Children & Families

Surrey Art Gallery is a place for everyone—we have something for both the young and young at heart. We believe in introducing kids to art as this can lead to life-long learning. Check out our opportunities for children and families below!

New! Self-Guided Art Stations & Art Explorer

We have many ways for you to engage with artwork every day that we’re open! Look for our Art Explorer, ArtThinker, and ArtMaker stations as you walk around the building to do exactly what they suggest—think about, make, and explore art! We want to encourage your creativity and enhance your understanding of the art in this space.

Art Explorer Guide

When you arrive, pick up an Art Explorer Guide for your kids near the front entrance. Our friendly art monsters in this booklet lead you around the Surrey Arts Centre, pointing out things to notice and asking imaginative questions about what you feel and see in our permanent artworks. When you complete the booklet or one of the art activities, get an art monster stamp from the front desk and take home an art monster button!

ArtThinker

No matter your age, grab an ArtThinker card to slow down and respond to what you’re experiencing through words, drawings, or whatever you’d like! The cards ask different questions to prompt your senses: What do you see? What do you feel? What do you hear? Take the card home with you or leave it behind to share with others.

ArtMaker

At our ArtMaker stations, use punch-out paper to create your own miniature sculpture inspired by Maurice Van Der Beke’s large spinning artwork Mandala After Prayer Wheel and Keith Rice-Jones’s Monumental Sculptures. Have fun experimenting and learning about movement, shapes, and 3D form in these hands-on activities.

Family Sundays

Create, explore, and enjoy art with family and friends! Developed to expand understanding of exhibitions, Family Sundays are free drop-in events that feature hands-on artmaking workshops with artist-educators in a range of mediums, art exploration activities in the Gallery, artist demonstrations, interactive live performances in the Studio Theatre, and more. Socialization and shared discovery are emphasized. Visit our Events page to see when the next one is coming up.

Art Together

Art Together is a drop-in program that provides opportunities for all ages to make art shoulder-to-shoulder with mentoring artists and to help design art initiatives with peers and Gallery staff.

Scouters Self-Guided Gallery Tours

Brownies, Girl Guides, and Boy Scouts groups can book a free visit to Surrey Art Gallery to learn about the artists and works on exhibit. Inquire about our self-guided Art Explorer resource with ideas to guide your group’s discoveries in the galleries. Group leaders are encouraged to preview exhibitions.

Advance booking is required to ensure space for your group. Contact the Interpretive Programmer to inquire about resources at: gallery.schools@surrey.ca or call 604-501-5566 to make a booking today.

Visual Art Classes

Discover how good it feels to get creative! We offer many courses and workshops each season for ages 3 to 17, as well as spring break camps in March and summer camps in July and August. Classes range from drawing, painting, and pottery to manga, coding, animation, and more!

Browse our current classes on the Activities Registration page. We encourage early registration—at least one week prior is ideal.