Staycation: The Art of Being Here Encourages Manitobans to Appreciate their Surroundings

Community is invited to Sponsor an Artwork in the show

Winnipeg, Manitoba, November 21, 2025: A new exhibition at the Winnipeg Art Gallery (WAG)-Qaumajuq showcases artists connected to Manitoba from the Gallery’s permanent collection. On view now until spring 2026, Staycation: The Art of Being Here invites the public to experience their surroundings through new eyes—offering both a playful escape and a grounded sense of belonging.

Curated by Dr. Riva Symko, Head of Collections & Exhibitions, Staycation features over 100 artworks by mostly Manitoban artists spanning 50 years, and asks what can be discovered when we stop searching for distance and instead, turn our gaze inward, toward the local? This timely show relates to Canada’s current political and economic climate, ongoing tariff disputes, and broader questions about national self-reliance and cultural sovereignty. Staycation considers asks: does it mean to remain here, to create here, and to see value in the cultural ecosystems that already exist within our borders?

As part of the show and to support the delivery of programming that invites everyone to connect with the art, community members are invited to Sponsor an Artwork. Choose from a selection of artworks and your name will appear beside it in the exhibition.

Quick Facts:

• Now open and on view until spring 2026, Staycation: The Art of Being Here features over 100 Manitoba-related artworks from the WAG-Qaumajuq permanent collection.
• Curated by Dr. Riva Symko, Head of Collections & Exhibitions, WAG-Qaumajuq, Staycation highlights Manitoban themes and artists exploring subjects like place, representation, collecting, spirituality, and more.
• Staycation reflects a timely affirmation of the local as both politically meaningful and aesthetically rich.
• The exhibition features the following artists: Ian August, Louis (Lajos) C. Bako, Dee Barsy, Jackson Beardy, Nick Beardy, Irene Bindi, Jack K. Butler, Sheila Butler, Susan Chafe, Cecile Clayton-Gouthro, Catherine Collins, Patrick Day, Leah Decter, Dan Donaldson, Chris Dorosz, Caroline Dukes, Helene Dyck, Marcel Dzama, Cliff Eyland, Neil Farber, Elizabeth Flett, Marilyn Foubert, Karel Funk, Phyllis Green, Jeremiah Harper, Martha Hastings, Bruce Head, Arthur Horsfall, Robert Houle, Alex Janvier, Patti Johnson, Alex Keno, David Keno, Dwight Keno, Nelson Keno, Saunders Keno, Rosemary Kowalsky, Marielouise Kreyes, Alethea Lahofer, Winston Leathers, Micah Lexier, Allan Little, Patrick Mahon, Paul McKay, David McMillan, Norval Morrisseau, Kristin Nelson, Alison Norlen, Daphne Odjig, John Paskievich, Bev Pike, PIX CHIX, Don Proch, William Pura, Carl Ray, Chris Reid, Reva Stone, Eva Stubbs, Tony Tascona, Ione Thorkelsson, Diana Thorneycroft, Susan Turner, Esther Warkov, Janet Werner, Diane Whitehouse, Elizabeth Willmott, Linus Woods.
• As part of the show, the community is invited to Sponsor an Artwork for $500 or $1,000, to go towards the installation and programming for the exhibition.
• Sponsors will receive a charitable tax receipt for the full gift amount; sponsorships of $1,000 will also receive entry into the WAG Collectors Circle and a year of behind-the-scenes experiences connecting you with the art and artists.
• Guided tours of Staycation are offered for the public on December 14, 27, 28, January 2, 4, and are included with the cost of Gallery admission.

Quotes:

“Staycation celebrates not only our public collection, but the incredible artistic talent thriving right here in Manitoba. This exhibition invites visitors to rediscover the beauty and intrigue in our own backyard. I’m thrilled for people to experience this timely show and to join us in caring for the collection by Sponsoring an Artwork and becoming part of the exhibition’s story.”

— Bill Elliott, Deputy Director & CFO, WAG-Qaumajuq

“Staycation embodies the spirit of WAG-Qaumajuq’s collection – local stories in conversation with broader histories. The artworks in this show remind us that home is not a fixed place, but a set of relationships, memories, and acts of imagination. By reimagining our permanent collection through new thematic lenses, the exhibition celebrates the dynamism of the creative voices that have shaped, and continue to shape, this place, while also revealing where the collection should grow next.”

— Dr. Riva Symko, Head of Collections & Exhibitions, WAG-Qaumajuq

Support

WAG-Qaumajuq is grateful for the support of Innovair Group, media sponsor the Winnipeg Free Press, Jennifer Blumenthal and Daniel Bubis, Shirley and Paul Martens, and the donors who have already signed up to Sponsor an Artwork.

Associated Links

Staycation: The Art of Being Here
Sponsor an Artwork

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For more information or to arrange interviews, please contact:

Katryna Barske
Public Relations Officer
Winnipeg Art Gallery
204.789.1295
kbarske@wag.ca

About Winnipeg Art Gallery (WAG)-Qaumajuq
The Winnipeg Art Gallery (WAG)-Qaumajuq is a cultural advocate using art as a catalyst for change. The Gallery features an impressive collection of nearly 30,000 artworks spanning centuries, cultures, and media, including the largest public collection of contemporary Inuit art in the world. Each piece has its own story to tell. Sharing these stories with the world is at the core of WAG-Qaumajuq. This is an engaging, accessible space where visitors can experience art and learning in new ways. Principles of equity, care, trust, and responsibility guide the institution towards meaningful impact and transformation. To learn more, visit wag.ca.

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