Executive Director

Executive Director, Open Studio (Toronto's Artist-Run Printmaking Centre)

About Open Studio

Open Studio is a creative space that inspires, supports and celebrates printmaking. We are an open-access printmaking studio, an art gallery, and an inclusive place to engage with new ideas.

Open Studio was founded in 1970 as a space created, governed and supported by artists who wanted to continue their printmaking practice in an inclusive, communal setting. Printmaking requires specialized equipment, space, and expertise. Open Studio was established as an Artist-Run Centre (ARC) to meet these needs, providing a studio space where artists can work using a range of printmaking techniques, including intaglio, lithography, relief, screenprinting, and more.

Today, Open Studio is Toronto’s only artist-run printmaking centre offering affordable, comprehensive access to printmaking facilities and programs for local, national, and international artists. Open Studio supports artists and the broader community through facility rentals, education, residencies, exhibitions, print sales and public events.

Our vision is that printmaking opens the door to accessible, innovative, and inspiring art.

The Opportunity

Open Studio is seeking applications for a new Executive Director to steward the organization into its next chapter as an artist-run centre and non-profit. The Executive Director is a full-time position responsible for all strategic, financial, operational, and administrative leadership across Open Studio.

The ideal candidate is a strong operational leader with a deep understanding of Toronto’s arts and culture sector. Alongside administrative and fundraising expertise, we are seeking a caring leader for a small team of full-time staff and an engaged community of artist members. Reporting to the Board of Directors, the Executive Director also acts as a Board Liaison, supporting strategic oversight through organizational goals and strategies (see: Open Studio 2025-28 Strategic Plan). This includes upholding Open Studio’s commitment to accessibility, openness, and its Equity, Diversity, and Inclusion framework.

With arts spaces in Toronto facing ongoing challenges related to funding and sustainability, the Executive Director will join Open Studio at a pivotal moment in its history. Following a temporary closure in 2024 to support organizational restructuring, Open Studio reopened with a more accessible, adaptable, and sustainable studio model. The Executive Director will play a key role in strengthening Open Studio’s financial sustainability through fundraising, growing membership, and increasing activity in the studio.

This role requires a balance of effective day-to-day operational leadership and forward-thinking strategic vision. For candidates passionate about the future of printmaking and the importance of accessible creative spaces, we want to hear from you!

Key Responsibilities

People Leadership

The Executive Director plays a key role for managing internal and external relationships at Open Studio. Key people leadership responsibilities include:

• Leading a small team of dedicated full-time staff members who oversee studio and artistic programming, education, programming, exhibitions, print sales, marketing, and communications.
• Responsible for recruitment, compensation, training, supervision, and evaluation of staff based on organizational needs and budget.
• Developing and implementing staffing policies and procedures.
• Maintains strong relationships with studio membership, artists, and community partners
• Ensuring clear lines of communication between staff, board, membership, and external partners.
• Managing any freelance and independent contractor agreements relating to the facilities
• Conducting regular staff meetings.
• Acting as spokesperson for Open Studio within wider printmaking and arts communities both nationally and internationally.

Strategic Oversight

In collaboration with the Board of Directors, the Executive Director provides strategic leadership to advance Open Studio’s mission, vision and long-term sustainability. Responsibilities include:

• Leading the development, implementation, and evaluation of Open Studio’s strategic plan in collaboration with the Board of Directors, staff, members, and key stakeholders.
• Ensuring organizational priorities, programs, and operations align with Open Studio’s mission, vision, values, and strategic objectives.
• Monitoring organizational performance and reporting detailed metrics to the Board on progress toward strategic goals.
• Serving as the primary ambassador for Open Studio by communicating its vision, mission and impact to community partners, donors, members, and the broader community.

Finance & Administration

Reporting to the Board of Directors, the Executive Director oversees the organization’s strategic, financial, operational, and administrative functions to support organizational sustainability and effective stewardship of resources. This role includes:

• Ensuring sound financial and administrative management.
• Developing and managing annual budgets.
• Rigorously monitoring financial performance.
• Overseeing cash flow and financial reporting.
• Overseeing facilities, building maintenance and technical improvements.

Philanthropy

The Executive Director provides leadership for Open Studio’s philanthropic strategy, advancing a culture of philanthropy and ensuring long-term organizational sustainability. Working closely with staff and the Board of Directors, responsibilities under philanthropy include:

• Serving as the organization’s primary fundraiser and ambassador, cultivating and stewarding relationships with donors, funders, partners and community stakeholders.
• Providing strategic oversight for all philanthropic initiatives at the organization, including grants, foundations, corporate partnerships, government relations, individual giving and community giving.
• Collaborating with staff and the Board to develop and execute fundraising strategies, proposals, reports and donor stewardship activities.
• Monitoring and reporting on fundraising performance, budgets and targets, using data to inform decision-making and improvement.

Studio and Gallery Operations

Open Studio is a well-equipped printmaking studio in Toronto, operating as a shared workspace that supports a range of analog printmaking processes. Its front-of-house galleries advance the understanding and appreciation of contemporary print through exhibitions, artistic programming, and print sales. Responsibilities for the Executive Director include:

• Oversees Open Studio’s Studio and Education Manager, who manages: studio maintenance, equipment, day-to-day running of the studio, including members; access, education activities and major purchases.
• Oversees Open Studio’s Curator and Collections Manager, who manages: artistic programming, including in-house exhibitions, offsite events, and special projects.
• Building strong relationships with members, staff and the broad Open Studio community.

Qualifications

• Minimum of five years of experience working in artist-run centres and/or nonprofit organizations.
• Strong knowledge of the arts and culture sector.
• Demonstrated experience managing staff, with strong interpersonal and relationship-building skills.
• Experience managing memberships, including artist members and volunteer groups.
• Demonstrated financial management experience, including budgeting and oversight.
• Experience in strategic planning and organizational development.
• Strong understanding of philanthropic best practices, with a proven track record of writing and securing grants.
• Experience with financial and statistical management, analysis, and reporting.
• Commitment to equity, inclusion, and anti-oppressive practices, with an open-minded and collaborative approach.
• Experience working effectively with a Board of Directors and a strong understanding of non-profit governance.

Pay & Benefits

Salary Range: 65,000 - 75,000

Benefits:

• Open Studio has a self-directed RRSP plan for staff with up to $700 yearly matching from the organization
• 25 days paid time off during annual gallery closures in August and December
• Health insurance, including dental
• Paid sick days

Job Details

The Executive Director works primarily on site at Open Studio, in a shared office space located at 401 Richmond Street in downtown Toronto. The position is permanent fulltime Monday to Friday, 35 hours per week (10am-5pm), with occasional weekend and evening availability for special events. More information about Open Studio here: https://openstudio.ca/

Projected start date: January 4, 2027

How to apply

To apply, submit the following documents in a single PDF (file name: First Name Last Name) to board@openstudio.ca by Wednesday September 16, 2026 at 5pm ET.

• Cover Letter
• Resume
• Sample of writing (preferably a grant or funding application with identifying information removed)

References will be required if your application proceeds to the interview stage.

Equity and inclusion in the selection process

Open Studio is committed to anti-discrimination and anti-racism. We warmly encourage applications from those who identify as Black, Indigenous, or People of Colour (BIPOC); Two-Spirit, Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender, Transsexual, Queer, Intersex, Asexual, or Pansexual (2SLGBTQIAP+); and Deaf persons, persons with disabilities, and persons living with mental illness.

If you are contacted for an interview and require accommodation, appropriate arrangements will be made to assist you through this process. We thank all applicants in advance for their interest; however, only those selected for an interview will be contacted.