Julia Paoli

Julia Paoli is a curator and institutional leader based in Toronto. In February 2023 she was appointed Director & Curator of The Vega Foundation, providing critical support for artists’ film and video through meaningful investments in the production of ambitious new work and the stewardship of a growing collection. She has worked with artists including Ali Cherri; Aria Dean; Alia Farid; Danielle Dean; Lap-See Lam and has forthcoming commissions with Basma Al Sharif; Lucy Raven; Sharon Lockhart; and Stephanie Comilang. Prior to her tenure at Vega, Julia was Director & Curator of Mercer Union, a centre for contemporary art (2017-2023), where she organized exhibitions with artists Bambitchell; Beatrice Gibson; Erdem Tasdelen; Lawrence Abu Hamdan; Lydia Ourahmane; Onyeka Igwe; Native Art Department International and others. While there, she curated numerous projects in collaboration with organizations such as Bergen Kunsthall; Camden Art Centre, London; KW Institute for Contemporary Art, Berlin; Sculpture Center, New York; and Spike Island, Bristol. Julia was previously Associate Curator at The Power Plant Contemporary Art Gallery (2012-2017) and holds a Master’s of Art from the Center for Curatorial Studies, Bard College, New York.