Hello Everyone,

Communicating with our members and public during the pandemic has been critical. We do this in many ways including through the weekly AGO Insider, which reaches nearly 250,000 people every Tuesday. Based on responses we receive, it is clear the AGO’s connection with our audience remains strong. Today I thought I would share a few:

“Hello. Just to say a big thank you for the AGO newsletters, which are such a brilliant and creative alternative to being able to visit the AGO itself. I am so proud to have such a wonderful institution in our midst, and proud that you have responded so creatively to the COVID crisis. Stay safe, everyone!”

“I just want to commend you and your team for the incredible job you have done staying in touch with the members…you have been very inclusive and informative in the fluid changes of our current pandemic life. When I bought my membership, I was so excited to come and visit and I still haven’t been which is disappointing……. I still feel a part of what you have created though. I just wanted to say thank you.”

“I MISS YOU and all the art. I can hardly wait until you are open again and full of art lovers. Thank you very much for the emails AGO.” 

“One of the things I’ve been missing most, especially as we navigate the second lockdown in Toronto, is popping by the Art Gallery and spending time with favourite paintings and discovering new works of art. I was able to visit the gallery a few times in the fall of 2020 and was grateful for that.”

“I particularly like the experience of going to a museum. The quiet escape from a noisy city. And to be with others as well appreciating and being challenged by art. I have appreciated your revision of the white cis male art cirque and it has shown up powerfully in your curation. I think you as an organization have from the outside at least taken a hard look at equity issues in art and made visible steps to change that. I appreciate it a lot. It challenges me a lot. I have been lucky to have a full time job with benefits throughout the pandemic so my choices around programming would be that I want it to go back to what it was before if possible. I respect whatever choices you need to make and I’m sorry if we don’t all rise up to meet you. All the best.”

Thank you to our communications staff and everyone involved for keeping our public close to us and informed of AGO activities this past year.

Take care,

Stephan