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Position Profile

President and Chief Executive Officer

ART GALLERY of BURLI NGTON November 2014

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About the Art Gallery of Burlington The Art Gallery of Burlington (AGB) is a unique organization that combines quality gallery programmes with a range of creative activities, including being the home of seven active guilds and related studios. From exhibitions, catalogues, curator talks, and a range of educational programs, to an internationally significant collection that differentiates it from all other galleries, the AGB also manages social enterprise initiatives in support of its programme offerings. Its Board of Directors is committed to continuing to grow the Gallery’s impact on the various aspects of the quality of life that the arts can extend across the community, and to the differences that it can make to the community’s economic development. The AGB’s roots reach back through the 1965 formation of the Burlington Guild of Artists that evolved into the coordinating umbrella known as Arts Burlington, and which raised one-third of the funds to build the Burlington Cultural Centre in 1978. Additions in 1991 and 2001 led to today’s 44,000 sq. ft. facility. Known as the Burlington Art Centre since 1993, a new chapter was launched in May 2014 with its exciting re-brand as the Art Gallery of Burlington. The AGB has three galleries and two exhibition spaces: the Lee-Chin Family Gallery displays its largest curated exhibitions that span the full range of the visual arts; the Perry Gallery focuses on rotating exhibitions from the permanent collection; an indoor conservatory is beautifully populated with works by Canadian ceramicist Sally Michener; a three-season open-air courtyard celebrates special installations; and a community gallery exhibits the work of emerging artists and local groups. Seven well-equipped studios are shared among the guilds and the Gallery: as home to many of the region’s working artists and ‘makers’, and for courses and workshops organized by Gallery staff and/or guild volunteers. The Creative Hub includes drop-in art-making activities for families and individuals, and a Children’s Clay Studio is a favourite for youth. In 1983, the organization began acquisition of a unique collection of national significance. At its current 2,400 pieces, the AGB’s collection has distinguished itself as the nation’s largest collection of Canadian contemporary ceramics. Ranging from functional pieces to conceptual sculpture, from fine craft to fine art, the reach of the collection was suggested by the name of its recent exhibition ‘Coast to Coast to Coast’; and, like Canada, its diversity reflects many international influences. The impact of the Gallery on the careers of emerging artists is exemplified by that of Christopher Reid Flock. Flock was first introduced to clay at the AGB, where he was also helped in supporting himself as a young emerging artist through part-time employment at its reception desk, before he went on to study at the Sheridan College School of Ceramic Design, then moved to Japan for nine years to continue his artistic development. Since 2009, Flock has enjoyed growing acclaim as an award-winning artist, including the prestigious Canadian Clay and Glass Gallery’s 2014 Winifred Shantz Award, with solo exhibitions and a highly successful studio practice back home in this region.

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With a budget of $2.5 million, the AGB has approximately 800 members, 2,000 participants in its studio courses over the year, 1,500 youth and other individuals who participate in outreach programmes at community agencies with whom it partners and/or at its Sunday afternoon Creative Hub Open Studio family sessions, and hosts numerous Tours and Creative Workshops for students from regional schools. The Gallery’s social enterprise revenue streams include: a high volume of room rentals and catering to local service clubs, regional organizations, and special event functions including weddings; the Art Etc. Gallery shop that specializes in quality Canadian handmade items, as well as art sales, rental and framing; parking revenues; memberships; and education programmes. Signature annual events include the four-day Soup Bowl, which is organized simultaneously with the annual Arts Burlington Christmas Sale, and a long established Art Auction. The Art Gallery of Burlington Foundation raises funds in support of the AGB and manages an endowment fund to help bring financial stability to the organization. The AGB is situated across from beautiful Lake Ontario and the waterfront Spencer Smith Park that is home to events such as the annual Sound of Music Festival and Canada’s Largest Ribfest, with a small beach, walking paths, and neighbouring Spencer’s restaurant with capacity for over 200 diners. The AGB building and property are owned by the City of Burlington, and the City and the Gallery are in the early stages of exploring options for future development. The immediate region from which to draw audiences ranges from Toronto, through Ontario’s Golden Horseshoe, and into Buffalo, NY.

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Organizational Mandate

The Art Gallery of Burlington (AGB) is a provincially chartered not-for-profit organization and a Registered Canadian Charitable Organization with a mandate to champion visual art and fine craft. Its vision is to be Canada’s best, interactive, visual arts gallery and centre serving its communities, artists, and students and to be recognized as such. Its mission includes engaging the community in the appreciation and creation of visual arts, to be home to a range of art and fine craft guilds, to provide opportunities for discovery and ‘hands-on’ learning, as well as mentoring and showcasing visual artists at all skill levels. The AGB is also dedicated to building and promoting its unique collection of Canadian contemporary ceramics.

Strategic Goals

1. Grow the demand for AGB programs and services

2. Grow AGB’s revenue sources

3. Build AGB’s organizational strength and operating capacity

4. Provide the best place to fulfill AGB’s mission and goals

Reporting Relationships Title: President and Chief Executive Officer Reports to: A 12-member, skills- and community-based, volunteer Board of Directors, through the

Chair, with input from the Chair of the Foundation Board. Reporting team: Chief Curator Director of Enterprise Comptroller Development Officer Key Relationships: Municipal, Provincial, Federal Government Officials and Politicians Funding Agencies, Foundations and Donors

Community and Business Leaders Arts Burlington and the guilds of the AGB Professional Colleagues Partner Arts, Urban, Academic and Other Organizations Artists in several disciplines Volunteers, Media, General Public

Governors: In addition to working with the Board of Directors, the President and CEO benefits from the AGB Foundation Board of Directors, who are recruited to assist in the fund development activities of the organization.

Location: Burlington, Ontario

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Scope of Position The role of President and CEO is multifaceted, encompassing knowledge of the visual arts, business, fundraising,

strategy, and management of diverse stakeholder relationships. The next CEO will understand the uniqueness

and potential of the Art Gallery of Burlington as an art gallery of quality programmes that includes professional

multi-disciplinary studios where art work is produced, including through the guilds of Arts Burlington with their

deep history in engaging the community in artistic activities and helping to grow emerging artists.

The President and CEO is the visionary and strategic leader, overseeing all aspects of the Gallery, bringing

his/her passion for the arts, knowledge of business, fundraising, marketing, stakeholder management, and

cultural diversity to offer the public an enriching and engaging program. Recognizing the growing challenges

facing nonprofit and charitable organizations, the next President and CEO will initially balance developing the

organization’s internal assets, its people (both staff and volunteers) and its systems, with a focus on external

relationship building: setting a gold standard in philanthropic and sponsorship successes. S/he will provide

leadership in working with the City as it reviews its Strategic Plan, in implementing the City’s Cultural Action

Plan, and in influencing the future development of the Gallery within an overall vision for urban development.

S/he will be a compelling communicator about the intersection of art and culture, including its impact on the

quality of life, on community economic development, and how engagement in the arts changes lives.

The President and CEO is ultimately responsible for the rich and diversified program of exhibitions that the

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Gallery presents, as well as the relationship with Arts Burlington and the various guilds that make their home at

the Gallery. The next CEO will be steward and custodian of the nation’s largest collection of Canadian

contemporary ceramics that ranges from fine craft to fine art, from functional pieces to conceptual sculpture

and, like Canada, reflects many international influences. S/he will help foster and oversee creative programming

and education/outreach activities to engage broad and diverse audiences. S/he will have the business and

financial skills to build an economically sustainable organization through long-term financial planning, budgeting

and managing performance, and including optimizing the potential of the Gallery’s enterprise revenue streams.

The next President and CEO will be a visionary leader who demonstrates clarity of purpose, a passion for the

visual arts and culture and for engaging audiences in both their appreciation and their creation. S/he will be a

person with a broad-ranging perspective that is constantly open to scanning the environment for new ideas.

S/he will be able to appreciate the unique potential that the AGB offers to the City of Burlington, the

surrounding region, and beyond.

The next President and CEO will have a drive for action and the ability to influence and inspire others to achieve

organizational priorities. S/he will engender a work environment that values creativity, accountability, and

results. The President and CEO will ensure the delivery of enriching and accessible exhibitions and programs

that create a dynamic environment and appeal to a wide range of audiences and interests. S/he will bring

energy and sound ethical and social grounding that is needed to successfully galvanize broad financial and

stakeholder support for the Gallery.

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Major Responsibilities:

With the support of the Board of Directors, build on the AGB’s base to develop strategies and initiatives that will ensure financial stability and future growth, cultivate new funding sources, steward current and former supporters, expand audiences, and explore new initiatives, including working with the City towards the future development of the Gallery within an overall vision for urban development.

Oversee financial and operational accountability for all operations, and exercise budget and administrative control over all departments, programs, and development efforts.

Ensure financial support and sustainability through fundraising and ongoing pursuit of new and growing revenue opportunities.

Build staff capacity and engagement, showing capability and passion in developing people, including attracting, retaining, mentoring and developing the best team, while also employing clearly articulated performance metrics.

Build and maintain all stakeholder relationships, nurture private sector investment, and manage relationships and politics at all levels of government.

Explore and cultivate partnerships with other relevant arts and cultural institutions, academic, and civic organizations within Ontario’s Golden Horseshoe, including at home in Burlington through growing roles in implementation of the City’s Cultural Action Plan and cultural tourism initiatives.

Provide a robust and creative environment within which both the artistic and entrepreneurial strengths of the AGB will continue to flourish, including with Arts Burlington and its guilds.

The President and CEO, with Board approval, will have the ultimate responsibility for delivering the vision and direction for the future enhancement of exhibitions, programs and initiatives in order to continually strengthen the AGB’s unique position in Burlington, Ontario and within the national arts community.

Engage the Board in discussion and decision-making on key strategic directions and issues to ensure alignment and active support, and leverage the Board to drive successes with private and public sector stakeholders.

Be the spokesperson, visionary, and motivator of the diverse expertise of staff, volunteers and stakeholder organizations, and the prime steward of the AGB locally and nationally.

First-Year Mandate Quickly get to know the staff, Arts Burlington and the guilds, local artists and community, and align with the

Board around an updated Strategic Plan and where the Gallery should be going, as well as with the City; affirm the status of the organizational structure and staff roles, and create a cohesive team environment within a positive staff culture.

Take a growing role in developing the plan for the future needs of the AGB within the City’s site redevelopment initiative.

Identify and undertake ‘quick win’ opportunities in support of the new brand, including marketing opportunities and collaborations with appropriate local and regional organizations.

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Working with the rich input received by the Boards during the extensive Stakeholder Consultations that were conducted within the CEO search process, get to know key stakeholder groups, including donors and key prospects, and lead development and presentation of fundraising plans and proposals.

Build trust and collaboration with the guilds around an optimal relationship model, as well as with local artists.

Review and improve the effectiveness of the internal and external information distribution systems.

Build and optimize the efficiency and effectiveness of office administrative and infrastructure systems.

Establish a presence with the community and its leaders, including potential partners and collaborators, various levels of government including school boards.

Develop a long-term financial plan with set goals.

Build outreach and community engagement including an inviting culture and reputation, particularly with younger generations.

The Person A visionary and change agent with a demonstrated ability to develop individuals and teams, showing

capability and passion in developing people, building staff capacity and engagement

Demonstrated ability to successfully raise funds for a public and/or private organization, and to negotiate outcome-oriented, mutually beneficial partnerships with a diverse set of stakeholders

The financial and business acumen to develop long term financial sustainability and results-based accountability

A leader with proven administrative skills that ensure optimal efficiency and effectiveness

A community-builder and ‘connector’ with proven experience building results-oriented collaborations and partnerships, including with different levels of government

An effective listener who is able to identify opportunities as they emerge, to connect dots and ‘make the ask’ that leaves little or nothing on the table, while leaving the other party feeling good about the outcomes

A creative and strategic thinker with demonstrated skills in innovation, including the applications of new media; can challenge conventional thinking, in a good way

A track record in high-performance administration, preferably in the non-profit world, including human resource management and good governance in working with Boards

A passion for and understanding of the arts , artists, and collectors, with the ability to quickly garner respect in that world, combined with the ability to articulate the impact of culture and the arts on the vitality of communities

A lifelong learner who remains alert to and encourages continuous external scanning to identify emerging best practices

A reputation for integrity, humility and garnering trust with staff and a range of stakeholders

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Able to articulate complexities in a clear and simple manner, with the presence and presentation skills to leave audiences, including media, wanting to return for more; a storyteller who is able to communicate intangible outcomes

Understands the importance of volunteers to nonprofit organizations and how to develop a culture and program through which to optimize their use, value, and satisfaction

A high-energy person willing to commit to the position as a lifestyle role

Invested in Burlington or prepared to commit to it.

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Critical Competencies for Success:

Fundraising, Stakeholder Management and Relationship Building Skills: Against the backdrop of an increasingly challenging funding and political environment, the President and CEO must work successfully with external partners with the highest degree of integrity and transparency to sustain, over the long term, the organization’s funding, and to promote the AGB’s local, regional, and national aims, including:

Being resourceful and entrepreneurial by making a compelling case for expanding the base of private, corporate, and community support, as well as creating collaborative relationships with other organizations to better leverage resources;

Growing a sustainable volunteer program.

Creative Strategic Vision: Ability to envision the unique creative potential of an art gallery that is also home to a diversity of art guilds and their members – and to position it so as to unleash synergies and demonstrate the differences that it can make to quality of life, to the education and wellbeing of all demographic groups, and to the economic development of the community, including by making the best use of the range of available exhibition space and studios, including by:

Demonstrating an appreciation for the potential of the AGB to further evolve as a valued local, regional and national institution and destination for artistic expression, learning, social convening, and urban dynamism.

Identifying and planning for the introduction of emerging art forms, technologies, and multi-disciplinary offerings that will reach and attract younger generations, including young professionals, and culturally diverse communities, and engage the guilds in doing the same.

Continuing to grow the Gallery’s role in support of emerging artists including through best practices and collaborations.

Initiating collaborations with relevant local organizations to enable delivery of art programming at satellite locations that make it more readily accessible to newer neighbourhoods.

General Management Experience and Business Acumen: Has the experience and aptitude to assume creative and fiscal responsibility for an organization and position it for growth by:

Effectively leading people and partners through innovation and change.

Applying a marketing-oriented and visionary creative perspective to the development and implementation of a sound business plan, including the development of clear value propositions that meet the needs of the community and use targeted channels through which to reach them.

Linking business objectives to the AGB’s strategic goals and creative social purpose.

Inspiring institutional confidence and enthusiasm and appropriately balancing consultation and consensus-building with decisiveness.

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Key Leadership Attributes:

Visionary, knowledgeable, and passionate about visual arts and culture, while possessing solid business acumen.

A gold-plated fundraiser – history of raising funds through philanthropic gifts, corporate sponsorships, government and foundation grants as needed for the financial sustainability of the organization

Entrepreneurial – a mindset of creativity, innovation, and energetic drive to succeed, particularly as they apply to the revenue generating potential of AGB’s social enterprise initiatives.

Mission-driven – believes that art and culture are key drivers of urban livability and economic success, and that creative innovation is critical to our current and future social and economic well-being.

Strategic – great ability to develop measures to implement AGB vision and goals.

Values- oriented – exemplifies the AGB’s core values: inclusive, inspiring, encouraging, engaging, collaborative.

Dynamic – brings a high level of energy, passion, authenticity, and enthusiasm to his/her work, and inspires and motivates others to higher levels of performance.

Flexible and Adaptable –comfortable with ambiguity and working in a less-structured, relationship-driven work environment; able to understand the dynamic challenges and fluidity of presenting contemporary art.

Influencer – leads through influence and personal example, and is able to relate well with a range of personalities, backgrounds, and styles, ranging from corporate CEOs to artists, from entrepreneurs to politicians and government stakeholders.

Engaged Communicator – actively listens, confirms understanding, and uses language and tone appropriate for the audience; is comfortable with a continual role as public speaker in many different capacities.

Innovative – proactively generates creative solutions, and is open to different approaches to resolving issues.

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Integrity – adheres to the highest standards of personal ethics and professional integrity.

Empathy – possesses a high EQ and the ability to understand the passion that drives artists and arts organizations to succeed.

Location With a population of 187,500, Burlington is ranked as the No. 1 mid-sized city in Canada for the second consecutive year in MoneySense Magazine’s ‘Canada’s Best Places to Live 2014’, and as Canada’s fifth-best city overall. It ranks as the third-best place to raise children, the second-best place for new immigrants and the third-best place to retire. The factors considered by MoneySense include Burlington’s physical beauty, low unemployment, high incomes, low crime, amenities, a thriving arts community, great city programs and services, mild weather, and a very engaged and enthusiastic community. According to the 12 March 2014 MoneySense article: “Burlington offers the convenience of being in close proximity to a major centre—in this case, Toronto—but has the bonus of offering a higher quality of life”. Burlington is located at the geographic centre of Canada’s largest consumer and industrial market and urban corridor: the “Golden Horseshoe.” It is nestled between two defining geographical features – the Niagara Escarpment and the northwest shores of Lake Ontario. Burlington is proud of its green city heritage with more than 581 hectares (1,436 acres) of parkland, including Bronte Creek Provincial Park with a wide range of programs and considerable archeological and historical features. Some of the best hiking in the world is immediately accessible on the Bruce Trail and the Niagara Escarpment, a UNESCO-designated World Biosphere Reserve, and at the Royal Botanical Gardens, which is on the migratory path of a wide range of birds. The Waterfront Trail, part of the Niagara-on-the-Lake to Québec border trail, skirts the shores of Lake Ontario and Burlington Bay/Hamilton Harbour, which also provide great opportunities for all types of boating. Cream-coloured sandy beaches make hot summer days a welcomed event.

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For swimming, skating or golfing, Burlington offers four indoor and two outdoor pools, three splash pads, twelve ice pads, six community centres, and nine local golf courses. Through its Mundialization Committee, Burlington promotes itself as a “world community.” Mundialization, one of the oldest of municipal peace activities, encourages citizen connections as a way of fostering world peace and global understanding. Burlington is dedicated to the United Nations philosophy of peaceful co-operation among the peoples of the world. It encourages community understanding of different cultures and global issues and maintains a “twin city” relationship with Itabashi, Japan and Apeldoorn, The Netherlands. Many ongoing community-based projects and events strengthen these ties. The nearby Burlington Performing Arts Centre offers a full range of quality concerts and performances and is close to many of Burlington’s fine restaurants and shopping venues. The City’s history is well preserved and displayed in the Museums of Burlington. The local economy is diverse and includes amongst its leading industrial sectors: food processing, packaging, electronics, motor vehicle and transportation, business services, chemical and pharmaceutical, and environmental. The City of Burlington is the largest of the four municipalities that comprise the Regional Municipality of Halton. There are six Wards in Burlington served by a Mayor and six Ward Councillors, all of whom sit on both the municipal council and Halton Region council. There are three federal and provincial government ridings in the Halton Region: Burlington, Oakville and Halton.

For information and to apply Should you have questions regarding this opportunity and confidential process, please contact Anne Swarbrick at 905 632-7796 Ext. 306. Letters of interest with résumé and applications may be confidentially submitted to ceosearch@artgalleryofburlington.com