On the Art Gallery of Burlington’s 50^th anniversary, we invite artists, arts educators, studio technicians and our wider community to join us for a three-day gathering taking place October 16-18, 2025, to envision the future of art education in the context of our ongoing global climate catastrophes.

This is the future for the Art Gallery of Burlington.

Sustainable Futures: Art Education Summit launches online Thursday October 16;  a virtual session with writer Lauren Markham to build a collective language for the following two days of learning.

Our in-person program on Friday October 17 invites artists, educators, and programmers working in museums and galleries throughout the GTHA and surrounding regions to share insights and strategies through presentations and roundtable discussions.

On Saturday October 18, we take our learning into the land with a morning visit to Crawford Lake where we will explore the Indigenous history of this critical site for humanity’s growing understanding of the Anthropocene before returning to the AGB studios for hands-on workshops and demonstrations in sustainable art-making practices.

Registration is free for both our virtual and in-person events on Thursday October 16 and Friday October 17.

Is the Art Gallery serving the needs and desires of the current adult demographic?

Programs on Saturday October 18 require paid registration on a cost-recovery basis for our Crawford Lake Visit and Tour @ $12 and all AGB Studio Workshops @ $40.

The Sustainable Futures Art Education Summit is generously sponsored by TERRA/Kind Matter.

SCHEDULE

Thursday, October 16 | Online

Lauren Markham: Immemorial
6 – 7 pm

Lauren Markham’s speculative essay, Immemorial, exemplifies the importance of language in being able to name the collective grief we are experiencing in the face of our climate catastrophe.

She asks, how we memorialize what has been lost and what soon will be, pushing public imagination into generative realms.

Friday, October 17 | Art Gallery of Burlington (AGB)
Free, registration required

Presentation: Sustainability in Art Education
With Victoria Ho, OCAD University  10 – 11 am

Victoria Ho is OCAD University’s Advisor of Strategic Sustainability. Victoria’s role is to work collaboratively across disciplines and departments to embed sustainability into curriculum, building operations, and administration. Victoria researches and provides advice on the nexus of sustainability and equity, campus as a living lab approaches, and constituent engagement models to facilitate sustainability projects, activities, and participation.