I want to begin by thanking everyone for your patience and cooperation as we undertake deep cleaning, reorganization and improvements across the AGB studios.

This work is helping us create safer, more accessible and welcoming shared spaces, while establishing a stronger foundation for the continued growth of Studio Access. We are excited by the increasing participation in our studios and by the opportunity to welcome more artists, makers and community members into these spaces.

Our studio community is also continuing to evolve. Both the Potters Guild and the Rug Hooking Guild have made organizational decisions to move their primary operations away from the AGB, providing each Guild with greater autonomy over its space and programming. At the same time, both remain AGB Community Group Members and continue to be valued, invested and integral members of our creative community.

We see these developments positively—as opportunities for the Guilds to grow in ways that support their members, while continuing their longstanding relationships with the AGB. They also create new possibilities for the Gallery to expand participation, programming and access within our shared studios.

Photography at the AGB is evolving as well. Following recent changes to the equipment in the darkroom, we are working with an enthusiastic group of volunteers, informally known as the Friends of the Community Darkroom, to rebuild and re-equip the space as a shared community resource. Latow Photographers Guild remains an active Community Group Member, and we value its continued participation in the AGB community.

Interest in analogue photography continues to grow through our workshops, camps and artist-led programs. We remain committed to maintaining and animating the darkroom throughout our continued operation in the current building, and we will soon share a broader community call for donations of working darkroom equipment and supplies.

These developments are connected to a larger vision for the future of the AGB. Our new strategic plan looks ahead to 2040 and focuses on strengthening artistic leadership, expanding access and belonging, supporting a thriving cultural ecosystem, building organizational resilience, preparing for the Gallery’s waterfront future and contributing to a broader cultural commons.

Studio Access—and our relationships with artists, makers, Guilds and community organizations—is central to this vision. We look forward to sharing more about the strategic plan, the continued evolution of Studio Access and the work ahead at a town hall that will be planned for the end of the summer. Further details will follow.

Thank you for the creativity, care, and patience you continue to bring to the AGB. Wishing you a wonderful summer, with plenty of opportunities to create, connect and recharge.

Warmly,

Emma