Hello Everyone,

IMPORTANT: Later this afternoon, the Premier will be making an announcement regarding COVID-19. We don’t have any advance notice about what this might mean for us but it’s possible there will be increased restrictions or a shut-down. Please stay tuned – I will be sending another message out by day’s end. It will likely take a couple of days for further clarity and to sort out next steps.

I want to acknowledge the exhaustion that everyone is feeling. We’re at a point where every day seems exhausting. You have all been doing amazing work. In spite of the difficulties of the past several months, we have accomplished incredible things together. Take a moment to think about that – we have extraordinary art on view, a safe, welcoming building, and engaging online content – we have shown adaptability and resilience. Hold tight.

The AGO Board of Trustees met on Wednesday and I was pleased to share highlights of what we’ve accomplished – everything from the AGO Plan (shared AGO staff salary reductions), the special offer for frontline workers, acquiring new works, and pivoting to virtual programs for schools. I was very proud to tell our trustees about what we’ve done together. Leadership Team is working on a solid plan for the next two years that includes strategies on how to get us through the COVID period and beyond.

I’ll be in touch again later on today,

Stephan