We call on the Banff Centre for Arts and Creativity to stop enabling the art-washing of war crimes and genocide

The Banff Centre for Arts and Creativity is allowing the Azrieli Foundation and other organizations to art-wash war crimes and genocide.

From September 3 to 6, the Banff Centre is hosting the Banff International String Quartet Festival (BISQFest). Among the sponsors is the Azrieli Foundation.

A bit about the Azrieli Foundation: The Azrieli Foundation (TAF) is a Canadian charity that has significant investments in the Azrieli Group, an Israeli real estate company. It was established in 1989 as a public foundation. It also has ties to The Azrieli Foundation Israel, TAF's Israeli counterpart.

TAF donates significant amounts to Israeli universities that are tied to the Israeli military. TAF also provides fellowships to former Israeli military personnel, including those who participated in the genocide in Gaza, and those who are acting as consultants for Israel’s Ministry of Defence.

It is also worthwhile noting a few things:

• David Azrieli founded both the Azrieli Group and the Foundation. In 1948, he was part of the paramilitary Haganah group. His unit, the Seventh Brigade, was responsible for the “Battle of Jerusalem” which forcibly displaced approximately 10,000 Palestinians.
• As of the company’s last financial report (June 2025), they held about 2.3% of the Bank of Leumi (an Israeli bank that provides “financial foundation and services for settlement activities and settlement expansion”).
• Both foundations have significant investments in the Azrieli Group. The Canadian organization holds 8.55% of the company’s shares, and the Israeli foundation 5.69%. The only other investor with more shares is the Azrieli Holdings Company with 55.62% of Azrieli Group shares. You can see a full list of investors below.
• All three institutions share directors, namely Sharon Azrieli and Naomi Azrieli, who are on both boards. Additionally, Amir Gissin is on both Foundation boards. Finally, Dana Azrieli Hakim is on the Israeli Foundation board and her husband Danny Hakim is on the Canadian Foundation board.
• In Canada, Azrieli Foundation gives significant funds to other Canadian charities across various sectors, including healthcare, education, and the arts, and in this case The Banff Centre for Arts and Creativity.

Learn more about The Azrieli Foundation in this regard.

Learn more about the donors to the Banff Centre including Azrieli and others.

The Azrieli Foundation’s support for various Canadian organizations, such as hospitals and arts performers, is simply an attempt at cultural ‘washing’ (e.g., artwashing, sportwashing, pinkwashing). To reject these attempts, we must first expose them!

Email the leadership at the Banff Centre for Arts and Creativity to insist they stop art-washing war crimes and genocide.