Hello volunteers! I just met with Cian Knights, our Manager of Diversity & Inclusion, to go over Tuesday’s presentation. This is going to be a wonderful, grounding session. Cian’s presentation is full of facts and figures, and plainly suggests what we’re doing, and where we need to go. Milestones, celebrations, areas to work on, and next steps. I hope you’ll join us! This presentation sets the stage for volunteer training to come.

TUESDAY OCTOBER 3, 5:30pm – 6:30pm

Via ZOOM: please click on the link to join (no more than 5 minutes prior to the session):

https://us02web.zoom.us/j/84666594981?pwd=SjhVenZQVTMvcERQajZZOGZHemQ3Zz09

If prompted, please enter:

Meeting ID: 846 6659 4981 and
Passcode: 368081

(please make sure to log on no more than 5 minutes before the session, which will be recorded for those who can’t make it)

Looking forward to seeing you all then,

Holly (- volunteer resources)

Making his Canadian museum debut, Brooklyn-based artist Brian Donnelly (1974), better known as KAWS, bridges the worlds of art, popular culture and commerce with sophisticated humour and insightful appropriation. Renowned for his larger-than-life sculptures of cartoon-inspired characters and exuberant hard-edge paintings that playfully emphasize line and colour, much like 1960s Pop artists, he blurs the boundaries between populist and elite art, bringing mass media imagery into traditional art spaces.  Straddling the world of art and design, KAWS has forged a large international following both inside and outside the art world.  

Members Access starts September 27 (staff and volunteers can visit now!)
Annual Pass Access starts October 4
General Admission starts October 11

If you haven’t watched it yet, our KAWS: Family launch meeting gives a good overview of the main messages of the exhibition; you can watch it here:

https://artcloud.ago.ca/index.php/s/9GiGdmLs9MKxrTK

Important notes for viewing:

• The video takes a moment to get started, so be patient – you will hear the voice of Melissa Ramage, Project Manager, begin about 20 seconds after the video starts.
• Full recording is about 50 minutes.
• You will be asked for a password in order to view the video. The password is: KawsFam@AGO!
• Please copy and paste the password, or, if you type it in yourself, make sure you enter the password exactly as it reads (note capital letters, exclamation mark etc.)

I’m so looking forward to hearing what you think about the show! On opening day, the real phenomenon for me was seeing the Retail shop swarmed with KAWS collectors – already, the small figurine/action figures we had in limited quantity have all sold out!

COVID-19 cases are on the rise and are expected to continue in autumn along with flu and respiratory syncytial virus (RSV). The Safety & Wellness Team would like to remind AGO staff of the current provincial guidelines and best practices to protect yourself this season. 

Current Provincial Guidelines 

• Individuals that test positive with symptoms are recommended to self-isolate and stay at home until their fever is resolved and symptoms have been improving for at least 24 hours.  
• Asymptomatic individuals with a positive test result do not need to self-isolate unless symptoms develop. If symptoms develop, they should self-isolate immediately. 
• For a total of 10 days after the date of testing or symptom onset (whichever is earlier/applicable), individuals should continue to wear a well-fitted mask in all public settings.  
• If you are uncertain of what steps to take, take this self-assessment if you have any symptoms of illness or tested positive for COVID-19: https://covid-19.ontario.ca/self-assessment/ 

Symptoms Similar to COVID-19 

• A runny nose, sneezing, sore throat, and headache may also be symptoms of other non-COVID-19 respiratory infections.  
• To prevent community transmission of all infectious diseases, all individuals with new symptom(s) of any infectious illness should stay home when they are feeling sick. 

Protect yourself and others by: 

• Avoiding touching your eyes, nose, or mouth with unwashed hands 
• Washing your hands often with soap and warm water for at least 20 seconds 
• If soap and water are not available, use a hand sanitizer containing at least 60% alcohol 
• Coughing and sneezing into the bend of your arm, not into your hand 
• Staying home if you are sick 
• Staying up to date on vaccinations. Health Canada recently approved a COVID-19 vaccine that better protects against the new Omicron XBB variant. 

Questions? 

• Reach out to Kyle Nhan, Manager, Safety & Wellness, at [email protected]  

Hello AGO Volunteers,

We’re excited to be recruiting for our next Volunteer President!

Do you have more time to give, and want to play a leadership role in our community?

Working together with Holly Procktor, Coordinator, Volunteers and reporting into the People Division, led by Alain Graham, Chief, People, we’re looking for a Volunteer President to help us enhance the volunteer experience, with a focus on volunteer enrichment/engagement, and connecting our community – across shifts and placements. 

We’re looking for someone who considers themselves a champion of the AGO, and who is passionate about what we can do together, to support and rebuild our community, “post-pandemic”:

• A committed, caring individual in our current volunteer community, with strong interpersonal skills, who has demonstrated experience in:
  • Leading, engaging and inspiring others
  • Fostering a collaborative, diverse and inclusive culture, and
  • Building positive relationships with trust and patience
• An understanding of confidentiality
• *Applicant should be comfortable working with Microsoft Office suite (email / word processing etc.)

Commitment:

• The Volunteer President is asked to commit to a 2-year term
• Regular meetings with Holly Procktor and Alain Graham (People Division)
• Time commitment outside of these meetings varies, depending on priorities, but generally falls between 3-5 hours per month

Please make sure to read the extended placement description (attached to the email sent directly to volunteers on Tuesday September 26 – please contact Holly if you require an additional copy) which gives you a much more fulsome sense of this role.

How to Apply:

Sound like you? Please send an email and current CV/resume (or statement of interest), with an accompanying cover letter, and please be sure to let us know:

• Why you are interested
• How your skills and interests match what we’re looking for

Please email to [email protected] (preferred) or drop off a paper copy to Holly’s (new!) office in the volunteer lounge.

Application deadline: Wednesday October 11

Thank you so much for considering this opportunity! We look forward to hearing from you!

– Holly & Alain

Hello Everyone,

The museum is ramping up to full speed, with crews busily installing KAWS: FAMILY. This will be followed by a huge amount of effort to uninstall the Wolfgang Tillmans show and to prepare for the upcoming Arnold Newman, Keith Haring and Life Between Islands shows. These are all very important exhibitions!

The fall will be a tremendously busy and exciting period. I acknowledge the hard work and dedication this demands of all of us. With all-hands-on-deck, I appreciate what each of you are doing to make this season a success for the AGO.

So far this year, things are on track. I just got our financial year-to-date budget results up to August 31, 2023, and we are on budget – pretty much exactly where we planned to be. Thank you! Let’s keep it up.

Take care,

Stephan

P.S. A reminder that this Saturday is Nuit Blanche – we will be featuring a screening of Wolfgang Tillmans: Moon in Earthlight in Jackman Hall from 7pm to 7am. A big thank you to staff who will be on-site throughout the night!

It’s time to add more books to your reading list this Fall. The Toronto Book Awards recently announced its 2023 shortlist of literary titles. Established by Toronto City Council in 1974, the award recognizes books of literary merit that are evocative of Toronto. 

Out of the record-setting 105 submissions, we’re thrilled to share that Moving the Museum by AGO Curators Wanda Nanibush and Georgiana Uhlyarik, made the top 5!

Documenting a pivotal chapter in the AGO’s history as an art museum in Canada, Moving the Museum is a publication that takes readers through the renovation and reopening of the J.S. McLean Centre for Indigenous & Canadian Art. It highlights the appointment of Wanda Nanibush and Georgiana Uhlyarik as curatorial co-leads of the Indigenous & Canadian Art department, walking through their revitalization of the AGO Collection. With text in English and passages in Anishinaabemowin and Inuktitut, the catalogue showcases essays and over 100 vibrant reproductions of Indigenous and Canadian artworks at the AGO. The book underscores the nation-to-nation treaty relationship that is the foundation of Canada by inviting all to connect with art that addresses issues distinct to the Indigenous experience in Canada.  

Read about the four other shortlisted nominees HERE, this week’s Foyer magazine.

We’re looking forward to meeting once again with Cian Knights, our Manager of Diversity & Inclusion. Cian will be presenting an overview of the Gallery’s current DEIA initiatives and progress, which will help set the stage for our continued learning, this Fall. Thank you to Cian for joining us! (note: this session will be recorded and shared, for those that cannot attend)

It’s been some time since we’ve had the opportunity to meet with Cian directly, and I realize she may be a new face for some of you – with that in mind, you can read her AGOinsider profile, HERE, which announced her appointment at the AGO, in 2021.

Thank you to everyone who completed our recent poll re: timing for upcoming and continuing DEIA training. Though we had hoped to continue with sessions in October, we’re finalizing dates for November instead, with Harmony Movement – who have been wonderful to plan with thus far! We are so looking forward to hosting both interactive and online sessions with this impressive group as facilitators. Hold tight, thank you for your patience in this busy Fall season, and we’ll share confirmed November dates when we have them. – Holly (volunteer resources)

From Tuesday, September 19, to Wednesday, September 20, the AGO’s outdoor bronze sculptures will be receiving some TLC!  

Brian Jungen’s Couch Monster: Sadzěʔ yaaghęhch’ill (2022), located on Dundas and McCaul, and Henry Moore’s Two Forms (1996-1969), located in Grange Park, will be receiving routine maintenance from the Conservation Team in the form of: 

• Graffiti and sticker removal  
• Cleaning and waxing  
• The documentation of the sculptures   

Please be aware that the Conservation Team will be working with ladders to perform this maintenance.

Staff and the public are welcome to ask questions while the Conservation Team is at work!

Questions? 

• Reach out to Lisa Ellis, Conservator, Sculpture and Decorative Arts at [email protected]

Hello Everyone,

Every morning when I walk into the museum, I am often greeted by Facilities Services staff who are working hard to present a beautiful and clean AGO for our public. A big part of the visitor journey includes experiencing a pristine, well-maintained building. The fact that this is what our visitors encounter does not happen by accident – it takes a ton of sustained effort. I also see Facilities colleagues throughout the day in our office spaces. It helps all of us to be more productive when we work in areas that are refreshed and cleaned regularly.

A big thank you to the Facilities team for all that you do to make the AGO great. I appreciate it!

Take care,

Stephan

Hello volunteers! I’m excited to share this video of the KAWS Family Exhibition Launch. These meetings are new to the Gallery, and an opportunity for staff and volunteers to see the work it takes to bring an exhibition to life. In this video, we meet the project management and design team, preview the layout, and get insight into the gallery’s approach to advertising, promotion and programming – all while enjoying a sneak peak of what to expect.

We don’t currently have access to space at the Gallery that can accommodate all staff and volunteers – so these videos are being recorded and shared, to ensure everyone has an opportunity to view.

Important notes for viewing:

• The video takes a moment to get started, so be patient – you will hear the voice of Melissa Ramage, Project Manager, begin about 20 seconds after the video starts.
• Full recording is about 50 minutes.
• You will be asked for a password in order to view the video. The password is: KawsFam@AGO!
• Please copy and paste the password, or, if you type it in yourself, make sure you enter the password exactly as it reads (note capital letters, exclamation mark etc.) ,

One final but important note: these opportunities to view Exhibition Launch meetings include confidential material that is not intended to be shared with the public. The Gallery is trusting all of us – staff and volunteers – to keep these details confidential and not share this link outside of our community. Thanks in advance for your agreement and support!

VIEW THE VIDEO, HERE:

https://artcloud.ago.ca/index.php/s/9GiGdmLs9MKxrTK

More updates about KAWS: Family will follow in the coming weeks, as the exhibition draws nearer.

Happy viewing!

Holly (-volunteer resources)