Art Gallery of Mississauga facts for kids
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| Established | 1987 |
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| Location | 300 City Centre Drive, Mississauga, Ontario, Canada |
| Type | Public Art gallery |
The Art Gallery of Mississauga (AGM) is a cool art gallery in Mississauga, Ontario, Canada. It's a public place, which means everyone can visit! You can find it at the Mississauga Civic Centre, right on Celebration Square. It's even across from Square One Mall!
The AGM is open six days a week (closed on Mondays). The best part? It's free to get in! You can also take free tours of the art shows. They have fun art events, workshops for grown-ups, and special programs for schools and groups. The gallery usually shows about 18 different art exhibitions each year. They change often, so there's always something new to see!
Contents
Discovering the Past: AGM's History
In 2013, a talented artist named Camille Turner became Mississauga's first Artist in Residence at the AGM. Camille was very interested in the secret stories and past events of Mississauga. She created projects like the (un)settler Community Journal Project. She also led a walking tour called 5&Dime, which explored shopping areas as cultural spots.
A Fresh New Look
In 2014, the AGM decided to update its look and feel. They launched a big re-branding campaign. A company in Toronto called The White Room created a new design for them. This new design was so good that it won awards! It was even recognized in design magazines around the world. It was also a finalist in a big design competition in 2015.
The AGM's Art Collection
The AGM has a special collection of over 500 artworks. These pieces are by artists from the local area and from all over Canada. This collection is called the Permanent Collection.
Making Art Easy to Find
In 2013, the AGM started a project to put all their art online. This project was funded by special programs that help museums. By 2014, they had created an easy-to-use online database. This meant people could look at the art collection right from their computers!
For a while, the gallery stopped collecting new art because they didn't have enough space. But in 2014, they made a new plan for collecting. They decided to focus on digital art and photos. They especially wanted art by local artists. They also looked for important Canadian artworks. And they wanted art that showed the diverse people of Mississauga. The online art archive became available in December 2014.
Growing Bigger: AGM's Expansion Plans
For a long time, people called the AGM "the best kept secret in Mississauga." This was because it was a bit hidden inside the Civic Centre. In 2011, the AGM asked a company called Lord Cultural Resources to help them plan for more space. Their goal was to possibly move the gallery to a new building. This would make it easier to see and give them more room for art shows.
Why the Gallery Needed More Space
The study by Lord Cultural Resources found something interesting. Even though Mississauga is one of the biggest cities in Canada, the AGM was the smallest public art gallery. In June 2014, the director and board president of the AGM spoke to the Mississauga City Council. They asked for help to expand the gallery.
The number of visitors to the gallery grew a lot! In 2011, about 19,000 people visited. By 2013, over 30,000 people came to see the art. They suggested two ideas for expansion. One was to make the current space in City Hall bigger. The other was to move to a new home in the Living Arts Centre across the street. The City Council liked the idea and asked their staff to look into it.
Learning Through Art: Roots and Branches
The AGM received a special grant from the Ontario Trillium Foundation. This money helped them create educational programs from 2013 to 2014. One of these programs was called Roots and Branches.
How Roots and Branches Works
Roots and Branches is a hands-on way to learn about art. It brings Artists in Residence to schools for free. These artists work with teachers to create fun lesson plans. They lead art activities that connect to what students are already learning. This helps students explore modern art in a creative way. The program also offers free tours of the gallery. Plus, it provides free bus rides for students to and from their schools to the AGM.
Beyond the Art Trail: Helping Artists
Beyond the Art Trail | Artist Professional Practices Programme (APP) is another program. It helps artists learn important skills for their careers.
Living Waters: Art and Nature
Living Waters is a special art and environment project. The AGM worked with Corsair Public School and artist Christopher McLeod on this. Artist Christopher McLeod helped students with projects about water. They learned how important water is for all environmental issues.
Water's Importance to Indigenous Peoples
Students learned about how water was key for travel, trade, and survival for Indigenous peoples in the region. These groups included the Anishinaabe, the Wendat, and the Haudenosaunee. The projects and field trips showed how communities lived near water to grow food and survive.
XIT-RM: A Space for New Artists
In 2012, the AGM opened a new exhibition space called the XIT-RM Project Space. The RBC Foundation sponsored this space. It is specially made for new and rising artists from the region.
Exciting Exhibitions at XIT-RM
Some of the cool exhibitions shown here included: Contemporary Jamaican Art circa1962 | circa2012, Lise Beaudry: Sur la glace | Standing on Ice (which won an award!), Genius Loci, 011+91 | 011+92, ... Up!, The Sahmat Collective: Art and Activism in India Since 1989 (from The Smart Museum of Art, University of Chicago), Fausta Facciponte: Six Characters in Search of a Photograph, and Joy and Sorrow: Photographs and Films by Elisa Julia Gilmour and Ben Freedman.
Each year, the gallery's art team chooses six artists to show their work. These artists create modern art that fits the AGM's goals. Each exhibition has its own opening event. A special book with an essay about the art is also published for each show.
