliament for Kingston and the Islands, will be held in recognition of this Canada Cultural Spaces Fund announcement.

This project has been made possible in part by the Government of Canada.

Ce projet a été rendu possible en partie grâce au gouvernement du Canada.