The OUTREACH program is the start of discovering your potential, and is committed to seeing you succeed. —Ebti Nabag, artist, teacher, and 2011 participant

Every year, with the support of individuals like you, Gallery 44 offers free, creative workshops to youth from under served communities across the Greater Toronto Area.

OUTREACH, an award-winning education program designed for youth, uses photography as a medium and catalyst for creative self-expression. Engaging youth in a process they direct from beginning to end, OUTREACH helps to break down barriers to the arts, and encourages independence and creative growth.

"I love this program. It keeps me active, it keeps me out of trouble, it keeps my mind going...it makes me see things in a whole different way.” —Rickson Thom, OUTREACH participant, 2014

Photo by Jocelyn Reynolds, OUTREACH instructor 2015

In conjunction with the program’s artistic goals, OUTREACH aspires to provide a better sense of connection with the self and with peers, while creating a platform to address issues significant to the participants. OUTREACH helps build confidence through artistic production and participation. 

Photo by Heran Genene, OUTREACH participant 2014

About Gallery 44

Gallery 44 Centre for Contemporary Photography is a non-profit artist-run centre committed to photography as a multi-faceted and ever-changing art form. Founded in 1979 to establish a supportive environment for the development of photography, Gallery 44’s mandate is to provide a context for reflection and dialogue on contemporary photography and its related practices.

Gallery 44 offers exhibition and publication opportunities to national and international artists, award-winning education programs, and affordable production facilities for artists. Through its programs Gallery 44 is engaged in changing conceptions of the photographic image and its modes of production.

“The OUTREACH program was my first official introduction to the magic of darkroom film photography. G44 gave me a chance to believe in myself and what I was capable of achieving. The OUTREACH program changes the lives of youth; I am a living example. For once in my life I was given an opportunity to believe in myself and to explore a new medium.”
—Giselle Mira Diaz, OUTREACH participant and David Barker Maltby Award winner, 2011. Giselle is currently participating in North Sur, a photo exchange project for PANAMANIA, commissioned by the Arts and Culture Program of the TORONTO 2015 Pan Am and Parapan Am Games.

Youth working in Gallery 44 Darkroom, 2014

2015 Community Partners

“Nia’s partnership with Gallery 44 has a profound impact on young photographers”—Mark Campbell, executive director, Nia Centre for the Arts 

Gallery 44 works collaboratively with community groups serving youth to provide a program that can be customized to the needs of the participants. Qualified photographers with a personal connection to each community organization teach the hands-on photography workshops. 

Nia Centre for the Arts
Eva’s Phoenix
Toronto Council Fire Native Cultural Centre
PEACH
UrbanArts

With a long history of supporting education in the arts, Gallery 44 hosts an expanded public education program targeted at specific audiences within and beyond the arts community.

Gallery 44’s OUTREACH program embodies our commitment to engaging Toronto’s youth in the arts, by democratizing photography and supporting a new generation of image-makers and visual thinkers. We hope you will join us, and reach out for OUTREACH!

In order to offer 40 workshops, we need to raise $5,000 for materials. Material fees are $125-$150 per workshop which covers the costs of photographic paper, film, processing, chemistry, snacks and transit tokens. We actively fundraise and receive support from foundations and corporations in order to cover other costs of the program, including instructor fees, facilities and classroom space rentals.

Individual contributions are essential to this program – Help us reach our goal by contributing to Reach out for OUTREACH!

You can offer your support at any level. At various levels, we are offering added perks of artwork, or a special dinner for you and 5 friends.

$75 or more – One of four limited edition digital prints, selected from the OUTREACH exhibition

$250 or more – All four limited edition digital prints, selected from the OUTREACH exhibition (Retail value $200, charitable tax receipt issued for $50)

$500 or more – A unique archival silver gelatin print, printed by an artist in our darkroom, framed and ready for your home gallery (Retail value $400, charitable tax receipt issued for $100)

$1500 or more – 
The first donor to support at this level will receive a private dinner for 6 at Food Dude’s Commissary Kitchen (24 Carlaw Ave, Toronto, ON) in the Private Tasting Room (Retail value $1200, charitable tax receipt issued for $300)

Any other donors to support at this level will become an ARCHIVAL 44 FRIEND of Gallery 44. This entitles them to a private photography workshop lead by a professional artist, and other benefits outlined on our website.

Please note: we will issue charitable tax receipts upon request for any donation above $100, minus the retail value of your selected perk.

Our Charitable Registration #119247310RR0001

Potential Challenges

If we don’t reach our funding goal, the program will have to be scaled back, with a smaller number of participants and fewer workshops. So please give generously, share generously, and help increase access to the arts!

Remember, Indiegogo charges a 5% higher fee if we don't reach our funding goal -- so please help us reach our goal! 

Photo by Rodrigo Castro, OUTREACH participant 2015

“Former participants have moved on to do great things in our communities. From organizing youth photography workshops at SEYA (South Etobicoke Youth Assembly) and the Access Alliance Multicultural Health & Community Services, organizing and participating in independent exhibitions, to attending post-secondary programs in various areas such as graphic design and epidemiology, the youth become socially engaged and active members of the cultural community.”—soJin Chun, G44 Head of Education & Outreach