Exclusive previews into private art collections in British Columbia

Private art collections often feel like hidden worlds. They are personal vaults of creativity that reveal as much about the collector as they do about the artists whose work they house.

In British Columbia, several such collections have not only shaped the province’s cultural identity but also opened their doors, at least partially, to the public. These art collections tell a story of passion, philanthropy and evolving stewardship that resonates across the Vancouver art scene and beyond.

Michael Audain and the Audain Art Museum in Whistler

One of the most celebrated examples of private art collecting in B.C. is the legacy of Michael Audain, a lifelong champion of the arts. Together with his wife Yoshiko Karasawa, Audain has built one of Canada’s most important art collections.

Their holdings range from historic Northwest Coast Indigenous masks to the largest body of Emily Carr’s paintings in private hands. The collection also includes works by Mexican modernists and Canadian post-war icons such as E.J. Hughes and Jack Shadbolt.

A private collection of paintings. Photo by Jean-Philippe Delberghe.

This vision found a permanent home in 2016 with the opening of the Audain Art Museum in Whistler. Designed by Patkau Architects, the museum houses about 200 works, with a curatorial focus that bridges B.C.’s artistic heritage and contemporary voices. Visitors encounter pieces by Vancouver artists such as Jeff Wall, Stan Douglas and Marianne Nicolson, whose works expand conversations around place, identity and history.

Bob Rennie’s contemporary art collection in Vancouver

In the heart of Vancouver’s Chinatown, Bob Rennie has built an art collection that rivals major international institutions.

Since the 1970s, Rennie has amassed more than 2,000 works by artists exploring themes of social justice, identity and cultural commentary. His collection includes global names such as Kerry James Marshall and Ai Weiwei, as well as Vancouver icons Rodney Graham, Brian Jungen and Douglas Coupland, whose satirical works on Canadian culture have made him one of the country’s most recognizable contemporary artists.

The Rennie Museum, housed in the historic Wing Sang building, offers curated exhibitions from his holdings and brings global art dialogues directly into the Vancouver art scene. Beyond the city, works from the Rennie Collection travel to institutions such as the Guggenheim, Centre Pompidou and Tate, cementing B.C.’s place in international art circuits.

The Michael C. Williams collection at the University of Victoria

Across the Strait of Georgia in Victoria, the late Michael C. Williams left a remarkable cultural legacy.

Upon his passing in 2000, Williams bequeathed more than 1,100 artworks, valued at roughly $17 million, to the University of Victoria. This collection, now part of the university’s Legacy Art Galleries, includes a diverse array of West Coast Indigenous and contemporary Canadian works.

The Williams collection shows how private art ownership, when gifted thoughtfully, can become a cornerstone for cultural institutions and communities.

Brigitte and Henning Freybe’s gift to the Vancouver Art Gallery

Another significant milestone in Vancouver’s art history came with the Brigitte and Henning Freybe donation to the Vancouver Art Gallery.

Valued at more than $10 million, their gift includes works by celebrated artists such as Beau Dick, Stan Douglas, Jeff Wall and Rodney Graham, alongside major European contemporary names. This donation strengthens the gallery’s reputation and enriches its collection as it prepares to move into its highly anticipated new building in downtown Vancouver.

Repatriation and ethical stewardship in art collecting

While private art collections enrich cultural life, they also carry responsibilities. In 2025, a bentwood box crafted by the Heiltsuk Nation was returned after nearly 150 years in private hands. The act of repatriation underscores an evolving understanding of cultural stewardship in B.C.’s art scene.

Collectors and institutions are increasingly engaging with Indigenous communities to ensure artworks and cultural objects are preserved, respected and, in some cases, returned. This shift reflects how private art collecting in British Columbia is not only about acquisition but also about responsibility, ethics and dialogue.

Why private art collections matter to Vancouver and beyond

From the purpose-built Audain Art Museum in Whistler to the experimental exhibitions at the Rennie Museum in Vancouver’s Chinatown, and from the Williams legacy in Victoria to transformative donations like the Freybes’, private art collections are shaping B.C.’s cultural narrative.

They create opportunities for exclusive previews into the worlds of collectors, while also ensuring that art becomes a shared resource for communities.

British Columbia’s private art collections are more than personal treasures. They are living archives that document the evolving story of place, identity and creativity, an essential part of what makes the Vancouver art scene thrive, and why events like Art Vancouver continue to connect collectors, artists and audiences.

by Preety Komal