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Varley Art Gallery

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Varley Art Gallery

The Varley Art Gallery of Markham is a vital cultural hub for artists and diverse communities. Free Admission. Varley died in 1969. Unionville.

The Varley Art Gallery of Markham features frequently changing exhibitions from the permanent collection as well as historical contemporary exhibitions drawn from local, national and international sources. New ways of seeing and appreciating art are enhanced through a broad range of dynamic hands-on art-related activities, including group tours, school programs, studio art classes, workshops and l

ectures, and family activities, designed to appeal to audiences of all ages and interests. The gallery encompasses the historic Kathleen McKay house dating from the 1840's (now the McKay Art Centre) that became the home of Frederick Horsman Varley for the last 12 years of his life. Through a generous gift by Kathleen to the Town of Markham, the Town and a group of dedicated volunteers undertook to build a 15,000 sq' gallery just doors away from the historic house on Main St. Today historic village of Unionville and the Varley Art Gallery represent the second most popular tourist attraction in York Region while serving the visual arts needs and interests for the people of Markham.

08/26/2026

Join us on Main Street Unionville on Friday, August 28th, as STEPH takes the stage for an evening of live music and entertainment.

ITS STEPH is an emerging artist/singer/songwriter and frontwoman. As an active member of the local music community, STEPH participates and performs at music festivals, events, and venues around the GTA. Captivating melodies, a unique vocal tone, and memorable performances leave fans wanting more every time. STEPH is currently working on exciting new projects; more specifically, her next single “Only One”, which is set to release on July 20th.

| About the Event |
Presented in partnership with Destination Markham, The Summer Set transforms the Varley Art Gallery Courtyard into an open-air setting for four summer evenings of music, exhibition tours, and culinary experiences.

Your ticket gets you the ultimate Friday night itinerary:
🎨 A guided tour of the Varley Art Gallery summer exhibition
🍔 Delicious local food and drinks
👋 A meet-and-greet with Alyson after the show

Set in the heart of Main Street Unionville, it’s the perfect way to spend a summer evening when you .

🗓️ Friday, August 28 | 7:00–9:30 PM
📍 Varley Art Gallery Courtyard, Main Street Unionville
🎟️ Tickets: https://visitmarkham.ca/summer-set/

Partners:
Epidemic Music Group, WEINS Auto Group, Main Street Unionville, Rouge River Brewing Company, Willow Springs Winery, City of Markham, & OG Catering.

08/26/2026

Drop in for an experimental art workshop!

𝗣𝗿𝗼𝗰𝗲𝘀𝘀 𝗢𝘃𝗲𝗿 𝗣𝗿𝗼𝗱𝘂𝗰𝘁
📅 Saturday, August 29, 2026
🕖 1 to 4:30 PM
💰 Free | Registration not required

| About the Program |

Inspired by our current exhibitions, this open studio invites visitors to experiment with mark-making, layering, and abstraction without the pressure of creating a finished work. Follow your intuition, explore different approaches, and focus on the creative process.

All materials provided.

Learn more at VarleyArtGallery.ca

—

Varley-McKay Art Foundation of Markham , TD , Ontario Arts Council - Conseil des arts de l'Ontario , Ontario Government , WEINS Auto Group

08/19/2026

🗣️ Our final 𝗔𝗿𝘁𝗶𝘀𝘁 𝗶𝗻 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗚𝗮𝗹𝗹𝗲𝗿𝘆 of the season features exhibiting artist Scott Sawtell.

Join us this Saturday for an in-gallery conversation with Sawtell and hear directly from the artist about his practice and the ideas behind his work currently on view.

𝗔𝗿𝘁𝗶𝘀𝘁 𝗶𝗻 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗚𝗮𝗹𝗹𝗲𝗿𝘆 𝘄𝗶𝘁𝗵 𝗦𝗰𝗼𝘁𝘁 𝗦𝗮𝘄𝘁𝗲𝗹𝗹
📅 Saturday, August 22, 2026
🕑 2 PM
💰 Free | Registration not required

| About the Program |

Join exhibiting artist Scott Sawtell for an interview-style conversation exploring the ideas, materials, and processes behind his work. Hear more about his artistic practice and the themes explored in the exhibition, followed by an opportunity for audience questions.

| About the Artist |

Scott Sawtell is a painter based in the Greater Toronto Area who has exhibited his work for over 25 years across Canada and the United States. Working from his suburban studio, his practice explores contemporary painting through a sustained and dedicated studio approach. Sawtell holds an MFA from the University of Waterloo and is a graduate of the Ontario College of Art and Design. Alongside his studio practice, he has taught at Georgian College, OCAD University, and Brock University, and has curated exhibitions for institutions including the Town of Newmarket, the City of Kitchener, Oakville Galleries, and Humber College. He is currently focused on the continued development of his painting practice.

Learn more at VarleyArtGallery.ca
—
Credit: Scott Sawtell, 𝗙𝗿𝗮𝗰𝘁𝘂𝗿𝗲𝗱 𝗕𝗲𝗮𝘁𝘀, 2025. Oil on canvas, 182.9 cm x 121.9 cm. Courtesy of the artist.

Varley-McKay Art Foundation of Markham

08/19/2026

🎶 Gearing up for the TD Markham Jazz Festival weekend!

This weekend, experience art, music, and culture together at the Varley. We’re adding an additional guided exhibition tour each day, giving you more opportunities to explore the art on view between live performances.

On Saturday, don’t miss 𝗔𝗿𝘁𝗶𝘀𝘁 𝗶𝗻 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗚𝗮𝗹𝗹𝗲𝗿𝘆 𝘄𝗶𝘁𝗵 𝗦𝗰𝗼𝘁𝘁 𝗦𝗮𝘄𝘁𝗲𝗹𝗹, an in-gallery conversation offering insights into the artist’s practice and work.

𝗧𝗗 𝗠𝗮𝗿𝗸𝗵𝗮𝗺 𝗝𝗮𝘇𝘇 𝗙𝗲𝘀𝘁𝗶𝘃𝗮𝗹
📅 Saturday and Sunday, August 22 and 23
💰 Free | Registration not required

Learn more at VarleyArtGallery.ca
—

Markham Jazz Festival Varley-McKay Art Foundation of Markham TD Ontario Arts Council - Conseil des arts de l'Ontario Ontario Government

08/18/2026

🎶 Experience art and live music during the 𝗧𝗗 𝗠𝗮𝗿𝗸𝗵𝗮𝗺 𝗝𝗮𝘇𝘇 𝗙𝗲𝘀𝘁𝗶𝘃𝗮𝗹!

𝗧𝗗 𝗠𝗮𝗿𝗸𝗵𝗮𝗺 𝗝𝗮𝘇𝘇 𝗙𝗲𝘀𝘁𝗶𝘃𝗮𝗹
📅 Saturday and Sunday, August 22 and 23
💰 Free | Registration not required

This weekend, enjoy live music in the Varley courtyard, the McKay Art Centre backyard, and at the Millennium Bandstand Stage. Don’t forget to take some time between performances to explore the Varley’s current exhibitions at your own pace.

The gallery will be open throughout the festival, offering a welcoming, air-conditioned space to take a break from the summer heat while experiencing art and music together.

Learn more at MarkhamJazzFestival.com

Markham Jazz Festival

08/18/2026

🎤 Final 𝗦𝘂𝗺𝗺𝗲𝗿 𝗦𝗲𝘁 of the season!

Next Friday, August 28, 𝗧𝗵𝗲 𝗦𝘂𝗺𝗺𝗲𝗿 𝗦𝗲𝘁 wraps up the summer with a full evening of art, music, and flavour.

Closing out the season is STEPH, a rising Markham singer-songwriter and a familiar voice on stages across the GTA. Bringing soulful vocals and hometown pride to the Varley courtyard, STEPH will take the stage for our final summer evening.

𝗧𝗵𝗲 𝗦𝘂𝗺𝗺𝗲𝗿 𝗦𝗲𝘁 𝘄𝗶𝘁𝗵 𝗦𝗧𝗘𝗣𝗛
📅 Friday, August 28, 2026
🕖 7 to 9:30 PM
📍 Varley Art Gallery of Markham
💰 Ages 19+ | Tickets: $35 + HST

| About the Event |

Presented in partnership with Destination Markham, 𝗧𝗵𝗲 𝗦𝘂𝗺𝗺𝗲𝗿 𝗦𝗲𝘁 transforms the Varley courtyard into an open-air setting for four summer evenings of music, exhibition tours, and culinary experiences.

Each evening includes:

• A live musical performance in the courtyard
• A guided tour of 𝗪𝗵𝗮𝘁 𝗵𝗼𝗹𝗱𝘀 𝘂𝘀 𝘁𝗼𝗴𝗲𝘁𝗵𝗲𝗿 (the Varley's 2026 Summer Exhibition)
• A curated dinner box by OG Catering
• One beverage (Rouge River Brewing Company or Willow Springs Winery)
• An artist meet-and-greet
• An entry to win a $50 UBIA gift card

Learn more at Summer-Set.ca
—

Destination Markham , Main Street Unionville , Epidemic Music Group , WEINS Auto Group

08/18/2026

📣 Only two weeks left to experience our 𝟮𝟬𝟮𝟲 𝗦𝘂𝗺𝗺𝗲𝗿 𝗘𝘅𝗵𝗶𝗯𝗶𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻𝘀.

On view through September 7, 2026. Admission is free.

🖼️ 𝗪𝗵𝗮𝘁 𝗵𝗼𝗹𝗱𝘀 𝘂𝘀 𝘁𝗼𝗴𝗲𝘁𝗵𝗲𝗿

Featuring works by Par Nair, Scott Sawtell, and Vicky Talwar
Curated by Anik Glaude

The artists in this exhibition work within states of in‑betweenness, using painting to assemble the memories, relationships, and events that shape their identities. Through layered processes and intuitive construction, they build worlds that hold them together—worlds offering coherence amid shifting selves and unstable histories. Together, their practices unfold within the shared context of living and working in York Region, a place shaped by cultural plurality and continual transformation.

🖼️ 𝗘𝗺𝗲𝗿𝗴𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗔𝗿𝘁𝗶𝘀𝘁 𝗦𝗽𝗼𝘁𝗹𝗶𝗴𝗵𝘁

Featuring works by Hayley Chi Hay Chiu
Curated by Anik Glaude

Chiu is a Markham-based, second-generation Chinese Canadian painter. Working primarily in oil, she holds a BFA in Drawing and Painting from OCAD University (2023). Her practice traces an ongoing journey of becoming and a search for “home,” reimagining personal narratives through fable and fantasy.

🖼️ 𝗦𝗸𝗲𝘁𝗰𝗵𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗣𝗮𝘀𝘁

Featuring works by F. H. Varley
Curated by Anik Glaude

In the 1950s, Frederick Varley wandered the halls of Toronto’s Royal Ontario Museum (ROM) with pencil in hand. 𝗦𝗸𝗲𝘁𝗰𝗵𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗣𝗮𝘀𝘁 invites visitors to share in his careful observations, and to think about why we visit museums: to see, record, and reflect. Through these sketches and historical photographs, we can also glimpse how objects were arranged and displayed, offering insight into the museum’s approach to storytelling and interpretation at the time.

Learn more at VarleyArtGallery.ca
—
Images: Louis Li Photography

Varley-McKay Art Foundation of Markham , TD , Ontario Arts Council - Conseil des arts de l'Ontario , Ontario Government , WEINS Auto Group

08/13/2026

🗣️ 𝗔𝗿𝘁𝗶𝘀𝘁 𝗶𝗻 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗚𝗮𝗹𝗹𝗲𝗿𝘆 returns this Saturday, August 15, with exhibiting artist Par Nair.

𝗔𝗿𝘁𝗶𝘀𝘁 𝗶𝗻 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗚𝗮𝗹𝗹𝗲𝗿𝘆 𝘄𝗶𝘁𝗵 𝗣𝗮𝗿 𝗡𝗮𝗶𝗿
📅 Saturday, August 15, 2026
🕑 2 PM
💰 Free | Registration not required

| About the Program |

Join exhibiting artist Par Nair for an in-gallery conversation exploring the ideas, materials, and processes behind her work. Presented in an interview-style Q&A, this informal discussion offers visitors an opportunity to learn more about the artist’s practice and the themes explored in the exhibition, followed by an opportunity for audience questions.

| About the Artist |

Par Nair (she/her) is an Indian–Canadian interdisciplinary artist and educator based in the Greater Toronto Area. Her practice pays tribute to ancestral and cultural roots while intimately and speculatively reimagining diasporic futures through oil painting, hand embroidery, installation, and creative writing. Nair holds an MFA in Interdisciplinary Art, Media and Design from OCAD University. Her work has been exhibited nationally and internationally, including at the Art Museum at the University of Toronto, The Robert McLaughlin Gallery, the Textile Museum of Canada, and Eastern Edge Gallery, among others. In 2025, she was shortlisted as a finalist for the CIBC National Art Award and the Salt Spring National Art Prize. Her practice has been supported by grants from the Ontario Arts Council and the Canada Council for the Arts. Nair is currently a Sessional Faculty member at OCAD University, where she teaches painting, drawing, and art theory.

Learn more at VarleyArtGallery.ca
—

Varley-McKay Art Foundation of Markham

08/12/2026

🏎️🏁 Visiting the Varley during Race Weekend? Plan your visit before you arrive.

Please note our extended gallery hours from Thursday, August 13 to Sunday, August 16, along with temporary road closures in the area. Check our visitor information for nearby parking options and allow extra time to make your way to the Gallery.

We look forward to welcoming you. Happy Race Weekend!

Learn more at VarleyArtGallery.ca

08/12/2026

📣 Paid Curatorial Internship Opportunity

The Varley-McKay Art Foundation of Markham is accepting applications for the 𝗗𝗿. 𝗦𝘆𝗹𝘃𝗲𝘀𝘁𝗲𝗿 & 𝗠𝗿𝘀. 𝗣𝗮𝘂𝗹𝗶𝗻𝗲 𝗖𝗵𝘂𝗮𝗻𝗴 𝗖𝘂𝗿𝗮𝘁𝗼𝗿𝗶𝗮𝗹 𝗦𝗰𝗵𝗼𝗹𝗮𝗿𝘀𝗵𝗶𝗽, a $5,000 paid internship supporting emerging curators, art historians, and museum professionals.

| What you will gain |

The 4–6 month placement offers hands-on curatorial experience and mentorship from gallery staff, with opportunities to contribute to exhibition and collection research while developing an independent curatorial project at the Varley Art Gallery of Markham.

| Eligibility |

Applicants must:
• Be a postgraduate student in Art History, Curatorial Studies, Museum Studies, or a related field
• Reside in Ontario
• Be legally entitled to work in Canada

| How to apply |

Submit one PDF containing:
• Proof of enrolment
• CV
• 500-word statement

📩 Submit to: [email protected]
📄 File name: LastName_FirstName_CuratorialScholarship.pdf
📅 Deadline: August 28, 2026 at 5 PM ET

| Inquiries |

Francesca Dauphinais: [email protected]
Anik Glaude: [email protected]

Varley Art Gallery Varley-McKay Art Foundation of Markham

Address

216 Main Street Unionville
Markham, ON
L3R2H1

Opening Hours

Monday	12pm - 4pm
Tuesday	12pm - 4pm
Wednesday	12pm - 4pm
Thursday	12pm - 4pm
Friday	12pm - 10pm
Saturday	10am - 5pm
Sunday	12pm - 5pm

Telephone

(905) 477-9511

Website

http://VarleyArtGallery.ca/

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