Photo credit to Rémi Thériault.
The Ottawa arts community has a lot to celebrate as Ottawa Art Gallery (OAG) Director & CEO Alexandra Badzak received the Victor Tolgesy Arts Award earlier this month!
Established in 1987, this prestigious honour is awarded every year by the Ottawa Arts Council to an individual who has made great contributions and helped enrich Ottawa’s cultural and arts scene. Badzak, who has served as the OAG’s Director & CEO for almost nine years now, definitely fits this bill. Over the last few years she has spearheaded one of the biggest art-focused projects in the city – the long-awaited expansion of the OAG at Arts Court.
Over the last year, since the new OAG opened in spring 2018, Badzak has successfully lead it to becoming one of the most vibrant hot spots in the city. This has been achieved through the various special exhibits, presentations, festivals and other special events that have been hosted within the gallery’s beautiful walls. In just over a year alone, more than 350,000 visitors have walked through its doors and it’s no denying that Badzak’s vision, and the strong team she’s built around her, is one of the main reasons for its incredible success.
The night Badzak was presented with the award, May 7th, was extra special as it was also her birthday! Seems like this win was absolutely meant to be and we take this as a sign that Badzak will continue to be a leader and positive force in Ottawa’s blossoming art scene for many years to come.
For more information about Alexandra Badzak’s vision for OAG, and more about the gallery itself, check out the Ottawa Art Gallery website.