A one-million-dollar gift from the April 1 Foundation of Vancouver will allow children and youth to enjoy the Vancouver Art Gallery free of charge starting on July 1, 2022.
The initiative will remain in place for five years until the Gallery makes moves to a new building, planned to open in 2027.
Free admission for kids and teenagers pairs perfectly with the recently launched exhibition, Kids Take Over. Running until September 11, Kids Take Over features paintings, prints, photographs, and sculptures from the Gallery’s collection accompanied by written and drawn responses from local students, ages five to eighteen. Whimsical, spirited, curious, and often funny in nature, Kids Take Over encourages imagination for young families with a play area, touch wall, activities booklet, and colouring space in the rotunda.
“Learning and community are among our core priorities. With this initiative and the launch of our new exhibit Kids Take Over, the Gallery is playing an active role in improving accessibility and fostering creative thinking and problem solving for all ages and backgrounds,” says Director & CEO Anthony Kiendl in a press release.
The Gallery plans to continue its dedication to children and youth at its future location at the intersections of West Georgia, Cambie and Beatty streets. The new facility will serve over one million visitors from across the globe every year, including 100,000 youth in educational programming.
The Vancouver Art Gallery plans to announce further changes to its current membership programs in the near future.
“We can’t wait to welcome even more of our youngest visitors to the Gallery.” says Kiendl.
