National Volunteer Week is a time to celebrate and thank Canada’s 12.7 million volunteers!
Here at the AGO, we’re programming a special week of talks and tours, to give you a glimpse of museum work, behind-the-scenes. We’re excited to announce this year’s line-up. There’s no need to register for talks and tours; just drop in!
We use the volunteer lounge as our home base. We’ll meet there 10 minutes prior to tour time and proceed to our talks as a group.
Exhibitions Behind-the-Scenes
Monday April 16, 6:30pm – 7:30pm
Jackman Hall (AGO theatre)
Project Manager Laura Comerford and Assistant Interpretive planner Laura Robb come together to shed light on exhibition-planning behind-the-scenes. How does it all come together? Who decides key messages, fonts, and paint colours? What’s an exhibition “heat map” any way? Using the reinstallation of the permanent collection as a guide, the two Lauras talk timelines, authorship and more! It’s everything you always wanted to know, from two key players.
Volunteers at the AGO: An Archival Approach
Wednesday April 18, 11:00am – 12:00pm
Marilyn Nazar, AGO Archivist and Amy Furness, Rosamond Ivey Special Collections Archivist and Head, Library & Archives will present a selection of photographs, documents and assorted ephemera from the AGO’s archives and special collections, that highlights the remarkable history of volunteer activities at the AGO. The activities of the Women’s Committee, the Grange volunteers and Artist Members of the Board of Trustees will be featured in an informal presentation, with discussion encouraged!
Polka-dots, programmed: The Kusama-fication of the AGO
Thursday April 19, 11:30am – 12:00pm
It’s a ubiquitous pattern, but the Kusama polka-dot is tightly prescribed! Hear more about the design riders, and installation requirements of the Yayoi Kusama brand.Join Malene Hjorngaard, Senior Production Coordinator, Design, for all the secrets. (p.s. Polka dots forever!)
Meet our New Curator: Renee van der Avoird, Assistant Curator, Canadian Art
Friday April 20, 1:00pm – 1:30pm
Help welcome our new(est) member to the Curatorial team! Renee van Der Avoird, Assistant Curator, Canadian Art, shares her favourite works in our collection, and ideas for the future.
- Join us for complimentary coffee & tea in the volunteer lounge all week (and weekend) long, courtesy of cafeAGO!
- shopAGO is extending an extra volunteer discount next week: 25% off all regular priced merchandise (excludes Kusama) and 10% off jewellery. Just show your badge!
Thank you, Volunteers! For your energy and enthusiasm, your commitment and expertise! Put quite simply, you keep our volunteer community feeling cozy, and you make the Gallery a happier place to be! Next week, we celebrate YOU.