Opening Reception: Thursday, July 21st, 6:00 pm
A free shuttle bus will depart from the Gladstone Hotel (1214 Queen St W, Toronto) at 7 pm to the reception. There will be an informal talk by curator Elizabeth Underhill

The word "commons" is often used to describe familiar public spaces such as our city squares and recreational parks. The artists of Meet us on the commons seek to explore these built environments as well as the people who define them. These shared spaces, limited by barriers of usage, are rectified by the defiant actions of degenerate youth who establish these spaces as shared gathering places that welcome play, discovery and belonging. Works in the exhibition investigate the role these youth play in forming and opening up the commons for all.

This exhibition features works in a range of media including performance, sculpture, video and interactive works. Meet us on the commons features such emerging artists as Sarah Febbraro, Serena Lee in dialogue with Anna Okrasko, Derek Liddington, Nathalie Quagliotto, Sarah Sharkey Pearce and Mariangela Piccione, Stacey Sproule, and the Department of Unusual Certainties. Guests are invited to imagine and participate in a variety of collective experiences of youth throughout the built environment, natural settings, and online networks, and are asked to examine the relationship between the creation of shared spaces and public agency. By investigating youth-activated commons, these artists have created playful and inquisitive works that question and propose a slate of welcoming alternatives and uses of our public spaces, which encourage difference, dialogue and discovery.

Students in kindergarten to grade 8 from 24 schools across the Peel District School Board will participate in Visual Voices - Through Our Eyes, an arts display at the Living Arts Centre from June 4, 2011 to May 27, 2012. The elementary art exhibition encourages students to express diversity in media, nature, race, gender and faith through visual arts. Approximately 40 art pieces will be on display.

"The exhibit provides students with a unique opportunity to showcase their creativity while celebrating the diverse cultures that make up the vibrant community of Peel," says Kelly Dever, instructional coordinator for the arts, health and physical education. "We're grateful to the Living Arts Centre for providing such an exceptional venue for our young artists to share their artwork with family, friends and the public."

The following Peel board schools are contributing to the exhibit:

Caledon:

• Allan Drive Middle School

Brampton:

• Agnes Taylor Public School
• Balmoral Senior Public School
• Copeland Public School
• Edenbrook Hill Public School
• Greenbriar Senior Public School
• Kingswood Drive Public School
• Ridgeview Public School
• R.H. Lagerquist Senior Public School

Mississauga:

• Allan A. Martin Sr. Public School
• David Leeder Middle School
• Fairview Public School
• Fairwind Senior Public School
• Garthwood Park Public School
• Glenhaven Senior Public School
• Homelands Senior Public School
• Lisgar Middle School
• Queen Elizabeth Senior Public School
• Riverside Public School
• Ruth Thompson Middle School
• Sherwood Mills Public School
• The Valleys Senior Public School
• The Woodlands School
• Thomas Street Middle School

The opening reception for Visual Voices - Through Our Eyes will be held at 7 p.m. on June 15 in the Laidlaw Hall of the Living Arts Centre. The displays are open to the public and all are welcome to attend-admission is free. Exhibit hours are 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. on Tuesday to Saturday and 1 to 4 p.m. on Sunday.

The Living Arts Centre is located at 4141 Living Arts Drive in Mississauga.

Opening Reception: Thursday, June 9, 2011, 6 pm
Great Hall, Mississauga Civic Centre, 300 City Centre Drive, Mississauga ON L5B 3C1

The Art Gallery of Mississauga, in collaboration with the Culture Division, City of Mississauga, celebrates Mississauga's annual Credit River Salmon Run by presenting the Salmon Run Project: The Exhibition. Twenty-four artists have been selected to create a unique piece of art using a fibre glass cast of a salmon. These art works will be displayed at the opening reception on Thursday, June 9th, 6 pm, at the Mississauga Civic Centre Great Hall. After the reception, they will be displayed throughout the summer at various local businesses along the Credit River, in conjunction with the Salmon Run Project.

A special poster and map will be available highlighting all the locations. All the artworks are available for purchase through the Art Gallery of Mississauga Silent Auction. Interested bidders can call the Gallery at 905 896 5088 to place their bids. Final bids must be received by 5:00 pm on September 30, 2011.

Selected salmon art explore themes like environmental issues, multiculturalism and Mississauga cultural heritage. Artists have used a variety of media, including Swarovski crystals, golf balls and textiles. The list of artists and locations is available at the Art Gallery of Mississauga Salmon Run website: http://www.artgalleryofmississauga.com/salmonrun.html.

Curated by Ali Adil Khan with Asma Arshad Mahmood

Picture House: The Art of Bollywood is a tribute to the unique art practice that has evolved over the last 85 years in India. Hand painted billboards and posters for Indian Cinema have been created by three generations of talented artists, some of whom studied at India's best art schools while others apprenticed in studios from an early age. Many of these artists never gained the fame and recognition that embraced M.F. Husain, India's iconic artist, and largely remained as unsung heroes.

This exhibition underlines the profound influence of Bollywood art on India's visual culture and its people. Artistic depiction of Bollywood actors as "larger than life" on posters and billboards has also resulted in unconsciously giving actors a super-human or godly status.

Original billboards and vintage posters from 1940s to 2010 by some of India's most prolific and influential artists with careers spanning over several decades are included in this exposition. This exhibition includes a multi-media installation by Canadian artist Mike Hansen, who explores cross-cultural references between Bollywood and Hollywood films.

This exhibition coincides with the Year of India celebrations in Canada, the International Indian Film Awards (IIFA) in Toronto from June 23-25 and the Mosaic Festival in Mississauga from July 8-10, 2011.

Picture House has been produced by the Art Gallery of Mississauga in collaboration with Canadian Community Arts Initiative (CCAI), and the support of South Asian Gallery of Art (SAGA).Opening Reception: Thursday, May 12, 2011 - 6-9 pm

Opening Reception: Thursday, May 12, 2011, 6 pm

A free shuttle bus will depart from the Gladstone Hotel (1214 Queen St W, Toronto) at 7 pm to the reception. The bus will return at 9 pm. There will be an informal talk by Picture House curator Ali Adil Khan at 8 pm. Honourable Minister Harindar Takhar will present opening remarks with Joel Peters, Tourism Toronto

Toronto based visual artist Amin Rehman's recent work White Wash series using encaustic, acrylic, digital, and neon text is a synthesis in the use of language and textual expression to provide an artistic reconsideration and a rethinking of his own cultural past and present. By investigating the use of neo-colonial language, using Perso-Arabic scripts and intertwining Islamic Calligraphy with English, he takes a contemporary art practice into the connotation of despotic identity. Amin Rehman is a multidisciplinary artist who has been working since the 1980's.

Originally from Pakistan, Rehman has studied at the National College of Arts (Lahore), the University of Punjab (Lahore), the University of Manchester (UK). He has exhibited extensively in a number of exhibitions and festivals across Canada and abroad, notably the Doris McCarthy Gallery (Toronto), National Art Gallery (Pakistan), Rush Arts Gallery (New York), and University of Technology (Sydney).

Rehman's interest in these issues primarily draws from his experience of living in Pakistan and Canada. His work engages and comments on the current effects of neo-colonialism and globalization and also encompasses a number of artist practices such as installation, painting and performance.

White Wash is supported by the RBC Mosaic Festival.

Exhibition: Amin Rehman: White Wash
Artists: Amin Rehman
Curators: Robert Freeman
Dates: May 12 - July 10, 2011
Location: Art Gallery of Mississauga
Admission: Free
Hours: M, W, T, F 10 am to 5 pm, Thursdays 10am to 8pm, weekends Noon to 4 pm
*Call 905 896 5088 to confirm hours

MISSISSAUGA, ON - The Mississauga Arts Council (MAC) is set to honour the city's top artists with an unforgettable evening of glamour at the 2011 MARTY Awards. The trophies are polished, the cameras are ready to roll and the Mississauga arts community will honour the city's top artists at the popular event. The MARTYS will take place on Friday May 13, 2011 at the Living Arts Centre located at 4141 Living Arts Dr. in Mississauga.

Produced by MAC, the MARTYS are the epicenter of hype and publicity for Mississauga's thriving arts community. Now into its 17th year, the MARTY Awards celebrate the artistic achievements of the city's established artists while encouraging and supporting emerging artistic talent. The MARTYS have been described as an important launch for many Mississauga artists' careers. Past finalists and winners have moved on to find their place in the international artistic community including rock bands illScarlett and Billy Talent, Jazz pianist Nancy Walker, filmmaker Richie Mehta and many more! This year there are a grand total of 100 artists in the running for the awards. The caliber of artistic talent is exceptional. Some MARTY Award nominees are recipients of JUNO, Emmy and Grammy Awards!

The MARTYS will begin with a red-carpet television broadcast on Rogers TV featuring Grammy and JUNO award-winning songstress Liberty Silver. Following this exciting launch, the event will feature performances, the award presentation and more! The MARTYS will be hosted by local author and television personality Kathy Buckworth. She will be joined on stage by jazz vocalist Shannon Butcher, the Patrick Panus Trio and the Jay Boehmer Jazz Trio. Tickets are $25 and may be purchased by calling 905-615-4278.

MARTY Award winners will receive a cash prize, extensive media coverage and recognition at the MARTYS. There will also be two awards given out to individuals who have made a significant contribution to the arts in Mississauga; the Laurie Pallett Patron of the Arts Award and MAC's newly re-branded Hazel McCallion Volunteer of the Year Award. The winners of these special awards receive an original award. At the event, MAC will also announce the winner of the new Creative Community Award. The award honours art forms that are not traditionally recognized including fiber arts, spinning and weaving, tattoo art, jewelry, fashion arts etc.

Lastly, the People's Choice Award will also continue in 2011. The general public is invited to visit the Mississauga Arts Council's website until April 29, 2011 where they can vote for their favourite artist. The council's website is www.mississaugaartscouncil.com. The winner of the People's Choice Award will be presented at the MARTYS celebration on Friday May 13, 2011.

Don't miss this exciting event! Purchase your tickets today and avoid disappointment! At $25 a piece, tickets are selling fast. Call 905-615-4278 to buy your tickets today.

More about MAC: The Mississauga Arts Council, established in 1981 by City Resolution, is a not-for-profit membership based registered charity governed by a board of directors. MAC supports and promotes the activities of over 215 arts organizations and over 1500 individual artists. Please visit www.mississaugaartscouncil.com for additional information.

Tickets are still available for the Art Gallery of Mississauga's 8th Annual Art Auction on Thursday, May 5th, 6 pm. The Annual Art Auction is the Art Gallery of Mississauga's biggest, most highly anticipated each year. Stephen McShane will be returning as the auctioneer this year, and the live auction promises just to be as exciting and competitive as ever, with an impressive selection of art in a variety of genres.

Items this year include original art by abstract artist Lila Lewis Irving, realist artist Jiri Ustohal, print maker Leszek Wyczolkowski, photographer Fausta Facciponte, Shaman's Dreams Inuit art sculptor Abraham Anghik Ruben, VAM 33rd Annual Juried Show of Fine Art grand prize winner Steven Volpe, and many more. Artists in this auction have been selected by the Auction committee and invited to donate a piece of art, and we are very grateful for their support.

Silent Auction items include a Mercedes-Benz Mississauga smart car for the weekend, two family passes to the McMichael Canadian Art Collection, a two-hour lesson at Braeben Golf Academy, a 1.5 hour double mission for two at Air Combat Zone, and a $300.00 gift certificate towards a cruise from Cruise Holiday of Clarkson.

Highlights of the evening include live entertainment by the Shiraz Persian Ensemble.

The Annual Art Auction raises on average about $30,000 a year of the AGM. Money raised helps maintain the gallery's permanent collection and helps fund programming initiatives.

Images of Auction art and profiles on Auction artists can be viewed at www.artgalleryofmississauga.com/Auction2011.html.

There will be an early auction preview on Wednesday, May 4th, 2-8 pm, and Thursday, May 5th, 2-5 pm. Tickets for the Auction are available at the Art Gallery of Mississauga. Call 905 896 5088 to order tickets over the phone.

Special thanks to our Auctioneer, Stephen McShane and the generous artists, donors, supporters, sponsors, volunteers and committee members who have assisted us to make this event a success. Graphic design and printing are courtesy of Rob Gray, Laser Reproduction.

The Art Gallery of Mississauga will be holding their 8th Annual Art Auction on Thursday, May 5th. This event, the AGM's largest yearly fundraising initiative, promises to be an enjoyable evening with hors d'oeuvres, refreshments, live entertainment and, of course, the excitement of our live auction and silent auction.

Stephen McShane, who provided such a lively experience for auction guests in the 2010 auction, will be reprising his role as auctioneer this year. The AGM will be auctioning off original art by recognized regional artists. Artworks include various mediums such as watercolours, oils, and acrylics, and different genres, such as still life, portraits and conceptual art.

Fans of the Inuit sculpture show, Abraham Anghik Ruben: Shaman's Dreams, at the AGM last year will be delighted to know that two Ruben sculptures will be up for auction this year. Visitors who have enjoyed the recently concluded Visual Arts Mississauga 33rd Annual Juried Art Show will also be pleased to learn that VAM 33 winner Steven Volpe has donated an oil painting to be auctioned. Original art has also been donated by VAM 33 awardees Lydia Agnew and Susan Dain, and VAM 33 People's Choice awardee Lynne Schumacher. Other artists include AGM golf tournament 2010 artist Robin Hollingdrake, Living Arts Centre gallery curator Cole Swanson, and emerging artist Nadine Wyczolkowski.

The Shiraz Persian Ensemble will be entertaining guests with Persian music, including original contemporary compositions and traditional classical repertoire.

Funds raised at this event ensure the Art Gallery of Mississauga's exhibitions and programmes are accessible to everyone. Each year, the Gallery presents approximately 8 exhibitions. Fundraising is essential for the AGM to maintain and grow its service to the Mississauga Community and continue to be a vital centre for the visual arts, promoting and exhibiting regional, national and international artists, whilst pursuing new initiatives and educational programming.

A preview of donated Auction items can be viewed on our website at: www.artgalleryofmississauga.com/Auction2011.html.

There will be an early auction preview on Wednesday, May 4th, 2-8 pm, and Thursday, May 5th, 2-5 pm. Tickets for the Auction are available at the Art Gallery of Mississauga. Call 905 896 5088 to order tickets over the phone.

Special thanks to our Auctioneer, Stephen McShane and the generous artists, donors, supporters, sponsors, volunteers and committee members who have assisted us to make this event a success. Graphic design and printing courtesy of Rob Gray, Laser Reproduction.