Donors give $20,000 to support Southampton Arts
Donors give $20,000 to support Southampton Arts through Community Foundation Grey Bruce
SOUTHAMPTON, ON – Two donors have jointly given a total of $20,000 to Community Foundation Grey Bruce (CFGB) to benefit the Southampton Arts Centre (SAC).
Merv Redman of Kitchener and Fred Kuntz of Port Elgin contributed $10,000 each to the J. Fred Kuntz Endowed Fund, a sub-fund of the Southampton Arts Centre Endowment Fund. This repeats a similar donation the two made in 2025.
“These funds support arts and culture in Saugeen Shores over the long run,” Kuntz said. “That’s the beauty of donating through Community Foundation: the investment never stops giving.”
“I support creative expression because it adds to our quality of life,” Redman said. “We all enjoy seeing new and interesting artworks in our community.”
Southampton Arts has two programs: the Southampton Art School, founded in 1957, which offers arts courses to about 1,000 youth and adults each summer; and the Southampton Art Gallery, in the former Town Hall building on High St., free to the public and selling the works of about 40 local and regional artists.
The original SAC Endowment Fund was created in 2010-11 with $30,000, including $20,000 from local donors and Southampton Arts itself, plus $10,000 in matching funds from a CFGB program at that time. Through investment and donations, the funds now total more than $85,000, resulting in annual grants to the arts organization of $3,000 or more.
Redman has been a significant supporter to Southampton Arts, including through direct donations and a two-year, interest free loan of $25,000 in 2024 to help the group recover from financial setbacks during the pandemic.
With the Town of Saugeen Shores now funding the arts group, and an annual business plan that has increased the group’s revenues, SAC this fall was finally able to pay off the remainder of the Redman loan, money he immediately donated back through the Foundation.
“All donations through our foundation are appreciated, and every donor can choose their charity,” said Stuart Reid, Executive Director of CFGB. “We help to connect people’s generosity to many worthy causes – to build vibrant, healthy and sustainable communities.”
Created in 1994, Community Foundation Grey Bruce has a mandate to enhance community vitality by fostering open discussion about local need, sharing knowledge, and growing endowments to provide strategic granting and support to a wide range of non-profit organizations.