Canadian War Memorials Fund National Historic Event
Ottawa, Ontario
Historic photograph
© Library and Archives Canada, Dept. of National Defence | Bibliothèque et Archives Canada, Ministère de la Défense nationale
Address :
Canadian War Museum, 1 Vimy Place, Ottawa, Ontario
Recognition Statute:
Historic Sites and Monuments Act (R.S.C., 1985, c. H-4)
Designation Date:
2014-09-14
Other Name(s):
-
Canadian War Memorials Fund
(Designation Name)
Research Report Number:
2013-04 (P)
Importance:
Canada’s first war art program.
Plaque(s)
Existing plaque: Canadian War Museum, 1 Vimy Place, Ottawa, Ontario
Created in 1916 by Max Aitken (Lord Beaverbrook), the Fund was Canada’s first war art program, establishing a tradition of commissioning artists to depict Canada at war. Over 100 artists, one-third of them Canadian, produced nearly 1,000 artworks for the Fund during the First World War. This initiative ensured a permanent legacy of Canadian art and a visual record of the country’s war effort, helping to foster a sense of national identity. By drawing media attention, supporting artists, and creating connections within the art world, the Fund nurtured the development of Canadian art.