More turbulence for Remai Modern
Gallery facing board departures as CEO set to leave post next month
Nearly half of the leadership group that guided the Remai Modern art gallery to a successful first year that surpassed expectations appears to have departed.
Saskatoon city council announced the appointment of five new board members and the reappointment of two board members after a marathon in-camera governance and priorities committee meeting Tuesday.
In total, it appears that as many as eight board members may have departed, possibly including the entire executive led by chair Scott Verity. The Starphoenix was unable to confirm the future composition of the 12-member board.
In a brief interview on Wednesday, Mayor Charlie Clark said he could not comment on the changes.
“We are focused on supporting the gallery as it moves forward in advancing its mandate,” he said. “I’m not at liberty to comment on any of the other board appointments.”
The Remai Modern operates in a city-owned building; it is governed by a board that is appointed by city council.
Appointments to boards and committees are discussed behind closed doors. Council met in private for about nine hours on Tuesday.
When council reappeared at the public meeting in council chambers around 10:30 p.m., the councillors and Clark voted to approve five new board members and to reappoint two members.
The Remai Modern board also includes Coun. Cynthia Block and Coun. Mairin Loewen — so the identities of only nine of a possible 12 incoming members are known.
The turnover on the board comes as executive director and chief executive officer Gregory Burke is set to depart next month for a similar position in his hometown of Auckland, New Zealand.
Council endorsed most of the appointments to committees and boards in December, but postponed a decision on the Remai Modern board.
Clark said he could not comment on whether there were differences between city council or the city administration and the art gallery board.
Burke announced in December that he was leaving his position, but would remain until mid-march to work with the board on a transition plan. He could not be reached for comment.
The Starphoenix also attempted — without success — to reach the board members who are believed to be leaving. Karen Chad, the vice-president of research at the University of Saskatchewan, had told the board in October that she would not seek another term.
Clark acknowledged the “international acclaim” the Remai Modern received in its first year, but added that the gallery is now in a “transition phase.”
At the end of Tuesday’s meeting, Coun. Randy Donauer, in his role as deputy mayor, read a statement expressing appreciation for those who helped make the gallery’s first year a success. Then he read the names of the five new board members, which will be considered for final approval on Monday.
Board terms last two years, but members are expected to be willing to serve two consecutive terms with a six-year limit.
Three board members were midway through their first twoyear term on the board, but it’s not known if they will continue. The city is still looking for board members, council heard Tuesday.
Loewen, Block and city clerk Joanne Sproule said Wednesday they were not able to comment on the composition of the board, aside from the names endorsed Tuesday.
The controversial gallery, which was plagued by delays and rising costs during its construction, attracted international attention during its first year after opening in October 2017.
The New York Times named Saskatoon one of the top places in the world to visit in 2018, based largely on the new gallery.
In October, the gallery announced that it had surpassed its goals for visitors, memberships and revenue. The gallery had set an ambitious goal of 190,000 visitors, but estimated the number who walked through the doors
topped 450,000.
The gallery sold more than 9,000 memberships and pulled in nearly $850,000 in admissions and membership sales.