The Ship of Tolerance 2026: Relaunch Event

Noon on Friday, May 22nd, 2026 | Gairloch Gardens

Oakville Galleries is thrilled to announce the relaunch of for the 2026 season on Friday, May 22, at 12 PM in Gairloch Gardens. This 60-foot ship was created by renowned artists and involved 2,000 children in 2025 in workshops on ideas of tolerance and how to build a bright future together. Paintings they made from these workshops form the sails on the ship.

Now again in 2026, 900 school children are painting new sails, weaving together diverse voices into a visual narrative of hope, and inspiring communities and audiences of all ages to reflect on tolerance, understanding, and our shared humanity. This anti-war sculpture rejects deference to hegemonic power and speaks of better, alternative futures, which we are free to create.

The Ship of Tolerance is presented in partnership with the Ilya and Emilia Kabakov Foundation and the National Gallery of Canada. The National Gallery of Canada’s National Engagement initiative is generously supported by Michael Nesbitt, with additional funding from the National Gallery of Canada Foundation. The Ship of Tolerance has recently received both the Visit Oakville Tourism Award and the RTO3 Regional Partnership & Collaboration Award.

Oakville Galleries invites everyone to experience this extraordinary installation and celebrate the enduring power of tolerance. The opening event will feature remarks by Emilia Kabakov, Executive Director Séamus Kealy, as well as Ontario’s Minister for Tourism, Culture and Gaming Stan Cho, and Oakville Mayor Rob Burton, among others, and include a live painting project by hundreds of local schoolchildren.

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Host or Publisher Oakville Galleries