University of Toronto Art Centre

Housed in University College, a splendid Romanesque revival building, UTAC is located in the heart of both the U of T’s St. George Campus, and the city’s Museum district. Visitors to UTAC are steps away from the Art Gallery of Ontario, the Bata Shoe Museum, the Royal Ontario Museum, the Gardiner Museum and the Textile Museum of Canada.

Open to the public, UTAC’s exhibitions embrace a range of media, art forms and time periods. They offer an engaging gallery experience complemented by tours, lectures and symposia featuring internationally renowned artists, writers and academics.

The Art Centre houses and manages three diverse collections, largely the result of the generosity of donors dating back some 150 years:

- The Malcove Collection of over 500 objects ranges from ancient pieces to 20th Century art, including drawings by Picasso and Matisse. It has a particular focus on Medieval art and Byzantine icons. The Malcove Collection was bequeathed to the University in 1982 along with a major endowment, which supports the permanent display of the Collection.

- The University of Toronto Art Collection is wide-ranging, comprising, for example, a magnificent Turner, and a Manet etching. It has particular strengths in contemporary Canadian Art with works by Ronald Bloore, Jack Bush, Tony Scherman, Harold Town, Geoffrey James, Barbara Astman and Cathy Daley.

- The University College Art Collection of over 500 works contains significant paintings by the Group of Seven. The Collection is indicative of the University’s historic role as a cultural centre and promoter of the Group. Gems from the University College Collection have been borrowed for major exhibitions exploring the history of Canadian art.

Exhibitions and events

The Art of Devotion, Byzantine and Post Byzantine Icons from the Malcove Collection

Permanent exhibition

This exhibition, drawn from the University of Toronto’s Malcove Collection, is organized around two central themes: icons dedicated to Mary and the Christ Child, and icons representing Christ and...