Jon Tupper has a Vespa scooter, skinny jeans and outrageous socks. He makes the scene all over Victoria. He鈥檚 candid and charming and, for five years, has been the director of the Art Gallery of Greater Victoria. I recently sat down with him, to talk over the workings of the gallery.
The Art Gallery of Greater Victoria began as a volunteer organization in the late 1940s. When Colin Graham came as the first professional staff member in 1953, 鈥渉e coaxed if from being a volunteer to a professional organization,鈥� Tupper told me. 鈥淭hat can be a difficult situation, when the volunteers feel they are no longer needed. It can create bad feelings, but Colin brought them along.鈥�
The gallery is not a branch of the government, like the Royal sa国际传媒 Museum and Archives. And it is not affiliated with an education institution, like the University of Victoria鈥檚 Legacy Gallery and the Maltwood Museum and Art Gallery. The Gallery started out very 鈥済rass roots.鈥� Then, in the mid-50s, the federal government determined that Canadians wanted their arts and culture to be sponsored by the government, rather than private corporations as in the U. S.
During the 1970s, federal support grew as the sa国际传媒 Council and National Exhibition Centres were developed. 鈥淭he gallery was funded consistently in the mid-80s, but then the arts and culture became a convenient way to cut back,鈥� Tupper acknowledged. 鈥淚t鈥檚 been a struggle ever since, trying to get our feet under ourselves.鈥�
The gallery is governed by an elected board of directors. 鈥淭hey are overseeing the organization, but they are not meddling in our affairs,鈥� Tupper told me. 鈥淭hey keep the train on the track, but they鈥檙e not driving the train. They provide oversight. They are a good board. I鈥檓 proud of them. They鈥檙e very dedicated, and all of them are donors to the gallery 鈥� they really put their money where their mouth is.鈥�
The Associates, originally known as the Women鈥檚 Committee and later the Volunteer Committee, are key to this institution鈥檚 relationship to the community. In the past they staffed the shop, the caf茅 and, says Tupper, 鈥渂asically built the gallery.鈥� Then for a few years they were rather ignored, but now they are thriving. They really enjoy what they do. And 鈥渢hey fundraise about $40,000 in cash money every year,鈥� Tupper said. 鈥淎nd what the members donate individually is much more than.鈥�
Beginning with art groups for pre-schoolers, the gallery programs outreach to children in high school and middle school. At one time graffiti became a common occurrence on the front wall of the building, but, as Tupper explained, 鈥渢he point of graffiti is to make an ugly place beautiful.鈥� So they hired a graffiti artist to teach kids how to do 鈥済ood鈥� graffiti. Rick Leong recently painted the hem of a Chinese robe there, an image that relates to what鈥檚 inside of the building. Tupper told me that 鈥渕ore and more contemporary artists are coming in, wanting to see elements of the collection.鈥�
Urbanite, and Jazz at the Mansion each attract another slice of the demographic. 鈥淥ne quarter of our membership is youth,鈥� he mused. 鈥淔or these successful events, we are fortunate to have our own home. We can invite people here for a party, and we can do it with pride.鈥�
The gallery began chasing opportunities for a downtown home in the 1980s. 鈥淚t didn鈥檛 happen,鈥� Tupper said. 鈥淭his is our home. We can be excellent here. Garry oaks, Craigdarroch Castle, Wentworth Villa, Langham Court Theatre, Government House gardens 鈥� this is the culture quadrant. Tourists, who make up just 25 per cent of our audience, will find us 鈥� when they leave home they already know where the gallery is. They don鈥檛 need to stumble across it. We subsidize tourists,鈥� he underlined. 鈥淭he admission cost is $13, but the real cost is about $33 per visit.鈥� Where is that coming from? 鈥淒onors, government, our own self-generated revenue.鈥�
Tupper says the gallery will always design its exhibits on the local experience. 鈥淲e should be focused on our community first 鈥� and tourists love that.鈥� He then paid homage to the feature which makes this gallery stand out 鈥� its fabulously rich Asian collection. In the future, he sees improved storage space and exhibit space but foremost in renewal plans is the public side 鈥� space for meetings, lectures, teaching, and the co-ordination of the physical plant with grounds. 鈥淭he Asian garden 鈥� we need to make more of a fuss about that,鈥� he went on. 鈥淲e should have a caf茅. We鈥檝e never had a meeting room. When the Associates meet, we are at maximum capacity already.鈥�
Admittedly, these dreams are a $21-million project, 鈥渁nd until we get a clear idea from the government, there is no sense in going to the public. We鈥檝e had a bunch of false starts in the past. If we get commitments 鈥� then it will happen,鈥� the director noted. Some very promising private donations are already in hand. 鈥淚t鈥檚 not a great time to be going to governments for money,鈥� he observed, 鈥渂ut it never is a good time. We鈥檙e close in negotiations. We鈥檙e doing everything right.鈥� Patient and pragmatic as ever, Tupper said 鈥淚鈥檝e met with about 27 provincial MLAs, and every one 鈥� to a person 鈥� has been supportive of this gallery and its aspirations. They like what we are doing.鈥�
With its collection of 18,000 artworks, a building they own in a pleasant location, an enthusiastic board and motivated staff working under a personable director, what鈥檚 not to like? You could become a member.
