The AGO’s top priority is the health and safety of our visitors, staff, volunteers and our extended AGO community. To help prevent, manage and mitigate the possible spread of COVID-19 the AGO is closed temporarily.
AGO Youth programs are free and serve youth ages 14-25. These programs focus on building community, making art, claiming institutional space, creating safe and inclusive spaces for youth, hiring emerging artists, partnering with community organizations and advocating for youth presence, values and culture.
Programs combine contemporary art practices, community building and popular culture; ranging from drop-ins to year-long commitments. There are several volunteer opportunities for youth throughout the museum.
Often considered an indicator of spring and a metaphor for renewal, the performance of planting dahlia bulbs elaborates on the importance of care, tenderness and follow-through. Seeds do not need humans to be planted; they will spread and grow as they have for millennia. Humans need to plant seeds in order to cultivate food.
Want to learn how to vogue dance from the legendary vogue pioneer Twysted? These beginner-level workshops will cover the five elements of vogue fem, ending each week with a ball. Kiki’s Lounge encourages anyone who wants their first voguing experience to participate.
This self-reflective drawing exercise guides the viewer through the artist’s drawing process and thoughts. Inspired by Korean folk paintings, Enna Kim will focus on the symbolism of each element, such as cranes, peach trees and lotuses, representing longevity, courage and good luck in Korean culture. With this activity, the artist encourages audiences to reflect on the meaning behind symbols and the physical act of drawing. The fluidness of this combined approach prompts participants to consider their own agency in relation to objects and…
A Traced Feeling is based on the forward bend test, a physical examination that assesses for scoliosis by running a finger down a person’s spine, feeling for a curvature. The comfort and trust of being "traced" in such an examination is tactile, leaving a lasting impression. Participants will be invited to trace surrounding surfaces with their index finger and draw a corresponding line, examining the shape their bodies make in the spaces around them. A Traced Feeling is presented as part of …
AGO Youth Council member Violeta Rodriguez Zurita and her older cousin, Kelly Zurita, lead a revealing walk around York Mills, the only neighborhood they have ever lived in. Demonstrating the class divide that runs through the community, Violeta and Kelly give a tour of the high-rise apartments and the different types of housing in their neighbourhood. Along the way, they share their experiences growing up in York Mills and talk about how it is starting to change.
This artist-led virtual video walk is an art student's reflection on the power of education. As isi bhakhomen travels from home to school, they will take the time to recall on precious moments that have impacted their artistic growth. Throughout this excursion, isi hopes to share the wonders of what it's like to be a part of a theatre arts community. They will take the time to reminisce over the past three years with both fondness and dread. Looking back at your mistakes isn't easy,…
This virtual walk combines storytelling, healing and Hip Hop. You'll learn about Toronto’s historical relationship with the dynamic dance style and you'll be introduced to the key elements of Hip Hop used in innovative methods of critical healing. While Toronto represents the Hip Hop community-at-large, this virtual video walk reveals how individual locations and neighbourhoods have contributed to Hip Hop's growth in the city. During the walk, specific locations in Toronto related to Hip Hop are presented and the…
Distance Dress Up invites everyone to dress up in their favourite party outfit, take a selfie of themselves and post on IG with tag #distancedressup! This participatory photo project is inspired by the exhibition Studio 54: Night Magic and the social restrictions that are currently in place due to Covid. …
Get ready for Studio 54: Night Magic with 8 weekly workshops on the Hustle and Whacking, two dance forms that came out of the disco era.
Hustle is a partner dance created by Puerto Rican teenagers in South Bronx in the early 1970s to disco music. It has common features of mambo, salsa and swing dance. The dance is…
Walking home from school? Studying? Taking a work break? Tune in, chill out and vibe to live sets by local youth DJs from our AGO Youth Community.
Join Raffiki on Friday, November 13, for an Afro-Fusion experience bringing dynamic Afro-rhythms together with popular songs.
This program is part of the partner series, AGO Live: Hello From The Other Side where we welcome partners from across the city to use the AGO as a site for their programs in an effort to revitalize the arts in our…
Walking home from school? Studying? Taking a work break? Tune in, chill out and vibe to live sets by local youth DJs from our AGO Youth Community.
Join UforChange's HellaHelen and DJ NABZ on Friday, November 6!
This program is part of the partner series, AGO Live: Hello From The Other Side where we welcome partners from across the city to use the AGO as a site for their programs in an effort to revitalize the arts in our city.
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Walking home from school? Studying? Taking a work break? Tune in, chill out and vibe to live sets by local youth DJs from our AGO Youth Community.
Abscond will be digging deep in the archives to mix up something eclectic on Friday, October 30!
This program is part of the partner series, AGO Live: Hello From The Other Side where we welcome partners from across the city to use the AGO as a site for their programs in an effort to revitalize the…
This artist-led virtual Neighbourhood Walk will expose the beauty and significance of legal and illegal graffiti in Scarborough and Toronto, through the authentic lens of local graffiti artist Jehiel Douglas. By giving an in-depth and artistic spin on a stigmatized topic, Jehiel hopes to give viewers the inside scoop on the graffiti community at large.
"I find that a lot of the artists and non…
Chinatowns all over Turtle Island were created out a need for survival during times of legislative racism in Canada. Today, they are still vital spaces for newcomers and second generation families to access cultural and linguistic services. The neighbourhood, like the rest of Toronto, is a contested space, experiencing rapid gentrification. How are we responding? What do we stand to lose? Join us for this virtual neighbourhood walk lead by TeaBase member Florence Yee
Florence Yee is a…
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.
The AGO is the place to be for youth ages 14 to 25. Free drop in programs run in Fall, Winter and Spring on Tuesdays, Wednesdays and Thursdays from 4-6pm in Weston Family Learning Centre. Participate in tie dyeing, sticker making, silk screening, skateboard building, mix tape making, movie screenings and break-dancing workshops. No registration or cost required. Follow us on Instagram at @AGOYouth for details and updates.
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!
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!
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.
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!
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.
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!
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!
Watch AGO Youth Council member Tennesse Jones teach you how to poach an egg.
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!
Youth Programs
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