Peeling Back the Layers of the Thunder Bay Art Gallery
Amanda Bay
May 13, 2026
You know those places you don’t fully appreciate until you actually step inside? The Thunder Bay Art Gallery is one of them. At first glance, it’s easy to think you know what to expect, but the reality is, the space is constantly changing, quietly iconic, and somehow still a bit of a hidden gem in Thunder Bay.
Spring might be one of the best times to visit as the gallery is all about student exhibitions. According to Curator Penelope Smart, “these shows are often the first time a student in Northern Ontario has their work on view in a public space. It’s special.”
From Lakehead University student shows to high school artists across the region (including all local Thunder Bay school boards and Dennis Franklin Cromarty High School) from communities like Pelican Falls and Marathon, this is where you’ll see artists at the very start of their careers (and there’s something pretty cool about saying “I saw their work before they blew up”).
Take Gayle Church, she first showed work at the Thunder Bay Art Gallery as a high school student in the Secondary School Art Show. Fast forward, and the gallery presented her first solo exhibition titled Fragile, last fall as a professional emerging glass artist. Or Jesslyn Friday, a third-year LU student whose work is currently featured in the Juried Show, and who’s already been awarded an exhibition at Co. Lab… those are just two examples.
The Thunder Bay Art Gallery isn’t just showing art, it’s helping build futures. “Dreams come true here. Old dreams, new dreams.” Many regional artists have also had their first solo exhibition at the gallery. “We’re the largest gallery in the region. We know how lucky we are to support artists who live here and reflect who we are,” continues Smart. “It’s not just about art on the walls, it’s about telling the story of this place, through the people who live here.”
One of our favourite things about the gallery is also the fact that it’s never the same twice. Exhibitions rotate every three months, and not just in the main spaces, but in the foyer and even outside on the banners. That adds up to 18 to 20 exhibitions a year, plus a Public Programming Studio that changes monthly. So if it’s been a while since your last visit, it’s basically a brand new experience. “We keep it fresh,” says Smart.
The gallery’s permanent collection includes over 1,800 works, with a strong focus on contemporary Indigenous art, something the Thunder Bay Art Gallery prioritized long before many other institutions. “A lot of people don’t realize works from our collection are borrowed or loaned for exhibitions across Canada and the world by curators and organizations.” A couple standout pieces Smart points to:
“There’s nothing like these pieces in any other collection anywhere.”
Alongside the student exhibitions, there are a few shows worth planning your visit around this spring:
Beyond exhibitions, the gallery runs programs for all ages, from summer camps for kids to the Creative Aging sessions designed for seniors. These programs focus on creativity, and well-being (engaging with art is said to reduce stress and improve mindfulness. So technically, this could count as self care).
The gallery is also celebrating its 50th anniversary this year, which feels like a big moment not just for the space itself, but for the community around it. With the new waterfront location on the horizon, this also means this version of the gallery won’t be around forever. “If you visit us now, you will be a cool kid who can say you knew us back when we were still in our OG location.”
One last thing, and a very fun fact! Over the past five decades, the gallery walls have been painted so many times that, according to Smart, cutting into them would reveal an estimated 1,000 layers “like a gobstopper”. Which feels oddly fitting, for a place built over time, layered with stories, and always changing.
The Thunder Bay Art Gallery is one of those places you don’t fully appreciate until you actually spend time there, and once you do, you’ll probably wonder why you waited so long.
