About Us

The Tom Thomson Art Gallery is a regional public gallery and national cultural attraction with a top-notch and revolving program of contemporary and historical exhibitions, lectures, forums, films, concerts and workshops.

As a dynamic place where artists and audiences can meet and flourish, the Tom Thomson Art Gallery provides enriching experiences through art for a range of visitors, showing the art of today and influencing the art of the future. Exhibitions are accompanied by informative materials and scheduled tours are conducted by trained guides —all designed to bring a new dimension to visitors’ enjoyment and appreciation of art and its creation.

Established in 1967, the Gallery is named for the iconic Canadian landscape artist Tom Thomson (1877-1917) and houses one of Canada’s largest collections of his work. Thomson, who grew up and is buried in the Owen Sound area, was a maverick, a break-away artist who fused a passion for the wilderness with a new style of skillful and experimental painting.

An ambitious program of exhibitions by local and Canadian artists makes the Tom Thomson Art Gallery a focal point for opportunities to experience the ever-changing world of contemporary art. Enjoy new artistic media such as video, sound, performance and installation, alongside traditional fine arts such as painting, sculpture and craft, in exhibitions that showcase current tendencies in visual art.

The Gallery frequently collaborates with other Canadian and international institutions to produce touring exhibitions and artists’ publications, and has established itself as a vital link in a national dialogue on contemporary art.

Works by Tom Thomson – who inspired the formation of the Group of Seven through his transformative portrayal of the natural world - and his contemporaries are on permanent display in the gallery’s intimate Thomson Room. Exhibitions of Thomson’s oil sketches, graphics, memorabilia and archival materials offer unique insight into one of Canada’s most influential artists of the 20^th century.

The Tom Thomson Art Gallery has its own collection of over 1,800 works of art, including paintings, drawings, prints, photographs, sculptures and craft. In addition to a rich base of works by Tom Thomson and the Group of Seven, the collection offers significant contemporary art by regional and national artists. The focus is on works relating to the landscape, and the many contemporary interpretations of that tradition.

The gallery promotes the enrichment and interpretation of its permanent collection through an active acquisitions program, animated exhibitions, our Resource Room, and loans to other cultural institutions

Lively and stimulating programs for all ages foster hands-on appreciation of contemporary art and culture. In addition to exhibitions, the Tom Thomson Art Gallery offers lectures by artists and critics, film screenings, readings by writers and poets, music concerts, the Tom Thomson Days community festival and fundraising events such as the Annual Craft Show & Sale.

Adults, teens and children can participate in an array of learning opportunities including art classes, school programs, workshops and other art activities.

• Our History

Mission Statement

The Tom Thomson Art Gallery is a regional art centre and national cultural attraction dedicated to the innovative spirit of landscape artist and Canadian icon, Tom Thomson. The Gallery celebrates excellence in the visual arts through exhibitions of historical and contemporary art, education programs promoting life-long learning, and the enrichment and interpretation of its significant permanent collection.

Strategic Goals

1.    Engage the public through effective outreach, partnership and marketing that cultivates awareness and appreciation of the Gallery’s value within its communities.

2.    Maintain a strong, diverse revenue base and adequate endowments to secure the Gallery’s sustainability and its significant regional economic impact.

3.    Maintain standards of excellence in all programming, making significant artistic contributions in the fields of exhibitions, education and collections.

4.    Position and structure the Gallery and its facilities as the national cultural centre for the collection, study and appreciation of Tom Thomson and his legacy in the visual arts.

5.    Define meaningful roles within the administrative structure to support and enable volunteers, board and staff to achieve the Gallery’s strategic goals.