How Jean-François Bélisle is leading Canada's National Gallery

WELCOME TO SEASON 5 OF THE ARTALOGUE! We're kicking off the fifth season of the Artalogue with a conversation with Jean-François Bélisle, the Director and CEO of Canada's National Gallery. We discuss the responsibilities of national institutions to their people and how national institutions can serve everyone, not just their immediate audience. What does "national" mean to a gallery with a mandate to serve all of Canada?  We explore how the gallery is collaborating with institutions across the country, analyzing gaps in their collection and how to engage the public. We also explore the future-facing work that museums can’t ignore. Jean-François shares how the National Gallery thinks about digital engagement as a two-way street, creating online spaces that invite exchange rather than simply pushing information out.We close with a personal note on a piece of art he returns to again and again: Janet Cardiff’s The Forty Part Motet, and what it reveals about the power a single artwork can have. If you care about Canadian art, museum leadership, and the National Gallery of Canada’s next chapter, subscribe, share this conversation, and leave a review so more listeners can find the season. Connect with the Artalogue: Madison Beale, HostBe a guest on The Artalogue Podcast