Stephan Jost appointed Director and CEO of the Art Gallery of Ontario

Jost has been Director of the Honolulu Museum of Art (HoMA) since 2011. Under his leadership the Museum successfully merged two institutions on Oahu: the island’s contemporary and comprehensive art galleries. He balanced the newly-merged Museum’s budget, greatly expanded its education programs by significantly strengthening ties with Hawaii’s public school system, and made its exhibition program more relevant by creating meaningful relationships with the local community. Through these acheivements the HoMA was revitalized, and its membership was more than doubled. 

Responsible for the AGO’s artistic vision, strategic and financial direction and overall management, Jost will oversee the Gallery’s collections, exhibitions and programs, human resources, facilities, and the institution’s further growth and development. The position calls for a candidate with deep institutional experience, an abiding passion for art and learning, and a commitment to community building and civic engagement.

“I am thrilled to be joining the AGO, one of North America’s preeminent art museums,” says Jost. “The energy and diversity of Toronto is exciting, and the city is well positioned to be a true global leader. I feel strongly that artists should help guide not only a national, but international cultural conversation that will help us better know ourselves and our world.”

Jost's previous work has included serving as director of Shelburne Museum in Shelburne, Vermont, and of the Mills College Museum of Art in Oakland, California. Stephan earned a B.A. from Hampshire and a master’s degree in art history from the University of Texas, Austin. His Hampshire Division III was titled: “Windows of Power: Sixteenth Century Dutch Stained Glass in Gouda.”  Read the announcement on the Art Gallery of Ontario site.