Galas support Montreal’s cultural community and Toronto’s 2SLGBTQ+ hub

The McCord Stewart Museum Grand Ball 2023, May 4, Montreal

The McCord Stewart Museum’s mandate is quite simply to celebrate the city of Montreal’s past and present. The exhibitions within its walls explore the city’s history, people and communities. Up now through September, for instance, is the work of photographer and film director Joannie Lafrenière. The exhibition Hochelaga - Evolving Montreal, through videos, photographs and poetry offers visitors an intimate look at the Montreal neighbourhood she’s called home for nearly two decades. Shows like this latest, of course, take up space, and with the merging of the McCord Museum, the Stewart Museum and the Fashion Museum under a single roof, more space is needed. A new forthcoming building will expand the McCord Museum’s current site, offering double the space and triple the surface area for exhibitions. The McCord Museum Foundation’s fundraising events drum up 50 per cent of the organization’s revenues through a series of annual gatherings—the Grand Ball, its largest and most important, was held May 4 at Arsenal art contemporain. More than 500 guests attended, dressed to theme in black and white, who together raised about $500,000 to further the institution’s mission. The event celebrated the museum’s contributions to the community, but also demonstrated the unwavering support and commitment of Montrealers to preserving their rich cultural heritage. There among them were: Robert Szokup of TD Insurance and Rodrigue Lussier of Fiera Capital who serve as co-presidents of the gala; party creative director Dick Walsh who also served on the event committee alongside names like Sun Life’s Jean-Michel Lavoie and Bita Cattelan of WCPD Foundation; fashion designer Denis Gagnon; National Arts Center CEO Christopher Deacon; musician Alex Nevsky and actor Vanessa Pilon; and of course Anne Eschapasse, the museum’s president and CEO.

Jean-Claude Poitras and Serge Sasseville.Eric Carriere/The Globe and Mail

Jacob Lithgow.Eric Carriere/The Globe and Mail

Anne Eschapasse.Eric Carriere/The Globe and Mail

Samantha Druda, Deborah Cherenfant and Jessica Manolikakis.Eric Carriere/The Globe and Mail

Jean-Michel Lavoie.Eric Carriere/The Globe and Mail

Joannie Lafreniäre and Melissa Lefebvre.Eric Carriere/The Globe and Mail

The 519 Gala, April 30, Toronto

A few nights earlier on the eve of April 30, Toronto’s Ritz Carlton Hotel was the backdrop for a dinner held in support of The 519, an organization which provides essential year-round work in service of 2SLGBTQ+ communities. The annual event, now in its 18th year, is presided over and orchestrated by philanthropist Salah Bachir, former president of Cineplex Media and current publisher of Star Cineplex magazine. Each year Bachir calls upon a pal from the biz (k.d lang, Alan Cumming and Ben Vereen have been among them) who do a set to raise funds for the cause. This year it was the multi Tony and Grammy award winner Audra McDonald who held court - and captivate she certainly did as she moved through her repertoire of Broadway hits. Aside from a few thank yous, there’s no auction or long speeches, the usual trappings of a fundraising dinner, at The 519′s gala. This year though, being honoured in a special tribute for his allyship and support of the queer community was novelist John Irving. Film director Patricia Rozema and Irving’s daughter, singer Nelly Furtado, transgender writer, director and actress Eva Everett Irving, were tasked with introducing him. There in the crowd out to support Toronto’s 2SLGBTQ+ community: TD’s Al Ramsay, artist Kent Monkman, philanthropists Nancy Lockhart and Sylvia Mantella, author Margaret Atwood, and comedian Rick Mercer who served as honorary chairs of the gala; actress Kim Cattrall; BMO’s head of giving Nada Ristich; philanthropists Gary and Donna Slaight; and Maura Lawless, executive director of The 519.