MGCI's Visual Arts department offers courses in fine arts, material arts, and photography. Explore what each course has to offer and examples of past student work by linking to the MGCI Visual Arts website.
Why study visual arts?
Experiences in the arts play a valuable role in the education of all students. Through participation in the arts, students can develop their creativity, learn about their own identity, and develop self-awareness, self-confidence, and a sense of well-being. Since artistic activities involve intense engagement, students experience a sense of wonder and joy when learning through the arts, which can motivate them to participate more fully in cultural life and in other educational opportunities. The arts nourish the imagination and develop a sense of beauty, while providing unique ways for students to gain insights into the world around them.
Through studying works of art from various cultures, students deepen their appreciation of diverse perspectives and develop the ability to approach others with openness and flexibility. Seeing the works of art produced by their classmates also helps them learn about, accept, and respect the identity of others and the differences among people. The openness that is fostered by study of the arts helps students to explore and appreciate the culture of diverse peoples in Canada, including First Nations and francophones. Students in The Arts learn that people use the arts to record, celebrate, and pass on to future generations their personal and collective stories and the values and traditions that make us unique as Canadians.
(Adapted from: Ontario Ministry of Education. The Ontario Curriculum Grades 9 and 10: The Arts, 2010. p. 3.)
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