Images Festival is thrilled to announce our new Executive Director, Magdalyn Asimakis!
Magdalyn brings a breadth of knowledge, experience, and commitment to supporting the members of the Toronto arts community with a deep sense of care and consideration. Her vision for our organization is rooted in collectivity, care for the staff, transparency, equity, and inclusion. As Executive Director she will work in a centrally collaborative role alongside festival staff and volunteers.
The Board of Directors at Images Festival is beyond enthusiastic to support Magdalyn as she materializes her vision and expands it with the festival. “We are confident that Magdalyn’s collaborative foundations will generatively contribute to the collective management style of this position”, writes Vanessa Godden, Co-Chair at Images Festival’s Board of Directors.
Over her decade working in the arts, Magdalyn has developed an artist-focused practice that inquires into frameworks of display, presentation, and governance. She has organized projects with Gallery 44, Mercer Union, Critical Distance Centre for Curators, Art Gallery of Ontario (ON), the Kitchen, Abrons Art Center, The Whitney Museum (NY), and College Art Galleries (SK). She has also held positions at the Art Gallery of Ontario, Wedge Curatorial Projects, and most recently at Cooper Cole, where she was the Director of Research. Interested in local ecologies, in 2018 she co-founded the project space and curatorial collective ma ma, and in 2020, the artist residency X in Residence, both based in Toronto. Magdalyn is also an active writer and academic, a practice that is shaped by her time at the Whitney Independent Study Program, and currently a Ph.D. candidate at Queen’s University.
“Magdalyn is an incredibly thoughtful, compassionate, and generous community member. I have faith that her ethic and experience will broaden the culture of our organization in exciting ways. We are looking forward to our community getting to know and support Magdalyn as we gear up for the 2023 festival.” shared Vanessa Godden, Co-Chair.
Welcome, Magdalyn!