ART GALLERY VICTORIA

About the Gallery

When it first opened in 1951, the Art Gallery of Greater Victoria exhibited art in the historic 1889 mansion that is now adjacent to its seven modern galleries. With over 20,000 works of art, the Art Gallery has the largest public collection in BC and is a vibrant and active part of Victoria’s artist community.

Who we are

The Art Gallery of Greater Victoria is a place for people, ideas, and experiences.

What we do

The Gallery engages with people by providing access to art and art-based experiences that contribute to the quality of life in our community. Connecting to you through volunteering, membership, donations, and participation is critical to our success. Thanks to the support of our friends: gallery members, community collaborators, individual donors, public funders, foundations and local businesses, the Gallery can deliver a rich variety of outreach programs in our community to make art accessible to people of all ages, backgrounds and abilities. Programs touch thousands of local schools and community members every year and empower educators and facilitators to enrich their curriculum with broader understandings of art and practice.

How we do it

We encourage the kind of learning that comes from activating spaces and people by providing opportunities for critical thought and meaningful dialogue through art. We are proud to collaborate with artists, art historians, community groups and other cultural organizations to create engaging and relevant exhibitions and programs. These connections allow us to learn from our colleagues, share artworks, exhibitions, programs and research.   

Why our collection is important

The Art Gallery of Greater Victoria has been building an art collection for almost 70 years. It showcases contemporary art, significant works produced in this region, and art that represents our histories. Since its founding, the AGGV has been assembling work from around the Pacific Rim and has established one of the finest collections of Asian art in the world. We continue to build and evolve our collection in a way that addresses our history, both nationally and locally.