Various Locations | January 2020 | FREE
NGV Kids on Tour returns in January 2020 with the largest ever free program of art-driven activities and workshops for children and families across over 80 regional and metropolitan Victorian venues.
From Lorne to Swan Hill, Bendigo to Mornington, the 2020 program is the Gallery’s most comprehensive outreach to Victorian communities since NGV Kids on Tour began seven years ago.
The program explores the theme ‘Make Art, Make Friends’ through hands-on activities. Highlights include a creative kit for children designed by contemporary artist Brian Donnelly aka KAWS, containing a pop-up surprise and a set of alphabet stickers to write a message for a friend.
Tony Ellwood AM, Director, NGV said, ‘The Gallery has a long-standing commitment to connecting with children and families across the state through accessible art-inspired activities. NGV Kids on Tour continues to grow and 2020 will be our biggest year yet, providing more opportunities for kids across Victoria to engage with programming by Australia’s most visited gallery.’
Featuring workshops inspired by NGV’s summer exhibition KAWS: PLAYTIME – a free exhibition for children inspired by KAWS’s signature character BFF – the program aims to connect regional and metropolitan communities with the NGV’s exhibitions.
Families can participate in a diverse range of workshops and activities, including:
DRAW A FRIEND FOR BFF
Inspired by KAWS: PLAYTIME, children are invited to explore making friends and making art by creating their own character as a friend for KAWS’s royal blue character BFF.
PLAYTIME
Kids can let their imagination wander with a pop-up kit designed for KAWS: PLAYTIME containing a special set of alphabet stickers created by KAWS. With this activity, children can learn and play, spelling out new words and leaving a message for a friend.
ANIMAL SHAPES
In this hands-on activity inspired by Alexander Calder: Workshop for Kids, a free kids exhibition presented in early 2019, children can make their own sculpture inspired by Alexander Calder’s love of animals. Using customised templates, children select animal shapes to assemble using coloured guides and design features.
ACTIVITIES FOR FAMILIES AND PRESCHOOL
Along with activities inspired by NGV exhibitions, the program offers engaging craft games to foster creative play including Mystery Making, a clay modelling guessing game; Shoe Biz, a colourful way to practice tying shoelaces; and collage art for families to recreate their favourite foods.
NGV Kids on Tour activities are FREE and will take place at various locations during the January 2020 summer school holidays, running in conjunction with NGV Kids Summer Festival from Saturday 11 January to Sunday 19 January 2020. For further information, please visit the NGV website: ngv.vic.gov.au/kids-on-tour
KAWS: PLAYTIME is FREE and on display at NGV International until 13 April 2020. Further information is available on the NGV website: NGV.MELBOURNE
NGV Kids on Tour is generously supported by The Truby and Florence Williams Charitable Trust managed by Equity Trustees and Official Supplier, Canson Australia.
The NGV warmly thanks the Truby and Florence Williams Charitable Trust, managed by Equity Trustees; The Packer Family and Crown Resorts Foundations, The Neilson Foundation and Official Supplier, Canson Australia for their generous support of KAWS: PLAYTIME and Alexander Calder: Workshop for Kids and The Fox Family Foundation for their support of KAWS: PLAYTIME.
Participating venues
| Suburb/Town | Venue |
| Ararat | Ararat Gallery TAMA – Textile Art Museum Australia |
| Avondale Heights | Avondale Heights Library |
| Bairnsdale | East Gippsland Art Gallery |
| Benalla | Benalla Art Gallery |
| Bendigo | Bendigo Art Gallery |
| BENDIGO | La Trobe Art Institute |
| Box Hill | Box Hill Library |
| Broadmeadows | Broadmeadows Library |
| Bundoora | Bundoora Homestead Art Centre |
| Bundoora | Whittlesea Library |
| Caulfield North | Benetas – Lovell House |
| Clayton | Monash Children’s Hospital |
| Craigieburn | Craigieburn Library |
| Cranbourne East | Cranbourne Library |
| Daylesford | Creswick Hub |
| Daylesford | Daylesford Library |
| Daylesford | The Warehouse – Clunes |
| Daylesford | Trentham Library |
| Deer Park | Deer Park Library |
| Doveton | Doveton Library |
| East Doncaster | The Pines Library |
| Echuca | Campaspe Regional Libraries |
| Eltham | Eltham Library |
| Emerald | Emerald Library |
| Endeavour Hills | Endeavour Hills Library |
| Flemington | Flemington Library |
| Footscray | Asylum Seeker Resource Centre |
| Footscray | Braybrook Library |
| Footscray | Footscray Library |
| Geelong | Creative Geelong Makers Hub |
| Gladstone Park | Gladstone Park Community Library |
| Greensborough | Diamond Valley Library |
| Hampton Park | Hampton Park Library |
| Hastings | Hastings Library |
| Hawthorn | Hawthorn Arts Centre |
| Healesville | The Memo Healesville |
| Horsham | Horsham Regional Art Gallery |
| Ivanhoe | Ivanhoe Library |
| Keilor | Keilor Library |
| Lalor | Lalor Library |
| Langwarrin | McClelland Sculpture Park and Gallery |
| Lorne | Lorne Community House |
| Manor Lakes | Manor Lakes Library |
| Maryborough | Central Goldfields Art Gallery |
| Melton | Melton Library & Learning Hub |
| Mildura | Mildura Arts Centre |
| Mill Park | Mill Park Library |
| Moonee Ponds | Sam Merrifield Library |
| Mooroolbark | Mooroolbark Community Centre |
| Mornington | Mornington Library |
| Mornington | Mornington Peninsula Regional Gallery |
| Morwell | Latrobe Regional Gallery |
| Narre Warren | Bunjil Place Gallery |
| Niddrie | Niddrie Library |
| Pakenham | Pakenham Library |
| Parkville | Royal Children’s Hospital |
| Point Cook | Point Cook Library |
| Portland | Portland Arts Centre |
| Rosanna | Rosanna Library |
| Rosebud | Rosebud Library |
| Sale | Gippsland Art Gallery |
| Somerville | Somerville Library |
| South Yarra | Linden New Art |
| St Albans | St Albans Library |
| Stawell | Stawell YMCA Community Hub |
| Sunbury | Sunbury Library, Hume Global Learning Centre Sunbury |
| Sunshine | Sunshine Library |
| Sunshine | Refugee Migrant Children Centre |
| Swan Hill | Swan Hill Regional Art Gallery |
| Tarneit | Julia Gillard Library Tarneit |
| Taylors Lakes | Sydenham Library |
| Thomastown | Thomastown Library |
| Trafalgar | Trafalgar Station Art Space |
| Tullamarine | Tullamarine Library |
| Vermont South | Vermont Library |
| Wangaratta | Wangaratta Art Gallery |
| Warburton | Arts Centre Warburton |
| Warragul | West Gippsland Arts Centre |
| Warrnambool | Warrnambool Art Gallery |
| Watsonia | Watsonia Library |
| Werribee | Plaza Library |
| Werribee | Werribee Library |
| Wodonga | Arts Space Wodonga |