Educational Programs

1. Fill out our booking request form and email it to Sarina Luchetta, Education Coordinator at sluchetta@markham.ca.
2. Check your inbox for a confirmation email either confirming your requested date or suggesting alternative program dates.
3. Get excited! Your Varley Education program is confirmed and we look forward to learning with you!

Click below for Education Brochure, booking form and more.

• Booking Form
• Activity List

Students experience interactive exhibition tours and participate in hands-on art workshops in our studios, exploring paint, print, or sculpture. All programs are offered in both English and French (upon request).

Half-Day | K to 12

A one-hour exhibition tour, followed by a one-hour hands-on studio session, in which students can create their own original artwork, inspired by the exhibitions on view.

Full-Day | K to 12

A one-hour gallery tour PLUS two one-hour hands-on studio sessions. (Secondary schools: two-hour studio sessions) A one-hour lunch break is included.

Guided Tour

Guided tours feature a discussion-based walkthrough of the exhibitions. Students are encouraged to look closely at artworks and share their opinions using art terminology to sharpen their observation and analytical skills.

Portfolio Fundamentals | 9 to 12

Choose between Clay Busts or the Life Drawing program to prepare students with the tools to develop a well-rounded portfolio.

We bring the Varley Art Gallery experience to your classroom! Artists, equipped with art materials and visual aids will visit your school to teach students about art from our permanent collection and guide them through a hands-on studio workshop.

Creative Classrooms Outreach | K to 8

A 1.5-hour in-class activity led by Varley’s experienced art educators that encourages students to explore practices of art marking.

School Wide Program | K to 8

Every class in the school participates in a Varley art workshop! Choice of individual student works or collaborative class projects. Great for school art shows! *minimum of 15 classes to register

Tours

Guided tours feature a discussion-based walkthrough of the exhibitions. Students are encouraged to look closely at artworks and share their opinions using art terminology to sharpen their observation and analytical skills.

PA Day Extravaganzas | K to 8

PA Days at the art Gallery  | K to 8

Spend your PA Day at an art gallery! The Varley Art Gallery exposes students to some of the best artists in Canada through interactive tours and art activities. Our young artists get their inspiration from the artworks on show and spend the day focusing on their own masterpieces by participating in full-day mixed media workshops - painting, drawing, and sculpture. All materials included. Please bring a nut-free snack and lunch.

Cost: $65 per person

For more information contact Sarina Luchetta, Education Coordinator at sluchetta@markham.ca or 905-477-7000 extension 3274.

6 Week and 12 Week Seniors’ Programs

We will bring this 6 or 12 week-long art exploration program to your facility. It is ideal for residents of assisted living, an seniors’ homes as well as participants in local community groups. Both 6 and 12 week programs are available on either a bi-weekly or monthly basis.

Varley 6 week and 12 week outreach programs provide enriching and educational arts opportunities for all abilities and may be tailored for intergenerational audiences.

Integral to the programs are conversations around culture and identity that will act as a springboard for individual art projects. Themes around personal stories, language, culture, and more will foster exploration of art, heritage and self-expression.

On the final week of the programs, all participants will be invited to visit the Varley Art Gallery for a guided tour of our current exhibitions led by a highly trained docent.

Click below for Seniors Education Brochure.

• Seniors Education Brochure

William J. Withrow School Visits Bursary program

The Varley Art Gallery has been inspiring visitors for 21 years. Numerous elementary and high school students have come to experience art and education through the programs run by the Varley Art Gallery's education department. This coming school year, we are pleased to announce that through the support of the Varley-McKay Art Foundation of Markham, the William J. Withrow School Visits Bursary program will enable more students to visit the Varley Art Gallery by subsidizing the cost of busing transportation. These students will receive guided gallery tours and hands-on learning through the programs led by the Varley Art Gallery's experienced team of educators.

Eligibility:

• Non-tuition school or organization
• Located in York Region
• Consist of 60 plus participants
• Group consist primarily of self-identified minority participants
• Confirm Financial Need

• Application Package

Wallace Joyce Scholarship

The Wallace Joyce Scholarship is a $1,000 bursary created to support students from York Region pursuing their studies in an art-related field at a post-secondary level.

Mr. Wallace Joyce touched the lives of countless people in Markham. He was a champion of the arts and supported many organization throughout his life. The Varley-McKay Art Foundation of Markham celebrates Wallace Joyce's contribution through an award offered to any graduating high school student in York Region pursuing their studies in an art related field at a post-secondary level.

Eligibility:

• Graduating York Region high school student
• Pursuing art-related studies at a post-secondary level

• Application Package