Vancouver Art Gallery Confirms Dual Leadership Model with Permanent Co-Chief Executives

The Dual Leadership Model Takes Root at the Vancouver Art Gallery

The Vancouver Art Gallery has formally elevated its interim directors to permanent co-chief executive roles. On 28 September, the institution's board confirmed that Eva Respini and Sirish Rao will now share top operational duties, cementing a collaborative governance structure first introduced in March 2025. This arrangement followed the departure of Anthony Kiendl, whose five-year tenure concluded earlier that year before he assumed leadership at the Museum of Contemporary Art Denver.

The leadership transition emerged against a backdrop of significant institutional recalibration. Under previous management, the gallery abandoned an ambitious architectural expansion spearheaded by ex-director Kathleen Bartels, having already committed approximately C$60 million to the scheme. Subsequent financial shortfalls triggered a restructuring process that saw roughly thirty positions eliminated. Rather than reverting to a single chief executive, trustees opted for a paired leadership approach, citing the need for balanced oversight during recovery.

Respini, who remains active as chief curator, brings extensive curatorial expertise to the administrative helm. Previously, she held senior curatorial and administrative posts at Boston's Institute of Contemporary Art. Her tenure there included organising a Firelei Baez presentation that subsequently travelled westward. Before relocating to Canada, Respini spent over ten years within the photography department at New York's Museum of Modern Art. Since arriving, she has overseen substantial portfolio growth, securing major purchases and donations. Notably, the gallery received one hundred and twenty-two pieces from collectors Brigitte and Henning Freybe, marking the most considerable influx of global contemporary works in the venue's recorded history. Additional highlights include acquisitions by Nan Goldin and Stephen Shore.

Alongside her, Rao serves as executive director while sharing chief executive responsibilities. His professional trajectory spans publishing, academia, and cultural programming across multiple continents. Having arrived in January 2023, he previously directed Chennai-based publisher Tara Books, contributed to public discourse as a writer, and helped establish Vancouver's Indian Summer Festival. His unconventional credentials also encompass certification as a Himalayan mountaineering guide, reflecting a multidisciplinary approach to cultural stewardship. Within the gallery walls, Rao has championed outreach initiatives designed to dismantle traditional barriers to participation. He successfully integrated the BC Parks Foundation's PaRx framework, allowing medical practitioners to issue complimentary entry passes to patients. Furthermore, he has positioned the Centre for Global Asias as a dedicated hub for scholarly research, exhibition-making, and public dialogue.

Board chair Jon Stovell emphasised the strategic value of this shared command structure. In a recent statement, he noted that both leaders have demonstrated aligned objectives while offering distinct analytical lenses. According to trustees, their combined efforts have restored fiscal stability, reinforced relationships with local creatives, and established a coherent roadmap for the coming decade. The dual model appears intended to foster continuous cross-examination of institutional priorities rather than concentrating authority within a single office.

As the Vancouver Art Gallery moves forward, the partnership between Respini and Rao signals a deliberate shift toward distributed decision-making. Their complementary backgrounds suggest an institution prioritising both curatorial rigour and civic accessibility. Whether this experimental governance framework can sustain momentum beyond the immediate recovery phase will likely determine how regional museums navigate similar post-pandemic challenges.