About the AGW

The Gallery Mandate
The Art Gallery of Windsor collects, conserves, interprets, and presents Canadian art. It is a place to view significant works of art by local, regional, and national artists; a place to see what Canadians have been making and thinking about for longer than Canada has been a country. The AGW is a valuable cultural resource for the Windsor area, and provides the special service of showcasing Canadian art in a city that has the busiest border crossing between Canada and the United States.

History of the AGW
The Art Gallery of Windsor began in 1943 in Willistead Manor, where exhibitions borrowed from other galleries and organizations could be displayed. Incorporated in 1944, the Gallery soon began building its own collection and presenting exhibitions and education programs. The AGW moved into a renovated brewery warehouse on the riverfront in 1975, gradually earning its status as one of Ontario's most significant galleries. The Gallery temporarily relocated to the Devonshire Mall in 1993, when its Board of Directors made the decision to rent its riverfront location to the Province of Ontario. Bringing the Gallery into the mall has moved art a little closer to the world that inspires it. In shopper's paradise the Gallery offers one of those few things in life you do not need to purchase in order to possess. In 2001, the AGW returned to its former downtown waterfront site by way of a new building -- a state-of-the-art facility by which the AGW can reassert its presence in downtown Windsor.

The Permanent Collection

The Gallery's collection is made up of over 3000 works of art, including paintings, drawings, prints, photographs, sculptures, illustrations, and videos. All works are relevant to our Canadian cultural heritage, and cover the period from about 1750 through to the present day. The collection is particularly strong in late 19th-century Canadian painting and in works of early 20th-century Canadian modernism. Through our acquisitions program, we add an average of 50 works per year. The Gallery presents a comprehensive installation of its collection through changing exhibitions.

The Art Gallery of Windsor is chartered, non-profit, educational organization operating for the benefit of the public. It is supported by its members, donors and sponsors, the City of Windsor, The Canada Council for the Arts, the Department of Canadian Heritage, the Ontario Arts Council, and the Ministry of Citizenship, Culture and Recreation.