Photo Credit: University of St. Michael’s College
A guide to discovering Toronto’s artistic side
Rosie McDonald, Copy Editor
The University of Toronto, and the city of Toronto itself, are hubs for creativity. Art can be found around every corner if you know where to look, and Toronto is the birthplace of some of the nation’s most artistic people. From museums and galleries to U of T’s very own Hart House, art in Toronto is extremely accessible to students, and this guide will prove it!
The Art Gallery of Ontario (AGO) is located at the southernmost point of campus in a neighbourhood known locally as Grange Park. This beautiful gallery is constantly hosting a diverse spread of exhibitions. Wolfgang Tillmans: To Look Without Fear, a photography exhibition located on the fifth floor of the gallery, will be showcased until October 1, 2023. Should you decide to attend, see if you can spot a familiar photograph from the cover of a platinum R&B album. Her Blood Spoke: Joscelyn Gardner, Kara Springer, Alberta Whittle, an exhibition located on level one of the galleries, will be showcased until October 29, 2023. This exhibition, created by three artists of Barbadian descent, displays 16 artworks including lithographs, photographs, paintings, and videos that reflect upon modern and historical experiences of Black maternal health and bodily autonomy. The AGO offers free annual passes to everyone aged 25 and under, and the pass can be renewed every year until you turn 26 years old!
The Royal Ontario Museum (ROM), located just a hop, a skip, and a jump away from St. Michael’s College, is a beautiful and iconic Canadian museum. Just the architecture is breathtaking! Take a step inside and you’ll be swept into a whirlwind of different cultures and eras of both human and natural history. TUSARNITUT! Music Born of the Cold displays Inuit musical expression and features drum dancing and throat singing. Noelle Hamlyn: Lifers features life jackets that have been altered and upcycled using discarded clothing. Both exhibitions are included with general admission. The ROM is free for all students from Canadian post-secondary institutions on Tuesdays.
U of T’s very own Hart House features both an art gallery and a theatre. Hart House’s Justina M. Barnicke Gallery, one of two locations of the Art Museum, has two upcoming exhibitions: The Children Have to Hear Another Story and The Performance of Shadows. Both of them debut on September 7, 2023, during Orientation Week! Mnemonic silences, disappearing acts also debuts during O-Week on September 13 and will be displayed in the Jackman Humanities Institute. If you’re interested in the Hart House Theatre, keep an eye out for news about upcoming featured productions in The Mike!
If you’re a fan of art, you’ve picked the right school. Art in Toronto is incredibly accessible to students, from the AGO, to the ROM, to Hart House’s Justina M. Barnicke Gallery, which offer free admission to students, and to Hart House Theatre, which provides students with discounted tickets for their shows. Be sure to make use of these opportunities and explore all the artistic prowess that the city of Toronto has to offer. Don’t forget to keep a keen eye out for updates; new art events within campus and the surrounding area are bound to appear throughout the year!
