Hello Everyone,

This week’s news about the architect team for AGO Global Contemporary has been well received. Thank you to the Comms Team for rolling the news out. The process for selecting the team was incredibly demanding and rigorous but worth the effort. I am confident that we selected the most talented team for our project. Annabelle Selldorf is an extraordinary architect who has worked on numerous international museum projects. Brian Porter of Two Row will bring a vital Indigenous perspective and aesthetic, and Don Schmitt of Diamond Schmitt, based in Toronto, is the executive architect who brought this team together.

Now that we have the team in place, things will start to move very quickly in terms of planning. All of you will be involved in this process in some fashion, and it will be a huge and deeply motivating undertaking. Don’t forget why we are doing this – we want to lead global conversations from Toronto through extraordinary collections, exhibitions and programs, and by reflecting the people who live here.

I am pleased and grateful for everyone’s engagement with the organizational assessment led by Cultural Pluralism in the Arts Movement Ontario (CPAMO). More than 200 of you participated in 16 focus groups and 70% of you completed the internal survey. Thank you! I have been thrilled to see so many staff at all levels take part, which is a testament to diversity, equity, inclusion and accessibility being a core value of the AGO.

CPAMO is currently sharing the assessment results with the Leadership Team and will work with us to understand the data and recommendations. The final report will be provided at the end of May, and CPAMO will present at an upcoming Town Hall in June. I look forward to us all moving into the next phase of action.

It is wonderful to see so many of our volunteers back in the Gallery, particularly this week, being National Volunteer Week. To all our Volunteers – we appreciate you!

Thanks and take care,

Stephan