By Vaiva Slapsys
Artist-run centres are great little gallery spaces that are run by artists, for artists. The shows are always changing, and you can always find cool local art in some cute little spaces. And more often than not, they’re FREE! Here’s a list of some free artist-run centres in Toronto that I recommend you check out!
The Power Plant Contemporary Art Gallery at the Harbourfront Centre
This is one of my favourite galleries in Toronto! It’s a huge place with several rooms and tall ceilings, and there’s always super cool exhibits going on. Since this gallery is a larger, more popular gallery, lots of times you’ll find that they’re exhibiting artists from America or elsewhere, as well as Canadian artists. They’re currently closed, but there’s a FREE opening party on October 14th at 8:00pm. Starting the 15th, there will be three exhibitions going on. Visit thepowerplant.org to find more info on these exhibitions and the Power Plant.
Bonus: it’s on the lakeshore, and in the winter they have an awesome free ice rink! Bring your own skates or rent there, and pop inside for some hot chocolate and poutine when you get cold!
- Address: 231 Queens Quay W
- How to get there from York by TTC: Take the 196 or 106 to Downsview, then take the subway all the way down to Union. Get off at Union Station and take the 509 or 510 streetcar on Bay St south to Queens Quay W at Harbourfront Centre.
YYZ Artist’s Outlet
YYZ is a cool little gallery located inside a building filled with tons of other little galleries (huge bonus)! They’re all about giving artists a space that they can safely explore and take risks in, and their goal is to always think of new ways to support artists. Because of their huge support of local talent, they’re always exhibiting something different! Visit yyzartistsoutlet.org to find more information about the exhibitions opening so very soon, and about YYZ’s goals as an ARC (Artist-Run Centre).
Bonus: they also have more information on how to apply for a grant and submit your own work to an ARC.
- Address: 401 Richmond St W, Suite #140
- How to get there from York by TTC: Take the 196 or 106 to Downsview, then take the subway down to Osgoode station. Walk down University Ave for one block and turn right onto Richmond St W, then walk almost all the way to Spadina Ave. The building will be on your left!
Gallery 44 Centre for Contemporary Photography
While you’re visiting YYZ, walk down the hallway and pop into Gallery 44! This gallery is focused on contemporary photography (as insinuated by the gallery’s name). One of their goals is to expose people to the ever-changing world of photography, and to demonstrate how it is a dynamic and adaptable art form. Their latest exhibition is ending October 15th, but fret not! Two more exhibitions will be opening on October 21st with receptions from 6:00-8:00pm, and they both feature work that focuses on Indigenous histories. Furthermore, both of these exhibitions are also presented in partnership with imagineNATIVE Film and Media Arts Festival. Visit gallery44.org for more information on the gallery and their exhibitions.
Bonus: Gallery 44 offers affordable workshops led by professional artists, writers and curators for anyone looking to learn more about photography! Check out their website for more details on the different workshops offered and their prices.
Bonus part two: check out imaginenative.org for more info on the “world’s largest presenter of Indigenous screen content!”
- Address: 401 Richmond St W, Suite #120
- How to get there from York by TTC: This is the same building that YYZ is in! If you’re not already there, take the 196 or 106 to Downsview, then take the subway down to Osgoode station. Walk down University Ave for one block and turn right onto Richmond St W, then walk almost all the way to Spadina Ave. The building will be on your left!
Diaz Contemporary
This gallery doesn’t look too much like a gallery, and that’s because it’s in a renovated post-industrial building (making it super cool and edgy looking)! Because of the building’s cool set-up, this gallery has two spacious rooms with tons of wall space and nice big windows. You’ll be surprised by how much art can fit in here! It opened in 2005, and the owner focuses on featuring the art of Canadians and Mexicans alike, which makes it a unique space. This gallery likes to feature art that focuses on the history and issues of Indigenous peoples, which can be really eye-opening. The latest exhibition opens on October 13th, with a reception from 7:00pm-9:00pm. Visit diazcontemporary.ca for more info on the gallery and it’s past and upcoming shows.
Bonus: bring your dog (or just yourself) for some off-leash fun (or dog watching) at the Stanley off-leash Dog Park – just a short walk west of the gallery!
- Address: 100 Niagara St
- How to get there from York by TTC: Hop on the 106 or 196 to Downsview station, then take the subway down to St Andrew station. Once you’re there, get on the 504 streetcar on King St heading west. Get off at Tecumseh St and walk south on Tecumseh until you reach Niagara St. The gallery will be a low building on your left!
Cooper Cole
What’s cool about Cooper Cole’s gallery? He refuses to brand his gallery and get stuck into any specific art style or movement, so he likes to showcase all kinds of cool art! What’s even cooler is that his goal is to bring some youth into the Toronto art scene, so he showcases both local and American artists in their mid to late twenties. That means it could be YOUR work showcased on his gallery walls in just a few short years! Visit by October 15th to see the two shows that are currently featured, and stop by again on October 28th to see York University’s very own Sara Cwynar work with collected visual materials.
Bonus: This gallery is super close to some wonderful little villages! Take a short walk to Little Italy, Little Portugal, Trinity-Bellwoods, or Roncesvalles Village (one of my favourite places to shop and eat!), or walk a bit farther and step into the beautiful High Park! Visit in the spring time to see their famous Japanese Cherry Blossom trees bloom white and pink!
Double bonus: Go with friends and then test your skills at The Great Escape game just up the road!
- Address: 1134 Dupont St
- How to get there from York by TTC: Take the 196 or 106 to Downsview, and then take the subway to Dupont station. Once you’re there, take the 26 bus west to Jane station. Get off at Bartlett Ave and walk a teensy bit farther west; you’ll find the gallery on your right.
Clint Roenisch Gallery
This gallery is one of the more prestigious galleries you’ll find here in Toronto, apart from the AGO. It features tons of work by local and international artists alike, and many of its artists have been featured at super classy institutions such as the MoMA and the National Gallery of Canada. A personal favourite of mine, Chris Cran, will be exhibiting until October 15th, and after that the next exhibition opens on October 23rd. Visit clintroenisch.com to find out more about the gallery and the cool artists it exhibits (plus the website is aesthetically pleasing).
Bonus: Just like the place on Richmond St, this is gallery central! There are five galleries on this block, including the Daniel Faria Gallery, Scrap Metal, Robert Kananaj Gallery and Gallery TPW. Two of them are on this list, but make sure to check them all out!
Double bonus: Value Village (aka VV Boutique) is literally RIGHT THERE. Thrifting, anyone? Also, a waffle slash coffee house called the Starving Artist. Feels like an appropriate place to eat after checking out the city’s ARCs.
- Address: 190 Saint Helens Ave
- How to get there from York by TTC: Take the 196 or 106 to Downsview, and then take the subway to St George station. Switch it up and take Line 2 west to Lansdowne station! Walk south on Lansdowne for five or so minutes, and turn right onto St Helens.
Daniel Faria Gallery
This gallery is fairly new, opened up in 2011 by an established artist. It now temporarily houses the works of fairly big names in Canadian art, focusing mostly on Canadian art and some international art. This gallery focuses on non-representational art, and is definitely somewhere I would go if I’m looking for some cool abstract work.
Bonus: This is one of the galleries in gallery central! Pop in here after some satirical Chris Cran at the Clint Roenisch Gallery for a nice transition to the cool abstract. The current exhibition is on until November 5th and features geometrical colour field-like art. Very soothing. Very chill. Visit danielfariagallery.com for more info on the gallery and its upcoming exhibitions.
- Address: 188 Saint Helens Ave
- How to get there from York by TTC: Take the 196 or 106 to Downsview, and then take the subway to St George station. Switch it up and take Line 2 west to Lansdowne station! Walk south on Lansdowne for five or so minutes, and turn right onto St Helens.
Wil Kucey Gallery
The Wil Kucey Gallery is great because the owner and director (Mr Kucey) is focused on providing a space for emerging artists to showcase their work and to connect to bigger art deals and more upscale galleries. He’s all about the artist! This gallery is also really intent on finding art that matters in today’s society, so you’ll probably find some really cool stuff in here. Currently, the exhibit that’s open is about the fragmented reality amongst today’s social media, and the paintings are awesome abstract works. It’s on until October 29th – go check it out! Visit wilkuceygallery.ca for more info on the gallery and its exhibitions (plus the website is pretty cool-looking).
Bonus: This place is smack in the middle of Little Portugal, meaning yummy food! The Mod Club Theatre is just up the road, too, so check out some live music after you’re satisfied with your visual art experience!
- Address: 1183 Dundas St W
- How to get there from York by TTC: Take the 196 or 106 to Downsview, and then take the subway to Eglinton West station. Hop on the 63 bus south, and get off at Dundas West. Walk just a tad west on Dundas and the gallery will be on your left!
Angell Gallery
Angell Gallery opened in 1996 (aka my birth year, so it’s already the place to be), and since then it’s been supporting emerging artists who take risks in their work. The work showcased here more often than not is critical or challenging of societal norms and the norms of the art world. Because of this, this gallery is known as one that pushes boundaries with high-quality art. The gallery is also a regular participant in the Toronto Art Fair. Their newest exhibition opens on October 14th, with the reception from 6:00-9:00pm. Go help them celebrate the cool and spooky-ish art they’ll be displaying! Visit angellgallery.com for more info on the gallery and its exhibitions.
Bonus: this gallery is just a short walk from AboveGround art supplies in The Junction! Stop by after your visit for 10% off your paints and other artist needs.
Double bonus: It’s in the same plaza as a rock-climbing gym! Double the fun!
- Address: 1444 Dupont St, Unit #15
- How to get there from York by TTC: We’re switching up the route! Rather than taking the subway all the way down, get on the 41E Keele express bus and take it down to Rogers Rd, then transfer to the 168 south and get off at Dupont St. Shimmy east on Dupont and the gallery will be very close to you on your left!
Stephen Bulger Gallery
This sweet spot was founded in 1994 while Mr Bulger worked at OCAD as a technician. He decided to do something super awesome, and opened a gallery! Now it showcases local and international contemporary photographers, focusing on historical and documentary photographs from Canada (yay history!). The current exhibition closes on October 15th, so make sure to see it before it’s over! Otherwise, the next one opens on October 27th. Visit bulgergallery.com for more info on the gallery and the exhibitions.
Bonus: Toronto’s premier lounge, screening room and gallery, CAMERA, is here too! Also, Mr Bulger is the co-founder of CONTACT, Toronto’s yearly photography festival, so you can be sure his gallery will be top-notch.
Double bonus: Curry’s is just down the road. Again, 10% off! Yay, discounts!!
- Address: 1026 Queen St W
- How to get there from York by TTC: Take the 196 or 106 to Downsview, and then take the subway to Eglinton West station. Hop on the 63 bus south, and get off at Queen St W. Walk just a touch west on Queen and the gallery will be on your right!
Corkin Gallery
This gallery is one of the more famous galleries on the list. Founded by Jane Corkin in the 70s, it has now gained worldwide recognition due to its advances in contemporary art and the context that it allows its artists to showcase their work. Corkin Gallery is focused on bringing light to issues and themes such as the environment, consumerism, identity and the narrative. Converted from an old tank house, the gallery is super unique with high ceilings and lots of brick (art in itself)! The Gallery has two exhibitions going on this fall; check out their website at corkingallery.com for more details.
Bonus: This gallery is in the heart of the Distillery District. If you’ve never been there, it’s a must-see for its old buildings and cobblestone roads. Plus, they’ve got great restaurants! A super cute date spot, if you’re looking to take someone for a good time!
- Address: 7 Tank House Lane
- How to get there from York by TTC: Take the 196 or 106 to Downsview, and then take the subway to St Andrew station. Get on the 504 east streetcar and get off at Trinity St. A short walk south and you will find the gallery in the heart of the historic Distillery District!
Christopher Cutts Gallery
This gallery’s a bit different from others on the list, because it’s a leader in the commercial art scene here in Toronto. This gallery is extremely prestigious and deals only in critically-acclaimed contemporary art. Christopher Cutts is mostly interested in art that deals with the media, so you’re likely to find some stunning art with that theme in here. The current exhibition there is on until November 2nd, and it focuses on tree bark. Super cool imagery, if you ask me. Check out the gallery’s website at cuttsgallery.com for more info on the gallery and the exhibitions it puts on.
Bonus: This gallery is right off of Roncesvalles Village and High Park! Take a walk down Ronces and stop for a yummy bite to eat, or to do some fun shopping! Double bonus: There’s another gallery literally right next to this one! Stop by next door for some more art!
- Address: 21 Morrow Ave
- How to get there from York by TTC: Abort the subway! We’re taking the 41E Keele express bus all the way down to Keele station. Then take the subway just one stop east and get off at Dundas W station. Walk south on Dundas and turn left when you get to Morrow Ave. It’ll be at the end of the road on your right!