Why we’re continuing to enforce masking at the Art Gallery of Windsor

Written by Jennifer Matotek, Executive Director at the Art Gallery of Windsor

On February 19, 2022, the Art Gallery of Windsor (AGW) reopened after an extended closure due to COVID-19 restrictions. It was the 3rd time our doors were closed since March 2020. Since the onset of the pandemic, the AGW stringently followed all government COVID-19 public health measures for art galleries. Starting March 21, 2022, however, we are going in a different direction.

While the Government of Ontario will be lifting most of the remaining COVID-19 safety measures on March 21, the Art Gallery of Windsor will continue to require guests to wear a mask during gallery visits.

Why? Until the end of May 2022, the AGW is showcasing Crip Ecologies: Vulnerable Bodies in a Toxic Landscape an exhibition that features chronically ill, disabled and immunocompromised artists from the US, Canada, and the UK. In presenting this show and accompanying programs, we will be welcoming visitors to the gallery whose safety would be put in jeopardy without precautions in place. Concurrent to the exhibition, we are hosting digital and in-person programs and activities in our spaces that are specifically for community members who are vulnerable.

As part of our Strategic Plan, the Art Gallery of Windsor is creating conversations and introducing different ideas and ways of thinking while engaging with art. We invite you to enjoy this exhibition and think about the themes it touches upon, while providing care and consideration for those in our community who are more susceptible to COVID-19 infection, and its complications. For those that do not wish to wear a mask but still want to participate in our programs, we invite you to engage in the many digital programs we continue to host over Zoom and to follow our social media platforms to stay updated on our offerings — ranging from panel discussions to workshops to talks and more.

Thank you for your ongoing support of the AGW and for continuing to keep our visitors and staff safe.