Gallery Kids - NSW

The Art Gallery of New South Wales is running a program called Gallery Kids from July to September. There are tours ($10) for children aged 3-5 and free performances every Sunday. My nearly five year old and I headed out on Sunday to see the 2.30pm show.

It was packed. We got there early because my son enjoys watching the setting up process so managed to get a good seat but unless your child is old enough to sit at the front without you, seating with a good view was difficult to find.

The show itself was fairly entertaining. Apparently it changes every week. The performer, Mic Conway, did a bit of magic and made a few jokes, while driving his message about art home to the children. I’m not sure they all got it. My child was certainly more interested in his false teeth and chicken juggling. And as a show itself it wasn’t particularly cohesive. However he did get the kids involved by asking a lot of questions and only the very young left during the show.

For the Art Gallery itself it’s a great way to get families in and a good money spinner. My child doesn’t know much about art or have much interest in quietly walking around a place where he’s not allowed to touch anything but he does know where the café is and he knows he likes cake and there were a fair few other kids from the show who managed to find their way to the café too.

On leaving the Gallery I thought wouldn’t it be nice to have an exhibition that was child friendly in some way (something they could touch or interact with) and permanently in the Gallery rather than just putting on child friendly shows around the art?