Annual Report 2007 - Ottawa Art Gallery

Report from the Chair
Since 2004, OAG has worked hard to
establish a strong foundation for organizational
growth through its updated
Strategic Operational Plan, and most recently
by producing a new Policies and
Procedures Manual. With the completion
of these documents, 2007 was a
year of consolidation, laying the administrative
groundwork for the ongoing
planning for a future building.
OAG’s first challenge came in early
2007 with the opportunity to retrieve
important elements from the former
home of O.J. and Isobel Firestone in
Rockcliffe before the building was demolished.
Thanks to present owner,
Neil Malhotra, a plan was approved to
contract Commonwealth Historic Resource
Management Ltd., to recover architectural
features from the house, and
the City offered to store the objects in
a former fire station. The cost of this
project was not initially included in the
2007 budget, but the chance to re-unite
elements from the original house with
works from the Firestone Collection, at
a future date in and a new home, was too
compelling to miss.
Another project that garnered considerable
public support for OAG was its
quest to relocate to the former Canada
and the World Pavilion on Sussex Drive.
Reasons for this move were prompted by
OAG’s pressing need for a new and improved
facility, and the availability of the
Pavilion, designed as an exhibition space
for the public and located on an historic
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and exceptional site. OAG put forward
spirited arguments to make its case and
was considered a serious contender.
Gallery representatives have also continued
to work with the Ottawa Arts
Court Foundation, the Youth Hostel
and City staff regarding the potential
redevelopment of the Arts Court site
as a private/public partnership, and this
project is ongoing.
In February, OAG held its Partners in
Art Breakfast; over 150 guests mingled,
and the event featured welcoming words
from Mayor Larry O’Brien and a lecture
by Edward S. Goldenberg, author of The
Way it Works: Inside Ottawa. Sponsored by
RCB Financial Group, this successful
event raised $18,000; it launched OAG’s
2007 Donor Campaign with the ambitious
goal of raising $150,000 to support
exhibitions, public programs and educational
activities.
Our 2007 annual art auction Splash!
proved a great success thanks to the
overwhelming generosity of the community.
It included exceptional art by
local artists, fabulous food by Ottawa’s
best restaurants and caterers, numerous
donated gifts, and many hours of volunteers
work. All made for great party and
raised over $60,000 net for exhibitions
and public programming.
The Art of Golf is intended to attract
business people, with the aim of making
OAG more widely known and securing
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