Hello everyone,

I write with some news from the Director’s Office. After over 18 years of service, Sue Sen, executive assistant to the director, and CEO has decided to step away from the AGO. Such a role is critical, and Sue has fulfilled it with great skill and professionalism. Sue’s last day is June 14.   

Given her utmost commitment to the AGO, this was a very difficult decision for Sue. She has served under two directors and has carried out her integral duties in the Director’s Office with quiet diplomacy and consummate ease, liaising with all departments of the AGO, trustees and donors, ministry stakeholders, embassies and consulates, and fellow museum institutions. She has been a part of remarkable change and growth at our museum, helping AGO leadership advance priorities forward.

Sue is without a doubt one of the most trustworthy people I have ever met, and I am truly grateful to her for her incredible contributions to the Director’s Office and the AGO as a whole. Stephan massively benefited from having such an accomplished EA upon his arrival at the AGO, and he and Sue developed a warm and wonderful relationship working together over the past several years.

We will miss Sue’s steadfastness and dedication, her loyalty, and her administration prowess. We wish her well in every respect. Thank you, Sue!

Sue has been on leave and will not be returning to the AGO but if you would like to sign a card for her, please pop by at your convenience to the Director’s Office. I would also like to thank Candace Ellison, Interim Executive Assistant to the Director, and CEO, who has jumped in to provide key support in Sue’s absence and has been doing an incredible job supporting Stephan and the team. Thank you, Candace.

More than 50% of volunteers chose to support the Making Her Mark exhibition.

Unlike previous years where the votes were close, we had a clear front runner this year!

Making Her Mark is an exhibition that celebrates extraordinary women artists from the early modern era of European art. Challenging long-held assumptions about the contributions of women to Renaissance, Baroque and 18th century art, the exhibition will elevate the work of artists who are largely unknown to
the public. Developed in partnership with the Baltimore Museum of Art, where it will open in 2023, Making Her Mark is the first exhibition in over 40 years to adopt this woman artist-centred approach to European art of this era, and the first ever to include such an expansive range of media.
Ambitious in scale, it will span the centuries from 1400-1800 and feature artists from a variety of backgrounds working in a wide range of media. In its exploration of the women artists of the time, the
exhibition offers an opportunity to address gender imbalance in the art world, including the critical lens that has historically defined “great art” in Western culture.

Thank you to everyone who voted to support Making Her Mark, opening in Spring 2024. The exhibition, organized in partnership with the Baltimore Museum of Art, is co-curated by Alexa Griest, who is deep in the research phase! She was thrilled to hear that volunteers chose to support the project- and we are looking forward to hosting her for a behind-the-scenes talk, as her work progresses.

In the meantime, your Volunteer Council, with Maya Kotlarenko, Volunteer President, meets with Stephan Jost, and distribution committee members in the coming week to formalize our donation. Congratulations, all!

Good afternoon, volunteers

We are excited to share this year’s projects for funding consideration through the Volunteer Endowment Trust 2023-2024. As part of the Volunteer Council’s (VC) ongoing mission to demonstrate transparency in our decision making, our outgoing Volunteer President Maya Kotlarenko has once again created an online voting process for the volunteer community to help choose the project you collectively want to support most. As a reminder, you won’t be ranking the projects, you can just choose ONE to support. Your vote matters!

Please click on the link to read more about this year’s funding options that support the Gallery’s strategic priorities of Art, Access and Learning:  https://forms.gle/VNGqz36JwTWQdJMT6  

Need more information before you vote? The 3 projects can be read about in much greater detail in the proposal PDF, (sent by email separately, please check your inbox) so thoughtfully prepared by Erin Thandini, Senior Manager of Philanthropy and Planned Giving (thank you, Erin!) (Note: if you have questions about recognition attached to support, please see page 26)

Voting is open to volunteers until Friday May 26, 2023.

Want to know more about the Volunteer Endowment Trust? 

The VET was established in 2001 with a Letter of Agreement between the AGO, The AGO Foundation and the Volunteers of the AGO. The original capital that created the fund continues to remain invested and an annual distribution of 4% of the fund (approx. $50,000, depending on the year) is made available in order to fund a project. Each year, the AGO’s Development team identifies 3 projects for consideration that reflect the Gallery’s strategic priorities.  Many thanks for your support!

–     Maya Kotlarenko, your Volunteer President on behalf of the Volunteer Council

Hello everyone,

Next week is a big week as we prepare to open the Cassatt/McNicoll exhibition on Wednesday evening and then on Thursday, we launch Foyer – a refreshed digital magazine dedicated to telling compelling stories about art and artists from Toronto and beyond. It builds on the growth AGOInsider has achieved in its content, approach and audience – focused on our younger and more diverse audiences.

Simone Aziga will share a link when we’re live next week. For now, make sure you’re on the list to receive Foyer emails every Thursday by subscribing here.

Congratulations to Simone Aziga for leading this project, along with her team Matthew Rolfe and Khadra Ahmed, and colleagues across the communications, digital and marketing teams.

And a big thank you to everyone involved in installing Cassatt/McNicoll – exhibitions staff, conservators, designers, installers, lighting technicians, carpenters, painters – all of you. It is stunning.

Take care,

Stephan

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 1^st 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

” I started talking photographs when I was a student at the Ontario College of Art in 1974. I have continued to take photographs focused on the changing landscape and urban settings.

This selection of 18″ x 16″ digital prints are of Toronto’s neighbourhoods, ravines, and the city’s waterfront on Lake Ontario. There are also photographs of the natural world and rural scenes.

My photographs are being show at Evergreen Brickworks located in the Don River Valley Brick Works at 550 Bayview Avenue, Toronto. M4W 3X8. For more information, reach out to Marthe Yolleck [email protected] “

Are you a volunteer with something to share – an exhibition, showing or sale? Feel free to reach out to Holly to be featured on the AGO volunteer blog. You can also bring in a flyer / advertising material and feel free to post on the volunteer bulletin board in the volunteer lounge.

Hello volunteers! Sharing here, these wonderful pics of the April Volunteer Annual Gathering – our first (but not the last!) time together in over 3 years! Our AGO Events Photographer Paul Ayers has made these downloadable images:

AGO Volunteer Party Pics April 27 2023 by Paul Ayers (adobe.com)

We’ve shared these images as a way to relive the event through view, but if you want to save an image for your own files and print, please follow these instructions:

• Simply click on the image you want to download
• Look for the three dots that look like this: (…) in the top right corner of the page
• Click on those three dots to download
• The image will open in your computer in paint or another application
• Save to your computer or print

If you want a specific photo printed and have trouble downloading, reach out to Holly who will gladly make you a colour copy in the office.

We hope you enjoy these memories of a wonderful evening together,

– Holly (volunteer resources)

Hello everyone,

Last Saturday, when the AGO – and many cultural institutions across Toronto- offered free attendance in celebration of the King’s coronation, more than 13,000 people visited the Gallery. That’s a lot more than recent Saturday attendance, which is typically around 2,600. In other words, it was a very full house! In addition, 545 visitors became Paid Annual Passholders. A big thank you to all of the front-of-house, PSD, facilities, curatorial and programming staff who welcomed our public and engaged in activities throughout the day. During peak times the line stretched all the way to OCAD U. Here is a quick video showing the lineup.  

We also had a full house in Baillie Court on Wednesday afternoon where I facilitated a panel discussion on the topic of the Dani Reiss Modern & Contemporary Gallery. The panel included our lead donor Dani along with the architect team Annabelle Selldorf, Don Schmitt and Brian Porter. It is clear that the architects are working together very well and are all tremendously excited about how the building is shaping. Dani is incredibly grateful to be involved in the project – and that is a vote of confidence in all of you and the work you’re doing. Thank you especially to the Development team for arranging the special lunch for Dani (who brought his mother, an artist) and the panel discussion. There will be a similar public talk later this month where everyone is welcome: https://ago.ca/events/brian-porter-and-donald-schmitt-conversation.

Take care,

Stephan

Many of you will recall the Wolfgang Tillmans lecture that sold out in minutes, back in March. That lecture, part of the Rapp lecture series on Contemporary Art, was recorded and has now been uploaded to the Gallery’s Youtube account. Watch from the comfort of your own home, HERE.

Hello Everyone, – a long and detailed message from the Food & Beverage Team – please see below:

With the Espresso Bar reopening in the Joey and Toby Tanenbaum Sculpture Atrium and the Members’ Lounge set to reopen soon on Wednesday, May 24, the F&B team is sharing with staff more details about these exciting changes.

Read on for how you can enjoy your morning coffee at the Espresso Bar and what our Members can expect in the Lounge!

What’s happening?

• Beginning Tuesday, May 16, morning café service will move from the AGO Bistro to the Espresso Bar. 
• From 10:30 am to 11:30 am daily, staff, volunteers, and visitors can purchase beverages and pastries only from the Espresso Bar in the Atrium.
• Staff can only receive take-out service during this time window. Please bring a clean, reusable to-go mug.
• After 11:30 am, staff and volunteers can still purchase hot beverages, and items from the Bistro à la carte menu. Pastries will only available at the Espresso Bar.

Café Service in the Espresso Bar – As of Tuesday, May 16 from 10:30 am to 11:30 am (continuing daily)

What are the details?

• Beverages and pastries will be plated to be enjoyed while seated in the Atrium. Disposable packaging will only be provided for to-go pastries.

Why move café service to the Espresso Bar?

• The Atrium provides a better-suited café environment.
• It creates a lively space in the Atrium that will encourage visitors to stop and take their own coffee breaks.
• It provides Members with a food option before daily Lounge service at 11:30 am.
• It allows the Bistro staff to focus on lunch and dinner service.

The Norma Ridley Members’ Lounge Update – Reopening Wednesday, May 24

What are the details?

• The Members’ Lounge operates on a “first come, first serve” basis – no reservation required.
• Members can bring a guest into the Lounge. Members with guest privileges do not require general admission tickets, but additional guests do.
• As of reopening, Afternoon Tea will not be returning to the Members’ Lounge.
• The only coat check available to Members remains by the main entrance to the Gallery.
• Staff and volunteers are required to have memberships in order to use the Lounge
• The Lounge has a limited, 50 person capacity.
• For more detailed information, read the full Members’ FAQ on the AGO website here.

Members’ Lounge Hours

• General hours are as follows:
  • Tuesday and Thursday: 10:30 am – 4:30 pm
  • Wednesday and Friday: 10:30 am – 8:30 pm
  • Saturday and Sunday: 10:30 am – 5 pm
• Food service hours are as follows:
  • Wednesday- Thursday & Saturday – Sunday: 11:30 am – 4:30 pm
  • Friday: 11:30 am – 7 pm

Questions?

• If you have an urgent question or concern, please email [email protected].