Kamloops Art Gallery Appoints New Executive Director

Margaret Chrumka | Photo via Kamloops Art Gallery

After serving as the organization's interim leader for the past year, Margaret Chrumka has officially been appointed as executive director of the Kamloops Art Gallery (KAG). 

Chrumka joined the Gallery in 2012 as manager of operations, bringing over 20 years of experience in marketing, development and leadership in the post-secondary and arts sector. She took on an interim role as executive director in October 2015 following the sudden passing of Jann LM Bailey. Chrumka's official appointment, effective November 8, 2016, was made by a unanimous vote of the Gallery's board of trustees. 

Chrumka is an active member of the museum and gallery community and serves on the 2017 and 2018 national conference planning committees of the Canadian Museums Association. She holds a BA from the University of Victoria and an MA in History from the University of Toronto. 

“Margaret’s dedication, passion and commitment to the Gallery through thick and thin, impressed the Board along with her ability to guide the Gallery and engage our community,” said board chair, Jaimie Drew, in press release.

“I am deeply honoured to have been chosen to lead the Kamloops Art Gallery,” said Chrumka. “This Gallery has a long history of presenting exhibitions and programs of excellence that capture the minds of our visitors. I look forward to continuing to engage and inspire our audiences.” 

The KAG is the principal gallery in the Southern Interior of BC, supporting contemporary and historical visual arts on a local, national, and international level. Program highlights this month include the free, all-ages event Drawing Performance with Laura Hargrave (Thursday, November 24) where the artist will recreate the experience of memory loss through experimental drawing made on the Gallery walls, and a screening of the World’s Best Commercials of 2015 at the Cannes International Festival of Creativity (Wednesday, November 30 at the Paramount Theatre). Learn more about these programs and more at www.kag.bc.ca/programmes/calendar.htm.