Press Room
Ontario Association of Art Galleries
Commences Mentorship Program
From left to right: Suzanne Smoke, Naomi Johnson, Tina Chu, Astrid Ho, Patrick Macaulay, Mark V. Campbell, Pamela Edmonds, Johnson Ngo. December 2014. Photo by Calvert Quach.
TORONTO, ONTARIO—The Ontario Association of Art Galleries (OAAG) is pleased to announce the commencement of its Mentorship Program as part of its Leadership and Cultural Pluralism Project.
The new mentorship program provides six culturally diverse mentorees with the opportunity to accelerate their careers by connecting them to senior arts leaders in public galleries in Ontario. Each mentoree is paired with a mentor. The mentorees are given the freedom to determine their own mentoring agenda, which can include regular meetings and activities that focus on building leadership skills in the public arts sector.
The program addresses the development of skills in leadership, governance, change management, cultural pluralism, strategic planning and personal skills. By addressing these areas it serves to benefit individuals and organizations within the public art gallery sector.
Mentorees include:
-
Mark V. Campbell, Executive Director, Nia Centre for the Arts
-
Tina Chu, independent
-
Astrid Ho, Print Sales Manager and Archivist, Open Studio
-
Johnson Ngo, Assistant, Adult Program/Public Programming & Learning, Art Gallery of Ontario
-
Suzanne Smoke, Aboriginal Cultural Coordinator/Curator, Georgina Arts Centre & Biindigen Gallery
Mentors include:
-
Emelie Chhangur, Assistant Director/Curator, Art Gallery of York University
-
Deepali Dewan, Senior Curator, South Asian Arts & Culture, Royal Ontario Museum
-
Pamela Edmonds, Curator/Co-Director, Third Space Art Projects
-
Naomi Johnson, Artistic Director, Woodland Cultural Centre
-
Patrick Macaulay, Director, Visual Arts, Harbourfront Centre
-
Srimoyee Mitra, Curator of Contemporary Arts, Art Gallery of Windsor
Some participants in the program have chosen to remain private.
The project, which received funding in December 2013, was born out of the identification of significant gaps in culturally diversity at the executive level in the arts sector. The project consists of this Mentorship Program, workshops and a project website.
All project information – including mentorees’ and mentors’ biographies, consultant information and other resources – is available at http://www.ontarioartsleadership.com/.
About OAAG
OAAG’s vision is to be a vital and effective advocate for Ontario's dynamic public art galleries, serving and representing our members across the province as valued and essential centres of art and learning.
OAAG's membership consists of over 200 art museums, public art galleries, artist-run centres, visual arts organizations, and professional colleagues across Ontario.
OAAG is a registered charitable organization. More information about OAAG can be found at oaag.org.
-30-
Contact Information:
Veronica Quach
Assistant Director
(416) 598-0714
communications@oaag.org
