The semi-annual Canadian Art Foundation School Hop is pleased to partner with the Images Festival and the Contact Photography Festival this spring, with free high-school art tours taking place on April 12, 13 and 20, and May 3, 4, 10 and 11.

The April tours will focus on some of the offerings at Images, while the May tours will look at several Contact-related exhibitions.

The Canadian Art Foundation School Hop brings 900 high-school students per year to Toronto studios and galleries on tours led by local artists. This program gives priority and vital access to the most needy schools in the Toronto District School Board. The program provides free bus transportation, pays for artists/curators to lead discussions with students, and ensures that each student receives a current issue of Canadian Art and a sketchbook in which to record their artistic ideas.

Through tours lead by a professional artist, students are exposed to different artistic practices from diverse cultural backgrounds. The program encourages a free exchange of ideas about art, culture and society and establishes an historical context for approaching contemporary art practices. Students visit commercial galleries and artist-run spaces and meet other professional artists in their studios.

The feedback we have received from teachers confirms the crucial need for this valuable program. One teacher commented, “My students were raving about the School Hop for days after our trip… We found our visit extremely educational and inspiring. Thank you for giving us this opportunity and continue the fantastic work of educating our youth about the contemporary world of art!”

For more information, visit canadianart.ca/schoolhop.