It’s International Museum Day, an annual celebration that highlights the important role museums hold in society and its enrichment. This year’s theme is “The Future of Museums: Recover and Reimagine,” inviting institutions to imagine and share new practices of creating value and innovative solutions for the social, economic and environmental challenges of the present.
Our past year has certainly been focused on recovering and reimagining; we have used it as an opportunity to grow and transform Your AGA in order to meet new challenges. Though we have been closed to the public for much of the past year, we have remained “open” for virtual visitors, enabling audiences from across the world to experience the engaging exhibitions and programs that Your AGA has to offer. Fostering strong partnerships with other arts organizations has allowed us to create and develop new ways for our visitors to experience art in person and at home.
Here are some of the ways we have adapted and embraced the changes:
- #AGAlive features interactive webinars inspired by AGA exhibitions and programming. #AGAlive is made possible with the support of the EPCOR Heart + Soul Fund and the Canada Council for the Arts. We have some excellent upcoming programming, including a Community Tour of The Scene led by Amber Paquette on May 20, and an Artist Panel on May 27 with Roy Caussy, Gwenessa Lam and Marigold Santos. Check our calendar as we add more #AGAlive programming throughout the summer.
- Field Trip: Art Across Canada is an online initiative to deliver arts experiences in partnership with leading arts organizations across Canada. Field Trip gives us a platform to share some of the fantastic artists we are fortunate to work with to the rest of the country.
- #yourAGAfromhome includes art activities from our Education & Learning department, behind-the-scenes and virtual tours, collection images and more.
- 250 AGA, an online investigation across our communication channels inspired by architect Michael Sorkin’s essay 250 Things an Architect Should Know. The series consisted of 14-weeks of interviews with 17 different organizations and individuals from around the world.
- Sidewalk Cinema, a street-level digital screen with audio playing video works from 10am-10pm on the Northwest outside wall of the building. Presented as part of the Downtown Spark: Arts District Animation.
- Art Club for Kids, our monthly subscription series for kids aged 6-12 that provides an art project and materials and plenty of opportunities for young artists to explore their creativity, wherever they are.
Although we hope to return to our in-person exhibitions, tours, artist talks, art classes and programs, the shift in content creation has allowed us to serve more Albertans than ever before, and we will continue to develop both in-person and online programming to provide better access to Your AGA.
This year has served as a catalyst for important cultural innovations, particularly an increased focus on creating digital experiences. Thanks to support from the Government of Canada and the Government of Alberta, we have been able to install some new technology, including AV and security upgrades, to ensure we have the needed equipment to bring you guest Wi-Fi, to ensure high-quality AV in all our public spaces, and to continue creating content to engage with our audiences digitally.
We are pleased to present you with more ways to engage with us and reach more audiences than ever before. According to the International Council of Museums (ICOM), the cultural sector is among the most affected by the COVID-19 crisis; surveys conducted by ICOM and other international organizations present a dire situation for museums and their professionals, with serious economic, social and psychological repercussions in the short and long term alike. We ask that if you are able, please consider making a donation to the Art Gallery of Alberta, so that we can continue to make the AGA a gathering place for all Albertans, whether in-person or online, to explore, practice and learn about art.
Thank you as always for your support of the Art Gallery of Alberta; we hope to open to the public soon and (finally) share our exhibitions Black Every Day, Cornelia Hahn Oberlander: Genius Loci presented by Qualico, Anna Hawkins: Blue Light Blue, The Scene and the Capital Powered Art installation Jude Griebel: Barn Skull that have been installed and waiting for you!
