A Visionary Investment in Canadian Opera's Future

The Canadian Opera Company is proud to announce a transformative gift from Pamela and Paul Austin: $1.5 million toward supporting the COC’s work in engaging diverse opera-goers and developing robust audiences for the future of the art form. Together, the organizations share a bold vision for reimagining the opera experience, making it more accessible, relevant, and engaging for more audiences.

“The Canadian Opera Company is incredibly grateful for this visionary investment,” says COC Deputy General Director Christie Darville. “The immense generosity shown by The P. Austin Family Foundation is a powerful statement that music and opera as an art form matters. This valuable gift will form the cornerstone of our comprehensive audience development strategy, beginning in our 2024/2025 season and continuing through to 2026/2027 and beyond—we look forward to sharing more on how this significant philanthropic partnership will amplify our work to see Canadian opera thrive.”

Pamela and Paul Austin and The P. Austin Family Foundation have been a long-time supporters of the Canadian Opera Company and were recently a crucial underwriter of the company’s digital 2021/2022 season. At a time when theatres across the country remained shuttered due to the pandemic, the COC was remarkably able to launch a full season of professionally recorded concerts and fully-staged opera thanks to the Foundation’s extraordinary donation of $1.3 million. Through The P. Austin Family Foundation’s commitment to creating long-term sustainability for opera, the COC has since been able to continue expanding its reach and pushing for artistic innovation, using the vital digital infrastructure and learnings acquired in 21/22.

“We are proud to champion the performing arts in Canada, and, particularly, Canadian opera,” says Paul Austin. “We recognize that the arts and culture landscape has seen significant changes over the last few years and that philanthropic partnerships like ours are imperative to reimagining how vital organizations like the COC connect with potential patrons. It’s truly incredible to see what the Canadian Opera Company has done with the Foundation’s support to date, and we look forward to seeing audiences and enthusiasm for the art form continue to grow.”

Broadening the COC’s reach and deepening community connections is a major company priority that reaches right across the organization from locally-rooted programming to long-term planning being conducted at the Board level, spearheaded by COC Board Director Al Ramsay. “This investment is wonderful news for the company and our ongoing work with audiences,” says Ramsay. “As a national performing arts organization, it’s important for the COC to be a beacon of inclusivity in order to encourage a new generation of arts-lovers. Together we can ensure that opera not only endures, but thrives as a dynamic part of our shared cultural heritage.”