Welcome back, everyone! We're open.

We’ve been closed to the general public for four months. That’s 120 days, 2,880 hours, or 172,800 minutes. No matter how you break it down, it feels like an eternity for art-lovers to be without their favourite pieces in the AGO Collection. Thankfully the wait is over, and as of July 23  we are reopening our doors to everyone! We have proper safety protocols in place, so you are free to roam the Gallery and reacquaint yourself with our art and exhibitions, Thursday – Sunday between 10:30 am and 5 pm. Come and join us! Don’t underestimate the uplifting power of art. 

Since the onset of COVID-19, regular life hasn’t been easy. Living without many of the freedoms and conveniences we often take for granted can have a profound effect on our mental health and wellness. Access to galleries, museums and live art is one of these freedoms. And though the internet has undoubtedly helped fill your art void during lockdown, the sense of community, physical activity and higher degree of stimulation that come from engaging with art in person cannot be matched. 

Have you been stuck in an urban bubble? Lawren Harris can bring you to the lake. Is your sense of self feeling out of focus? Sandra Brewster can commiserate with you. Art can be a strong catalyst for shifting your mood, making you feel understood, or simply giving you room to breathe and exist. 

For more insight on the relationship between art and wellness, we spoke with Toronto-based psychotherapist and art therapist April Penny. As a supervisor and faculty member at the Toronto Art Therapy Institute, she continually witnesses the healing power of art in various settings. According to Penny, "Art, health (and well-being) are often interwoven, and during these stressful times related to the pandemic, connecting with art can connect us to ourselves in a meaningful way and can mindfully bring us into the present moment. It allows us to immerse ourselves in the process, focus our attention, provide a sense of control, productivity and accomplishment, rekindle energy, redirect potentially negative and ruminating thoughts and/or allow us to just relax, reflect and ‘be’… Engaging in art as a maker or witness can also connect us to others and our surrounding community through the sharing of these ideas, creations and stories."

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