Starting Jan. 7, the Winnipeg Art Gallery (WAG) is offering free admission every Wednesday night from 5 to 9 p.m. for the next three years.
Katryna Barske, the gallery’s public relations officer, explained that there used to be extended Friday night hours before the pandemic. WAG also continues to offer Canada Life free Sundays once a month. However, the new Wednesday nights, sponsored by Power Corporation of Canada, are unique in that they will always feature an event or activity.
“They’re going to have some programming attached, whereas previously we sometimes would have programs on the Friday nights, but it wasn’t every week […] There will be something to come and do, whether that’s a tour or a talk, a film screening, a concert, there’s going to be something every single Wednesday night,” she said.
The first night on Jan. 7 kicked off with a party, featuring a free concert by acclaimed local singer Begonia and a DJ set by Ali Wan Kenobi. In addition to programs, there is also a cash bar and specialty cocktails for visitors every Wednesday night hereafter.
Barske commented while these nights are not necessarily part of a larger project, they were created to encourage people to visit and engage with the arts.
“We are always looking [for] ways to expand our accessibility and just offer more opportunities for people to come to the art gallery, experience the arts and to come downtown as well. I know that there’s a big shift within the downtown [area, and] we are trying to bolster those numbers back up after the pandemic,” said Barske.
“So this is just another way to offer people something to do in the middle of the week, to come downtown, to remove some barriers […] Maybe see the art gallery in a different way, whether that’s somebody who hasn’t been here for a long time or [someone who] comes here all the time.”
Outside of free Sundays and Wednesday nights, the gallery is open from 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. from Wednesday to Sunday. Adult and senior tickets are $18 and $15, respectively, while youths and Indigenous peoples have free admission.
When asked about WAG’s vision for 2026, Barske stressed the launch of Wednesday nights as the “big one,” but also hinted at new exhibits to look forward to, including an opening potentially in early February and new art in the gallery.
“We’re going to have just lots of really fun entertainers coming through in a couple weeks. It’s going to be a really cool thing for people to come down and enjoy,” she concluded.
For more information on current exhibitions and upcoming events at WAG, visit wag.ca.
