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I am incredibly grateful to the Gary Leslie Ruby Estate trustees for their support in my internship at the Art Dealers Association of Canada this summer. For some background about me, my name is Lisa Fireman. I am entering my third year at ºÚÁÏÍø±¬³Ô¹Ï, studying Art History with a minor in Jewish Studies. Within the field of art history, I most enjoy learning about medieval and religious art. I hope to eventually work within a gallery setting, although I am still unsure of what specific role I would like to pursue. Outside of academic contexts, I enjoy knitting, playing the guitar, and travelling.

I chose my internship at the Art Dealers Association of Canada with the intention of learning more about the Canadian art market and Toronto arts scene. I chose to intern in my hometown of Toronto, as I hope to eventually work there. Gaining experience within an arts non-profit has opened doors and connections for me within the ADAC member galleries. The Art Dealers Association of Canada is a not-for-profit organization that supports over 60 galleries across Canada. Its goal is to promote and support ethical art business practices, and to support its member galleries through benefits such as special pricing for promotional and shipping expenses. Additionally, the ADAC organizes the Canadian Art Hop, a weekend-long event in which member galleries and affiliates organize events and invite patrons to view their art.

Some of the duties and tasks I performed were centered around archival research, while others focused on curatorial practice and networking. I was tasked with a large project: chronicling the history of the Canadian art dealer and finding a creative means for presenting it in honor of the ADAC’s 60th Anniversary. To acquire information, I developed interview questions and travelled to galleries across Toronto, with the intention of gathering primary-source testimonies to the history. I then used this information to create a comprehensive list of all ADAC-affiliated galleries and art dealers, and curated a virtual gallery, presenting the diverse artistic tastes of Canadian dealers. Additionally, I worked on email newsletters, social media posts, and responding to administrative inquiries the ADAC received. My work within the ADAC is supported by the research skills I developed at ºÚÁÏÍø±¬³Ô¹Ï. In creating my web of art dealers, I often utilized my virtual ºÚÁÏÍø±¬³Ô¹Ï library platform to research the Canadian art market using archival newspapers and academic sources. The research skills developed in my Art History courses at ºÚÁÏÍø±¬³Ô¹Ï have also helped me while supporting appraisals on behalf of the ADAC.

In early June, I was invited to attend the opening of an exhibition at the West Baffin Co-op gallery space featuring Pudlo Pudlat, an Inuit artist. As an intern with the Art Dealers Association of Canada, I had the opportunity to network with gallerists, curators, and artists. Another highlight of my internship was presenting my map for the first time to the employees of Simon Bentley Fine Art, which is downstairs in the 401 Richmond offices. Working within a large arts building has been a privilege and an additional support in my networking goals. Throughout the internship, I have been challenged and grown as a result. One of the most significant challenges was communicating with sometimes difficult art dealers. I was tasked with conducting an interview with an established, yet less coherent, gallerist, which proved challenging as I had to critically review my interview notes to extract useful information. After that interview, I adjusted my questions for future interviews to prevent future off-topic responses.

I am receiving academic credit for my internship and the Art History Department initiates this process in the fall semester. I have no doubt that my time at the Art Dealers Association of Canada has positively supported my future career aspirations, both through the development of my research skills and the connections I made. As I have interviewed over twenty gallerists, I have formed relationships with each of them and begun to plan out my future internships and goals for paid positions. As a recipient of the Fay Gilbert Ruby Arts Internship Award, the financial support I received during this internship covered my living expenses and travel costs to the ADAC office and member galleries, allowing me to devote my full energy to my internship rather than working a part-time job. I am incredibly grateful to the Trustee of the Gary Leslie Ruby Estate for helping me to achieve my dreams within the Canadian art world.

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