Stephan Jost to depart role as Art Gallery of Ontario CEO
After ten years at the helm of the Art Gallery of Ontario, Stephan Jost announced he will step down at the end of 2026. He arrived in 2016 from a string of curatorial posts in the United States and Hawaii, and quickly set a bold agenda that has reshaped the institution.
Under Jost’s direction the museum added more than 18,000 works, secured over $500 million in gifts, and launched the Dani Reiss Modern and Contemporary gallery—a 40,000‑square‑foot expansion slated to open in 2027. The collection has become broader, deeper and more inclusive, while audiences have grown younger and more diverse.
The period was not without turbulence. Three senior curators, including chief curator Julian Cox and inaugural Indigenous art curator Wanda Nanibush, left the organization, and a controversial decision surrounding a Nan Goldin piece sparked resignations and a governance review of the museum’s volunteer committees.
As the AGO prepares an interim leader and a global search for a permanent successor, Jost’s legacy is evident in the expanded galleries, the enriched collection and a strategic plan that has already outpaced its timeline. The next chapter will build on the foundation he established while navigating the complexities of contemporary museum practice.