MacLaren Art Centre

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MacLaren Art Centre The MacLaren is building a creative future for our community by offering art classes, tours and work
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The MacLaren Art Centre is the regional public art gallery serving the residents of Barrie, the County of Simcoe and the surrounding area. The Gallery has a permanent collection of 26,600 works of art held in trust for the public and presents a year-round programme of world-class exhibitions, public art projects, education activities and special events. It is an architectural landmark: originally the Carnegie library, it has been renovated with a remarkable and exquisite contemporary addition designed by Siamak Hariri of Hariri Pontarini Architects. The complex includes multiple galleries, an education centre, a sculpture courtyard and a gift shop. As a cornerstone of culture for Barrie, the MacLaren is a visual arts centre that adds to the social, intellectual, creative and economic fabric of this community. The MacLaren is committed to building a vibrant, healthy and creative community. Exhibitions, workshops, special events and community activities nurture artistic talent, inspire creativity and stimulate intellectual curiosity. Our award-winning education department offers art appreciation and hands-on programmes for all ages, interests and abilities including lectures, panels, artist talks, publications and gallery tours; art classes and camps; after-school youth workshops; artist-led programmes in the schools; and Sunday, art-making activities for families.

We’re still reminiscing about our 40th Anniversary Open House and everything that made the day so special. From connecti...
10/15/2026

We’re still reminiscing about our 40th Anniversary Open House and everything that made the day so special. From connecting with friends old and new, to art-making, music, tours, good food by Palette, and plenty of celebrating, it was such a wonderful way to mark 40 years of the MacLaren. 🎈

Thank you to everyone who joined in, shared memories, and helped us celebrate this milestone with our community.

Here’s a little look back at the day! πŸ“Έβ€οΈ

Get creative this Halloween! πŸŽƒBack by popular demand, join award-winning pumpkin carver and artist Linda Laforge on Satu...
10/14/2026

Get creative this Halloween! πŸŽƒ

Back by popular demand, join award-winning pumpkin carver and artist Linda Laforge on Saturday, October 24 for a hands-on pumpkin etching workshop. Learn how to create detailed designs without cutting through the pumpkin, plus tips, tools, and techniques to make your creation last longer!

πŸ¦‡Saturday, October 24 | 12–3 PM
πŸ‘»Ages 18+
πŸ•·οΈ$40 non-members | $36 members

Spots are limited. Register on our website under Learn & Create!

πŸͺOFF THE HOOK: The catalogue is live, tickets are on sale, and the Art Auction is just one month away!Explore this year’...
10/13/2026

πŸͺOFF THE HOOK: The catalogue is live, tickets are on sale, and the Art Auction is just one month away!

Explore this year’s incredible selection of 70+ juried artworks by regional and national artists in our online catalogue, and start planning your bids! ↩️

Whether you’re looking to add something special to your collection, discover a new favourite artist, or enjoy an evening surrounded by incredible art, food, and drinks, OFF THE HOOK is an event you won’t want to miss. πŸ₯‚

Join us on November 13 for an unforgettable evening celebrating artists and the vibrant arts community that makes the MacLaren's mission possible.

➑️ Browse the catalogue, grab your tickets, and get ready to bid!
➑️ Tickets are $75 and available now at maclarenart.com.

Happy Thanksgiving from all of us at the MacLaren! πŸ‚We’re feeling especially grateful for our wonderful community and re...
10/12/2026

Happy Thanksgiving from all of us at the MacLaren! πŸ‚

We’re feeling especially grateful for our wonderful community and reflecting on our 40 years: Our visitors, artists, volunteers, members, donors, and everyone who continues to support the MacLaren. ❀️

We hope you have a restful long weekend filled with good food, good company, and maybe a little time for art, too.

Image: Artwork by Mary Anne Barkhouse, πΆπ‘Žπ‘β„Žπ‘’, 2018, bronze.

The wait is over: The OFF THE HOOK Art Auction catalogue is now available online! πŸͺβ†ͺ️ Ready to start browsing? Explore w...
10/11/2026

The wait is over: The OFF THE HOOK Art Auction catalogue is now available online! πŸͺ

β†ͺ️ Ready to start browsing? Explore works by talented regional and national artists, with plenty of pieces to discover and take home.

Whether you already have your eye on a specific artist's work, or you’re just curious to see what’s on offer, now’s the time to start browsing!

Explore the catalogue at maclarenart.com/art-auction-catalogue-2026/ πŸ”—πŸ₯‚

10/10/2026

β€œWhat does the MacLaren mean to you?”

During our 40th Anniversary Open House last Saturday, we asked our guests to share what the MacLaren Art Centre means to them, and the answers were wonderful. From art and community to cherished memories made within our gallery walls, your responses reminded us that the MacLaren is all about the connections we make and the experiences we share.πŸ‚πŸ“Έ

Thank you to everyone who joined us to celebrate 40 years of the MacLaren! As we look back on four decades of inspiring creativity and bringing people together, one thing is clear: what makes the MacLaren special is the people who fill it with life, meaning, and memories. 🀍

Here’s what the MacLaren means to us: our community. Have a wonderful long weekend! πŸŽ‰

What a night! ⭐ Thank you to everyone who joined us for Music & Memories last Thursday, October 1, as part of our 40th A...
10/08/2026

What a night! ⭐ Thank you to everyone who joined us for Music & Memories last Thursday, October 1, as part of our 40th Anniversary celebrations. It was a special evening to see alumni of the Youth Council Coffeehouse, including Emily Cornish, Mich Anger, and Tara Wink, lead singer of TraumaQueen, perform in the Gallery again. 🎸πŸ₯

It was a wonderful celebration of the MacLaren’s long history of supporting and fostering creativity in our community. ✨

Here’s a little look back at the night, and some throwback photos of our artists during the Youth Council Coffeehouses and events over the years! πŸ‘

The MacLaren Art Centre joins the community in remembering Pauline Bradshaw, a much-loved member of our community, a won...
10/05/2026

The MacLaren Art Centre joins the community in remembering Pauline Bradshaw, a much-loved member of our community, a wonderful artist, and a longtime friend of the Gallery. πŸ’Œ

Pauline supported the MacLaren in so many ways over the years. Since 2011, she generously contributed to our Annual Art Auction and Benefactor Program. She was our neighbour, with her studio just across the road, and a familiar presence in our galleries and cafΓ©. We were fortunate to see her often.

Pauline was a talented painter, a dedicated supporter of the arts, and above all a kind and generous person. Her absence will be deeply felt by our staff, volunteers, and broader community.

We extend our deepest condolences to Pauline’s family, friends, and all those who knew and loved her. 🀍

To celebrate the 40th anniversary of the incorporation of the Barrie Gallery Project, which paved the way for the MacLar...
10/02/2026

To celebrate the 40th anniversary of the incorporation of the Barrie Gallery Project, which paved the way for the MacLaren we know today, we’re looking back at some of the exhibitions that have shaped our history, and at the artists, curators, and partners, who helped bring them to life. 🧑

In order of appearance:

πŸ’  Marlene Hilton Moore, π‘‡β„Žπ‘’ π΅π‘Ÿπ‘’π‘Žπ‘ π‘‘, 1988. Installed at the location of the former MacLaren Art Centre at Maple Hill, 147 Toronto St., Barrie.

πŸ’  Joe Fafard, π΄π‘”π‘Žπ‘–π‘›π‘ π‘‘ π‘‘β„Žπ‘’ πΊπ‘Ÿπ‘Žπ‘–π‘›: πΉπ‘Žπ‘“π‘Žπ‘Ÿπ‘‘ 𝐹𝑖𝑒𝑙𝑑 π‘ƒπ‘Ÿπ‘œπ‘—π‘’π‘π‘‘, 1997. Located on a 50-acre site in Ivy, Ontario. Curated by Roy Hickling. Photo by Bob Douglas.

πŸ’  Blue Republic, π‘π‘œπ‘ π‘‘π‘Žπ‘™π‘”π‘–π‘Ž π‘“π‘œπ‘Ÿ π‘‘β„Žπ‘’ π‘ƒπ‘Ÿπ‘’π‘ π‘’π‘›π‘‘, 2008. Curated by Carolyn Bell Farrell. Originated and circulated by The Koffler Gallery, Toronto.

πŸ’  Denis Bolohan, 𝐼𝑛𝑠𝑖𝑑𝑒-𝑂𝑒𝑑𝑠𝑖𝑑𝑒 (π΅π‘™π‘Žπ‘π‘˜ π‘Šπ‘Žπ‘™π‘›π‘’π‘‘), 2011, in the Massie Family Sculpture Courtyard.

πŸ’  Meryl McMaster and Luke Parnell, π‘ƒπ‘Žπ‘ π‘‘ π‘π‘œπ‘€, 2011. Guest Curated by Suzanne Morrissette and Lisa Myers.

πŸ’  Robert Hengeveld, π‘Šπ‘–π‘™π‘’ π‘Šπ‘–π‘™π‘‘, 2011, pictured in the Massie Family Sculpture Courtyard. Curated by Ben Portis.

πŸ’  Leopold Plotek, π‘Šπ‘œπ‘Ÿπ‘˜π‘–π‘›π‘”π‘šπ‘Žπ‘›β€™π‘  π·π‘’π‘Žπ‘‘, 2012, featuring work from the Sovfoto Archive. Curated by Leopold Plotek.

πŸ’  Nadia Myre, π‘π‘’π‘’π‘‘π‘™π‘’π‘€π‘œπ‘Ÿπ‘˜π‘ , 2013. Curated by Ben Portis.

πŸ’  π‘ˆπ‘Ÿπ‘π‘Žπ‘› 𝐽𝑒𝑀𝑒𝑙𝑠: 𝐷𝑒𝑛𝑦𝑠𝑒 π‘‡β„Žπ‘œπ‘šπ‘Žπ‘ π‘œπ‘ β€™ 𝐡𝑖𝑔 πΆπ‘Žπ‘›π‘£π‘Žπ‘ π‘’π‘ , 1993–1999, 2013. Curated by Ben Portis.

πŸ’  James Carl and Lyn Carter, 𝑏𝑒𝑔𝑒𝑖𝑙𝑒, 2014. Curated by Carolyn Bell Farrell.

πŸ’  Hazel Meyer, 𝑀𝑒𝑠𝑐𝑙𝑒 π‘ƒπ‘Žπ‘›π‘–π‘, 2015. Curated by Renee van der Avoird.

πŸ’  π‘…π‘’π‘Žπ‘‘π‘–π‘›π‘” π‘‘β„Žπ‘’ π‘‡π‘Žπ‘™π‘˜: Michael Belmore, Hannah Claus, Patricia Deadman, Vanessa Dion Fletcher, Keesic Douglas, and Melissa General, 2015. Curated by Rachelle Dickenson and Lisa Myers. Organized and circulated by The Robert McLaughlin Gallery, Oshawa.

πŸ’  Mary Anne Barkhouse, π‘‡β„Žπ‘’ πΌπ‘›π‘‘π‘’π‘Ÿπ‘™π‘œπ‘π‘’π‘Ÿπ‘ , 2018. Curated by Renee van der Avoird.

πŸ’  𝑆𝑒𝑑𝑑𝑙𝑖𝑛𝑔 𝑖𝑛 π‘ƒπ‘™π‘Žπ‘π‘’: Aylan Couchie, Martha Griffith, and Charmaine Lurch, 2018. Curated by Andrea Fatona.

πŸ’  Michael Farnan, πΆπ‘Žπ‘›π‘œπ‘’ πΉπ‘–π‘”β„Žπ‘‘: πΉπ‘Ÿπ‘œπ‘š π‘…π‘’π‘£π‘’π‘Ÿπ‘’π‘›π‘π‘’ π‘‘π‘œ π‘…π‘’π‘‘π‘Ÿπ‘’π‘ π‘ , 2021. Curated by Emily McKibbon.

We wish we could include every wonderful exhibition from the MacLaren’s history, but one list can capture only a small part of the many artists, ideas, and experiences that have shaped the gallery. Here’s to the last four decades of creativity, and to many more to come! πŸ—ΊοΈπŸ“

Address

37 Mulcaster Street
Barrie, ON
L4M3M2

Opening Hours

Tuesday 10am - 4pm
Wednesday 10am - 4pm
Thursday 10am - 8pm
Friday 10am - 4pm
Saturday 10am - 4pm
Sunday 10am - 4pm

Telephone

(705)721-9696

Website

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