Developing Gallery Outreach Policy: A Collaborative Process

Many art galleries have recently begun to establish greater connections with diverse publics in order to become more inclusive institutions amidst the increasing focus on social responsibility in society. Gallery education is assuming a prominent role in the fulfillment of this demand, where community outreach projects are being promoted. With this rise in outreach programming, there is an increased need for research and literature in the field, yet there are few published projects that examine methods for implementing such programs. This publication outlines research that developed a framework for gallery outreach programming. The objective of this research was to discover a means to effectively develop a collaborative vision for socially inclusive programming between a gallery and a community group. This book presents the research process involved in the project and the resulting framework, providing recommendations for gallery educational policy development. Museum and gallery educators, community organizations, and university art education instructors and students will find the contents of this book useful for its theoretical and practical applications in this emerging area.

Natasha Reid is a doctoral student at Concordia University, researching the emerging role of the gallery educator amidst social change. She is an educator at the FOFA Gallery and is the editorial assistant for the Canadian Review of Art Education. This book resulted from research conducted for her MA degree in Art Education at Concordia University.