Tracy Ryan

Holiday Closure Notice

We are currently closed for the holiday season and will reopen on January 6th. Thank you for your understanding, and we look forward to serving you in the new year! Happy Holidays from all of us!

read more
H’art Studio’s Fall 2024 Season

H’art Studio’s Fall 2024 Season

Embracing Our Shine: Welcome to H'art Studio's Fall Season As the leaves turn and the air gets crisp, we're excited to welcome you into H'art Studio's Fall season! This season, themed "Shine A Light On Me," invites H'art Studio artists to embark on a journey of...

read more
H’art Centre Receives Ontario Arts Council Operating Grant

H’art Centre Receives Ontario Arts Council Operating Grant

H'art Centre Receives Ontario Arts Council Operating Grant to Support Inclusive Arts Workshops, Training and More [Kingston, Ontario] — H’art Centre, Kingston’s award-winning inclusive arts hub and dedicated non profit charity, is excited to announce that it has...

read more

H’art to Relocate to Providence Village

Providence Village Inc. (Providence Village) and H'art Centre of Smiles Inc. (H’art) are thrilled to announce their new partnership that will see H'art relocate to Providence Village inside the historic Providence Motherhouse building. This move strengthens both...

read more
Stay Curious, Keep Learning

Stay Curious, Keep Learning

Hey everyone! Lately, we’ve been reflecting on the importance of staying curious and continuously learning about inclusivity. Even after 25 years, it is crucial for us to actively seek out new perspectives, educate ourselves on cultures, and challenge our own biases...

read more
Summer Program in Full Swing

Summer Program in Full Swing

Summer at H'art Studio is a time to unwind from the big events of the season prior and recharge for the upcoming creative season! So, H'art Studio artists are taking part in a relaxed, creative journey this summer –– we like to say we will be exploring the natural...

read more

2023 Brook Catherine Doseger Award Recipient

A round of applause for the Doseger Award winner, Ashley Roy-Davies! Thank you, Ashley, for your time at H’art and the joy you brought to H’art participants. Ashley studied Autism and Behavioural Science as well as Social Service Worker Program at St. Lawrence...

read more

OAC supports H’art in 2023

The Ontario Arts Council provided timely support for H’art in its 25th anniversary year H’art Centre is pleased to share that the Ontario Arts Council has provided $35,000 in operational funding to the organization in 2023. The investment will help support the...

read more
Fall Programming: Join The Box Adventure

Fall Programming: Join The Box Adventure

We are thrilled to introduce The Box Adventure, our Fall programming theme that invites H’art Studio artists to embark on an exciting journey of creativity and happiness. The Box Adventure is a series of workshops that combines various art forms, including...

read more
Celebrating Summer: A Recap

Celebrating Summer: A Recap

Now that the summer season has come to a close, it's the perfect time to reflect on the incredible activities and accomplishments we experienced together. This summer, we talked about our emotions, what affects us emotionally, and how our emotions, in turn, can affect...

read more
10 things to do at H’art Centre this summer

10 things to do at H’art Centre this summer

We are kicking off summer at H'art with an incredible lineup of activities ranging from field trips to new workshops, training opportunities, and even a soundscape workshop in The Mix. It’s going to be a fun, creative and enriching few weeks. We've compiled a list of...

read more
Remembering Karen

Remembering Karen

It is with sadness that we share news of the passing of a long-time friend and brilliant artist, Karen Olivier. Our deepest sympathies go out to her family. Karen was one of the originals here at H’art Centre. She loved music, especially drumming, writing, and visual...

read more
Community Information Event

Community Information Event

Ripples A Community Information Event H'art Centre237 Wellington StreetKingston, OntarioFind this event on Google MapsMay 7, 20231-3 PMClick to reserve your tickets today!FreeAre you or someone you care about transitioning from high school to the community? Or simply...

read more
New season brings Ripples to H’art Centre

New season brings Ripples to H’art Centre

H'art Centre unveiled its evolving 2023 season and theme, "Ripples". "Ripples continue to move forward with a feeling of effortlessness," said Executive Director Katherine Porter. "From a single source of inspiration or a seemingly small act, we go on to create an...

read more
Message from the founder: H’art turns 25!

Message from the founder: H’art turns 25!

Dear friends, It's hard to believe that it's been 25 years already! As many of you know, H'art opened, with the help of countless community supporters, in a small visual arts studio on Montreal Street in downtown Kingston. Buoyed by the success of that visual arts...

read more

A tribute to Former Ontario Lieutenant-Governor David Onley

David Onley lived a life of advocacy for continually raising the bar on what better can be Guest post |  Contributed by Board Member Julie Ann Wolfe May The Hon. David C. Onley championed "Accessibility for All" in Ontario and everywhere. More than a physical issue...

read more
New greeting cards available

New greeting cards available

Celebrate Freshwater is the new greeting card series featuring work by H'art Studio artists. Artists created delightful freshwater line-drawn fish enhanced with watercolours while learning more about the Great Lakes ecosystem. Proceeds support future inclusive arts...

read more

2022 Brook Doseger Fund Recipients

Three field placements received the Brook Doseger Fund Award in December 2022: Jaimelee Earl (Behavioural Psychology), Cristina Salamone (Child & Youth Worker), and Kirk Jones (Social Service Worker). These post-secondary students exemplify the philosophy, aims,...

read more
Holiday Schedule

Holiday Schedule

Happy holidays! We are closed starting December 16, 2022, and returning on January 9, 2023. Thank you to everyone who supported or participated in inclusive arts this year. Our warmest wishes for the holiday season. The H'art Centre Team

read more
National Exhibit – Connecting Canadians: Freshwater

National Exhibit – Connecting Canadians: Freshwater

Connecting Canadians: FreshwaterThe Mix GalleryH'art Centre237 Wellington StreetKingston OntarioGroup tours, by appointment:Every Friday from 10 am - 2 pmFrom October 28 - December 2, 2022Free entranceA National Visual Art Exhibit Celebrating Freshwater Connecting...

read more
Call for Submissions – Connecting Canadians: Freshwater

Call for Submissions – Connecting Canadians: Freshwater

Call for Submissions Connecting Canadians: Freshwater National Exhibit The Mix Gallery at H'art Centre This year, H’art Centre has partnered with the Marine Museum of the Great Lakes at Kingston to celebrate the 50th anniversary of the Great Lakes Water Quality...

read more
Filming wraps on “Water”

Filming wraps on “Water”

H'art Centre has wrapped filming on a new special production, "Water". Eight H'art Studio performers star in this filmed movement piece that reflects on the purpose of freshwater and how it can strengthen our human purpose to connect to our surroundings. "Water" will...

read more
We’re All In Jeopardy

We’re All In Jeopardy

We're All in JeopardyTHE BOX237 Wellington StKingston, OntarioJune 17- June 25, 2022 June 17, 18 & 22-25: 7:00PMJune 19 & 25: 2:30 PM & 7:00PM$10-$15Produced by PeerLess ProductionsCreated by the CompanyDirected by Kathryn MacKayMusical Director: David...

read more
Mix It Up campaign exceeds its objective

Mix It Up campaign exceeds its objective

H’art Centre has announced the successful completion of its Mix It Up campaign. The group set a modest goal to raise $30,000 toward an expansion into a new space and outreach workshops. By the end, the Mix It Up! campaign raised more than $61,785, making it the most...

read more

H’art announces 2022 Season

H'art Centre announced that a unique mix of artistic, educational, and environmental workshops, a partnership, exhibitions, and exhibits will be held under the umbrella of its 2022 Season. This year’s edition includes a set of creative initiatives and events that will...

read more

Big changes for MixAbilities in 2022

H'art's MixAbilities Inclusive Arts Training Program is evolving again! The six-module program, designed to enhance access to the arts by ensuring artists and educators are trained to effectively and empathetically support artist-participants who are Deaf and those...

read more

$42,300 OTF Grant Supports Virtual and On-Site Programming

Kingston, ON - In 2021, H’art Centre received a $42,300 grant from the Government of Ontario’s Community Building Fund - Operating stream. This grant, delivered by the Ontario Trillium Foundation, will allow H’art Centre to hire staff, continue operating its facility,...

read more

Executive Director receives Arts Champion Award

H'art Centre's Executive Director Katherine Porter was awarded the Arts Champion Award at a Mayor’s Arts Award ceremony in December. The Mayor's Arts Awards is an annual recognition program that celebrates high artistic achievement and recognizes extraordinary...

read more

A few firsts for the 2021 Doseger Award

For the first time, two Doseger Awards were presented at the Brook Catherine Doseger Endowment Fund Award ceremony in December. Victor Orozco received the initial award, which honours the important role that post-secondary students play in the success of H’art....

read more

H’art kicks off Mix It Up! campaign

The public phase of a $30,000 campaign to expand already benefiting from community support  Yesterday, H’art Centre and some early supporters launched the public phase of a fundraising campaign that will see the organization expand into a neighbouring space. The Mix...

read more

OAEA Awards MixAbilities Facilitator

H’art Centre is pleased to announce Karen Dolan, its MixAbilities Inclusive Arts Training Program Facilitator, received a 2021 Community Art Educator of the Year from the Ontario Arts Education Association at a virtual ceremony held last night. The Community Art...

read more
In development: Inclusive arts and long-term care study

In development: Inclusive arts and long-term care study

A big H'art Centre thank you to Amanda Ball and Lauren McKinley, two field placement students from the Occupational Therapy program at the School of Rehabilitation Therapy at Queen's University. This summer they dug into our outreach program called H'art Accessible...

read more
A summer like no other: H’art Studio

A summer like no other: H’art Studio

This summer is full of virtual adventures and music. H'art Studio artists are exploring our city through virtual tours of art galleries and museums. We are discovering sights near and far and imagining wide-open spaces. We are starting with watercolours and mixed...

read more

Feedback from MixAbilities Inaugural

It is always a pleasure to get feedback from people who benefit from our programs. Sarah Howard is a community artist, musician, and songwriter who participated in a full-day MixAbilities Inclusive Arts Training inaugural event in June. It inspired her to post her...

read more

Message from our Founder: Build back a stronger arts sector

Recently, I listened to the 10/3 podcast, “How COVID-19 dropped the curtain on Canada’s arts sector”. Calgary Herald arts reporter Eric Volmers spoke with clarity about the value of the arts sector in Canada and how it has taken a beating during the pandemic. Many of...

read more
Go Wireless: A lifeline for seniors

Go Wireless: A lifeline for seniors

Seniors at Fairmount Home were already preparing to use technology to stay engaged and active before the pandemic hit thanks to a pilot project launched by H’art Centre’s outreach program in December 2018 and implemented in 2019.  “Little did we know that our Go...

read more
Senior volunteer spreads the love

Senior volunteer spreads the love

Long-time H’art Centre volunteer June Methot presented Sonia Gentile, Executive Director of Family and Children's Services of Frontenac, Lennox and Addington with 20 “masked” teddy bears for the children served by the organization. Methot, 88, made the bears by hand...

read more
Remembering Shirley

Remembering Shirley

Our sincere condolences go to the family and friends of Shirley Ballantyne. We know there are many. Shirley was a true community champion. She was a volunteer and then a member of H’art’s board of directors for three years. Even after she finished her term on the...

read more
Studio artists salute community helpers

Studio artists salute community helpers

The first in a series of Finding Good art sales is here –– and available to you online! This collection features 14 painted wood sculptures. The sculptures depict the helpers in our community. Look for a celebration of doctors, teachers, nurses, zoo keepers, 911...

read more
H’art shares expertise across Ontario

H’art shares expertise across Ontario

Special Olympics Ontario invited Executive Director Katherine Porter and MixAbilities Facilitator Karen Dolan, along with 40+ art educators, instructors, and other education and learning admin staff, to be part of a three-hour panel designed to support the Art Gallery...

read more
When the world shuts down, Artists Connect!

When the world shuts down, Artists Connect!

From January to March, the "Artist Connect" project brought artists from across Canada together to talk about making art in the digital world. Artist Connect was presented by Ottawa’s BEING Studio, in partnership with H'art Centre (Kingston), The Space (Ottawa),...

read more
Book your transition presentation now

Book your transition presentation now

Ready to spread your wings? H’art Centre is here if you! H'art Studio offers limited on-site programming and a virtual H’art Studio program. Remember, you can join Virtual H'art Studio anytime, from anywhere. Teachers, administrators, and parent organizations!...

read more
Project: MixAbilities Inaugural

Project: MixAbilities Inaugural

Thanks to the MixAbilities "Inaugural" Project, H'art will invite 10 community artists to complete our MixAbilities Inclusive Arts Training, including a practicum option, and explore our online best practices. We will further build our roster of community artists...

read more