Wishing you all a Happy Holiday season, a peaceful time with family and friends, dear loved ones. With thanks for all you do, the gallery and visitors are so fortunate to have you fellow volunteers on the front line as Information Guides, Gallery Guides, Prints and Drawing volunteers. You are the backbone, first encounter with the visitor, that is so integral to the gallery space and the visitor experience and interaction.
All Volunteers are intellectual, know so much about the works, collection and the artists. The visitors come away with a rich experience as a result of the exchange between Information, Gallery Guides and Prints and Drawing volunteers.
End of year summary and thanks acknowledgements,
It’s hard to believe it’s been a year taking on the role of Volunteer President and getting to know many of you over the year, has been one of the highlights. All Information and Gallery Guides with fellow Prints and Drawings volunteers on planned excursions. Over the year, we’ve attended four excursions I’ve created and organized, with attendance as fellow volunteers interacted with close to 120 volunteers from all placements. Met with curators, artists, the incredible Charles Pachter, David Liss (Koffler Gallery) and fellow guides and docents with rich discussions who imparted our shared knowledge and passions over art, thanks to all the volunteers for coming together and the strength in community.
The connections with our cultural partners and there staff for planning these excursions together with myself from the Koffler Gallery, Gardiner Museum, MCU The Image Centre, fellow gallery docent Aisling Joe for her impactful tour of the Queens Park Collection where she also has a professional role and additionally hosted us with a wine and cheese! Showing us the vast collection and ties with Queens park collection and library has with the AGO, was also a rich memory.
Look forward to future excursion events and meeting more artists, plans which are underway to come in the new year and also tying in with our AGO anniversary. Importantly speaking on the horizon, looking forward to hearing your thoughts, ideas, as a team on the 80th year of AGO Volunteer anniversary, coming to fruition this summer with further details to come.
As Volunteer President, one of the mandates established is being present, listening and a bridge with staff as a team, I have set “making every moment count” for the volunteers and building connecting memories across all placements at the core is essential. Building a strengthened community, creating new ideas and platforms for the volunteers be recognized, have an opportunity to build on that community and connect support with all volunteers, including hands on artistic opportunities. Connecting with staff and curators on enrichment opportunities as we’ve had recently on the tours and talks.
Volunteer Artists Collective
Number of Volunteers have expressed interest in participating in the Volunteer Artist Collective, which I’ve recently established to highlight the skills, creativity and talents of fellow volunteers while also another layer of building on our volunteer community an opportunity for volunteers to get to know your cohorts on another level. This initiative will be rapidly expanding in the new year. Holly and I can’t wait to see it grow, for you all to showcase your talents, your works with fellow volunteers and building the collective together. Volunteer artworks will be displayed in the volunteer lounge adding another layer in addition to your presentation. The collective is open to all levels of artists, be that amateur or professionals, any medium, all are warmly welcome and continuous encouragement! Just simply fill out the form and will be in touch. https://forms.gle/hyYg9cNufBbBo9aH7
Recognition events
Just this month we have had three recognition events, surrounded by the holidays planned by Holly and myself. I’m grateful to Holly for being a staff partner, as a Volunteer and President. Thank you Holly for all you do for us volunteers, behind the scenes, your dedication, effervescent energy, your smile and enthusiasm your wisdom. We are all lucky to have you by our side and ensuring volunteers are together and recognized as we share the mandate of the volunteer community.
Our first holiday recognition event this past November was the outing to the Lee Miller exhibition at the MCU Image Centre where we had the opportunity to interact with fellow volunteers and view the exhibition with Susan, a wonderful, well versed docent on a guided tour who imparted Lee Miller’s life through such a vast lens that we had a broad understanding and stroke of the artist and her back story-life. While taking in the works, the exhibition was beautifully curated by Dr. Gaëlle Morel, giving subtext and division on the history of Lee Miller’s works and the breadth of her life and career.
The Volunteer Endowment Trust stewardship meeting planned with Holly and our Development Team colleague Erin Thandani (Associate Director, Philanthropy and Planned Giving-Development). This was organized in recognition and with thanks to all the volunteers on the Volunteer Endowment Trust an important role volunteers play in this entire VET process. The winning vote this year and Volunteer Endowment Trust funds were distributed to the Joyce Weiland: Heart on Exhibition, coming to the gallery in June 2025 curated by Georgiana Uhlyarik, (Fredrik S. Eaton Curator, Canadian Art-Curatorial Affairs).
Many thanks for the generous time and presentations for the volunteers by Stephan Jost, (Michael and Sonja Koerner Director, and CEO), Georgina Uhlyarik on their enriching presentations to volunteers at the VET Stewardship Meeting. Stephan relayed to us all a wonderful presentation on the plans and new build on The Dani Reiss Modern and Contemporary Tower. Georgina gave us a sneak peek into the Joyce Weiland exhibition and further expanding into research and insights on the artist’s work and what we can expect in the upcoming exhibition.
To cap off our final event for the year, with a festive get together in the volunteer lounge with Holly’s decadent treats she made for us and we all gathered in good cheer and conversation. Holly had also coordinated and planned with curator Renée van der Avoird (Associate Curator, Canadian Art–Curatorial Affairs), a very special tour just for the volunteers of the exquisite Pacita Abad exhibition, Renée equally brought the artist and life to the works. With thanks to Renée and all the curators for what you do and for recognition of the volunteers in these talks and tour.
In closing, there will be a great deal of excitement as we approach the AGO 120th anniversary, and of the 80th year of the Volunteer program, to celebrate and look forward to in the new year. Stay tuned! As always, I have an open door policy, feel free to reach out. With many thanks and appreciation to all the Volunteers and who have connected, and built rapor with.
Have a Happy New Year!
Warmly with greetings,
Barbara Glaser
AGO Volunteer President