Glenbow Museum Announces Major Leadership Transition
In a significant development for Calgary's cultural landscape, the Glenbow Museum has confirmed a leadership change that will see Nicholas R. Bell depart after six years as President and CEO. Effective June 1, Melanie Kjorlien, a veteran of the institution with 18 years of service, will assume the dual roles of President and CEO.
Bell's Departure and New Role
Nicholas R. Bell, who joined Glenbow in 2019, will be leaving to take the helm at the Royal Ontario Museum in Toronto. During his tenure, Bell played a pivotal role in launching Glenbow Reimagined, an ambitious $205-million transformation project that is fundamentally reshaping the downtown Calgary institution.
Bell succeeded Donna Livingston and brought extensive museum experience to Glenbow, having previously served as senior vice-president for curatorial affairs at Mystic Seaport Museum in Connecticut and as The Fleur and Charles Bresler Curator-in-Charge of the Smithsonian American Art Museum's Renick Gallery in Washington, D.C.
Kjorlien's Promotion and Experience
Melanie Kjorlien, currently serving as Chief Operating Officer and Vice-President, has been with Glenbow for nearly two decades. Over her 18-year career at the museum, she has led critical areas including exhibition programming, collections care, and educational initiatives.
Kjorlien has been instrumental in the Glenbow Reimagined project, working alongside Bell to develop more than 50 new exhibition, gallery, and programming spaces in preparation for the museum's planned 2027 reopening.
The Glenbow Reimagined Transformation
The $205-million transformation represents both a physical and philosophical overhaul of the 53-year-old institution. Upon completion, the renovated facility will reopen as the JR Shaw Centre for Arts & Culture, with free admission made possible by a $35-million donation from the family of JR Shaw.
The architectural redesign, led by Calgary firm DIALOG, includes several notable features:
- A major entrance along Stephen Avenue with a secondary entrance on 9th Avenue
- A new two-storey 165-seat theatre facing 9th Avenue
- A 13,000-square-foot rooftop terrace on the fifth floor with pavilion and public spaces offering views of the Calgary Tower
- Double-height exhibition spaces created by cutting away floor plates, including a new salon gallery between the third and fourth levels
- Installation of skylights and windows to bring natural light into the building for the first time in its history
The renovated JR Shaw Centre for Arts and Culture is already taking shape as a noteworthy architectural addition to downtown Calgary, promising to significantly enhance the city's cultural offerings when it reopens in 2027.
This leadership transition comes at a critical juncture for Glenbow as it approaches the final stages of its monumental transformation project, with Kjorlien's deep institutional knowledge positioned to guide the museum through its reopening and beyond.
