Joan Chalmers

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Margaret Joan Chalmers C.C., O.Ont, D.F.A. (born 30 May 1928 in Toronto)^[1] is a Canadian philanthropist and supporter of the arts.

In 1972, she and her parents, Floyd and Jean Chalmers, founded the annual Chalmers Awards, which donates $25,000 CAD to artists in dance, theatre, crafts, film, the visual arts and music.

She was involved with the traveling exhibit, Survivors in Search of a Voice: The Art of Courage, which as a collaboration among 24 prominent Canadian women artists and over 100 breast cancer survivors.

While celebrating her 70th birthday in 1998, she announced that she would provide 20 arts groups with a total of $1 million in funding.^[2]

Chalmers is the partner of former singer-songwriter Barbara Amesbury.

[edit] Honours

In 1987 she was made a Member of the Order of Canada.
In 1987 she was awarded a Doctor of Fine Arts, honoris causa from NSCAD University.
In 1992 she was promoted to Officer of the Order of Canada.
In 1994 she was awarded the Order of Ontario.
In 1994 she was awarded an honorary Doctor of Law from the University of Waterloo.
In 1997 she was promoted to Companion of the Order of Canada.
In 2001 she received the Governor General's Award for Visual and Media Arts in the Outstanding Contribution category.