Over the past year Visual Arts Ontario has been undergoing a comprehensive strategic planning process. Culminating in a summit in Toronto at the end of January, our goal was to determine whether we were meeting the needs of our members and fostering the careers of artists in Ontario in the most effective way possible.
What our members, other artists and colleagues involved in our strategic planning process have told us was that artists need a place to collaborate and connect throughout a career often practiced in isolation. In contrast to our current model of delivering publications and workshops, artists need to both give and receive feedback, support and advice. An artist in Tobermory no longer needs someone from Toronto to send her a print booklet on how to photograph art. That resource is easily found online. What is lacking is a wide net that connects her quickly and inexpensively, to a photographer, a supplier, a confidant, a mentor, a distant gallery with a proposal call that closes in a few days, a piece of sound career advice, or perhaps just to another artist who happens to live around the corner. That net is the new VAO.
The Board's vision for the future of VAO is of an open, collaborative online hub for Ontario artists: a vibrant destination for artists and art-interested people to connect, build a tribe, and foster a resource-rich community. While foraging for that perfect morsel of advice or support, members can also plug into other networks based on geographic area, media or career aspirations.
There is much work to be done for VAO to take this leap forward. We are maintaining relationships with current funding partners, involving them in our transition strategy and ensuring that we have their support. We will work hard to secure additional funding partners who will support a new business model for VAO. We will continue to be available to our members, implementing a transition plan to help them and the organization define and embrace a new model. A strategy to ensure we meet service commitments to members is clearly laid out on our website along with our Strategic Report.
This is a time of great adventure for Visual Arts Ontario and we thank you for your ongoing support. We look forward to keeping you informed of our strategy as we move forward. To continue receiving further updates from Visual Arts Ontario visit our website and sign up to our free e-mailing list.
If you have any comments or feedback for the Board at this time please do not hesitate to call.
Visual Arts Ontario
215 Spadina Ave, Suite 225
Toronto, Ontario M5T 2C7
www.vao.org
info@vao.org
416.591.8883
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