ago all hours

The AGO is replacing First Thursdays with an all-day party

If you always wanted to party at the AGO after-hours, but never got a chance to hit up the gallery's First Thursdays events—you're in luck. 

The AGO has just announced that it's running an exciting new concept called All Hours: a party that will keep the gallery bumping from 10:30 a.m. until 1 a.m.

Launching on May 25, the party is taking over the AGO with programming that includes installations, artists talks, performances, and activities like an outdoor drop-in drawing studio at Grange Park. 

It'll happen three times a year, and even extend outside in the museum's sculpture atrium with the AGO's "special take on block party favourites" like ice cream and hot dogs.

The inaugural All Hours party looks like it'll be packed from morning until night: expect a slew of musical performances from artists like the string players from the Royal Conservatory of Music and Polaris nominee Zaki Ibrahim .

Artist Hatecopy will be taking the stage at Walker Court for a talk at 4 p.m., and at some point there'll be a flash mob led by dancer Danah Rosales in Walker Court sometime after that.

Later in the evening, rappers Haviah Mighty and Dijah SB will take over the third-level Baillie Court with DJ Chippy Nonstop starting at 8 p.m.

There'll even be a nude life drawing session from 7 p.m. to 11 p.m. in the galleries, if that's more your type of party. 

Aside from All Hours, there are a couple of other important things happening on May 25. 

Aside from the official opening of Yayoi Kusama's permanent Infinity Room, that day also marks the AGO's monumental new admission model: free, for visitors 25 and under. 

That, and a new $35 Annual Pass that gives you unlimited access to the AGO for a year—down from the previous price of $110.

That means the All Hours party will be completely free for anyone 25 and under, Annual Pass holders, and AGO Members. If you're not any of those things, it's $25 a pop.

The next two All Hours Parties will happen on October 26 and January 18, 2020. 

Lead photo by

Danielle W


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