Our History

In 1975, an endowment and artworks from the private collection of Mykhailo and Yaroslava Szafraniuk led to the creation of the Ukrainian Canadian Art Foundation, along with a Permanent Collection that provided the impetus to established KUMF™ Gallery. For more than 40 years the Ukrainian Canadian Art Foundation and KUMF Gallery have been the cornerstone of Toronto’s and Canada’s vibrant Ukrainian-Canadian visual arts community.

UCAF and KUMF Gallery are dedicated to serving the Ukrainian-Canadian community, as well as the community at large, by exhibiting and fostering an understanding of art, in addition to preserving and collecting quality works of art.

KUMF Gallery furthers an understanding of Ukrainian art, creates shared experiences, bridges cultures and enhances our understanding of the world. Operating on a broad spectrum from introducing new Ukrainian artists to disseminating information, UCAF through KUMF Gallery strives to deepen relationships with members and visitors of all ages through lectures, art programs and publications.

KUMF Gallery offers a full spectrum of activities. These include: broad theme introductions to art concepts; cultural/world issues by engaging in dialogue through exhibitions; providing visitors with the tools for an active and sustained engagement with art. Art-related classes and workshops increase, expand and attract new audiences while cultivating partnerships with diverse cultural organizations to enrich the viewers’ experience. KUMF Gallery broadens its scope with displays from other cultures and cooperates extensively with diverse artistic communities. Simultaneously, balance is sought with exhibits that illuminate and reinforce the Foundation’s Permanent Collection.

The Foundation’s Permanent Collection consists of more than 500 pieces representing 155 artists spanning over 90 years of art history. Works of well-known Canadian and American artists of Ukrainian background, as well as contributions from outstanding Ukrainian visual artists are illustrated through paintings, drawings, prints and sculpture executed in a wide range of artistic styles, genres and media. The Foundation regularly exhibits selections from the Permanent Collection at KUMF Gallery and participates in art lending exchanges. KUMF Gallery is also home to the  Ukrainian Association of Visual Artists of Canada 

The Ukrainian Canadian Art Foundation and KUMF Gallery reflects the Ukrainian-Canadian community, stewards its visual arts heritage and preserves an important part of the community’s history for the benefit of future generations.