The FACE Foundation is honoured to announce a generous

$100,000

donation from philanthropist and arts advocate Elizabeth Wirth. This transformative gift will sustain the Stéphane-Tétreault Scholarships, supporting exceptional young string musicians from FACE School and reinforcing the Foundation’s commitment to arts education.

Earlier this fall, Theodora Stathopoulos, Foundation President Stéphan Gervais, Vice-President Isolde Legare, and officer Kristelle Holliday, had the pleasure of meeting Ms Wirth in her downtown Montreal office to express their gratitude and learn more about the story behind her donation.

Born in Vienna and raised in Ontario, Elizabeth Wirth has lived a life in tune with generosity and community. Although she presides over a successful international business in Montreal, her heart has always belonged to the arts. Two decades ago, she met Theodora Stathopoulos and the young musicians of FACE School - among them a gifted child named Stéphane Tétreault. “I was so impressed,” she recalls, with a sense of wonder that still resonates today.

Music has been a lifelong thread for Ms Wirth. One grandparent had a friend who had an opera box and brought her to performances; another dreamed of becoming an opera singer; a third was a fine pianist. She herself loved to sing, although she imagined herself on a Broadway stage rather than an opera house! “All this presence of music in my life shaped who I am,” she says.

Her Austrian roots and deep belief in education through the arts led her to become a steadfast supporter of the FACE music program. A poster of the Face Symphonic Orchestra (OSF) still hangs in her office - a daily reminder of what can flourish when young people are given the opportunity. She firmly believes that having access to music and being part of programs shouldn’t be a struggle and this is the driving force behind her gift. As part of her donation, Ms. Wirth also designated $20,000 to support Encore!Sistema Québec (ESQ), a music education charity that enriches the lives of young musicians through accessible programming.

For Ms Wirth, philanthropy is not only about giving - it’s about caring and belonging. She likes being engaged and involved in the organisations she supports. Her generosity also extends beyond the arts: as President of the Lac Brome Museum and a supporter of shelters for women experiencing homelessness, Ms. Wirth is guided by the same principle - helping others. 

As we circled back to the raison d’être of her donation, she reflects “Music is a language that brings us back to the senses - our capacity to feel”. With this extraordinary gift, she ensures that this language will continue to resonate - loudly, clearly, and beautifully - for years to come. 

What a radiant way to mark the 50th anniversary of the FACE Fine Arts Program - a celebration of its legacy and a confident leap toward a future filled with new talent, new discoveries and endless creativity, inspiration and joy.