It’s that time of year again. The sun is out, the days are longer, the weather is warmer, and those out-of-town guests are visiting.

This summer treat your guests by bringing them to the Art Gallery of Greater Victoria, where there are many ways to make their visit memorable.

The AGGV’s premiere event of the summer is the 2023 TD Art Gallery Paint-In. Bring your out-of-town guests to one of BC’s largest street festivals on July 15 from 11 am to 5 pm. The annual Paint-In is one of Victoria’s most talked about events and is always an experience.

Away from the crowds of Paint-In, the best way to see the gallery is on a private, guided tour. Experience the gallery alongside one of our engaging facilitators. Learn all about the artists in the show, how the works of art are connected to story, and expand your knowledge. Because the tours are private, guests can include anyone of any age that is interested in seeing what the AGGV has to offer.

“A private guided tour is such a special way to experience the gallery,” says Tours Coordinator, Hilary Potosnak. “So many of the works we have on display right now are so beautiful and interesting and really benefit from an in-depth exploration.”

She added that shows such as Symbiosis have been incredibly popular for tours.

“Groups have really loved learning more about some of the works in Symbiosis. Especially the collection of clay mushroom figures by Alma and Ernest Lorenzen. Their scientific accuracy in addition to their beauty leads to lots of discussions about mushrooms.”

Groups can select which show in the gallery they want to see on a guided tour and then afterwards guests are welcome to explore the rest of what the AGGV has to offer. You can find a list of our current shows on our website. Private tours can be booked any time during the gallery’s regular hours. You can find more information here.

If you would like to keep things more spontaneous there are other options for tours as well. Almost every Saturday this summer we will be hosting drop-in tours. Gallery Facilitators are onsite to offer an in-depth exploration of one of our shows from 2 pm to 3 pm on Saturday afternoons. Any visitor to the gallery can attend a drop-in tour; they are free with admission. Check our Events Calendar for more information.

On Sunday afternoons the AGGV hosts Art Lovers Meetup. A less formal approach to a tour, look for one of our facilitators on-site. These casual engagements feature brief interactions expanding upon the pieces in the exhibitions.

If your younger out of town guests are looking for a more hands-on art making experience look no further than our own AGGV Studio’s summer camp series. Designed for kids under 12, our popular summer camps run mornings from 9 am to 12 pm over certain weeks in the summer. Camps are filling up but there is still room! You can find more information here: Studio Registration.

Though summer seems short in Victoria, the special programs at the AGGV ensure it will be memorable.