Nathalie Bondil
Director and Chief Curator at Montreal Museum of Fine Arts, Canada
Nathalie Bondil has been the Director General and Chief Curator at the Montreal Museum of Fine Arts (MMFA) since 2007. Trained as an art historian, this visionary and committed administrator has breathed new life into the institution created in 1860 by endowing it with a humanist, communal and inclusive mission. Under her aegis the MMFA has grown exponentially. With 1.3 million visitors in 2017 (an increase of 200% in 10 years), it is today the second most visited museum in Canada and the 8th in North America.
Convinced that art is a vector for peace, she launched the Art & Education Studios and then the Michel de la Chenelière International Atelier for Education and Art Therapy (2016), one of the largest educational complexes in any North American museum. The Museum’s collaboration with over 450 organizations has allowed for the development of numerous educational, cultural, social and community programs that promote well-being, social inclusion and accessibility for marginalized citizens. The MMFA has thus become a real laboratory for innovation, a world leader in the field of education and wellness through art, making use of the services of a full-time art therapist, art-therapy offices, an Art Hive and the very first pilot project for museum prescriptions launched in partnership with the Médecins francophones du Canada (MFdC). Set up at Madame Bondil’s suggestion, two advisory committees composed of experts from the fields of education, universities, medicine and art oversee clinical research projects designed to measure the real impact of art on health.
Nathalie Bondil is a member of the Order of Canada, a Knight of the Ordre national du Québec, an Officier de l’Ordre des Arts et des Lettres (République française) and a Knight of the Légion d’honneur (République française). She has received the Medal of the National Assembly and two honorary doctorates (Université de Montréal and McGill University).
Nathalie Bondil spoke about “A Humanist Museum : Education, art therapy and social engagement, keys of success“during Communicating the Museum 2016 Berlin. Find out how she approaches “Open-mindedness and enriching cultural experience” at Communicating the Arts 2016 Quebec.
Join Nathalie at Communicating the Arts Montreal 8-10 Oct 2019, and attend her masterclass “Art and Health : Innovation and Research at the MMFA”.