Dr. Toby Lawrence appointed new curator
The Art Gallery of Greater Victoria (AGGV) has announced the appointment of Dr Toby Lawrence as its new Curator of Contemporary Art, marking a new chapter in the institution’s commitment to modern artistic expression.
Lawrence, a seasoned curator with 15 years of experience, comes to AGGV from the Morris and Helen Belkin Art Gallery at the University of British Columbia, where she served as curator of outdoor art. Her previous role as curator at the Open Space Artist-Run Centre in Victoria complements her close ties to the British Columbia arts community.
Steven McNeil, Chief Curator and Director of Collections and Exhibitions at AGGV, was delighted with the appointment.
“I am delighted to welcome Dr. Toby Lawrence to the AGGV curatorial team,” said McNeil. “Toby has an outstanding reputation for building close relationships with artists and a deep commitment to contemporary art in BC. Her work will build on AGGV’s commitment to creating space for living artists and for critical thinking about the contemporary world.”
Lawrence’s academic credentials are equally impressive: he holds an MA in Art History and Theory from the University of British Columbia and a PhD in Interdisciplinary Studies with a focus on curatorial practice from the University of British Columbia Okanagan.
Of her new role, Lawrence said, “I’m excited to be back in Lək̓ʷəŋən territory and working with AGGV. Given the size of the organization, there is so much potential here to offer responsive programming and meaningful collaboration.”
“I will build on the extensive work of my predecessors at the gallery and think deeply about what it means and what expanding the parameters of what is possible through art looks like,” Lawrence added.
Lawrence’s appointment comes amid a long history of involvement in the arts community. Appointed to the BC Arts Council in July 2023, she previously served as chair of the City of Victoria’s Public Places Arts Committee. From 2017 to 2019, she chaired an annual gathering for curators on Vancouver Island, working with galleries in Nanaimo, the Comox Valley and Campbell River.
As an independent curator, Lawrence has developed numerous projects, including Bread, Flesh & Ink, an interdisciplinary, cross-border collaboration exploring gestures of hospitality and guest-host relationships.
Located on the unceded and traditional territories of the lək̓ʷəŋən peoples, now known as the Songhees and Esquimalt Nations, AGGV continues to evolve its curatorial vision with this appointment. Specific exhibition plans under Lawrence’s leadership have not yet been announced, but her arrival is expected to bring new perspectives and innovative approaches to the gallery’s contemporary art program.
For more information about AGGV and its upcoming exhibitions, visit the gallery’s website at aggv.ca.
