The Art Gallery of Ontario is entering a new chapter as director and CEO Stephan Jost will step down at the end of the year after 10 years in the role.
During his tenure, Jost helped shape the museum's modern identity through major acquisitions in contemporary art, including extensive bodies of work by Diane Arbus, Peter Hujar, and Hiroshi Sugimoto. The AGO also plans to open a new modern and contemporary art gallery in 2027, spanning 40,000 square feet across five floors.
The museum said Jost's leadership expanded access and support for the institution, including free admission for Ontario residents under 25 and significant philanthropic growth that reached $500 million in gifts. Board co-president Beth Horowitz described his decade as a period that broadened the collection and attracted a younger, more diverse audience.
Before joining the AGO in 2016, Jost led the Honolulu Museum of Art and later served as president of the Association of Art Museum Directors. The museum will now begin the search for a new director and CEO.
As the AGO looks ahead, this transition could help define how major museums balance collection growth, public access, and future-facing cultural leadership.
