OUTREACH is Gallery 44’s award-winning arts program addressing the needs of youth from underserved communities throughout the GTA. OUTREACH inspires youth to develop positive methods of sharing their stories, while connecting with their community. Through photography’s uniquely accessible platform, this program eliminates existing barriers to the arts, encouraging knowledge sharing, collaboration and dialogue – even through a distance.

Through OUTREACH Gallery 44 (also known as G44) works in collaboration with several community organizations, including The 519, to offer ongoing analogue and digital photography workshops to youth throughout our city. OUTREACH provides a series of hands-on workshops and discussion groups, through which youth engage in a program they help direct from concept, through creation and artistic production, concluding in a formal exhibition of their artworks Gallery 44. One of the main objectives of this essential program is to inspire youth to initiate critical explorations into art-viewing and art-making. G44 works to create vibrant, innovative spaces for young people and to provide vital adult mentoring and support. During this edition of OUTREACH 2021, we will be delivering a virtual program using one of photography’s earliest processes – Cyanotypes. Through remote instruction over 8 sessions, participants will gain an understanding of the basic elements of digital photography and develop a narrative through their work. They will learn how to turn their digital images into digital negatives and will receive individual kits with cyanotype materials to experiment with their images. Instructors will guide participants through the process via Zoom. 1 Cyanotype from each participant will be featured in the OUTREACH Exhibition.

David Maltby Award

Every year, Gallery 44 awards two participants from the OUTREACH program with the David Barker Maltby Award. The award was founded in memory of Gallery 44 member David Barker Maltby in keeping with his commitment to education, community activism and documentary photography. Award winners, nominated by instructors and selected by a committee, have excelled within the OUTREACH program. Recipients are awarded based on their unique approach to photography and commitment to continuing with their arts practice and receive a membership to Gallery 44 and further mentorship opportunities.

Toronto Image Works Award

Since 2018 Toronto Image Works offers an award to one participant from the OUTREACH Program. The award winner is nominated by instructors and selected by the AwardsJury, they have shown great dedication and commitment throughout the program. TheTIW award assists to remove access barriers to facilities, materials, mentorship, etc. for the winner in order to encourage them to continue to build their artistic practice.

OUTREACH Symposium​  

Gallery 44 will be running an online OUTREACH Symposium for all OUTREACH participants featuring concurrent presentations covering topics surrounding the allure of ‘being an artist’ in a more practical sense. The day will cap off with a pre-registered portfolio review session where participants have the opportunity to bring in their work and receive feedback from a local artist.