Thunder Bay Art Gallery facts for kids
| Established | 1976 |
|---|---|
| Location | 1080 Keewatin Street Thunder Bay, Ontario P7B 6T7 |
| Type | Art gallery |
| Public transit access |  Thunder Bay Transit via Confederation College[[|2]] [[|5]] [[|8]] [[|10]] [[|16]] |
The Thunder Bay Art Gallery is a special place in Thunder Bay, Ontario, Canada. It is one of the biggest art galleries in Northern Ontario. This gallery focuses on showing amazing art made by Indigenous artists from today. You can find it on the campus of Confederation College. It's the largest public art gallery between Sault Ste. Marie and Winnipeg, with lots of room to display art.
Contents
What is the Thunder Bay Art Gallery?
The Thunder Bay Art Gallery is a non-profit art gallery. This means it's not trying to make money. Instead, its main goal is to show, collect, and explain art. They especially focus on modern art by Indigenous artists and artists from Northwestern Ontario. The gallery helps people connect with artists and their artwork. It wants to help everyone, young and old, enjoy and understand visual arts.
When Did the Gallery Open?
The Thunder Bay Art Gallery first opened its doors on February 6, 1976. Funds were gathered to build a special National Exhibition Centre. This centre was located at Confederation College. The gallery was one of 26 new national exhibition centres that opened across Canada.
How the Gallery Grew
By 1982, the gallery had grown a lot. It was then called the Thunder Bay National Exhibition Centre and Centre for Indian Art. It expanded to have three art display rooms. It also gained more space to store its art collection. This growth allowed the gallery to show and buy more art.
What Art Can You See?
Today, the Thunder Bay Art Gallery has a huge collection of art. Its Permanent Collection holds over 1600 pieces of art. This collection includes works by famous artists like Norval Morrisseau, Carl Beam, and Daphne Odjig. Other well-known artists in the collection are Robert Houle, Joane Cardinal-Schubert, Shelley Niro, Bob Boyer, Susan Ross, and Benjamin Chee Chee.
What Does the Gallery Offer?
The gallery offers many activities for visitors. It provides tours for school groups. It also hosts special artistic events. Sometimes, community groups use the gallery's space for their own activities. It's a place where art and people come together.
The Future of the Gallery
A brand new Thunder Bay Art Gallery is being built! It will be much larger, about 37,500 square feet. The new building is designed by architects Patkau and Brook McIlroy. The outdoor areas are designed by Janet Rosenberg & Studio. This exciting new gallery will be located on the city's waterfront. It is expected to open in 2025.
