Youth Council

Representing a diverse group of youth in Toronto, the AGO Youth Council is run by youth ages 15-24 who are interested in art and the relationship between young people and art institutions. Through a lens of social practice, the program focuses on community building, experiential pedagogy, and contemporary art practices working collectively to initiate programming by youth for youth. Collaborations with artists result in exhibitions, public art projects, interventions, large-scale events, drop-in programs, field trips, walking tours and much more. Relationship building, eating together and sharing life experiences is also a large part of the program. The council accepts new members every fall, and applicants are selected after a group interview involving current members of the AGO Youth Council. Time commitment: one year.

Projects

Opening Reception: No Future For You

Wednesday, December 18, 2019 6 - 8 pm

The AGO Youth Council will be joined by Toronto-based cartoonist and illustrator Eric Kostiuk Williams this fall. Over several weeks, he’ll bring the Youth Council into his creative practice, culminating in the production of a collaborative comic anthology, made in response to the dynamic Hito Steyerl exhibition now on view at the AGO.

24 Hours, 2019

June 26 - December, 2019

During eight three-hour sessions on Wednesdays in May and June, Tessar led the youth council through a series of process-based exercises on the theme of communication, generating drawings, collages, and paintings.

Lost and Farmed

December 19, 2018 - January 2019

AGO Youth Council in collaboration with Micah Donovan

Lost clothing and forgotten objects have been assembled with the purpose of growing edible plants throughout the AGO. The food grown in the Gallery will be harvested when the installations close, and used as toppings for the Youth Council's pizza.

This Mountain Loves You

August 25 - December 15, 2018

A collaboration with artist Ani Castillo This Mountain Loves You is a tribute to and a recreation of Leonard Knight's Salvation Mountain, a large-scale folk art site in the southern California desert. Over a seven-week period, messages of self-love and empowerment were hand-painted and stitched together to counter and resist the current climate of Trump-era politics. 

This Party Loves You

Saturday, July 14, 8-11 pm, 2018
AGO Youth Council presents “This Party Loves You”, an all ages, free, annual art party programmed by the AGO Youth Council featuring local musicians and interactive art activities.

Singing Softly When No One's Around

May 19, 2016 – April 18, 2017

Curious about our security guards and their perspectives on art in our collection? Check out the AGO’s Youth Council project created in collaboration with artist Abbas Akhavan. In 2015 they interviewed eight security guards about their lives, their role at the Gallery and their favourite work of art. The project’s title is taken from one of the interviews.

Skillz Share

Skillz Share: Make a Scrapwich

Wednesday May 20, 3 pm

Adam Bovoletis has a passion for laughin'. He's made a bunch of art, co-founded Insomniac Film Festival, has been a proud member of the Youth Council for the past four years, and likes to write in third person. This week he teaches us how to build a ‘scrapwich’ a sandwich with whatever is in your fridge!

SKILLZ SHARE: PAPIER-MÂCHÉ

Wednesday, August 19, 2020 3 pm

Zoe Statiris is a third year student at Ryerson University. She likes to paint, draw, and take long walks on the beach. In her video Zoe makes a papier-mâché butterfly sculpture! 

Skillz Share: Organizing Your Bookshelf

Wednesday, August 12, 2020 3 pm

A first year student at U of T, Ingrid Wang is a visual artist with a passion for language, art history, and philosophy. In her free time, she enjoys reading classics, making earl grey tea, and keeping her bookshelves neat and tidy. This week Ingrid teaches us how to organize your bookshelf!

Skillz Share: Bullet Journaling

Tuesday June 30, 2020 3 pm

Calvin Pham is currently in his third year at York University, with a double major in Visual Arts and Film Studies. He has experience in fine arts, film making, photography, special effects make-up, and creative coaching.

Skillz Share: How to Write and Record a Song Using Garageband

Wednesday, June 24, 2020 3 pm

Sabrina Carrizo Sztainbok is a visual artist and musician. She has been playing in bands since she was fourteen (slobrina, pins and needles, tange and luna li) and has been trying to teach herself how to produce her own music over the years. This week Sabrina teaches us how to write and record a song using Garageband!

Skillz Share: Food Recycling

Wednesday, June 17, 2020 3 pm

Celeste Chiguichon is a second year volunteer at the ago youth council. She is a visual artist who loves learning about plants and our relationship to the earth. While finding peace and mindfulness in working with soil/greenery, she hopes to offer a calming practice to ground and grow along side with plant friends.

Skillz Share: How to Juggle

Wednesday, May 27, 2020 3 pm

Izzy Slone is a recent high school grad who loves visual art, fashion and making people smile. She joined the AGO Youth Council this past year and will be attending UofT in the fall. This week Izzy teaches us how to juggle!

Skillz Share: How to Cut Your Bangs!

Wednesday May 6, 3pm

Nara Wrigglesworth is not a hairdresser, she would like to work in a community based arts practice, or move to California, or both. Currently she is watching a lot of movies and talking about them on a podcast (Is It Wack?), she is also trying to get better at making music. This week Nara teaches us how to cut your bangs!

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