Michael Bell

Board: Honorary Life Member

Michael Bell's Bio

Michael Bell is a retired art history professor and art museum director. Michael has been at one time or another Curator of Prints and Drawings at the Public Archives of Canada; Director of the Agnes Etherington Art Centre (Queen’s University); Visual Arts Officer, Ontario Arts Council; Assistant Director (Public Programs) and Acting Director, National Gallery of Canada; Director and CEO, McMichael Canadian Art Collection; and Founding Director (Associate Professor), Carleton University Art Gallery. In 1973 his book, Painters in a New Land, was recognized with the Governor-General’s Literary Award for Non-fiction.

Since coming to Kingston in the early 1970s, Michael has maintained a residence in the region almost continuously even though his work took him elsewhere. He now lives in Kingston.

During the late 1980s Michael served on the Board of the National Museums of Canada and the National Gallery of Canada. Locally, Michael served on the Board of the Cataraqui Conservation Foundation in numerous capacities. He joined the Board of the Community Foundation for Kingston & Area in 2011 and retired from the Board as Past President in June 2019.

Michael operates an amateur radio station with the call signs VE3NOO and VA3MBT.

Land Acknowledgment

The Community Foundation for Kingston & Area is situated on Anishinaabe, Haudenosaunee and Huron-Wendat territory. We acknowledge the significance of this land and all that is within it for the Indigenous Peoples who lived and continue to live here and who are sustained by this land.

It is our understanding that this territory is part of the Dish with One Spoon Treaty between the Anishinaabe and Haudenosaunee to share and protect this land. In the spirit of peace, friendship and respect, all subsequent Indigenous Nations and newcomers were invited into this living treaty to care for this land and its resources.

We affirm our commitment to continuously listen, learn, and honour Indigenous histories and perspectives as we work towards building a more resilient and welcoming community. We affirm our commitment to be a space for reconciliation in action.