Established in 1983, the Or Gallery is a registered Non-Profit Society and is operated by a volunteer Board of Directors and a paid Director. According to its mandate, the position of Director is contracted to a practicing artist on a limited basis. Each Director changes the focus of the programming, however there is an ongoing commitment to the presentation of contemporary art that is experimental, challenging and critical.


The Society receives funding from three levels of government, various foundations, the Board’s fundraising activities and donations, including many hours of donated time by artists. Over the twenty-five years of its existence, the Or Gallery has provided approximately 300 artists with exhibitions, hired 13 artists as Director/Curators and had 70 artists on its Board. In addition, the Society maintains an archive and a website, does community outreach, and produces publications. Canadian artist-run centers operate with relative autonomy and this enables us to define and respond to our community’s needs and present innovative contemporary art for public viewing.