After this spring's AbEx New York show highlighted American avant-garde painting from the 1950s and 60s, the AGO's subsequent offering, Haute Culture: General Idea gives us the next chapter in history, from a uniquely Canadian perspective: a long-due retrospective on the Canadian trio, AA Bronson, Felix Partz, and Jorge Zontal, known as General Idea, who are just as influential as Jackson Pollock and his contemporaries.

Opened in spring of this year, this gallery's director has been working in West Queen West galleries since 2007. When the time finally came for her to open her own space, staying in the neighbourhood only made sense.

Read my profile of Erin Stump Projects in the Galleries section.

The 2011 CONTACT Photography Festival in Toronto is gearing up to launch this week, and with it photo madness is about to descend upon the city. Now in its 15th year, the festival has continued to grow even though it has already become the world's largest. Indeed, the scale of the festival and scope of exhibition locations can be overwhelming: this year features more public installations and 37 Featured Exhibitions, though the number of Primary Exhibitions--not-to-be-missed shows that anchor the festival in its theme-- remains more manageable at six. At Wednesday's media preview, however, artist Elle Flanders put it well when describing the thrill of seeing her work (a collaboration with Tamira Sawatzky) at mural size in the Museum of Contemporary Canadian Art (MoCCA) coutryard: "Whoever said bigger isn't better--they lied," she quipped.

When you're a student with limited resources, but you want to start an art gallery, what's an art school kid to do? This trio started an art space in their bohemian Queen East apartment, and since then it's taken on a life of its own. Following a move to the west side, and a recent successful fundraiser event, it's become clear the gallery's onto something good. Known in art circles as an instigator of experimental, conceptual, and cutting-edge exhibitions, it's definitely one to watch.

Read my profile of Butcher Gallery in the galleries section.

This gallery makes maximum use of its 3000 square feet by opening its doors for events beyond the traditional monthly exhibition-opening parties. By building in a full kitchen and partnering with a top-quality caterer, this hybrid space ensures that no gallery-goer will be disappointed by meagre bowls of potato chips and veggies and dip.

Read my profile of Neubacher Shor Contemporary in the galleries section.

There's quite the little scene of independent art galleries on Dundas Street across from the AGO. Anchored by Bau-Xi Gallery (and Bau-Xi Photo), the strip features converted 19th century homes that make for perfect exhibition spaces. Coming from a smaller space on West Queen West, this well established gallery was ready to make the move.

Read my profile of the new Lausberg Contemporary in the galleries section.