Join Galeries Ontario / Ontario Galleries for our third online professional development workshop of 2021; BOARDS, ACQUISITION COMMITTEES, AND YOUR COLLECTION

WORKSHOP DETAILS:
BOARDS, ACQUISITION COMMITTEES, AND YOUR COLLECTION

When: Wednesday, May 12th, 2021
Time: 10:30am – 4:30pm ET

DESCRIPTION:

A Board of Directors governs most art galleries and museums. A board’s role is to ensure the institution is operating for the public interest and that they are caring, preserving, and exhibiting the collection to professional standards. Staff and board work together to plan and implement the institution’s mission, vision, and mandate. Board members are often art collectors and will either contribute to an institutions’ collection through monetary or artwork donations. However, what if a Board member is found to be associated with unethical practices or organizations? Recently, the ethics of Board members has been under scrutiny at major institutions internationally.

The Whitney Museum saw protests during the Whitney Biennial, with a call from participating artists and Museum staff for the resignation of Warren B. Kanders. Kanders is the CEO and Owner of Safariland, a weapons manufacturing company that produces tear gas used at the Mexico-US border on asylum seekers. More recently, the Modern Museum of Art in New York’s opening of its $450 million expansion was met with groups protesting board members Larry Fink and Steven Tanenbaum’s involvement. Fink is a trustee at the museum who owns BlackRock. This New York-based investment management company is a stakeholder in private prison corporations. At the same time, Tanenbaum is the founder of GoldenTree Asset Management. This hedge fund reportedly owns at least $2.5 billion in debt from Puerto Rico (currently undergoing a financial crisis). Protestors were calling on MoMA to divest and to open a conversation of where to reinvest their money.

These protests led to a larger conversation: should institutions be responsible for their board members’ ethical alignments? How does this affect all areas of their institutions, including how a gallery acquires and builds its collection? This workshop will be for Board members and senior leaders of art galleries and museums. It will address the role of Boards in an art gallery and museum governance and their effect on all aspects of the institution. It will also open up peer-to-peer discussion on how gallery staff and Boards can work collaboratively and collectively to advance the institution’s mission, vision, and mandate while addressing their systematic issues within their institution.

Sessions will include:

• Why the Make-Up of Your Board Matters for Your Collection
• Your Board, Collections, and the Formation of Acquisition Committees
• Board Governance and Leadership Programs: Tools for Creating a Healthy and Supportive Board

Moderator:
Robert Steven, President & CEO- Art Gallery of Burlington

Details to be announced. Watch our website and social media, Facebook, Twitter, & Instagram for the announcements!

REGISTRATION:

Complete the registration form HERE then email the completed registration form to – Jessica Lukas, Secretariat Coordinator, members@oaag.org, with the subject line – ATTN: MAP – Workshop May 12

REGISTRATION FEES:

Single Day Workshop:
GOG Members: $150.00
General/Non-Members: $250.00
Artist / Independent Art Worker $55.00
Students (with valid student ID): $45.00

Registration includes access to discussions, supplementary materials, and any additional activities.

ACCESSIBILITY:

ASL will be provided. Please reach out to Jessica Lukas, Secretariat Coordinator, members@oaag.org if you require any other accessibility accommodations or have questions.

VENUE LOCATION:

These workshops will all be held virtually via Zoom – Zoom link will be sent once registration payment has been processed.

ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS:

GOG gratefully acknowledges the funding contribution from the Museums Assistance Program, the Department of Canadian Heritage.

ABOUT GOG

Galeries Ontario / Ontario Galleries marked its 50 year as an arts service organization (ASO) which represents over 270 members—public art galleries, museums, artist-run-centres, and arts organizations. Over 40 years, its annual award program has been defining the standards of excellence for the visual arts in Canada. Through advocacy on issues, policy, legislation to all levels of government, and delivery of innovative and cutting-edge professional development opportunities and network-building, GOG advances, empowers, and strengthens the visual arts sector in Canada.

Follow GOG on Facebook, Twitter, & Instagram!

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Contact Information:
Julia Garnet
Communications Assistant
Galeries Ontario / Ontario Galleries
E: communications@oaag.org
T: (416) 598-0714