The Power Plant Contemporary Art Gallery

I wasn’t happy with my experience at the Power Plant Gallery in Toronto. Although it says admission is “free,” you’re actually prompted to choose an amount like $5, $10, or more. You also can’t just walk in — a check-in is required, backpacks aren’t allowed (though you can leave them under a table at the entrance), and you’re asked questions like where you’re from and whether you can understand the staff. I ended up skipping the visit. I love supporting local artists, but this felt awkward and transactional.

Great building and so much space for art exhibitions but it’s not much to see or maybe I was there at slow times. Only one room I like with many fountains ⛲️ and large display of art work with nature. ✅free admission/ or donation

Incredible free art gallery. Several very large immersive pieces which drew us in, very informative signage and staff. I enjoyed a quiet upstairs space where there were books and space for creative colouring.

The museum is located at seaside. When you visit there, the best points to visit together. The building itself is contemporary. The fountain is interesting

Small, free contemporary art exhibition space. It’s a good way to round out your experience while on Harbourfront. I enjoyed their recent installation of “How Many Colours Has The Sea” (pictured)

Love this place. One of the few free galleries in Toronto always has interesting exhibitions that change regularly. My only complaint is I wish it was bigger. You can make a donation to support the gallery if you wish.

A nice place for art lovers They promote new artists and new ideas in contemporary art It is a must visit for me repeatedly

The art gallery was amazing! It had such a variety of art, from classic paintings to modern, funky sculptures. It felt like a journey through time and emotions. Some pieces were thought-provoking, others were just plain beautiful. It was a place that made you think, feel, and appreciate the incredible talents of artists. The whole experience left me feeling so inspired and connected to the world of creativity.

Great free little art gallery, a lovely stop when the sun is beating down outside as well This room was by far my favorite, very calm and full of beautiful pieces. There is a small area upstairs to do some art work in your own or read further on the topics shown.

I visited The Power Plant Contemporary Art Gallery to see Emmanuel Osahor: To Dream of Other Places and Shelagh Keeley: Film Notebooks 1985-2017, and both were a letdown. Osahor's exhibition was poorly conceived, a scattered mix of works that felt unfinished and empty of real substance. Keeley's show was even weaker: a dry display of notes and fragments with almost no context, presented as if their mere existence should be enough to hold attention. Neither exhibition offered clarity, depth, or visual impact. For a gallery that calls itself Canada's leading venue for contemporary art, the programming felt lazy and self-satisfied, with nothing compelling to see or think about.

The Power Plant is a great space for art. It's also superbly situated at the heart of Harbourfront Centre - just by the lakeshore. The best thing about the Power Plant is that it's absolutely free (donations are welcome). It's well-ran and nicely curated. There's also a section for kids, with a scavenger hunt. My only complaint is that the art is rather sparse. I wish they could pack more art into the small space. I'm sure that there are lots of talented local artists who would love to be able to exhibit their art in this space. So, I think it behooves on the Power Plant to make it happen.

The Power Plant is Canada's leading public art gallery devoted exclusively to contemporary visual art. Open on New Year's Eve, the current temporary exhibition Arctic/Amazon: Networks of Global Indigeneity goes until December 31 at 3pm. Don't miss out on this rare and extraordinary treasure! It is a stunning exhibition to see if you are near downtown Toronto's Waterfront or the Harbourfront Centre. Thanks to BMO Financial Group it's free admission to the gallery. Through painting, drawing, sculpture, video installation, and performance art, global artists tackle issues of climate change, globalized Indigeneity, and colonial encounters within the circumpolar Arctic and the Amazon during times of crisis. Arctic/Amazon: Networks of Global Indigeneity features works from artists Sonya Kelliher-Combs, Tanya Lukin Linklater, Couzyn van Heuvelen, Máret Ánne Sara, Cecilia Vicuña, Uýra, Olinda Reshinjabe Silvano, Ronin Koshi, Wilma Maynas, Morzaniel Iramari, Leandro Lima & Gisela Motta, Sheroanawe Hakihiiwe, Outi Pieski, Biret Haarla Pieski, and Gáddjá Haarla Pieski. This exhibition explores the ways in which artists and collaborators combine Indigenous ways of knowing and being, in relation to the land, a major source of creativity for these artists. Their works represent a politics of resistance and resurgence while also revealing connections to the Arctic or the Amazon. LEAD DONOR Hal Jackman Foundation MAJOR DONOR Goring Family Foundation INTERNATIONAL ARTS PARTNERS The Andy Warhol Foundation for the Visual Arts LEAD CURATOR Gerald McMaster CO-CURATOR Nina Vincent INSTITUTIONAL CURATOR Noor Alé

Did you know this gallery is FREE to visit?? Neither did I! A beautiful space with a great variety of art on display. There are knowledgeable people working there to ask questions about the artist and their works. Can't wait until their next show!

I generally expect to not understand much of the "contemporary" art at museums and the Power Plant in Toronto was more of the same. Lots of art and it was clear that the artists had a message and spent time developing that message but it really didn't click with me. Still, it's an amazing space for art regardless and so I enjoyed my time here even if much of the art didn't "speak" to me. Maybe it will for you. [Review 10988 overall, 760 of 2019.]

What makes this gallery space stand out from the rest is its dedication to local Canadian artists. A great architectural space too with amazing industrial elements to it. The building itself is art.

Very small exhibit. It's nice you "pay what you can" but I was expecting more avant garde and less MTV. It's in a great location, but the total amount of exhibit space was the entry hallway, one small room with two tvs, a larger area with separate large screen displays, and a room on the second floor. The gift shop is small, too but what irked me was that the really cool books they had on display weren't for sale.

This is a can't miss spot if you are on the Toronto quay. Free entrance no less. The curators here are very talented and bring in serious young talent. Not only is the art engaging and powerful, but the presentation is top notch.

I absolutely love art but to me this place just didn't do art any Justice But the staff was really friendly and quite helpful

I love this place. I stumbled on it when my boyfriend and I were taking a walk along Harbourfront. The best part about it is that it's free! They just ask for donations. The art included in the collection is unique and includes a variety of mediums. The collection is constantly changing, and I believe, a lot of it is local student artists. I stand to be corrected though. They have a nice little gift shop and changing feature exhibits. I would recommend coming here, over and over and over!

Nice space on the waterfront but I wasn't impressed with any of the art except this one dark room with wooden floorboards and lights under the floorboards. Might not be worth going out of your way. Exhibits rotate, I visited in winter 2019-20. Has bathrooms. Free to enter galleries. Has family space with kids doing projects. Friendly staff.

Why is this gallery so unknown? It's FREE, eccentric, and features a lot of Canadian artists year round on rotation. It's located right beside the harbourfront, and Boxcar Social, it would also make an interesting stop on a great date. There's even a room where they play films! Ps: the windows were a little distracting as you can see people skating, it takes you away from the pieces but at least you remember life inspires art and art inspires life

Beautiful large gallery space, standard cement floors and usually white walls to showcase the arts. Due to sponsorship, it is free to attend. And last nights opening was one of the first art shows I have attended where wine/beer was not offered. Will attend again. Wpuld recommend. Though I usually prefer paitnting over photo/sculptural works (which the show on currently offers) til end 2017.

I've been to the Harbourfront Skating Rink before. Never have I known what the building next to it was used for or if it's open to public. I finally found out when I TRAILED what seems like a Summer School group of Children. My thought was that if they can go in, then I'm sure I can too? Sure enough, I was presented by an Art Gallery-looking environment soon after. A host was at the Front Desk where I asked for the admission-fee. FREE all Summer you say? How kind of you! Currently showing New Art from Central and Eastern Europe. FYI, some of the pieces are NOT for the faint of Heart. A guide was provided to the School Group and she was very friendly and informative. Various staff are around to assist you as well if you look "Lost in Translation" at times. It's yours to interpret/explore. First piece that I encountered was shown on a Television mesmerized the giddy Child within me. Ivan Moudov 14:13 Priority I just stood there with a smile from one ear to another. LMFAO would have been inappropriate in this setting. Never could I have thought Art can be so damn hilarious. My mental interpretation of Art has somewhat expanded. Definitely worth more than the price of admission.

Odd, eccentric and different. My kind of museum. One super hot Toronto afternoon my friend and I sought shelter. Walking around the waterfront we passed The Power Plant and decided to check it out. I'm really glad we did. Really eccentric art work which had strong meaning behind them. When I went a lot of the art reflected Eastern European work. It was something new. No fee to come in either and we stayed for close to two hours. This wasn't just something to kill time and stay cool (even though it was at first) it ended up being one of the highlights of our day. Check it out, you'll be glad you did.

The Power Plant is a wonderful and culturally important contemporary visual art gallery located in Toronto's Harbourfront. And it's FREE. The current Mike Nelson exhibit runs till May 19, 2014, then it's onto the next one. Your experience will largely depend on your response to the featured exhibition, but on the whole it's a great venue with smart people running it. As with any art gallery, if you're bringing visitors or children, you may want to scout out the content beforehand. But for the price and location, it's definitely a gem to keep on your tour of the city.

This is a great gallery and is the only one of two galleries in the city that showcases modern art, after the Museum of Contemporary Canadian Art (MOCCA). The great thing about the Power Plant is that it takes in artists from around the globe and you are always guaranteed a new experience. The gallery is small but spacious and has a good assortment of rooms that are all used really well. There is an upper level with another large space that also holds a place to sit and relax between your combing through the place. When you walk in, the staff is there to greet you right away and explain the history of the current artist or artists that currently have their work showing in the gallery. There are also free independent publications about the museum and the art world in Toronto so make sure you pick them up and check them out. This is truly an artist's museum. I call it that because the gallery almost gives itself over to the work of the artist that sets up shop and the gallery really falls into the possession of the artist. I was lucky enough to see a series of video instillations by Candice Breitz. This stuff was amazing and a real experience to walk into. Each room of the gallery was used for a different piece. As you walked into the sound tight rooms, the sound form the instillations would hit you was you were plunged into a dark space with nothing but the instillation to guide you in. They really transformed the Power Plant into an interesting space with this exhibit, as I'm sure they do for everything that comes through their doors. It's worth checking out. There are also cool lectures going on at this place which are free with admission. Afterwards, go across the parking lot to the Queens Quay Terminal and check out the Museum of Inuit Art.

This small gallery is a bit hard to get to at present, because of construction going on right outside of it on the street, but the walkway through is filled with people working in textiles, sculpture and glass blowing, so it's pretty cool. I took a school group there. FYI for only $1/person you can book a tour and the gallery theatres will be yours exclusively. We were not so on top of things and just showed up with 35 kids. Luckily, they were really accommodating and we split the kids into two groups to watch The Clock. Worked out really well and the kids really liked it. I was so appreciative of how nice the gallery staff were. It's a small gallery, but with interesting exhibits.

The Power Plant showcases contemporary art from Canada and around the globe. Sometimes a really great show will be presented, like Beat Nation this past year, but it's hit and miss as other shows are too narrow and lack lustre. I was pleased that they offered free admission this past year, as it gives a place to go and enjoy art with family and friends on a regular basis. The staff (mostly volunteers) are friendly and informative (I hope they are duly rewarded).

A definite must-see in Toronto. The gallery is small and free, so it's a perfect choice if you have a little bit of time to pop-in and see something different.

I went to the Power Plant Contemporary Art Gallery on its 2015 fall opening party night (Sept. 26), and was I blown away. The 2015 Season showcases three solo exhibitions by renowned artists Dora Garcia (Spain), Carlos Amorales (Mexico) and Mark Lewis (Canada) 5 reasons why you should abandon your plans for tonight and head over (warning: I am going to go all literature-geek in the next paragraphs) 1. If you are a James-Joyce-aspiring-aficionado or a literature buff who regards the day you understand Finnegan's Wake as the pinnacle of your life, you need to SPRINT over to this exhibition. I was basically giggling like a kid in a candy shop the whole time I was in Dona Garcia's exhibition. The theme of her exhibit is "exile" and "alienation"- the very conditions of the modern day man. There are 3 art pieces, each on one table, titled "Extrasensory Perception", "Exhaustion of Books" and "Exile?". A looping film featuring the Zurich Jaymes Joyce reading club is projected on the wall. Did you know that this reading club takes 11 YEARS to read through Finnegan's Wake once? They stop and discuss every time they reach a sentence or word that is confusing (which for Joyce, is basically every other word). This really made me rethink how I personally regard literature. Am I reading for content, historical backdrop, thorough understanding, or for efficiency? Haven't really resolved this paradox yet, but this exhibition really got me pondering. 2. It's free, enough said. 3. Perfect venue for people watching. I haven't seen such a well-dressed group of people all concentrated in one building in so long. The demographics that were at the art gallery were around the 30-50 year old range. My 17 year old brother definitely felt out of place, but still had a good time. 4. Mark Lewis exhibit is fun if you know Toronto's streets well. His filmography showcases a lot of Toronto's most famous brutalistic buildings, think Robarts Library at the University of Toronto and the Toronto Dominion Bank Towers. Once again, his work touches upon the alienation paradox, where we live in world that is increasingly globalized and populated, yet we feel more ostracized from each other than ever. His work really reminded me of T.S. Eliot's poem The Love Song of J. Alfred Prufrock. 5. The Harbourfront Centre does a good job of ensuring the exhibits are also complemented with community engagement programming. For instance, the centre is featuring a reading of Finnegan's Wake in the style of the Zurich Jaymes Joyce Reading Club with Dona Garcia this week. Literature galore, I love it.

Walked into this museum while walking about Harbourfront Center. I didn't know it was a museum until walking in and seeing the art installations. There's around 4-5 art installations at this space. The museum is free, and definitely worth checking out. The staff are extremely friendly and helpful.

It's the perfect place to get lost in for a couple of hours! With their cutting edge contemporary artists and the environment that the work is shown in, you get to experience art unlike any other gallery. It's a non-collecting gallery with four different exhibitions a year, they bring in local and international artists that are big within the industry or up and coming. The works vary in media and it's new and exciting every time! It's definitely a perfect Saturday afternoon activity.

Installation art at a creative crossroad where art meets politics. Don't miss the current work "The Other Night Sky" on display by Trevor Paglan. It blurs the boundaries of classified CIA projects photographed and plotted via astronomy. Attend on a Friday night and enjoy the docent led tours. Fantastic.

Wow. Works are isolated. Employees are staggered throughout the exhibition to be of assistance and discuss the work with you, and to kindly remind you to not touch the art.

This is my favorite gallery in Toronto. I can spend hours here. The admission is free but I usually give small donation. I am happy to support them.

Free on Wednesday evenings and all summer - a hidden gem (along with MOCCA) of art.