Less equals
more! Starting May 25, the AGO offers free entry for visitors 25 and
under, and launches an Annual Pass for only $35
Art is for everyone, and today the AGO announces bold and exciting
changes that will ensure greater museum access than ever before.
Starting on May 25, admission
for visitors
25 and under* is free – all year, anytime. For visitors
over 25, the AGO offers a brand new Annual Pass that provides
unlimited admission for a year for $35.
*Editor's note:
please ensure your coverage reflects that admission is free for
visitors 25 AND UNDER, not simply visitors under 25*
According to the AGO’s Michael and Sonja Koerner Director, and CEO Stephan Jost,
the new admission rates are a game-changer that will open the Gallery’s
doors wider than ever before. “Art is essential, and we’re making it
easier for everyone to make it a part of their everyday lives,” he
says.
These major pricing changes go into effect on May 25. Advance sales of
the $35 AGO
Annual Pass begin on May 9 at 10:30 a.m. at ago.ca,
in person at the AGO, and by phone at (416) 979-6648. Annual Pass
holders will receive a digital card for smartphones so that they don’t
have to wait in line for tickets; they simply present their digital
pass to be scanned upon arrival. Visitors without smartphones may
request a physical Annual Pass. For single ticket purchasers, one
simplified price of $25 now includes admission to the AGO Collection
and all special exhibitions with no extra fees.
“Ontario’s government is pleased to support our arts sector to ensure
it continues to grow,” says Michael
Tibollo, Minister of Tourism, Culture and Sport. “The
AGO is an important part of the province’s cultural landscape, and our
government is extremely supportive of the Gallery’s new admission
model. This initiative will improve access for our youth and families
and lead to an even stronger cultural tourism industry for Ontario.”
The AGO is celebrating this landmark initiative with the launch of AGO All Hours,
an unmissable event happening three times a year. AGO All Hours runs
from morning to night, and invites visitors to participate in
unconventional experiences featuring local artists and community
partners. From special programs, art installations and artmaking
activities to pop-up bars, marquee performances and more, AGO All Hours
has the vibe of a Toronto block party welcoming all ages all day, from
10:30 a.m. to 1 a.m. More details are available at AGO.ca or by
following #AGOAllHours.
Adding to the exciting lineup at AGO All Hours on May 25 is the highly
anticipated public opening of Yayoi
Kusama’s INFINITY
MIRRORED ROOM - LET’S SURVIVE FOREVER, the first
contemporary artwork in Canada to be acquired through a major
crowdfunding campaign. Same-day reservations to see the artwork can be
made on-site at the AGO.
The AGO’s robust membership program provides a foundation of
philanthropic support. The generosity of nearly 100,000 members allows
the AGO to fulfill its mission to bring art, learning and audiences
together. Membership continues to offer special benefits, including
exclusive previews of special exhibitions, discounts, access to the
Norma Ridley Members’ Lounge, and more.
“Great cities deserve great civic spaces, and increasing access to the
AGO will make the museum a more welcoming and inclusive place for all,”
says Stephan
Jost. “Thank you to AGO Members, donors, sponsors, and
partners for allowing us to break down barriers in truly meaningful
ways.”
School group visits remain subject to an administrative fee that
supports the group experience.
ALL DAY. ALL AGES. ALL IN. AGO LAUNCHES ALL NEW ART
EXPERIENCE
AGO All Hours offers a
different way to experience the museum; launches May 25
The next must-attend art event has arrived. The AGO debuts an entirely new way
to experience the museum with AGO
All Hours, an all-ages, all-day event happening three times a
year. Sponsored by RBC,
AGO All Hours launches a new platform for up-and-coming local and international
talent, offering everything from special art installations and art-making
activities to artist projects, marquee performances and more. AGO All Hours
channels the intergenerational vibe of a classic Toronto block party, with art and
artists at its core.
AGO All Hours launches on May
25, 2019 and celebrates the first day of the AGO’s new pricing
model, which offers unlimited free admission to visitors 25 and under and a new
$35 Annual Pass that includes access to the AGO for a year. Running from 10:30 a.m. to 1 a.m.,
AGO All Hours is the first durational event of its kind in the Gallery’s
history.
“This is a way to deepen your relationship with the AGO and experience the
museum through artists’ activations and audience participation,” says Heidi Reitmaier, AGO
Deputy Director, and Richard and Elizabeth Currie Chief of Education and
Programs. “Whether you’ve never been here or if you come all the time, everyone
is welcome. The day offers unique programming as we respond to the art in our
Collection and work with a diverse array of artists.”
The first edition of AGO All Hours is headlined by author and artist Hatecopy,
singer-songwriter Zaki
Ibrahim, house dance crew Warehouse Jacks, dance artist Danah Rosales, hip
hop sensations Haviah
Mighty and Dijah
SB, craft artist Kalpna
Patel (AKA Ghostfaceknitta), and DJs Gonnie Garko, Cam Lee, Dre Ngozi and Chippy Nonstop.
Visitors of all ages can meet in Grange Park for an outdoor drop-in drawing
studio, try Studio Sampler activities in the AGO Gallery School, take in talks
with artists such as Diane
Borsato and Winnie
Truong and listen to intimate musical performances with the
Royal Conservatory of Music throughout the day and into the evening. Food and
drinks are on offer all around the museum with the AGO’s special take on block
party favourites like ice cream and hot dogs.
Adding to the exciting lineup is the highly anticipated public opening of Yayoi Kusama’s INFINITY MIRRORED ROOM
- LET’S SURVIVE FOREVER, the first contemporary artwork in
Canada to be acquired through a major crowdfunding campaign. Same-day
reservations to see the artwork can be made on site at the AGO.
Admission to AGO All Hours is free for visitors 25 and under, AGO Annual Pass
holders and AGO Members, and $25 for single ticket purchasers, with in-and-out
privileges throughout the duration of the event. Advance tickets are on sale
now. More information can be found at AGO.ca or by following #AGOAllHours.
“AGO All Hours is a truly multigenerational and multidisciplinary event,” says Devyani Saltzman,
Director of Public Programming. “We’re thrilled to build on the success of AGO
First Thursdays in launching a new platform for Toronto artists, both
established and emerging.”
More details about
AGO All Hours on May 25:
Rise and play! AGO All Hours kicks off early with a morning of artful play for
children of all ages, beginning at 10:30 a.m. Raccoons inhabit the Weston
Family Learning Centre and Dr. Mariano Elia Hands-On Centre as artist Emily May Rose helps
visitors make shadow puppets and raccoon masks. Surrounded by a thicket of
colourful inflatable sculptures and dotted by hula-hoops and hopscotch courts,
Walker Court is reimagined as a forested playground by Toronto artists Cam Lee and Kalpna Patel (a.k.a.
Ghostfaceknitta).
Outside, AGO All Hours pays tribute to one the AGO’s first art instructors,
Group of Seven member Arthur Lismer, with en plein air drawing in Grange Park.
From 10:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m., easels will be set up on the lawn, with AGO
instructors on hand to give tips. At the E.P. Taylor Library & Archives,
just inside the AGO’s South Entrance, archivist Marilyn Nazar presents a mini-exhibition
of historic park photographs with talks at 11 a.m. and 2 p.m. All events in
Grange Park and the Library are free of charge.
Throughout the afternoon, Toronto artists Winnie Truong, Basil AlZeri, Nyle Miigizi Johnston
and Diane Borsato
will present a series of pop-up talks throughout the galleries, offering their
responses to works in the AGO Collection.
Pakistan-born, Mississauga-raised artist and author Maria Qamar takes
the stage in Walker Court at 4 p.m. for a seated conversation about art and
satire. Known for her celebrated Instagram feed @Hatecopy, Qamar’s satirical humour and
pop-art sensibility has made her a recent sensation.
Music will fill the museum all day and evening. Jeimmi Carrasco, Lucas Blekeberg, David Liam Roberts and Maria Vallejo,
string players from the Royal
Conservatory of Music, will perform between 5 and 8 p.m. in
pop-up locations in the galleries. Downstairs in the Weston Family Learning
Centre, Toronto house dance collective Warehouse
Jacks leads a rhythmic warm-up with dance lessons and house
music beginning at 5 p.m.
Adult visitors to the Gallery School can sip a glass of wine or beer from its
pop-up bar while trying out painting and printmaking. The Studio Sampler
experience will run until midnight, with instructors and supplies on hand to
help guide creative experiments. A life drawing session with a nude model runs
from 7 p.m. to 11 p.m. in the galleries.
Taking the stage in Walker Court at 8 p.m., Juno and two-time Polaris-nominated
singer-songwriter Zaki
Ibrahim returns to the AGO for what promises to be an
unforgettable performance. Backed by an incredible ensemble of Toronto dancers
and musicians, Ibrahim brings to the stage her unique blend of R&B, soul
and jazz. The party keeps going in Walker Court as DJ Dre Ngozi and DJ Chippy Nonstop take
the stage following Ibrahim.
From 8 p.m. to midnight, the AGO Youth Council invites museum-goers to party
with them in Baillie Court on the AGO’s Level 3, as they present DJ Gonnie Garko and
hip hop performances by Toronto’s own
Dijah SB and Haviah
Mighty. Friendship bracelet-making, glow stick art and a
beverage station round out the upstairs scene.
Staying up late has its rewards. Dancer and movement artist Danah Rosales takes
over Walker Court in the wee hours for a vogue performance with guest
appearances by Toronto's Kiki Ballroom girls. The AGO will remain open until 1
a.m.
To fuel the enhanced museum experience, food and drink will be available all
day long in various locations. Coffee and ice cream is on offer at the AGO’s
South Entrance from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m., changing to a hot dog bar in the early
evening in the Sculpture Atrium. AGO
Bistro will be open |
