Range Rover’s Connection to Whistler Arts and Culture
This past week, Range Rover dropped the cover on its latest limited edition model for the Canadian market at Range Rover House Whistler, marking a significant milestone for the brand. Not only was this the first appearance of a Range Rover House north of the border, but it was also an important moment for arts and culture on Canada’s West Coast. With each sale of these eight SV Arete editions, Range Rover has pledged to make donations to both the Squamish Lil’wat Cultural Centre and the Audain Art Museum.
Supporting local causes is nothing new to the brand, but Range Rover’s commitment to local causes in its new host city is a welcome surprise nonetheless. It will greatly benefit the arts and culture community in and around the Whistler area. Each organization will receive $2,500 for each Arete sold, for a combined total of $40,000.
The Squamish Lil’wat Cultural Centre
The Squamish Lil’wat Cultural Centre
The Squamish Lil’wat Cultural Centre
The Squamish Lil’wat Cultural Centre
The Squamish Lil’wat Cultural Centre
In the case of the Squamish Lil’Wat Cultural Centre, the donated funds from Range Rover will be used to provide critical mental health programs for members of both the Squamish Nation and Lil’wat Nation. The funds will support the continued presence of a mental health counsellor on-site at the SLCC, a program that first launched during the pandemic; it has reduced the number of suicide attempts within the communities. For ages, the Squamish Nation and Lil’wat Nation have coexisted respectfully as neighbours, and the cultural centre acts as a pivotal hub for both communities in the region. Their cultures are grounded in rich, ancient traditions, and continue to grow and evolve in a modern world. The Squamish Lil’wat Cultural Centre (SLCC) was built to share the community’s cultural knowledge, aiming to inspire understanding and respect amongst all peoples.
Audain Art Museum
Audain Art Museum
Audain Art Museum
Audain Art Museum
Audain Art Museum
On the opposite side of the coin, the Audain Art Museum serves as an anchor to preserve and protect artwork in British Columbia. Founded in late 2012, with an extensive expansion of the gallery opening just over three years later, the museum rapidly grew to contain one of the world’s finest collections of BC art and craft. Aside from its impressive (and still growing) collection, the gallery hosts a variety of educational programs over the course of the year, ranging from speaking engagements to after school youth art programs. The donated funds from Range Rover will support the 2024 Audain Gala — the museum’s hallmark fundraising event. The Gala allows the Audain to expand its collection of fine art from across British Columbia.
After a very successful closing of Range Rover House Whistler, optimism is in the air regarding its reappearance in 2025. With this come high hopes of engagement with the mountain destination’s arts and culture community. For now, Range Rover’s contributions will be doing plenty of good for each organization.
