Tours & Workshops at the Gallery
Welcome your students to the world of contemporary art by taking them for a tour and/or workshop at the Gallery. All tours and workshops require advanced booking.
Gallery tours
October 15, 2024–June 6, 2025
Exhibition tours are designed to inspire students’ creative, critical, and reflective thinking at an appropriate level guided by skilled docents—volunteers who train extensively for each exhibition.
Artventure: Guided Gallery Tour (Preschool–Grade 3)
Tuesday–Friday 10:45−11:30am
What is an art gallery? Docents lead a playful introduction to the Surrey Art Gallery engaging young students in looking games, discussion, and activities that connect directly to the current exhibitions. This program is paired with a workshop.
Art in Focus: Guided Gallery Tour (Grades 4–12)
Tuesday–Friday 10:45−11:30am
Docents encourage students to look, listen, and thoughtfully consider the artworks and concepts in the exhibitions. Students collaborate through inquiry-based discussion and activities to examine the diverse ideas, materials, images, and sounds of contemporary art. This program is paired with a workshop.
Art Exploration: Self-Guided Gallery Tour (Grades K–12)
Tuesday–Friday 11:30am−12:30pm or 1−2pm
Use the Gallery as your classroom! Enhance your curriculum studies with topics and techniques addressed in the exhibits. Try out our Art Explorer, Art Thinker, and Art Maker stations, self-guided resources, and Teachers’ Guides with ideas to inspire your visit.
Teachers are encouraged to preview exhibits. Advance booking is required to ensure space for your group.
Secondary School Bus Tours
SD36 visual art teachers, bring your high school students to the Gallery for an interactive tour of the current exhibitions with artmaking in the Gallery.
To register, and for free transportation (seating limited), contact the Arts Education Helping Teacher, Tricia Liverside, at liversidge_t@surreyschools.ca at least four weeks in advance of the following scheduled tour dates:
- November 12 & 13, 2024
- May 13 & 14, 2025
Workshops
October 15, 2024–June 6, 2025
Our artmaking workshops are led by knowledgeable, practicing artists with extensive experience as art educators. They encourage experimentation with art media while engaging relevant themes and issues. Programs are tailored to grade level and integrate BC cross-curricular Big Ideas and Learning Standards.
- All morning programs include an exhibition tour
Printmaking: Animal Avatar (Grades K–12)
Tuesday 9:30−11:30am & 12:30–2pm
Reflect on community through a printmaking project that contemplates symbolism, family, and culture through the creation of an animal avatar. Students will be inspired by the Gallery’s permanent collection artworks that reflect diverse artistic practices and perspectives.
Art Encounter (Grades K–12)
Wednesday 9:15−11:30am & 10:45–2pm
After an interactive tour of the current exhibitions, students experiment with ideas, themes, and techniques they examined. A new workshop is designed in relation to each exhibition. See Gallery Exhibitions for information on the 2024-2025 exhibitions.
The World of Clay (Grades K–7)
Thursday 9:15−11:30am & 12:30–2pm
Students learn about ceramic practices from around the world as the artist-educator demonstrates coiling, pinching, incising, and sculpting. Students will create and embellish a clay vessel using these techniques.
Sculpting in Clay (Grades 3–12)
Friday 9:15–11:30am & 12:30–2pm
Find inspiration in permanent collection artworks by Sally Michener and Davide Pan and in masks from across the globe. Students will learn ceramic techniques such as slab construction, slip and score, and surface treatment through creating their own clay mask.
Sharing Perspectives: Indigenous Contemporary Art Workshop
Deepen learning about Indigenous cultures and contemporary artmaking practices through an inquiry into artworks by Indigenous artists. From cedar bark weavings, vinyl murals, and seal skin drums to paintings, prints, performance, and multimedia installations, students will discuss artworks from the gallery’s permanent collection as well as public art’s permanent collection.
Led by an Indigenous artist-educator, the program includes sharing of images, touchables, and a hands-on art activity growing out of the instructor’s own art practice. Access online resources for pre-workshop preparation information.
- Workshop runs from October 15, 2024 to March 4, 2025
- Tue 10am–12pm
- Download the Teachers' Guides for this workshop
Recycled Materials Sculptures (Grades 4–12)
Tuesday 10am–12pm
2024: Nov 19
2025: Feb 18
Growing their understanding of their connection and impact to the environment, using recycled, natural, and gathered materials, students will create experimental sculptures.
Beaded Belongings (Grades 4–12)
Tuesday 10am & 12pm
2024: Dec 3
2025: Feb 25
Building on the relationships we have with one another and the importance of community, students will create pony bead belongings with the opportunity to gift their creations to someone they care for.
Mixed Media Collage (Grades 4–12)
Tuesday 10am & 12pm
2025: Jan 28, Mar 4
Through a gathering of personal mementos and photographs, students will create mixed media collages reflecting on their individual and collective histories.
Petroglyphs & Pictograms (Grades K-12)
Tuesday 10am–12pm
2024: Oct 15
2025: Feb 4
Reflecting on the ways in which we communicate, students will use a variety of drawing techniques to create a visual language unique to themselves.
Seasonal Cycles (Grades K-12)
Tuesday 10am–12pm
2024: Oct 29
2025: Feb 11
Using a range of drawing materials, students will reflect upon the seasonal events and annual changes in our environment.
How to register
Programs at the Gallery run from October 15, 2024 to June 5, 2025. For inquiries, please contact gallery.schools@surrey.ca or 604-501-5566.
Information required to register
- Direct contact information (phone and email) for the teacher facilitating the individual program. This is mandatory to ensure proper communication
- Grade and number of students (note: we cannot accommodate classes exceeding 30 participants)
- School name and phone number
To register, call
City of Surrey Call Centre
604-501-5100, press 1
Monday−Friday: 8:30am−4:30pm
Surrey Art Gallery
604-501-5566, press 0
Tuesday–Thursday: 9am–9pm
Friday: 9am–5pm
Saturday: 10am–5pm
Sunday: 12–5pm
Closed Mondays and holidays
Payments and cancellations
Payment – The City of Surrey will invoice the school district office directly for your program(s). For inquiries regarding invoicing or payment, email prccustomerservice@surrey.ca.
Cancellations require a minimum of three weeks’ notice. After this time, the program is non-refundable. Exceptions will be made if your class is unable to attend due to a weather-related school closure.
To cancel or reschedule programs, you must contact Surrey Art Gallery at 604-501-5566, press 0.