Gallery News – Thunder Bay Art Gallery Announces New Executive Director

July 10, 2023

The Board of Directors of the Thunder Bay Art Gallery is pleased to announce the appointment of Matthew Hills as Executive Director. He will assume his new post effective September 7, 2023.

An art historian and curator with extensive experience working with collections, Matthew (he/him/they) has a proven track record of leadership having served in administrative and curatorial positions with visual arts organizations in British Columbia, Alberta and Atlantic Canada over the last 15 years.

Most recently, he served as Director and Curator for Memorial University of Newfoundland’s Grenfell Art Gallery for the past 6 years. He has an MA in Critical and Curatorial Studies (Art History) from the University of British Columbia. Matthew grew up in Muskoka.

Prior to the Grenfell Art Gallery, Matthew worked in a curatorial capacity for the Vancouver Art Gallery, Agnes Etherington Art Centre at Queen’s University, and the University of Alberta.

He succeeds Sharon Godwin who is stepping down as the Executive Director after 42 years of service and longstanding dedication to the gallery.

Matthew, his partner and their young family look forward to commencing a new chapter in their lives in Thunder Bay. He is excited to be joining the gallery as it looks towards the construction of a new home on the city’s waterfront.

“Accepting this unique opportunity to lead an important visual arts institution so closely connected to its city and the communities it serves is an honour. The Thunder Bay Art Gallery is a central part of a vibrant cultural community and it cares for a world class collection of art from across the country. I look forward to supporting the important work of gallery staff as we transition to the city’s waterfront, to an exciting new facility, cultivating creative ideas, celebrating the region’s history, and continuing to nurture an institution that is artistically adventurous and culturally inclusive.”