Past Events

Family Sunday African Rhythms, Art and Music Festival To celebrate Topographies, which explores the work of Montreal-based Congolese artist Moridja Kitenge Banza, the McMichael is pleased to present two days of art, music and dance that will bring to life the vibrant culture of Africa to Kleinburg. Families [...]

Fantasy Fair Immerse your family in the fantastical and eclectic world of Marcel Dzama, Winnipeg-born, New York-based visual artist and explore the power of creativity in facing the shadows of the past and the challenges of today. Discover a new world of seeing, delight in dance and music of Motus O dance [...]

Virtual Curatorial Talk Early Days, New Directions for Indigenous Art at the McMichael Sunday, January 21 | 3 pm The recent publication of Early Days, Indigenous Art from the McMichael signals the gallery’s commitment to center Indigenous voices in the curation and interpretation of Indigenous art in [...]

Acoustic Conversation: The Tom Thomson Guitar Celebrating the inter-generational dialogues of Canadian art. Friday, December 1 at 8 pm BUY TICKETS The Tom Thomson Guitar, the culmination of the McMichael’s 2017 Group of Seven Guitar Project, has finally entered the McMichael’s permanent collection. Created through an [...]

TEACHING ARTIST SERIES  Journey Through the Wilderness with Dominik Modlinski  Program Description Join artist Dominik Modlinski as he shares the stories behind his paintings and creative process. Following in the traditions of countless Canadian historical artists, Modlinski’s journeys through the wilderness help inspire his en plein air works through [...]

Chamber Series at the McMichael By Tafelmusik Chamber Series at the McMichael Making Herself Heard: Music by baroque women Friday, November 24 at 8 pm BUY Tickets TICKETS COMING SOON CHAMBER 1 Making Herself Heard: Music by Baroque Women Celebrating [...]

Exhibition Opening Talks Cobalt: A Mining Town and the Canadian Imagination & Moridja Kitenge Banza: Topographies Saturday, November 18 Speakers: Dr. Catharine Mastin and Moridja Kitenge Banza With John Geoghegan, Sarah Milroy Date & Time Saturday, November 18 from 1 to 3 pm [...]

Unapologetic: Championing Canadian Art in the World Canadians are infamous for apologizing – for everything, it seems. But they should never apologize for their art. Join McMichael Executive Director and North Star curator Ian Dejardin as he examines a handpicked selection of Canadian masterpieces and shares how he was inspired by the comment, [...]

Tell Me This Story Again For centuries, artists, writers and musicians have breathed new life into ancient stories through adaptation. Explore the McMichael’s exhibitions to discover some new takes on old tales, add a creative twist to your favourite story and enjoy the latest version of The Magic Flute presented by the [...]

Virtual Talk Some Scottish Roots in Canadian Art Tuesday, August 22 | 7 pm Did you know that Tom Thomson’s grandparents hailed from Aberdeenshire? Or that David Milne wore a kilt to school? Join our Edinburgh-born Executive Director Ian A.C. Dejardin as he explores the Scottish roots of some [...]

Curatorial Talk Ann MacIntosh Duff Saturday, July 8 | 11:30 am at the McMichael Join Associate Curator John Geoghegan as he discusses the work of the late Canadian artist Ann MacIntosh Duff. For nearly eight decades, MacIntosh Duff recorded the world around her studios in Toronto and Georgian Bay [...]

Shooting Stars Tafelmusik Baroque Orchestra at the McMichael NEW DATE: Friday, November 24 at 8 pm TICKETS COMING SOON The history of the arts is liberally laced with the tales of practitioners whose lives and careers were cut unnaturally short. For today’s concert, we take [...]

Curatorial Talk Tom Thomson: North Star Sunday, June 25 | 2 pm at the McMichael Join McMichael Executive Director and North Star curator Ian Dejardin as he delves into the history and technique of Tom Thomson’s astonishing oil sketches, untangling fact from fiction. Gain a better understanding of the [...]

Curatorial Talk Sandra Meigs: Sublime Rage Saturday, May 20 | 11:30 am at the McMichael Join contemporary artist Sandra Meigs, guest curator Jessica Bradley and McMichael Chief Curator Sarah Milroy for a conversation exploring Meigs’ recent series of paintings created during her pandemic retreats in the woods of Algonquin Park. [...]

New Orleans Night at the McMichael Celebrate Mother’s Day New Orleans style with the smooth sounds of the Red Hot Ramble band, which blends traditional jazz, blues and funk. Join us at 5 pm for dinner at CABIN (prix-fixe menu available, not included with admission), followed by a concert [...]

THE ULTIMATE BEGINNERS’ PASTEL WORKSHOP In-Person Introductory Studio with Clarence Porter Program Description Have you wanted to try working with soft pastels, or tried them and felt they were unforgiving? Then this is the workshop for you! I call this my gentle boot camp for pastel beginners. From pastel surfaces to mark [...]

Curatorial Talk The Uses of Enchantment: Art & Environmentalism Sunday, May 7 | 2 pm at the McMichael Please join us for a discussion of art’s role in the growing climate crisis, and the ways in which artworks open up a space for collective reckoning. Speakers: Sarah Milroy, Bill [...]

TEACHING ARTIST SERIES  A Watercolour Journey: from the Great Bear Rainforest to Antarctica with David McEown  Program Description Award-winning artist David McEown will share his adventures circumnavigating the polar regions and exploring the wilderness of Canada’s West Coast. This live presentation will be followed by an hour-long live watercolour demonstration and [...]

William Kurelek (1927–1977), Jewish Immigrants Arriving on the Prairies, 1975, mixed media on board, 50.8 × 57.2 cm, McMichael Canadian Art Collection, Photo: Michael Cullen, Dunnville, Ontario, © Estate of William Kurelek, courtesy of the Wynick / Tuck Gallery, Toronto Virtual Curatorial Talk William Kurelek's Jewish Life in Canada Wednesday, [...]

2023 Goldfarb Lecture in Visual Arts Presenting Meryl McMaster In partnership with the York University Department of Visual Art and Art History **New Date: Wednesday, March 1 at 5 PM Due to unforeseen circumstances, this event has been rescheduled to March 1 at 5 pm. If you have already [...]