WAG Unveils Revamped Gallery Shop in Lead-up to Inuit Art Centre Opening

Handmade work by Manitoban and Canadian artists now showcased to the street

Winnipeg, Manitoba, Treaty 1 Territory, October 16, 2020: The Winnipeg Art Gallery is excited to announce that the grand reopening of the renovated Gallery Shop will take place at the WAG on Saturday, October 17 at 10am. It is the first major space transformation in the lead-up to the opening of the Inuit Art Centre, in early 2021.

To highlight the inviting new space, two walls of glass extend to both the Gallery inside and out to Memorial Boulevard. A new street entrance opens the WAG up like never before, making handmade work by Manitoban and Canadian artists more accessible in the heart of downtown Winnipeg.

The selection of unique pieces from Manitoban and Canadian artists includes inspired jewellery, home decor, books, artwork, and much more. All purchases support the WAG and artists in Canada.

As the Host Gallery for the 2020 Cape Dorset Annual Print Collection, launching tomorrow, ShopWAG has edition #1/50 of each print available for purchase. The collection celebrates contemporary artworks produced by master Inuit artists at the Inuit-owned and operated Dorset Fine Arts cooperative in Kinngait, Nunavut. This year’s sale includes 30 stunning prints by 16 artists.

Quick Facts:
• The new Gallery Shop boasts window displays, a street-facing seating area, and 2520 sq ft of floor space, with room for physical distancing.
• Shoppers will experience the fresh space by Inuit Art Centre designer Michael Maltzan Architecture with Cibinel Architecture.
• Gallery Shop hours are Tuesday-Sunday, 11am-5pm. Curb side pick-up is available by phoning 204.789.1769.
• This exciting unveiling follows the 2016 opening of WAG@TheForks, which has continued to provide increased market access to artists throughout the COVID-19 pandemic.
• ShopWAG’s annual release of the Cape Dorset Print Collection, as well as our selection of arts and crafts from across Inuit Nunangat (the homeland of Inuit in Canada), furthers the WAG Inuit Art Centre’s mission of connecting North and South.
• ShopWAG has engaged Inuit-owned Hinaani Design to develop a new line of merchandise and apparel celebrating the Inuit Art Centre to launch with the opening of the new building in early 2021. The designers visited the WAG vaults last winter to draw inspiration from the extensive collection of Inuit art.
• The Gallery Shop was established in 1972 and run entirely by volunteers through the Associates of the WAG to support the WAG and local artists. The Shop moved under WAG operations in 2007 and still functions with the help of the Associates and volunteers from the community.
• ShopWAG online is in development and will be available for online shopping in the coming weeks.
• Artists and vendors are considered on an on-going basis. Apply online here.
• Several local ShopWAG vendors will take part in the annual CRAFTED: Show + Sale, happening online this year, November 6-8.

Quotes:
“ The new Gallery Shop is a milestone in the phased unveiling of spaces transforming the WAG. Now accessible directly from the street with its own entrance, the Gallery Shop offers the community more ways to connect with the amazing creativity that exists today. In the lead-up to the opening of the Inuit Art Centre in a few short months, we are thrilled to continue celebrating artists from across the country.”
—Dr. Stephen Borys, Director & CEO, Winnipeg Art Gallery

“We are so pleased to share the work of so many talented and diverse artists and makers in a bigger, bolder way. The new Gallery Shop provides our vendors with the opportunity to continue building relationships with the public at the WAG. We are eager to open our doors wide to the community at large!”
—Sherri Van Went, Manager of Retail Operations, Winnipeg Art Gallery

Associated Links
Winnipeg Art Gallery – shopWAG
Inuit Art Centre

Stay Connected
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For more information or to arrange interviews, please contact:

Amy Rebecca Harrison
Engagement Supervisor
Winnipeg Art Gallery
204.789.1347
aharrison@wag.ca

Amber O’Reilly
Engagement Officer
Winnipeg Art Gallery
204.789.1295
PublicRelations@wag.ca

The Winnipeg Art Gallery (WAG) is a cultural advocate using art to connect, inspire, and inform. Playing a dynamic role in the community, we are a place for learning, dialogue, and enjoyment through art. The WAG holds in trust the largest public collection of contemporary Inuit art in the world. To celebrate the art and to honour the Inuit, the WAG is building the Inuit Art Centre, the first of its kind. Opening soon, the Centre will bridge Canada’s North and South through exhibitions, research, education, and art making. To learn more visit wag.ca

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