EDMONTON - The Art Gallery of Alberta wants you to laugh, relax, use your outside voice — even dance.

“Museums are looking to not be cold, stuffy places,” said Ruth Burns, associate curator and interpretive programs manager for the AGA. “Cultural institutions, whether they’re museums or the symphony or the Roxy Theatre or the Citadel, they’re looking to go beyond the old stereotypes of what cultural institutions are.”

These places of art are seeking instead to become social spaces, gathering spots for the cities they serve — and, in particular, for the increasingly coveted 18 to 35 demographic.

Last year, the AGA launched Refinery, a series of late-night art parties that have been attracting sold-out crowds of 800 guests who come to drink, dance, and deliberate Emily Carr until the wee hours. Refinery was born less than a year after the Edmonton Opera introduced Encore!, a social group for 25- to 40-year-olds, and just a month after the Edmonton Symphony Orchestra kicked off its Late Night with Bill Eddins series that mixed classical with cocktails.

“I think that what’s happened in the last decade is the concerted effort on the part of institutions to somehow locate their institutions within, what I like to call, an economy of cool,” said Doug Sigurdson, visual arts head at the Canada Council for the Arts. Young people, he said, expect more from city living. “Whether it’s a skateboarder after dark in the business district or a hoard of great looking young people looking for a place to congregate on a Friday night, I think museums, for example, and performing arts institutions recognize a very particular thing and they’re hell-bent to grab it.”

Capturing younger audiences has always been important for cultural institutions — not only for their elastic disposable incomes, but also for their potential as long-term patrons.

“I think it’s always been there. What’s happening is organizations have to change the way they’re trying to reach younger audiences,” said Ellen Busby, the Canada Council’s acting head of dance.

“I think what’s been happening is that the arts organizations themselves have had to figure out ways to get the arts into young peoples’ lives,” Busby said.

Institutions like the AGA are trying to connect by throwing regular parties.

Edmonton has embraced the concept. Last weekend’s Refinery party at the AGA sold out two weeks in advance. Young people are not only looking for great parties, Burns said, but “they’re looking to be engaged, to be excited and that’s something that we’re offering.”

jfong@edmontonjournal.com