AGH Festival
you’re invited to our annual 10-day multi-arts celebration incorporating visual art, music, live performance, craft, and more.
Festival Information
Getting here
List of Venues
- Art Gallery of Hamilton
123 King St W, Hamilton, ON L8P 4S8
The AGH has been a fixture in the city since 1914, occupied many venues throughout its history, and has been in its current location since 1977. It currently offers a multitude of presentation spaces, both within the context of its exhibition spaces as well as in its dedicated event spaces including the Pavilion, Fischer Lounges, and Sculpture Garden. - The Music Hall
24 Main St W, Hamilton, ON L8P 1H2
Built in 1868 as the Centenary Methodist Church, the Music Hall is a stunning example of Victorian-Romanesque architecture that now serves as a unique arts and entertainment venue. - The Westdale Theatre
1014 King St W, Hamilton, ON L8S 1L4
A refurbished 1935 Art Deco single-screened cinema that presents a mix of art and independent cinema with live performances. - Hamilton Craft Studios
121 Princess Street 2nd & 3rd Floors, Hamilton, ON L8L 8B7
Located in a 14,000 square foot 1920s drawn wire factory reconfigured into a multidisciplinary craft studio featuring ceramics, textiles, and woodworking equipment. - Centre[3]
173 James St N, Hamilton, ON L8R 2K9
Created to provide space and equipment for print media and media arts, connecting local artists with the broader community to provide art education and opportunities. - ACCA Banquet Hall
754 Barton St E, Hamilton, ON L8L 3B1
Founded in 1979, ACCA is a charity that serves African Canadians and Caribbeans by providing educational opportunities and social events.
Accessing Festival Venues and Parking
Art Gallery of Hamilton
Information on directions and parking is available here: AGH Plan Your Visit
New Vision Music Hall
Walk and Bike (4 mins, mostly flat)
Head south through Summer’s Lane toward Main St. E
Turn left on Main St.
Once past MacNab St, turn left and New Vision will be on your left!
Drive (4 mins)
Head north on Summer’s Lane
Use any lane to turn left on King St. W
Turn left on Caroline St. S
Turn left on Main St.
Once past MacNab St, turn left and New Vision will be on your left!
Parking
Convention Center Lot 37 (80 Main St. W)
City Hall Parking Lot 40 (71 Main St. W)
The Westdale Theatre
Transit (10 mins)
Multiple buses run directly from the AGH to The Westdale: 1A, 5C, 10, 52
For bus #5C, walk 2 mins from the AGH to the King at Bay bus stop. This bus comes every 15 minutes!
The bus stop for The Westdale is only 10 stops away, King at Marion is your stop!
The Westdale is a 1-minute walk, across the street from the bus stop.
Drive (8 mins)
Head north on Summer’s Lane
Use any lane to turn left onto King St. W
Make a slight right, continuing on King St. W
Turn right onto Marion Ave. N
Turn left and The Westdale will be on your right!
Parking available at the venue.
Hamilton Craft Studios
Transit (25-30 mins)
For the #2 Bus, walk approximately 8 minutes from the AGH to the John at King William stop. The bus comes every 6 minutes!
There are 15 bus stops before Barton at Sherman, get off here.
Get off the bus, turn left, and walk 5 minutes up Sherman Ave. N, toward Princess St.
Turn right onto Princess St. And Hamilton Craft Studios will be on the left!
Drive (10 mins)
Head north on Summer’s Lane
Use any lane to turn left onto King St. W
Turn left onto Caroline St. S
Turn left onto Main St. W
Turn left into Sherman Ave. S
Turn right onto Princess St and Hamilton Craft Studios will be on the left!
Parking available at the venue.
Centre[3]
Walk and Bike (10 mins)
Head north on Summer’s Lane
Turn right onto King St. W
Turn left onto James St. N
Centre 3 will be on the left!
Transit (10 mins)
For the #4 Bus, walk approximately 3 minutes from the AGH to the Bay at King stop. The bus comes every 20 minutes!
The bus stop for Centre 3 is only 4 stops away, MacNab at Cannon is your stop!
Centre 3 is a 3-minute walk from the bus stop. Get off the bus, turn right on Cannon St. E, then left on James St. N. Centre 3 will be on the left!
Drive (5 mins)
Head north on Summer’s Lane
Use the right lane to turn left onto King St. W
Turn right onto Bay St. N
Use the right 2 lanes to turn right onto York Blvd.
Turn left onto James St. N and Centre 3 will be on the left!
Parking
Vine St. Lot 62 (14 Vine St.)
Mulberry St. Lot 36 (22 Mulberry St.)
ACCA Banquet Hall
Transit (25-30mins)
For the #2 Bus, walk approximately 8 minutes from the AGH to the John at King William stop. The bus comes every 6 minutes!
There are 16 bus stops before Barton at Barnesdale, get off here.
Get off the bus, and continue down Barton, ACCA will be on the right!
Drive (10 mins)
Head north on Summer’s Lane
Use the right lane to turn left onto King St. W
Turn right on Bay St. N
Use the right 2 lanes to turn right onto York Blvd
Continue onto Wilson St
Turn left onto Birch Ave
Turn right onto Barton St. E and ACCA will be on the right!
Parking
Barton St. E Lot 47 (735 Barton St. E)
accessibility
Event Accessibility Notes
Festival Day 2 – Friday October 13th
Pop-Up Performance: Bimbos in Space
- Contains Sexual Content, Coarse Language, and Violence. Suitable for mature audiences (18+).
AGH Wonder x Fruit Salad Dance Party
- Crowds: The capacity for this event is 200 people. While there is space to move around, certain areas may become crowded e.g., the dance floor and the mask creation table.
- Noise: There will be a DJ at this event along with an aerial performer and drag performance. Loud music will be high, and performers may use microphones to project to the audience.
- Light: The lights will be dim in the dance area and there may be flashing lights.
Festival Day 3 – Saturday October 14th
Block Party: Celebrating 50 Years of Hip Hop
- Crowds: The capacity for this event is 300 people throughout the day. Certain activities and events throughout the day may draw bigger crowds.
- Noise: Below is the schedule and the locations for the multiple DJ sets and music pop-ups throughout the day.
- 11am – 5pm DJ in Pavilion & Sculpture Garden
- 2:00pm Music pop-up in main lobby
- Taste or Smell: In the Sculpture Garden 4 graffiti artists will be working with spray paint throughout the event. Please be advised that this area may have a paint/chemical smell. Specialty foods will also be available throughout the day in the Pavilion, which may cause a slight smell in and around this area.
Screenprinting Workshop
- Fine Motor: Festival visitors who may become frustrated because of difficulties with this skill may want to opt out of this workshop.
Pop-Up Concert: Whitness
- Included in Block Party event under Noise section.
- Waiting or Duration: There will be seating available in all areas of the event.
Hip-Hop Evolution Screening and Panel
- Sound: Captioning services will be provided for the screening. ASL interpreting may be provided upon request with the purchase of an event ticket.
- Body Awareness: This is a seated event. If you need to get up, walk around, or take a break, please try to sit nearer to an exit door. Information on the New Vision Music Hall is available here: Music Hall Layout and Additional Information
Festival Day 4 – Sunday October 15th
Family Fun Day
- Crowds: The capacity for this event is 500 people throughout the day. Certain activities and events throughout the day may draw bigger crowds.
- Noise: Below is the schedule and locations for music performances and activities throughout the day.
- 11 AM – 5 PM – activity and craft tables available in the Pavilion
- 11 AM Pavilion – Interactive Music Performance by The Lone Rhubarbarian
- 12 PM Fischer – Family Yoga Workshop with Good Body Feel
- 1 PM AGH Lobby – Family-friendly gallery tours begin and performances by the Hamilton School of Music
- 2:30 PM Sculpture Garden – Interactive Music Performance by the Hamilton Beat Harmonic
- 3:30 PM – 5:00 PM Fischer – Family-friendly Defining Movement Dance Class followed by a kids dance party!
- Taste or Smell: Specialty foods including popcorn and cotton candy will be available throughout the day in the Pavilion which may cause a slight smell in and around this area.
Introduction to Weaving Workshop
- Fine Motor: Festival visitors who may become frustrated because of difficulties with this skill may want to opt out of this workshop.
Festival Day 5 – Monday October 16th
Pop-Up Performance: For Your Entertainment
- Features Strobe Lights, suitable for ages 13+.
Sound Bath
- Sound: Expect ambient noise.
Festival Day 6 – Tuesday October 17th
Pop-Up Concert: Thomas Duxbury
- Sound: Musicians will be using a microphone and amp in the gallery lobby between 6:00 pm –7:00 pm.
- Waiting or Duration: Seating will be available
In Conversation with Britt Wray
- Sound: Captioning services and/or ASL services may be provided upon request with the purchase of an event ticket.
- Content: The film brings awareness to environmental ethics. For more information about environmentalism and assistance with eco-anxiety check out Canadian author Britt Wray’s book Generation Dread Finding Purpose in an age of Climate Anxiety (available at Epic Books: Epic Books / Britt Wray) and check out our event with Britt on Tuesday October 17th.
Professional Artist Development with Alissa Sexton
- This event is hosted both online and in-person at the Gallery.
Festival Day 7 – Wednesday October 18th
Screenprinting Workshop
- Fine Motor: Festival visitors who may become frustrated because of difficulties with this skill may want to opt out of this workshop.
Introductory Hip Hop Dance Class
- Gross and Fine Motor Skills: Festival visitors who may become frustrated because of difficulties with these skills may want to opt out of this workshop.
- Body Awareness: Festival visitors who may become frustrated because of difficulties with this skill may want to opt out of this workshop.
YAH Presents The Life-Sized City Film & Panel
- Sound: Captioning services will be provided for the screening. ASL interpreting may be provided upon request with the purchase of an event ticket.
Festival Day 9 – Friday October 20th
ACCA
- Please note this venue is not wheelchair accessible.
BIPOC hArt Dance Series
- Body Awareness: This is a seated event. If you need to get up, walk around, or take a break, please try to sit nearer to an exit door. Information on the Westdale Theatre is available here: About the Westdale.
Festival Day 10 – Saturday October 21st
Layla Staats Film and Talk
- Content: This film discusses generational trauma in Indigenous communities and the continued impact of the residential school system.
- Sound: Captioning services will be provided for the screening. ASL interpreting may be provided upon request with the purchase of an event ticket.
- Body Awareness: This is a seated event. If you need to get up, walk around, or take a break, please try to sit nearer to an exit door. Information on the Westdale Theatre is available here: About the Westdale
Closing Concert
- Light: This event may feature darkness, moving, coloured, and flashing lights.
- Sound: Captioning services will be provided for the screening. ASL interpreting may be provided upon request with the purchase of an event ticket.
- Body Awareness: This is a seated event. If you need to get up, walk around, or take a break, please try to sit nearer to an exit door. Information on the New Vision Music Hall is available here: Music Hall Layout and Additional Information
From the International Art Collection
The Judgement of Paris c. 1640
Cornelis Van Poelenburgh (Dutch 1586-1667)
oil on copper plate, Anonymous Gift, 1973