Presentations

Because of the need for physical distancing, many programs have had to be suspended. Please check out our reopening FAQ page often for the latest info.

Why not let the Gallery’s dedicated team of trained volunteers bring a bit of the National Gallery of Canada to the classroom with our program titled Looking at Pictures? Students experience an interactive journey towards greater art appreciation using visual art reproductions from the National Collection.

Alex Colville, To Prince Edward Island, 1965, acrylic emulsion on Masonite, 61.9 x 92.5 cm. Purchased 1966, National Gallery of Canada.
© National Gallery of Canada, Ottawa

Visits are open to elementary school students in Grades 1-6 in the Ottawa-Gatineau area and are offered free of charge. Presentations are available in English or French and last 30-60 minutes depending on grade level and school timetable.

For more information, consult the FAQ below, or contact the volunteer office at 613-990-0130 or via email at [email protected].

FAQ

We’ve sent in our application. Now what?

Once the applications are received, they are added to our database and sorted geographically. The group meets monthly to match the school requests with volunteers. The volunteers will be in touch with the contact person listed on the Request Form to determine dates and times that work for you. Please allow six to eight weeks for a response. If there are no volunteers available or if your first choice of language is not available, the volunteer coordinator will be in touch to let you know.

How can we make volunteers feel welcome? What kind of support do volunteers need from school staff?

It’s important to let you students know that a volunteer from the National Gallery of Canada will be visiting your classroom to talk about art prior to our visit.

As well, we require the following information:

Contact person: The name of the contact person who will greet and escort our volunteer in the school.
Parking: The volunteers are brining heavy portfolios with reproductions, if at all possible a parking spot near the entrance is preferable.
If the volunteer is going to be at your institution for the entire day, please let them know if they will have access to your staff room and if there are coffee shops or restaurants nearby.

Do we need to provide any materials?

No. The volunteer will bring all the supplies they need to do the presentation.

Do teachers need to remain with their classes during the presentations?

Yes. It makes for a better visit for everyone if we can focus on the presentation while you focus on making sure everyone gets the most out of the presentation and there are no in classroom interruptions.

How long do presentations last?

The length of the presentation is dependent on the school’s timetable and on the age of the children. On average, presentations last between 30 and 60 minutes and can be adjusted to the schedule in your school.

Can we combine two classes together?

In order to ensure that children get the most out of our visit we recommend against combining classes. If, combining classes cannot be avoided please discuss it with the volunteer prior to their visit. As a rule, the presentations more best if there are no more than 30 to 35 students in the room. We reserved the right to refuse to do a presentation to large groups unless plans have been made ahead of time.

Can we ask for a specific date?

While we do our best to accommodate your needs, we can’t guarantee that our volunteers will be available on specific dates.

Can you accommodate our students in kindergarten and Grades 7 and 8?

Our volunteers are trained to give presentations for children in grades 1 to 6.