Ontario Association of Art Galleries: Mentoring Opportunities

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Six new mentoring opportunities for culturally diverse arts professionals seeking leadership positions in Ontario’s public art galleries. Open to Mentorees and Mentors.

To apply: Visit http://oaag.org/mentorship/index.html. Download the program guidelines package and submit the application forms and materials as specified.
 
Questions / Information Contact:  
Veronica Quach, Assistant Director: phone (416) 598-0714 | communications@oaag.org
 

 Description

The OAAG Cultural Diversity and Leadership Project offers support for six new mentoring opportunities for culturally diverse arts professionals who see their career paths set to Director/CEO-level leadership positions in the Ontario public art gallery sector.

The mentoring program has been designed through a consultative process with special funding from the Toronto Arts Council and major funding from the Ontario Trillium Foundation, an agency of the Government of Ontario.
 
The call for applications from mentorees is open to Ontario arts professionals who have worked in or are working in public art galleries, who self-identify as culturally diverse, including Aboriginal peoples and visible minorities, and who see themselves in gallery leadership roles at the Director/CEO levels. The call for applications from mentors is open to senior arts professionals who are have worked in or are working in public art galleries at the Director/CEO-level and who seek to explore acceleration of cultural diversity in leadership roles.

-The program can match up to six culturally diverse arts professionals with senior arts leaders in public art galleries across Ontario.

-Mentorees are invited to identify mentors and to design their own mentoring relationships, which could consist of regular meetings and activities with senior arts leaders, to focus on building skills and knowledge on cultural diversity and leadership in the public art gallery sector.

-An assessment committee will review all applications.

-This is a responsive mentorship program that offers an opportunity for a mutually beneficial relationship between the mentor and mentoree in order to develop skills and exchange information.

-We are actively seeking applications from across the province.

-Mentorees and mentors will have access to support from professional consultants in human resources, cultural diversity and change management.

Through the program, OAAG is inviting culturally diverse arts professionals to create their own mentoring relationships with senior arts managers. The intended purpose of the mentorships, which can last 9 to 12 months, is to accelerate career transition into positions of leadership.
The mentorship program is expected to benefit individuals, organizations and the public art gallery sector in Ontario, which may include improved:

-Ability to integrate culturally diverse values and principles in operations, planning, audience development, marketing, programming and decision-making processes in public art galleries

-Governance, leadership and change management skills, particularly related to culturally diverse engagement

-Methods, techniques and practices in managing a public art gallery, including partnership development, human resource management and financial administration

-Relations and communications with Board of Directors and/or city council

-Strategic planning, especially in the context of cultural pluralism/diversity

-Listening skills and ability to give feedback

-Self-reflection and other personal skills

-Networking and contacts

-Other areas as identified by mentorees or mentors

Mentoring teams will be able to access OAAG support and training including:

-Opening and closing workshops that will bring all mentorees and mentors together for training, discussions, and networking

-Training materials

-Access to the OAAG Secretariat, an Executive Coaching/Human Resource Consultant and a Cultural Pluralism Consultant

-Significant networking opportunities

 

Background

OAAG identified significant gaps in cultural diversity at executive leadership levels in the Ontario public art gallery sector. The DiverseCity Counts Report found significant diversity gaps at levels of executive leadership across many sectors in Ontario, including public art galleries. OAAG’s standing committee on membership and programs identified mentorship as a priority and desired professional development strategy, responding to leadership priorities raised by art gallery colleagues at both the provincial and federal levels. This mentorship program is part of the OAAG Cultural Diversity and Leadership Project, which provides diversity training to strengthen governance, leadership and change management. Other aspects of the project include workshops and a resource website, which are accessible to all galleries across the province.

More information about OAAG can be found at oaag.org