Vancouver Art Gallery hires new fundraising head amid push for new building | Daily Hive

Vancouver Art Gallery appoints new fundraising head amid renewed push for new building

Jackie Graham. (Vancouver Art Gallery)

The Vancouver Art Gallery has named Jackie Graham as its new senior director of development, tapping her extensive local and international fundraising experience to help steer the institution during a period of financial instability.

Graham steps into the role as the Gallery undertakes major operational changes aimed at ensuring long-term financial sustainability.

A spokesperson for the Gallery told Daily Hive Urbanized that her leadership role focuses on fundraising and building sustainable financial support. She will lead fundraising efforts across all areas of the Gallery, including major gifts, capital campaigns, endowments, and community partnerships.

This follows layoffs at the institution last month, in an effort to reduce its operating budget amid financial challenges.

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Recently, Graham served as chief development officer at the Audain Art Museum in Whistler, where she played a key role in expanding the museum’s donor base and securing major exhibition sponsorships. According to the Gallery, her work also contributed to the growth of one of Canada’s largest arts endowment funds and the establishment of enduring multi-year partnerships.

“Jackie’s proven expertise in strategic fundraising and her ability to inspire deep, meaningful connections with supporters will be invaluable as we navigate this period of transition,” said Eva Respini and Sirish Rao, interim co-CEOs of the Vancouver Art Gallery, in a joint statement.

“Jackie’s leadership and extensive experience leading major capital and endowment campaigns, forging long-term partnerships and engaging our communities, will help us build the strong philanthropic foundation needed to advance our mission.”

In addition to strengthening fundraising efforts for the Gallery’s exhibitions and operating costs, she will also contribute to advancing its capital campaign initiatives.

The Gallery’s primary capital project remains its long-standing vision of establishing a new, purpose-built and expanded home.

Initial construction activity, including site preparation, demolition, and excavation, began in late Winter 2024. However, by Summer 2024, work came to a halt and the Gallery announced that project costs had surged by 50 per cent to $600 million. Shortly afterward, the previous long-established design by an international architectural firm was scrapped, and leadership changes were made.

The previous design by Herzog & de Meuron was abandoned in late 2024, as the Gallery parted ways with the Swiss architectural firm and launched a new design competition, inviting 14 Canadian architectural firms to participate. The relaunched competition to design a standout, expanded Gallery building at its new site — one that aligns more closely with the project’s revised budget — closed earlier this year, with all 14 invited Canadian firms submitting proposals.

A Gallery spokesperson told Daily Hive Urbanized that as of this week, the selection of a new design remains in the procurement phase. More details are expected to be announced in Fall 2025.

vancouver art gallery cosntruction march 13 2024 f2

Construction work on the site of the future new Vancouver Art Gallery on March 13, 2024. (Kenneth Chan)

Graham holds a Master of Arts in Art Business from Sotheby’s Institute of Art, a Bachelor of Arts in Art History and Management from McGill University, and a Bachelor of Education from the University of Calgary.

“I am deeply honoured to join the Vancouver Art Gallery. I believe in the power of art to inspire, connect, and transform communities. I look forward to working alongside the talented team and dedicated supporters to build a sustainable and vibrant future for this extraordinary institution,” said Graham.

Last year, at around the same time construction activity came to a halt, the Gallery also announced the appointment of Jon Stovell — president and CEO of Reliance Properties — as the new Chair of the board that governs the institution.

The appointment of a prominent real estate developer with extensive experience in development, construction, and project management may also be a strategic move, given the long-delayed and significantly over-budget capital project for the Gallery’s new home.

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