News

The ARIDO Board of Management recently reviewed the 2020/2021 Strategic Plan and the operations for the year to determine if any existing initiatives and programming will be impacted by COVID-19. On March 17, 2019, ARIDO closed its physical office with staff, deploying a fully work from home operation. In addition, we announced that all events including Chapter events would be cancelled through to the end of May.  

Of the programs discussed, was the ARIDO Awards Program and annual gala. The Board and staff considered information the organization has available at the current time, doing our best to make an informed and responsible decision.

With uncertainty as to when public gatherings of large numbers may begin to occur again in Ontario, we feel we cannot predict the capacity in which the Awards Gala may be held this year. We also considered the current economic state with many construction sites shut down and interior design projects placed on hold. Most important in our discussions is the safety of our attendees and the design community at large. During these unprecedented times, the Board and staff were hesitant to continue with the planning of any initiative or event of a large scale without thinking about the safety of our design community. This includes our interior design members and industry partners.

Therefore, the ARIDO Board of Management has decided to cancel the 2020 Awards Program and the Awards Gala which was scheduled for fall 2020. ARIDO will take this opportunity to review the entire Awards program including the submission and judging process to identify ways we can possibly improve and enhance the ARIDO Awards program. This includes examining categories, entry requirements, judging criteria, and how to engage with the public after the awards, to name a few. An Awards Review Task Force will be formed to undertake this initiative and will provide a report including recommendations to the ARIDO Board in late fall 2020. 

During these unprecedented times, our thoughts are with our members and industry partners across Ontario. Should you have any questions, please do not hesitate to reach out to ARIDO Executive Director, Sharon Portelli.

We will report back with updates on this process throughout the year including opportunities for members to provide input.