Exploration: Toronto’s best contemporary art galleries

Art Gallery of Ontario is one of Toronto’s finest galleries

Get your regular dose of contemporary art at Toronto’s ground-breaking galleries.

1. Art Gallery of Ontario (AGO)
   317 Dundas Street West

   One of the largest art galleries in North America, AGO houses nearly 95,000 pieces including contemporary artworks, European masterpieces, photography collections, and indigenous art. The institution has collaborated with museums from all over the world. Its exhibitions and programs showcase a diverse roster of acclaimed and underrepresented artists.

   Click here to see the museum’s collections.

   ShopAGO, the gallery store, sells a wide array of prints, books, jewelry, accessories, and home furnishings. AGO Bistro, an award-winning restaurant, serves brunch, lunch, and dinner.

2. Cooper Cole Gallery
   1134 Dupont Street

   Simon Cole rebranded his street art-focused gallery, Show & Tell, in 2009, to distance himself and his roster of artists from the movement. The result was Cooper Cole Gallery, a space that represents a diverse group of artists who create everything from abstract painting to installation art.

   The gallery invites international artists to exhibit in Canada. It also promotes local artists overseas through art fairs and partnerships with galleries from around the world.

   Previous exhibitions include “What’s next is close at hand” by G.B. Cooper and “Coastal” by Rachel Eulena Adams.

3. Clint Roenisch Gallery
   190 Saint Helens Avenue

   The Clint Roenisch Gallery was founded 2003 and has represented a diverse range of artists who specialize in drawing, painting, sculpture, film, photography, and installation. International artists like Roger Ballen, Marcel van Eeden, and Heather and Ivan Morison had their first solo Canadian exhibitions at this prestigious gallery. Click here for a list of gallery artists.

4. Angell Gallery
   1444 Dupont Street, Unit 15

   Founded in 1996, Angell Gallery offers support to emerging and mid-career artists. It also has a keen interest in edgy artists who push the boundaries of contemporary art and art-making with every exhibition.

   Previous exhibitions include “Blue Rainbow” by Andrew Salgado and “Living for the Fame” by Chris Ironside.

   Artworks on display include sculptures, paintings, and digital and video art. The gallery has represented local and international artists like Alex McLeod and Geoffrey Pugen. Click here to see the list of gallery artists.

5. Stephen Bulger Gallery
   1356 Dundas Street West

   The gallery has organized over 150 exhibitions since 1995. Get the chance to see historical, contemporary, and international photographs by celebrated photographers like Jeff Thomas, Pete Doherty, and Sunil Gupta here. The gallery is home to a collection of approximately 30,000 photographs, many of which are historical and documentary pieces on and from Canada.

   The gallery bookshop carries over 3,000 titles on the subject of photography. Camera Bar, a lounge and events venue with a 50-seater screening room, is also located within the gallery.

   The gallery accommodates collectors of all levels, but first-time buyers take precedence over the rest. They also represent contemporary photographers and artists, as well as several estates.

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