Students begin to explore how artists use materials, colours, and shapes to tell stories. Through guided conversation and hands-on making, learners build art vocabulary while connecting personal experiences to artworks on view.

Curriculum Emphasis: Communication, materials exploration, storytelling, foundational design concepts 

Exhibition-Based Inquiry Question: How do artists use materials to share memories or ideas? What happens when an artist changes or reshapes a familiar pattern?

Students investigate how artists make choices to communicate ideas. Exhibition tours emphasize interpretation, pattern, and material experimentation, while studio projects encourage problem-solving, reflection, and purposeful making.

Curriculum Emphasis: Elements of design, critical thinking, cultural context, creative process 

Exhibition-Based Inquiry Question: How do materials carry meaning? Why might an artist choose certain patterns or images to tell a story? 

Students deepen their understanding of contemporary art by examining how artists use materials, processes, and visual strategies to explore identity, memory, and culture. Studio work supports experimentation, conceptual development, and reflection. 

Curriculum Emphasis: Conceptual thinking, process documentation, visual analysis, social context 

Exhibition-Based Inquiry Questions: How can art reflect personal, cultural, or historical perspectives? How does meaning change in transforming materials or images? 

Designed for high school learners, this program focuses on critical discussion, conceptual frameworks, and material investigation. Students analyze artistic intent, ethical considerations, and cultural narratives while developing independent studio approaches aligned with secondary learning goals.  

Curriculum Emphasis: Critical analysis, material research, artistic intent, career pathways in the arts 

Exhibition-Based Inquiry Questions: How do contemporary artists use material and imagery to question history or identity? What responsibilities do artists have when working with cultural or archival references? 

This behind-the-scenes experience is designed to support SHSM Arts & Culture sector competencies by introducing students to professional practices within galleries and museums. Students explore how cultural institutions collect, care for, interpret, and present artworks, with a focus on contemporary ceramic practices. 

Led by the AGB’s Collections team, students gain in-depth insight into the roles, workflows, and decision-making processes involved in collections management, exhibition preparation, and material care. With access to one of the largest collections of contemporary Canadian ceramics, students examine how material choices influence conservation, display, and public interpretation. 

Following the tour, students participate in a hands-on ceramics workshop in the AGB’s pottery studio, connecting technical skill development with professional standards and workplace expectations in arts and cultural sector.

Please note: Wheel-throwing capacity is limited to 12 students per session. Food-safe glazes are available for an additional fee of $12 per student.