The Winnipeg Art Gallery
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THE WINNIPEG ART GALLERY ANNUAL REPOrt 2007/2008 THE WINNIPEG Art Gallery The Winnipeg Art Gallery is a not-for-profit institution held in public trust and is mandated to develop and maintain the visual arts heritage by and for the citizens of Manitoba. For that purpose The Winnipeg Art Gallery collects, preserves, exhibits, interprets, and makes accessible works of art by Manitoba, Canadian, and international artists. VISION MISSION VALUES The Winnipeg Art Gallery – an internationally The Winnipeg Art Gallery, Manitoba’s premier visual The Winnipeg Art Gallery believes that art is integral renowned destination where people are excited arts museum: to life, and values: by art. enriches culture through the collection and Excellence – by achieving the highest standards preservation of art Innovation – by encouraging new ideas inspires and engages through exhibition and Financial Sustainability – by balancing artistic education programs and economic goals connects people who appreciate excellence in Inclusivity – by welcoming individuals from the visual arts all communities encourages and supports the creation and Integrity – by building trust and respectful presentation of art relationships TABLE OF CONTENTS Chairman’s Message 3 Collections and Exhibitions 15 Annual Giving Fund 23 Director’s Message 4 Education and Programs 16 Volunteer Committee 29 Deputy Director’s Message 4 Museum Services 19 WAG Foundation 30 Exhibitions 5 Marketing and Communications 20 Financial Statements 32 Publications 7 Gallery Shoppes/Art Rental 21 Board of Governors 37 Loans 8 and Sales Gallery Staff 38 Acquisitions 9 Development 22 WAG 2007-08 Annual Report 2 CHAIRMAN’s MESSAGE Much has transpired over the last year at the Gallery, most notably a change in directorship. In November 2007 Pierre Arpin moved to Ottawa, assuming the position of Head of Visual Arts for the Canada Council for the Arts. On June 15, 2008 the Board was very pleased to welcome Dr. Stephen Borys as the new Director of The Winnipeg Art Gallery. Stephen brings a strong curatorial background to the WAG, along with many international connections from his work abroad. I sincerely thank Deputy Director Claire Whelan for her dedication and hard work running the Gallery during the interim. This past year the Gallery successfully completed Phase 1 of the Arts Stabilization Manitoba Program, a process which has led to many improvements touching on everything from governance structure to best business practices. One of the qualifications for the program requires that the participant’s year-end must show a surplus, and the Gallery has been fortunate to declare surpluses over the last three years. The Board, management, and staff put a lot of time into seeing this process through. Thank you for your hard work and due diligence. Our exhibitions over the last year brought a lot of attention to The Winnipeg Art Gallery.Warhol: Larger than Life ran for 13 weeks and welcomed over 24,000 visitors, provided programs to 2,800 school-age children, offered self-guided iPod tours to over 1,000 visitors, hosted 5,800 people in adult programs, and ran 3 sold-out studio workshops. Frank Warren’s PostSecret exhibition also brought thousands of people to the Gallery. Frank Warren himself spoke at two sold-out talks/book signings and was guest of honour at a Leadership Circle reception. While both of these exhibitions resulted in significant media coverage for the Gallery, they also brought countless first-time visitors, including many from other parts of Canada and the United States. This has been a busy year with the Board, management, and staff working hard and closely together to achieve a common goal, that of providing excellence in the visual arts to both our members and the public at large. I would like to thank all those in the community who continue to support us both fiscally and in a volunteer capacity, and those who attend our events and programs and visit our exhibitions. Our donors, private and public, play a very important role in supporting the Gallery and we thank them all. I would also like to thank the WAG staff and Board who, over the last three years, have made my role as Chairman both a pleasure and an experience I will always remember. The years have gone by in a flash as one amazing exhibition or event blended into the next. I, along with the Board and staff, look forward to working with our new Chair Naomi Levine as together we plan towards The Winnipeg Art Gallery’s 100th anniversary in 2012. Gordon R. Gage Chairman, Board of Governors WAG 2007-08 Annual Report 3 DIRECTOR’s MESSAGE DEPUTY DIRECTOR’s MESSAGE It’s great to be back in Winnipeg, and I cannot think of a better place to come home With our great successes and some challenges, 2007/2008 was another exciting year at to than the oldest civic art gallery in the country, The Winnipeg Art Gallery! Over The Winnipeg Art Gallery. the years, I have lived, studied, and worked in Winnipeg, Toronto, Montreal, Ottawa, Through our exhibitions, Winnipeg embraced Andy Warhol with 24,000 visitors Cleveland, and Sarasota—all great cities with thriving arts communities. Returning to popping in to Warhol: Larger than Life, shared secrets with the world in Frank Warren’s Winnipeg after more than twenty years, I am quickly reminded of how much this city PostSecret, glowed with civic pride in Subconscious City, and mapped our streets in has to offer, to celebrate, and to be proud of when it comes to the arts. And certainly the Erratic Space: Don Gill. Jazz on the Rooftop expanded with a winter series, Jazz WAG is at the centre of this experience, as well as being a leader for this activity. under the Rooftop, and the WAG’s firstArt After Dark sold out. We introduced the iPod I have been given a five-year mandate to do great things at the WAG and great things audio tour, complementing our guided tours, lectures, and Art for Lunch programs. for our community. Serving at the pleasure of our Board, I hope to make the most of Norm Bradshaw joined the Gallery from the Shaw Festival as Head of Development, every moment, every opportunity, and every resource. Our community is comprised bringing with him a wealth of experience and a fresh perspective. Pierre Arpin, our of not just the citizens of Winnipeg, but people across the province and country, and previous Director, accepted the post of Head of Visual Arts for the Canada Council for the worldwide cultural community. And our goals and successes involve and, in many the Arts and moved to Ottawa in November. We miss Pierre and wish him well. ways, depend on this diverse constituency. Above the doorway of the Allen Memorial Art Museum at Oberlin College, where I served as curator and professor, the following Board, management, and staff are showing their commitment to the strategic plan and words are engraved in stone: The Cause of Art is the Cause of the People. I hope each visitor aligning the organization with the mission, vision, and values that were redefined last to the WAG—old and new, at home and away—will take up the cause of this great year. Following through on recommendations of Arts Stabilization Manitoba, Inc. to institution as we approach our second century. strengthen the management team to guide the Gallery through the strategic planning process, Helen Delacretaz was promoted to Head, Exhibitions and Programs and Stephen D. Borys, Ph.D. Crystal Hiebert to Manager, Marketing and Communications. Director In 2008 the Volunteer Committee to The Winnipeg Art Gallery celebrates their 60th anniversary, and continues their unfailing commitment to the Gallery, gifting the Gallery Shoppes and Art Rental and Sales to the Gallery in September, 2007, helping our staff wherever needed, and fund-raising in many, many ways. Our achievements would not be possible without the generous support we receive from so many. Thank you to our donors and sponsors, The Winnipeg Art Gallery Foundation, and our funders from all three levels of government. To our loyal members, thank you for your continued support and feedback. To the WAG Board of Governors, the Volunteer Committee, The Winnipeg Art Gallery Foundation Board, and all those individuals volunteering in our programs and events who so graciously and generously donate their time and expertise to making The Winnipeg Art Gallery a destination where people are excited by art—thank you. We couldn’t do it without you! As I write this, we look forward to the arrival of Stephen Borys, returning home to Winnipeg to lead the Gallery to its centenary. I would like to thank all staff for their hard work and dedication to the Gallery while we were without a Director and also to thank our Board Chairman, Gord Gage, for his continued assistance and advice. WAG 2007-08 Annual Report 4 Claire Whelan Deputy Director EXHIBITIONS As a new Winnipeg Art Gallery exhibition suggests, the technically grown-up (Aidan) Urquhart is more like a lost boy, using art practices EXHIBITIONS PRODUCED BY to access issue of childhood. – National Post, August 9, 2007 THE WINNIPEG Art Gallery April 1, 2007 - March 31, 2008 Erratic Space: Don Gill Collection Highlights: In and Out of the Box May 1 – July 1, 2007 (Skylight Lounge) October 17, 2007 – May 4, 2008 Is it Baroque? Investigating the WAG Collection Funded by the Canada Council for the Arts (Eckhardt Hall) October 17 - 26, 2007 and March 23 – June 3, 2007 Sponsored by EQ3 November 13, 2007 – February 27, 2008 Duane Perkins 60/40 Into the Collection: Highlights of Historical Painting Into the Collection: Recent Acquisitions –