Bond Philanthropist recognised as one of Queensland's Greats

Businessman, philanthropist, art patron and collector Dr Patrick Corrigan AM has been honoured as one of Queensland’s Greats in recognition of his contributions to Bond University and other Queensland institutions.

Dr Corrigan was presented with his 2014 Queensland Greats Award by Premier Campbell Newman at a special ceremony earlier this week and his achievement will be recognized with a commemorative plaque in Brisbane’s Roma Street Parklands.

“Dr Corrigan has been a generous supporter of Bond University over many years,” said Professor Tim Brailsford, Vice-Chancellor and President of Bond University.

“Since 2007, he has donated or loaned artworks to the University, as well as encouraging his business and art colleagues to contribute.

“The Corrigan Art Collection is now the largest private collection of contemporary Indigenous art ‘on display’ in Australia and we are privileged to have it as a showpiece of the Bond campus.

“But perhaps even more significantly, Dr Corrigan’s support of our annual Indigenous Gala has helped us raise more than $385,000 to fund scholarships, the Nyombil Student Support Centre and various mentoring programs for Indigenous students.

“Through these initiatives, we now have 46 Indigenous students studying on campus – 16 of whom are on full or part scholarships – and Bond boasts one of the highest retention rates in the country for Indigenous university students.”

The 2014 Queensland Greats Award also acknowledges Dr Corrigan’s donations and philanthropic contributions to the Gold Coast City Art Gallery, the State Library of Queensland, the Queensland Gallery of Modern Art, University of Queensland’s Art Museum and Fryer Library, the Queensland Library Foundation, Gold Coast City Jazz Club and regional art galleries in Mackay Rockhampton and Toowoomba.

“I feel very honoured and humbled to receive this award but what gives me the greatest satisfaction is that it shines a spotlight on our great Indigenous artists,” said Dr Corrigan, whose services to the arts were recognized in 2000 with a Member of the Order of Australia medal.

“A large part of the enjoyment I get from collecting art is in sharing it and making it accessible to as many people as possible.

“By donating and loaning these Indigenous works to universities like Bond, I hope it will encourage the next generation to appreciate Australian contemporary artists and to inspire them to learn more about Indigenous art and culture.

“The fact that the art collection at Bond has also facilitated scholarships and learning opportunities for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander students is a fantastic outcome that demonstrates the power and reach of philanthropy.”