Weekly Message from Our Director & CEO, Stephan Jost

Hello everyone,

There are a couple of highlights that stand out for me this week. First, we had an onsite retreat for the AGO Board of Trustees on Monday. The focus was on our 10-year Strategic Plan – AGO 2028 – and its 4 pillars: Art, Exhibitions & Programs, Audience, and the Dani Reiss Modern & Contemporary Gallery. We reviewed what we have done in the past 5 years and what we need to focus on for the next 5. We assessed what has worked well, what hasn’t, and what we need to focus on going forward to achieve our ambition. It was a very productive session and I will continue to share details about AGO 2028 with you in Town Hall meetings and these weekly messages. The board is aligned with our plan and I appreciate what you are all doing to help advance our priorities.

The second highlight for me was when I visited the Cassatt/McNicoll installation-in-progress on Tuesday. It’s a stunningly beautiful show, curated by Caroline Shields, Curator, European Art. The works are exquisite and I think our audience will love it. Our attendance has been very strong since we started our new fiscal year on April 1st and I believe the momentum will continue.

These last several weeks have been incredibly productive. I hope you have an opportunity to enjoy the sunshine this long Victoria Day weekend.

Take care,

Stephan