FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
MOCA Toronto announces new position of TD Assistant Curatorial Fellow
Toronto (September 11, 2019) – As part of TD Bank Group’s (TD) corporate support to MOCA Toronto, the museum is pleased to announce that Melina Mehr has been appointed to the newly created role of TD Assistant Curatorial Fellow.
Prior to assuming this new position, Melina was an Educational Research Assistant at the Textile Museum of Canada, a Docent Programmer and Public Programs Assistant at the Art Museum, University of Toronto, and an exceptional member of the visitor experience team at MOCA Toronto. She most recently served as Co-Curator of the Shelley Peterson Student Art Exhibition at the University of Toronto (2018-19). Melina holds a Master of Museum Studies from the University of Toronto and had launched her career as a public programmer and curator specializing in under-represented narratives and non-Eurocentric cultures.
The TD Assistant Curatorial Fellowship is a new program at MOCA Toronto that allows a recent graduate or emerging curator to gain tangible working experience in a professional environment, with full access to the inner workings of the programming and learning department of a major Canadian public art gallery. Coaching, research, documentation, professional development and mentoring are at the heart of the program. In her new position at MOCA, Melina will work closely with MOCA’s Artistic Director, November Paynter, and will also be exposed to internationally acclaimed curators and artists, including Hans Ulrich Obrist and Agnieska Kurant in assisting with the exhibition, Age of You, and its tour to Dubai.
The Fellowship is a fully remunerated program spanning a six month period, providing a solid timeframe for curatorial development in a real-world museum work environment. The TD Assistant Curatorial Fellowship supports MOCA Toronto’s goal to invest in the next generation of visual arts leaders and educators within contemporary art galleries or museums in Canada or across the globe.
“Through our corporate citizenship platform, The Ready Commitment, I’d like to congratulate Melina on being the first TD Assistant Curatorial Fellow with MOCA Toronto,” says Andrea Barrack, Global Head, Sustainability and Corporate Citizenship, TD. “Through initiatives like this, we hope to provide more opportunities for emerging curators to develop their skills – and in turn, through their curation of art help amplify diverse voices in pursuit of a more inclusive tomorrow.”
MOCA Toronto gives thanks to TD Bank Group for their support of the museum in its inaugural year, and for the creation of these mentorship opportunities for the next generation of emerging curators.
About the Museum of Contemporary Art Toronto Canada
MOCA Toronto reopened in the historic Tower Automotive Building, a former aluminium factory in September 2018. Located in the culturally rich Junction Triangle on Sterling Road. MOCA Toronto is motivated by the belief that museums can be culturally and socially useful. MOCA promotes exceptional artistic thinking and provides a community space for discourse and creativity.
Awarded New Culture Destination of the Year 2018 (North America) by Leading Culture Destinations, MOCA features work from both Canadian and other international, ascending and world-renowned artists. Located in the culturally rich Junction Triangle community, the museum is housed in the historic Tower Automotive Building, a former aluminium factory.
Key partners bolster the museum experience, including a café by Forno Cultura and shop by Art Metropole. Additionally, MOCA is home to studio collaborations with Akin and the Ontario Science Centre, as well as the offices of the Toronto Biennial of Art.
MOCA is a not-for-profit charitable organization. The evolution of the museum is made possible through a unique alliance with Castlepoint Greybrook Sterling Inc., public sector funders, private donors, members, sponsors and a network of cross-sectoral partners. For more information on MOCA Toronto visit mocalegacy.webpreview.site.
About TD Global Corporate Citizenship
TD has a long-standing commitment to enriching the lives of its customers, colleagues and communities. As part of its corporate citizenship platform, The Ready Commitment, TD is targeting CDN $1 billion (US $775 million) in total by 2030 towards community giving in four areas critical to opening doors for a more inclusive and sustainable tomorrow – Financial Security, Vibrant Planet, Connected Communities and Better Health. Through The Ready Commitment, TD aspires to link its business, philanthropy and human capital to help people feel more confident – not just about their finances, but also in their ability to achieve their personal goals in a changing world. For further information, visit www.td.com/thereadycommitment.
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For press inquiries contact:
Rachel Hilton
Managing Director
rhilton@mocalegacy.webpreview.site