The Confederation Centre Art Gallery (CCAG) is a national arts institution dedicated to preserving and celebrating the origins and evolution of Canada as a nation and its citizens as Canadians. Located in Charlottetown, Prince Edward Island, it is one of the largest public art galleries in Atlantic Canada and possesses a significant collection of historical, modern, and contemporary Canadian art. Its exhibition spaces feature contemporary and historical exhibitions year-round, as well as special events, public lectures, and educational programming. It is part of the Confederation Centre of the Arts.
The permanent collection comprises over 16,000 historical and contemporary Canadian works of art; it demonstrates the cultural and regional diversity, historic traditions, contemporary trends and evolution of Canadian art that constitute Canada's national identity. Special historical collections include an extensive collection of the work of painter Robert Harris (1849–1919), a large collection of architectural watercolours by Harris's brother, William Critchlow Harris (1854–1913), and the original manuscripts of L.M. Montgomery; the complete crafts section of Expo '67; the permanent collection is also highlighted by the inclusion of commissioned commemorative murals by Jack Shadbolt, Jean-Paul Lemieux, John Fox, Jane Ash Poitras, Yvon Gallant and Wanda Koop that restage the birth of Canada; and folk art sculptures of the Fathers of Confederation by Bradford Naugler.
The collecting focus is contemporary Canadian visual art, while the historical and modern art collections grow primarily through donations. In addition to collecting, the Confederation Centre Art Gallery carries out a year-round program in the areas of conservation, research, education, interpretation, publishing, and an exhibitions program. Along with seven gallery spaces, which comprise over 3,250 square meters (35,000 square feet) the CCAG includes an art education facility named The Schurman Family Studio (for the Young@Arts program sponsor), a contemporary outdoor sculpture court, a conservation lab, a preparation workshop, administrative offices, and temporary and permanent collection storage rooms.