Former National Gallery of Canada staffers warn minister about layoffs

Former staffers are sounding the alarm about latest layoffs at the National Gallery of Canada.

In a letter to the Canadian Heritage Minister Pablo Rodriguez shared with media late Friday, 7 previous senior staffers of the Ottawa institution alert him about the affect of 4 new layoffs, subsequent on a stream of center-management departures in the past a few a long time. “The cumulative effect has produced a high degree of interior uncertainty and instability. It is difficult to reconcile these actions with the gallery’s new strategic prepare to ‘empower, guidance and establish [a] assorted and collaborative team,’ ” said the staffers, who consist of a number of retired curators and selection managers.

This month, the gallery laid off chief curator Kitty Scott, curator of Indigenous art Greg A. Hill, director of conservation and complex analysis Stephen Gritt and communications manager Denise Siele. In an interior memo, interim director Angela Cassie advised personnel the layoffs ended up to align the gallery’s leadership with its strategic plan, unveiled in 2021, with a emphasis on building connections by artwork and respecting Indigenous information.

Ms. Cassie was not out there on the weekend to answer to the letter, but the gallery has previously declined to comment on the layoffs, citing the individuals’ privacy. Board chair Françoise Lyon said in a temporary message this week “the reorganization announced is entirely consistent with the gallery’s strategic program.”

The gallery is a Crown corporation with its possess board, which operates at arm’s duration from the federal government, but a spokesperson for Mr. Rodriguez claimed the ministry is examining the letter.

“Canadians have higher expectations of their cultural institutions. We expect the gallery and all Crown firms to be inclusive, protected, and mirror the most effective of Canada,” Laura Scaffidi explained.

As nicely as these four layoffs, the letter alleges that at minimum 10 other supervisors were being enable go in modern decades, most for the duration of the a few-calendar year tenure of director Sasha Suda, who remaining the gallery in July to grow to be the director of the Philadelphia Museum of Art. The writers also get worried about the cost of buyouts for these non-unionized staff members.

The letter is signed by former curators Charles Hill, Diana Nemiroff, Ann Thomas and Rosemarie Tovell, previous chiefs of collections administration Delphine Bishop and Greg Spurgeon, and previous pictures conservator and chief of conservation J.P. McElhone. Most of these senior gurus had still left the gallery ahead of Ms. Suda arrived.

The previous staffers are involved about what they detect as a hollowing out of specialist awareness at the gallery, citing vacancies in vital curatorial spots, these kinds of as modern day artwork, Canadian prints and drawings, and historic European and American artwork.

“It is time to change the aim from restructuring to rebuilding from the ground up, nurturing present know-how and the knowledge of specialists who can mentor the next generation of museum experts,” they produce. “The gallery’s strategic program affirms the significant purpose performed by the previous: ‘The path ahead will need of us our effectively-honed encounter, enthusiasm, and information of artwork and audience.’ It is just this understanding and experience that is threatened by recent dismissals.”

The letter also phone calls on the govt to appoint a new director with a verified monitor record major a important artwork museum. Ms. Suda experienced labored as curator at the Artwork Gallery of Ontario and study assistant at the Metropolitan Museum right before she was appointed whilst Ms. Cassie had held a variety of work opportunities at the Canadian Museum for Human Rights in Winnipeg. The gallery only started promotion the director’s work past 7 days and does not incorporate in the putting up what distinct skills it could require.

“We are searching for a leader who will comprehensive the implementation of the strategic plan and design the values of the corporation,” Ms. Lyon explained. “In the interim, the board has total self-confidence in Angela Cassie and the senior administration workforce to advance the aims of the gallery.”