Strategic Plan Gardiner Museum
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Gardiner Museum Strategic Plan 2018 – 2020
Shaping
the Earth
Together
Evolving the
Gardiner Museum
to be imperative
for its community,
as well as a
compelling arts
destination
2Executive Summary
Evolution
The Gardiner Museum must evolve to be an active force in the community. This is a shift from being what it is – a
ceramics museum – to being known for what the institution makes happen, for how it works with its community
to shape the world. Museums were typically passive, they displayed collections and people came to them. Now
the public, including public sector funders and sponsors, expect a museum to reach out to the whole community,
support creativity, and pro-actively make collections, and every aspect of their operations, relevant in a contem-
porary context.
Becoming more relevant and contemporary
The real experience of the Gardiner. The most obvious assessment of relevancy is the experience of a visit to the
Museum. The Gardiner Museum should improve its onsite experience with a focus on making collections more
engaging and relevant.
Visitors prefer contemporary work, perhaps because they can relate it more easily to their lives or current
cultural references. Therefore, the challenge is the display of historical content. Not including what might be
exhibited in the Gardiner’s temporary exhibition hall, the visitor experience is approximately 85% historical
content. And other than the renovated European Porcelain Gallery, the Gardiner’s galleries are out of date and
not at a level commensurate with the quality of the objects they house. Making the onsite experience more vital
is essential. New communication technology, better display techniques, and the introduction of narrative can
have a role in this, as can programs (lectures, events, etc.) to enliven the historical materials and to put them
in a contemporary context, especially for a younger audience. The Gardiner is doing an excellent job of creating
programs that connect the museum to today’s concerns. The historical collections are the Museum’s foundation
and must be clearly linked to everything else we do, most especially contemporary programs.
We can be world leaders in education with clay and ceramics. This is an essential aspect of the Museum’s brand
and is a prime way that we can respond to the world around us in a unique manner and be connected to health,
wellness, and mindfulness, for example.
Being relevant isn’t only about making a museum interesting for younger people. Boomers live in the world now
and want to be connected to content relevant to today; being relevant isn’t just a focus on Millennials.
The Gardiner’s audience. A second aspect of relevancy for the Gardiner is its audience. While the Museum is a
speciality Museum and will always have a relatively smaller audience pool to draw from than an art or natural
history museum, for instance, being relevant still means having an audience that reflects the entire community.
The Gardiner continues to increase its penetration of an urban, culturally well-informed constituency, but it must
reach out to other communities, and a good place to start is with those where there is a natural affinity with clay
and ceramics. Diversity is important in every aspect of the museum, and this starts with programs that attract a
wide spectrum of visitors. From here, membership, support and board members can be cultivated. Diversity also
means age, and reaching younger people is essential to build the next generation of support.
3An arts champion. A third and essential component of being relevant and contemporary is the role the Gardiner
Museum can play as a leader in the arts community. Where can we lead? As evidenced by the considerable
success of the Kent Monkman and Janet Macpherson exhibitions, the SMASH art party, and the second summer
of the Community Arts Space, the Gardiner can play a crucial role in the creative world to encourage new work.
The Museum can have a unique, high-profile role when we connect contemporary art to clay and ceramics,
support emerging artists, and represent Canadian creativity internationally. Narrowing a focus to Canada, while
not precluding important opportunities such as showing Yoko Ono or Ai Weiwei, will evidence a purpose that will
help galvanize support from both the public and private sectors.
Scholarship. A corollary to this role in the arts community, is the Gardiner’s reputation in the academic world
and with other decorative arts museums and with collectors. Strengthening the Museum’s position in these areas
requires investment in scholarship, both in the Museum’s curators and in their research, and also in the intellectual
content the Museum creates, publishes or disseminates online.
A shift to today
Being a Museum that is relevant, that is part of cultural discussion in a community, doesn’t mean diminishing the
focus on clay or ceramics, but it can mean conceptualizing them in a multi-media context, and making program
connections that relate to audiences the Museum may not be used to welcoming. Being contemporary doesn’t
mean ignoring historical collections but ensuring that they are presented, on site and through programming, in
a way that makes them compelling, not merely worthy, and makes them part of the spectrum that is supporting
young artists and commissioning the new and provocative.
4Background
Building on Success
The Gardiner Museum is building on the momentum
created primarily by the previous strategic plan’s focus
on increasing awareness of the Museum to targeted
constituencies that have the potential to engage with it.
This has been accomplished through greater brand
clarity, enhanced marketing, and collaborative,
provocative programs.
The next three years need to support the leap forward
begun in 2017, and facilitated by a staff reorganization,
including adding three new positions during 2016
(programs manager, chief operating officer, and chief
development officer), upgrading the institution’s financial
expertise, and establishing revenue targets that support
expanded operations. Growth is also supported by an
evolving board that is increasingly diverse, connected to
varied communities, and philanthropic.
5Three-year
financial plan
This strategic plan assumes that the financial
objectives of the leap forward are viable, and hence
these financial goals are implicit in this strategic plan.
(Please note the attached three-year financial plan.)
Growth in expenditures during the period of this
strategic plan primarily relate to increased staff
compensation, curatorial support and increased
marketing. Increased revenues are assumed through
augmented fundraising, including expanding
membership. The approaches for achieving increased
revenue are not detailed in this strategy but will be part
of a separate presentation, and reviewed annually as
the Board approves the Museum’s budgets. Of central
importance will be a new development strategy.
Note: Appendix 1
6The Strategy…
From:
An important specialty museum that
the community is becoming more
aware of as a destination offering varied
experiences relating to ceramics
To:
A museum rooted in its community,
with international significance, helping
artists take risks and diverse audiences
be inspired through clay
7Why the Gardiner
is Relevant Now
Build on these
strengths
• Clay connects us to our humanness; it’s to various communities. The Gardiner is well
something real in an increasingly virtual world. positioned to be a forum for public conversation
Clay education is part of a growing interest in when these discussions have a link to exhibitions
mindfulness and wellness; it offers an authentic and collections.
experience. (An example is the Citizens of Craft
campaign, connecting craft with the authentic and
the unique, rather than the unsophisticated and • The Gardiner can have a significant, positive
amateur.) impact on artists, particularly who are emerging
and Canadian. The Museum can be unique in this
role by supporting artists in Canada, as well as
• The onsite experience of the Museum can better promoting Canadian artists’ work internationally.
use technology, but its intimate scale also allows The Gardiner can be a launch pad.
for more human connection and direct engagement
with objects—more real and authentic experiences.
• The Gardiner can contribute to scholarship
through research and publications (in print and
• Clay can connect communities, and many online), and will collaborate with the world’s most
communities can find expression through clay and important museums when possible.
ceramics. For example, those who attend clay
classes are diverse.
• A wide public engages naturally with contemporary
expressions of clay and this should inform all
• Clay and ceramics can be a dominant theme exhibition and program choices. The Gardiner is
of exhibitions and programs, but can also be the also valued as a steward of historical collections
connector of many artistic disciplines and prompt but primarily when it makes these collections
many discussions not directly related to craft or art. relevant or contributes to a scholarly discussion of
them.
• Clay is an exciting medium for artists, and many
more now incorporate it into their practice.
• Relating to the sense of shaping and making the
world with clay, the Gardiner can use soft power
to bring attention to topics connected to its
exhibitions and collections that are important
8Shifting Brand
Attributes
From:
Vital and Audacious
To:
Inclusive and Trailblazing
9Compelling
Institutional Belief –
What’s the Big Idea?
The insight is clay is something most people can care about,
it’s real, and it’s almost universally cultural intrinsic. It’s a
popular interlocutor between a museum and most communities.
The Gardiner Museum needs to exploit the humanity that clay
embodies as a unique opportunity to connect with everyone.
Activated in the following ways, this
concept can inspire the Museum to
be an essential community resource:
101. Enhancing the Onsite
Visitor Experience
From: A museum with a beautiful building, offering an intimate and
right-sized experience, with a good collection, and pleasant shop and
dining experiences
To: A uniquely memorable destination, in all respects, with the experience
of the historical collections as new and vibrant as that of the contemporary
Why visit the Museum? The total experience of a museum is more than the interaction of the visitors with the
permanent collections and temporary exhibitions. A visit encompasses the Gardiner Museum’s website, plaza,
plaza garden, shop, bistro, and public areas including stairwell, halls and whether there is adequate seating in
galleries. All components, along with pleasant and helpful staff encounters on site, combine to answer the
question, “Would I recommend a visit?”
That said, at the core of the visit, are the collections. Just because objects are worthy or important doesn’t
necessarily make them of interest to the public; it’s also how they’re presented, the stories a museum tells about
them, and the emotional engagement they spark. Especially with historical materials, a visitor asks, “Why should
I care about this?” Education, entertainment, surprise, and beauty are all things the display of collections must
offer the public to make it relevant for them.
1.1 Review the exterior entry experience. When the front steps are renovated, there is an opportunity to improve
the entry experience, including giving better access for people with disabilities. Should seating or landscape be
added to make the space friendlier? The animation of the space, especially in the summer, can be improved, and
new hospitality agreements can support this, as can Community Arts Space initiatives that use this area. The
plaza offers significant visibility and there may be further marketing/communication opportunities to be realized
here. This is an R&R funded initiative.
1.2 In the context of a curatorial plan, reconsider the first floor galleries. Make content relevant in contemporary
context. The current contemporary gallery will be used as a temporary, 12 – 18 month exhibition space
beginning in 2018, but this isn’t necessarily a permanent arrangement. Upgrades to the Ancient America gallery
in 2017 will be modest. Reconsideration can include the arrangement of galleries, artifacts displayed, collection
narratives, display techniques, graphics, etc. If substantive changes are recommended, then funding will need to
be determined – likely a fundraising or grant will be required.
Deliverable: A detailed curatorial plan, gallery development plan and capital fundraising plan to realize the
strategy
111.3 In the context of a curatorial plan, reconsider the second floor galleries, other than the European Porcelain
Galleries. Is the historical content engaging the public? If substantive changes are recommended, then funding
will need to be determined – likely a fundraising or grant required.
Deliverable: A detailed curatorial plan, gallery development plan and capital fundraising plan to realize the
strategy
1.4 Consider using the stairwell window for display/storage. A preliminary design for costing is underway. This
project will need to be evaluated in many respects including the cost of renting equivalent off-site storage and its
viability as a sponsored, named space.
Deliverable: A budget and funding plan
1.5 The meditative moment. Many people come to a museum for a tranquil escape, a calm break in a day filled
with technology and rush. The total experience of the Museum should be considered and enhanced to better
offer this experience for those that seek it. The museum as refuge works for all age groups, including the
thousands of students that surround the Gardiner.
Deliverable: A budget and funding plan
1.6 Onsite family activity. Create more activities for families, particularly ones that relate to clay education but
focus them on Sundays or holidays/special events as trying to integrate them in exhibitions and programs hasn’t
been successful.
1.7 Increase accessibility relating to all disabilities, including mobility, sight and hearing issues. Given the
intimate, personal nature of the Museum, some of this accommodation could be through personalized,
pre-arranged tours and not necessarily facilitated with technology.
Deliverable: Ensure all projects are noted in the three-year accessibility enhancement program
1.8 Activate the lobby clay studio. Continue activation of the studio as it has a positive impact on the visitor
experience. An artist in residence program can be part of this.
Deliverable: Consider a new clay program and establish an artist in residence program
1.9 Integrate hospitality into more programs. Lectures that involve food and wine are a natural fit with a ceramics
museum. Themed events with food are a good way to reach out to varied communities.
1.10 Bistro. A new hospitality agreement should consider the Bistro as a destination, not an on site service
provided visitors, and be a major generator of Museum traffic and notice.
Deliverable: Consider new clay program and establish an artist in residence program
1.11 Gardiner Lobby Information. Develop a plan for more electronic information about the Museum founders,
and the architectural and curatorial evolution of the museum to enhance the entry experience.
Risk Assessment:
Enhancing the visitor experience requires careful analysis particularly in regards to capital expenditures. That
said, the permanent collections need a plan for enhancement if they are to be of interest; the Museum cannot
rely on temporary exhibitions to drive visitation.
122. Innovating With Clay
Education
From: A provider of high-quality clay education for
adults and children, and a good school destination
combining in gallery instruction with hands-on clay
studios
To: A recognized education innovator providing
unique programs, often with collaborators, where
clay supports health and mindfulness, master
classes by artists in residence and visiting artists,
corporate programs, and classes that engage
diverse communities
Observation:
There are many institutions providing clay education, in many ways it’s
commodified and difficult to use as a branding component, or to premium
to increase revenue. The Gardiner has to separate what it does with clay for
educational purposes from that is offered elsewhere. The Gardiner can use its
unique clay education to forge bonds with communities and to be perceived
as an innovator.
132.1 Create new clay classes that connect to mindfulness, wellness and otherwise stress the need for
people to connect to the simple, authentic human activities that help them be “human” and that build an
empathetic society. Publicize clay classes as a key element in Gardiner brand building.
2.2 Extend clay classes to diverse communities, collaborate with communities to create classes that
reflect their cultures.
2.3 Create new initiatives for business that can have a social component e.g., corporate team building.
2.4 Create new initiatives for children or rebrand existing ones that are hospitality based e.g. birthday
parties.
2.5 Create classes that use spaces such as the Gardiner plaza to increase capacity.
2.6 Use clay education as the central element in building a family audience.
Risk Assessment:
Schools still require curriculum-based education, at a reasonable cost, and the Gardiner still should
provide this. As well, total capacity is reached quite quickly given the limited scale of the Gardiner facil-
ities so revenue generation should be balanced with the importance of the Museum’s mandate/brand of
affordable and widely accessible clay education.
143. Pro-actively Connect
with Communities
From: A museum with loyal supporters who love
ceramics
To: A museum where many communities can feel at
home, and can also collaborate to create programs
imperative for them
Observation:
Many communities can collaborate with the Gardiner but don’t necessarily
know about the Museum, or its opportunities, and hence the Museum must
be pro-active in reaching out to these communities. The Gardiner should
collaborate with communities to create tailored programs rather than
assume it has the expertise, beyond technical, to structure appropriate
programs. This outreach in the context of maintaining current/traditional
stakeholder relationships will involve the identification of a community
partner in each priority community to be the key collaborator.
153.0 For growth, focus on specific communities – ceramic cultures, First People’s, people with disabilities,
therapeutic, and academic.
3.0.1 Ceramic cultures. Begin with the Chinese community, identify collaborators, and develop an
engagement program. This strategy could involve upgrading the Chinese Gallery and current Chinese content
lectures.
3.0.2 First People’s. Expand on current relationships and evaluate trial clay classes related to this community
now underway. Continue to work with First People’s artists.
3.0.3 People with Disabilities. Continue to work with consultant Christine Karza to create a strategy for better
supporting this community’s visitor experience, as well as collaborating with varied organizations to bring new
audiences from this community to the Gardiner.
3.0.4 Therapeutic. Continue to expand the range of clay education to address therapeutic needs, as well as
health and wellness. Arts and health is a growing field of study, and presents a significant opportunity. (Note
2.0)
3.0.5 Academic. Continue to strengthen relationships with Victoria College, including more formal
connections between Gardiner curators and Victoria College academic programs, and outreach to Victoria
College students (potentially as a model for further outreach to the University of Toronto.) Use the artist in
residence program to connect to art students at Sheridan, OCAD and other institutions with ceramic programs.
3.1 Community Arts Space. Continue with the Community Arts Space program that makes the main exhibition
hall available to community-based arts groups during the summer. Fundraising needs to be expanded to increase
funding to groups so that productions/exhibitions can be produced at an optimum level.
3.2 Artists.
3.2.1 Continue to have an artist on the Gardiner Board.
3.2.2 Establish an artist in residence program for both emerging and established artists, particularly where
artists have the opportunity to interact/teach students studying ceramics or in related fields. Create
competitions and awards to support artists, and bring awareness to their work, and to clay. Focus exhibitions
on the new, emerging and Canadian. (Note 1.4)
3.3 Board. Continue to build a diverse board, including representation from a younger cohort, artists, and other
priority communities. Board members should be able to connect the Museum with a very broad community, as
well as be able to initiate sponsorship and philanthropic activities. Reaching out to diverse communities, creating
programs that attract new, varied communities will eventually realize new members and supporters from these
communities, and from this pool the Museum can likely identify potential new board members.
Risk Assessment:
There are space and staff capacity issues, and too many “one-off” programs would exhaust resources. Priorities
as to which communities are best served by the Museum and the establishment of repeating programs would
allow resources to be used most efficiently.
164. Championing the
New, Emerging and
Canadian
From: A museum without a perceived mandate to
encourage artists who work with clay, although
gaining recognition for contemporary programs,
and an onsite experience that focuses on the
historical content
To: A museum known internationally as a champion
of the new, emerging, provocative and Canadian,
and how it makes its historical collections relevant
to a diverse public
Research/Observation:
Research suggests the public is more easily engaged by contemporary art,
and contemporary clay and ceramics, than by historical collections. The
media typically report on contemporary work, or historical content presented
in a radical manner and ignore most else. Public granting agencies, such as
the Ontario Arts Council and Canada Council give funding preferences to
initiatives related to contemporary themes or to the presenting historical
material in relevant ways. The support of young artists and new ideas is
ceasing to be an option if a museum wants public funding; private sector
funding is following a similar pattern. To connect with the community, the
Gardiner must make it clear what kind of resource it can be – and championing
the new, emerging and Canadian vis-à-vis clay and ceramics is a role that the
Museum can take it into the future.
That said, the historical, permanent collection will remain the majority of
the onsite visitor experience and can’t be disconnected from a museum if it
strives to have a role in the contemporary art world and society. Therefore,
gallery revitalization and programs that connect collections to the current
audiences is part of what it will mean for the Gardiner to champion the new
and be a vital force in shaping the world today.
174.1 Build recognition for the Museum’s support of contemporary. The Gardiner should become the most effective
champion of the new, emerging and Canadian in clay and ceramics, and contemporary art that incorporates the
medium, or ceramics in a decorative arts context. Being a champion means originating compelling shows of new
work, commissioning artist interventions in the galleries, connecting with students, promoting new work through
competitions, awards and social events. Be a launch pad for young artists, as well as featuring the recognized
artists. A significant investment in acquisition of contemporary work (versus its display) needs to be carefully
considered.*
4.1.1 Support contemporary initiatives with an enhanced web presence including the production of unique
content for the Gardiner’s website. The website can be a resource for artists and the public, and can be the basis
for the international dissemination of content.
4.2 Reconsider the first and second floor galleries. Note 1.2 & 1.3.
4.3 Create an artist in residence program that supports well-known artists and emerging artists to participate,
and connect to students and the public. Note 1.8.
4.4 Develop strong curatorial relationships with the most important institutions worldwide and collaborate with
them when possible.
4.5 Represent Canadian artists internationally online (as noted), in publications, and by originating travelling
exhibitions – become the voice of Canadian clay and ceramic art worldwide.
4.6 Invest in Curatorial. Invest to ensure that Gardiner curators can represent the Museum at conferences and
can participate in national and international forums. Invest in curatorial research, including print and online
publications, and the creation of exhibitions, both travelling and smaller scale. i.e., lobby shows.
Risk Assessment:
Being the champion of the new is not a contradiction with being a thoughtful steward of historical collections,
or revitalizing those collections to make them relevant to the public. That said, the messaging also must be in
tandem, and the link explicit, so that related audiences aren’t confused by the Gardiner’s brand.
As well, making collections up to date, and supporting curatorial excellence, especially in an international pur-
view are costly endeavours, and their incremental implementation will be mandatory.
*assume the Gardiner Museum’s new chief curator will develop a comprehensive curatorial plan, implement a
contemporary program focus that includes the upgrade of galleries, in addition to commissioning new work and
corresponding programs.
18Critical elements
for success
Fundraising. No growth is possible without additional revenue, and fundraising is the area where
the greatest revenue increases are to be realized. The Gardiner’s traditional 12 Trees Fundraiser
needs to be reconsidered as it is increasingly awkward for community outreach given the linkage to
Christmas, and the oddity of trees at a ceramic museum, even if metaphorical.
Fundraising should include strategies for building the endowment that don’t cannibalize on
donations to operations.
A new Development Strategy will be created and presented to the Board, and progress made to
achieving its goals will be regularly reviewed.
Membership growth. Membership is a key area for revenue growth as the Gardiner has a relatively
small membership to visitation ratio. Membership growth is counter to trends, especially with a
younger demographic, who may attend multiple times a year but don’t want to become members.
There must be highly visible reasons to join, particularly at the philanthropic levels.
Increasing earned revenue. Increased revenue assumptions cannot be detrimental to core museum
operations. Earned revenue, particularly with a new hospitality agreement in place, will reach a
limit beyond which it’s likely to interfere with the operations of the Museum as a museum.
Young patrons. While the Young Patron Circle has been established, further investment is required
if it is to grow the next generation of Museum leaders. As well, the tone and manner of YPC events
is an indication of how successful events can be produced in the future, and used as models for
revitalized Gardiner activities.
Continued good PR and online presence. Additional resources for social media are essential as the
transition from traditional communication and print continues.
Staff. While staff salaries have been considerably increased over the last three years, many areas
are still below or just at average levels. To be an exemplary museum to retain the best staff, salary
levels will need to be further increased, as will the availability of staff development. The Museum
should also plan, as all smaller institutions do, for younger staff to move to new opportunities as
the Gardiner cannot necessarily offer these.
Curatorial recognition/international presence/investment in curatorial. To have stature in the
international museum community, a greater investment in curatorial research, travel and
conference participation is required.
Board. A fully engaged board and good board succession planning is essential. Continued board
building ensuring diversity, including youth and artist representation, and people with connections
to varied communities, is necessary.
19A note about research. The strategic plan is supported by
consultations by senior Gardiner Museum staff with current
and potential program collaborators, artists, arts administrators,
curators and academics, members, teachers, board members,
donors, public funders and other stakeholders. Research
provided by the University of Toronto’s Museum’s Studies
program has also been reviewed.
20Appendix 1
21Gardiner Museum Operations
Three-Year Financial Plan
2017 % change 2018 % change 2019 % change
Summary
Budget YOY Budget YOY Budget YOY
Revenues
Operating draw on Invested Funds + OAF* 907,000 4% 927,840 2% 950,097 2%
Annual Campaign 846,483 4% 946,949 11% 1,144,222 17%
Public Sector (Government) 468,057 -43% 676,485 31% 444,000 -52%
Earned Revenue 627,411 4% 677,000 7% 725,000 7%
Total Revenue 2,848,951 -4% 3,228,274 12% 3,263,319 1%
Expenses
Curatorial + Exhibitions + Programs 809,550 3% 925,923 13% 916,721 -1%
Building Maintenance 786,940 4% 869,900 10% 893,922 3%
Administration 704,875 4% 721,159 2% 737,032 2%
Marketing 399,300 0% 438,975 9% 438,230 0%
Development 266,520 10% 272,317 2% 277,414 2%
Other 124,230 38% - -
Total Expenses 3,091,416 5% 3,228,274 4% 3,263,319 1%
NET (242,465) (0) (0)
Deficit covered by Operating Capital 242,465 - -
Contingency 30,000
272,465
Operating Capital available 300,000 57,535 57,535
*Does not include draw for R&R as per previous reports to the Board
Variances in Public Sector Support and Marketing dependent on project grants
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