Hello Volunteers! – sharing such exciting news for Melissa Smith! But she’s not going far … please see this announcement from her Manager, Paola Poletto, below – Holly

It is with joy I share that Melissa Smith has accepted the position of Assistant Vice President of In-Gallery Engagement at the ROM. Over her twelve years at the AGO, Melissa has created a more inclusive and accessible cultural environment, forging new ground in the museums education and public programs field. Melissa is critically renowned for her work at the AGO, and has shared her expert knowledge across the globe, Canada and locally: The Louvre, M+, the National Docent Symposium, Museums and the Web, The Winnipeg Art Gallery, Vancouver Art Gallery, Nova Scotia Art Gallery, OCAD, University of Toronto, to name a few. She counts the following as programs she is most proud of:

• Access and Inclusion Programming: Melissa successfully collaborated with community partners like Dancing with Parkinson’s, Workman Arts, Tangled Arts + Disability, and Xenia Concerts to create inclusive art experiences for diverse audiences.
• Multisensory Engagement: Melissa led the launch of the Multisensory Art Cart and Relaxed Visits, which introduced sensory kits, maps, and sense-based activities, enhancing the accessibility of art for visitors with sensory sensitivities.
• Blindsquare Initiative: Melissa worked with colleagues across the AGO to introduce and pilot Blindsquare, an innovative app providing wayfinding and descriptive support for people who are Blind or Partially Blind, making the gallery more navigable and inclusive.

There are several programs Melissa and I had the pleasure to co-develop, including Seniors Social, Portraits of Resilience, the launch of our annual AGO PLAY book, the Gallery Guide Program, and most recently, the Gallery School’s Adult Courses Programs.  I am thankful to Melissa for sharing her passion for making art and people dance both figuratively and literally.

Paola Poletto

Director, Engagement and Learning

Dear colleagues,

I am pleased to share the exciting news that after an extensive international search, we have appointed John Zeppetelli as the new Carol and Morton Rapp Curator, Modern & Contemporary Art. The AGO will officially announce John’s appointment with a news release tomorrow.

John is a Canadian and joins us from the Musée d’art contemporain de Montréal (MAC), where he was Director and Chief Curator for more than ten years. At the MAC, John led a large team and simultaneously curated many exhibitions. He also oversaw the capital campaign for the expansive renovation that is currently underway. His recent curatorial projects include Velvet Terrorism: Pussy Riot’s Russia (2023-24), Jeremy Shaw’s Phase Shifting Index (2023-24), Mundos (2017) by Mexican artist, Teresa Margolles and Leonard Cohen: A Crack in Everything (2017). John has previously held curatorial roles with the Phi Foundation for Contemporary Art, Montreal, and the Institute of Contemporary Arts in London, UK, as well as teaching positions in Quebec and Nova Scotia. He has worked with a wide array of international artists and has particular expertise in time based media.

John’s arrival promises to position the AGO and its contemporary program as a force to be reckoned with on the global stage. He will play a lead role in our planning for the opening in 2027 of the Dani Reiss Modern and Contemporary Gallery, which is designed to accommodate our growing collection in this area. When complete, the expansion will add more than 40,000 square feet of flexible gallery space, over five floors.

Please join me in welcoming John when he starts his new role at the AGO next Monday, September 16.

Julian Cox (pronouns: he/him/his)

Deputy Director & Chief Curator

Volunteers, we’ve had questions wondering if John is replacing Debbie Johnsen, who spoke with us earlier this month on Moments in Modernism. Debbie is not going anywhere! Debbie a Manager in this area, not a Curator. Their roles are interrelated. John and Debbie will work together! Cheers – Holly

Hello everyone,

Over the last several weeks, I have been taking guests through Moments in Modernism and Bright Signs. Usually, I wait until the end of the tour to tell them that the works on view are from the AGO’s collection. They are always floored to hear it. The quality of our collection is pretty amazing and now will be further enriched by the gift from the Estate of Philip B. Lind. Phil, a long-time trustee and AGO supporter, was passionate about art. He loved art, and he loved engaging with artists and new ideas. Light Years: The Phil Lind Gift, curated by Adam Welch, opens later this fall and will be a special moment for the AGO.

Another person who loved contemporary art and the “now” is Mort Rapp. Sadly, Mort passed away at 97 and-a-half earlier this week, roughly a year after losing his wife, Carol. Carol and Mort were also major donors to the AGO, having supported contemporary exhibitions, acquisitions, and endowments. Looking ahead to the AGO’s 125^th anniversary next year, it is important to acknowledge the generosity of our donor and collecting community, those who have helped build the AGO’s outstanding collection over generations for the enjoyment of future generations.

Take care,

Stephan

Hello Volunteers , a reminder that your Volunteer President, Barbara Glaser has organized a tour of Charles Pachter’s studio for AGO volunteers. This is a popular outing, but there are still spaces to join, see below: – Holly

A Message from the Volunteer President, Barbara Glaser: Next Group Volunteer Excursion: Charles Pachter Studio. Registration required.

Please mark your calendars for the launch of our first fall excursions. Pleased to relay that the next group outing since the summer will be on:

• Wednesday September 18, 10:30am
• to Charles Pachter Studio (near the Gallery)

This is an opportunity to personally meet one of Canada’s leading artists and see his studio, artwork and where he creates these glorious works of art! There will also be socializing time with Charles and fellow volunteers from different departments and shifts.

Meeting details to follow closer to the date, this excursion is open to 50 volunteers for space requirements in Charles’ studio.

Afterwards we will get together for an optional lunch (at volunteers’ own expense) and an opportunity to meet fellow volunteers from various shifts and days. Registration is required, please sign up and confirm your attendance (and also please note if you are interested to join for lunch) at my email address: [email protected]

Tucked away in nooks and crannies, this week’s article highlights out-of-the-way /hidden and lesser known works, including:

• Evan Penny, 17 of the Artists Production Plasters, 2001-2006 – Weston Family Learning Centre (Concourse)
• Fisher-boy Dancing the Tarantella (1883) by Francisque Joseph Duret – Concourse Level
• Portrait of Henry VII (1537) by Circle of Hans Holbein  – Level 1 
• The David Milne Centre – Levels 1 and 2 
•  A work of art in the form of a quantity of coins equal to the number of months of the statistical life expectancy of a child born January 6, 1995 (1995) by Micah Lexier – Level 2  (note: the unique opportunity to move a coin and become part of the art’s history!)

Read all about them, HERE.

Hello everyone,

Today is the last day of AGO Camps. To say the summer sessions have been successful is an understatement. The team beat their enrolment goals and received amazing feedback from campers and parents – I’ve included a few quotes from a survey below. THANK YOU to everyone involved, especially E&P staff, along with all of the camp counsellors and volunteers.

The Foyer team wrote about the next generation of camp leaders and you can read about it here: The next generation of leaders in the arts

Quotes from the question “Tell us something that your camper loved about participating in AGO Art Camp”:

Making art and sculpture with different materials. Learning about colours. Visiting the gallery and learning about different artists and their art work In the words of my 6 year old camper “I loved EVERYTHING about AGO!”

Fun projects, supportive counsellors, safe space to be themselves!

Counselors were incredible – fun and kind and inclusive. My kids loved learning new animation techniques.

The kindness of the counsellors made a significant impact on my son. Thank you for selecting your staff so well!

This is not art-related but as a Filipino-Chinese child, my daughter rarely sees volunteers/ counsellors who look like her. She was extremely excited to have met two Filipino volunteers who spent some time with her and told her that they know her lunch! She was extremely happy about it and it is a moment she will never forget. Please continue hiring volunteers/ counsellors from diverse backgrounds. It means a lot to the next generation.

This wonderful feedback makes me so proud of the AGO.

Take care and enjoy Labour Day weekend,

Stephan  

Eagle eyes will notice the AGO rebrand (which started with our new lanyards and signage) continues to be unveiled. Our website looks different! Check out the art and artists page, HERE, for a detailed listing of exhibitions opening this Fall and Winter season, including:

• Sonia Boyce: Feeling Her Way (opens September 19)
• Pacita Abad: October 9 – January 17, 2025
• Lucy Qinnuayuak (opens October 9)
• Light Years (opens November 2024)
• The Culture: Hip Hop and Contemporary art in the 21st Century (December 2024)
• Tissot, Women and Time (opening December 21, 2024)

Hello everyone,

On Tuesday, we launched the AGO’s new customer relationship management (CRM) platform, Tessitura. A banner day. The Tessitura launch marks a long overdue transition from 30-year old legacy systems to a fully-integrated CRM that is designed to help us better serve our audiences, and raise more revenue across especially Admissions, Membership, and Development. Tessitura is the #1 software used by over 800 arts organizations globally. Our software has been designed for our needs and over the coming months we will start to see its impact, as improved data gives us a deeper understanding of how to engage our community.

It takes a village, and this project is certainly an example of that. I want to thank the Tessitura team, led by Deanna Underwood and Paul Lai, who have worked closely together over many months to make a smooth transition possible. The Tessitura team includes:

Tessitura Steering Committee

Andrea Seaborn, Catherine Thomson, Chris Steele, Cindy O, Herman Lo, Kristine Medeiros, Kyle Fraser

Tessitura Working Committee

Brieanna Ivany, Camellia Kazi, Christine Endrulat, Cristina Dias, Curtis Lindsey, Dahee Song, Deanna Dick, Mark Dos Reis, Michael Ladd, Nicole Ascroft, Sneha Gaikwad, Trish Popkin, Victoria Bautista-Hodgson

I also want to thank the many Subject Matter Experts who helped along the way.

Take care,

Stephan

This is a reminder that Library & Archives will be closed for annual collections maintenance from Monday, August 19 to Friday, August 30.  

Hello Volunteers

Hope you’re all enjoying the beautiful summer we have been experiencing!

I’m writing with some exciting updates that have been busily working on. First, however in gratitude and thanks to all the staff; Debbie Johnsen, Holly Procktor, Paola Poletto and Natalie Lam for the enriching actives and talks they have arranged for us as we have had recently from Moment’s in Modernism, to Bright Lights, to a visit with Artist in Residence Michelle Peraza, can’t wait to see what she will create! It’s always wonderful to learn, be together as a community and a pleasure to see everyone! In our mutual volunteer work together, enrichment activities and socially.

Next Group Volunteer Excursion: Charles Pachter Studio. Registration required.

Please mark your calendars for the launch of our first fall excursions. Pleased to relay that the next group outing since the summer will be on Wednesday September 18th at 10:30am to Charles Pachter Studio, (near the gallery). This is an opportunity to personally meet one of Canada’s leading artists and see his studio, artwork and where he creates these glorious works of art! There will also be socializing time with Charles and fellow volunteers from different shifts. Meeting details to follow closer to the date, this excursion is open to 50 volunteers for space requirements in Charles studio. Afterwards we will get together for an optional lunch and an opportunity to meet fellow volunteers from various shifts and days. Registration is required, please sign up and confirm your attendance (and for lunch if interested to join) at my email address [email protected]

AGO Volunteer Artist Collective:

A reminder our AGO Volunteer Artist Collective launches on Wednesday October 30th with our first artist Janne Reuss, our second artist is scheduled for Tuesday November 19th with Aliye Akbarzadeh.

These presentations will be on zoom and recorded and shared. Janne will showcase her art of photography and the special personal meaning behind her works, for reference here is Janne’s website https://janneartdot.wordpress.com/. Aliye’s art is equally unique in a stylistic manner capturing a creative vision drawings and paintings via a contemporary style, her past life stories and deep philosophical meanings. Aliye’s artwork, technique features, collage, drawing and painting.

As Volunteer President, I’m so excited to launch this initiative idea, showcase and highlight the talents of so many volunteers as to what we create outside the gallery walls as artists our visions and mandates as well as contributing to the gallery. This will also give us all including fellow volunteers over different day shifts break down the silos and an opportunity to learn, be inspired and seeing your cohorts in a different light, commonalties and the hope of building a strong artistic community to be recognized and inspired by staff alike. Please submit your interest to participate in the collective, with Holly or myself at the email address above.

On the horizon in the fall:

We are most grateful to Melissa Smith, who will be arranging a watercolor studio workshop lead with a Gallery school facilitator for volunteers. This is a collaboration between staff and volunteers coming together in the studio, as part of a community to simply learn, and hands on create and have fun!

Volunteer Recognition:

There will importantly be a volunteer recognition event coming up around the late fall into the holiday season, this will also give us an opportunity to come together and socialize as well. With warm thanks to Holly for brilliantly organizing all factors of this recognition event for volunteers. We look forward to celebrating you!

Look forward to all these activities and seeing you all in the near future, until then I will be on summer break mid to late August and as always, my door is open with any suggestions, questions or concerns via email ([email protected]) or in person. In the meantime, enjoy the rest of the summer!

All my best,

Barbara Glaser

AGO Volunteer President