Textile Museum of Canada Announces Reopening Date
Dear Members, Visitors, Builders, Supporters and Funders,
The Board of Directors of the Textile Museum of Canada is pleased to announce the Museum will reopen to the public on Thursday, October 30th, 2025. We are returning with renewed energy, a strengthened commitment to financial health, and a dynamic lineup of new programs designed to inspire and engage.
This winter, the Museum made the difficult decision to close temporarily to restructure its operations and address significant financial challenges. Thanks to an incredible outpouring of community support and a successful summer fundraising campaign that raised over $150,000, preparations are well underway to welcome you back in-person.
Visitors can look forward to a new exhibition celebrating our 50th anniversary, featuring highlights from our permanent collection and honouring a legacy of innovative textile arts exhibitions. Alongside it, Taking Shape: Recent Acquisitions, generously funded by Partners in Art, will showcase the latest additions to our collection. Together, these exhibits advance our mission to preserve and share the diverse textile traditions of Indigenous, settler, and immigrant communities from across Canada.
Additionally, effective September 15, 2025, Urmi Desai has been appointed Interim Executive Director. Urmi brings a deep commitment to the Museum’s mission and community, having served as Board Chair during a period of extraordinary challenge.
“As Interim Executive Director, Urmi will provide continuity and steady leadership as we enter this next chapter of recovery and renewal,” said Therisa Shams El-Din Rogers, incoming Board Chair. “Her knowledge of the institution and proven ability to bring people together will be invaluable as we stabilize operations and continue to build toward long-term sustainability.”
“The Textile Museum of Canada has been a strong presence in Toronto and Canada since its inception in 1975,” said Desai. “While we continue to face real challenges, I am inspired by the resilience of our staff and volunteers, the generosity of our supporters, and the enduring importance of textiles as carriers of not only human culture and history but a source of belonging and togetherness in an increasingly isolated social environment today. I look forward to working with our entire community to ensure the Museum thrives for generations to come.”
For any inquiries, please contact
Therisa Shams el-Din Rogers
Board Chair
shams@textilemuseum.ca
Urmi Desai
Interim Executive Director
udesai@textilemuseum.ca
