Stephan Jost to Step Down as Director of Art Gallery of Ontario After Decade

Stephan Jost, director and CEO of the Art Gallery of Ontario (AGO) in Toronto, will resign at the end of 2026, concluding a decade-long tenure marked by significant growth and challenges. Under his leadership since 2016, the AGO has prioritized engaging younger and more diverse audiences, with a majority of visitors now under 39 and about 60% reporting non-European heritage, reflecting Toronto's status as one of the world's most diverse cities. Jost's tenure saw the accession of over 18,000 works, including major donations such as 450 pieces from Carol and Morton Rapp, 37 works from Philip B. Lind's estate, the 3,500-piece Montgomery Collection of Caribbean Photographs, and substantial bodies of work by Diane Arbus (450), Hiroshi Sugimoto (227), Peter Hujar (200), and Käthe Kollwitz (170). He also spearheaded a C$100m ($73.4m) building project adding 40,000 sq ft of exhibition space, the Dani Reiss Modern and Contemporary Gallery, set to open in 2027. However, his tenure faced controversies: a planned acquisition of a Nan Goldin work was abandoned, leading to resignations; a 2024 strike closed the gallery for over a month; and the 2023 departure of Indigenous art curator Wanda Nanibush sparked public outcry. Jost, who previously led the Honolulu Museum of Art, Mills College Art Museum, and Shelburne Museum, plans to take a break before seeking another leadership role. The AGO will appoint an interim director on December 31 and begin a global search for his successor.