Canadian family gives $20 million to arts

May 12, 2010

TORONTO (JTA) -- One of Canada's leading Jewish philanthropic families has made one of the largest gifts ever to Toronto's Jewish community with a donation of $20 million for a revitalized arts center.

The gift from the Koffler family will go toward a new design and expanded facilities at their namesake Koffler Centre of the Arts.

The donation will fund a state-of-the-art facility that will include exhibition galleries; dance, music, visual and digital arts studios; performance and presentation spaces; and a bookstore, cafe and museum-standard gallery, according to a news release from UJA Federation.

Philanthropists Murray and Marvelle Koffler established the center in 1977. It offers some 65 classes a year in music, dance and visual arts for children and adults, and hosts visiting artists.

The center is situated on the 27.5-acre Sherman Campus, which also includes a Jewish community center, theHolocaust Education Center, a sports complex and most of Toronto's Jewish communal services. The campus is under development as part of the Tomorrow Campaign.

"We are deeply grateful for this generous gift for the Koffler Centre of the Arts -- a place that will be home to the finest in Jewish and world culture here in Toronto, as part of UJA's Sherman Campus development," Alan Winer, chair of UJA Federation of Greater Toronto, said in a statement.

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Canadian family gives $20 million to arts

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