Thanks to a $1 million investment over four years from the Slaight Family Foundation, Workman Arts is expanding its art training programs throughout the GTA by partnering with Scarborough Arts, Urban Arts, North York Arts, East End Arts, Arts Etobicoke and Lakeshore Arts. The expanded program tackles the prevalence of social isolation in individuals with mental health issues and the lack of opportunities to build lasting social connections through meaningful engagement outside of the mainstream mental health system. Workman Arts’ art training programs are unique in the mental health sector because they do not treat the art class as secondary to the mental health benefits. High-quality art classes across all disciplines are facilitated by instructors with lived experience of mental health and/or addiction issues.

About COMMUNITY+Connects: Online

COMMUNITY+Connects: Online is Scarborough Arts yearly creative and professional development workshop series that aims to provide audiences of all ages and skill levels with free access to arts-based instructions from renowned Scarborough and GTA-based creative professionals.

Each year, Scarborough Arts offers a range of creative workshops that are free to the public and offer comprehensive skill building for audiences of all ages. Our COMMUNITY+Connects programs are offered as Spring Sessions (March-May), Summer Sessions (June-August), Fall Sessions (September-November), and Winter Sessions (December-February).

BIPOC Disability Justice (Un)Learning Journeys

Join us for Krystal Kavita Jagoo’s course ‘BIPOC Disability Justice (Un)Learning Journeys.’ 

Registration begins September 15th.

Jade T. Perry posted about how “people who are socialized to think they are able bodied” is MUCH more precise language than “able-bodied” based on how many “able bodied” people with chronic pain and chronic illness(es) actually need accommodations but do not ask for them because they have not yet reconciled they are not able-bodied, as she encouraged us to journal and work through this unpacking for our collective liberation. That Facebook post informs this course, as does earlier facilitation of Sustainable Resistance for BIPOC Folx workshops, through which, I witnessed participants’ engagement with readings from writers like Mia Mingus in community with others surviving white supremacy. Given my transition from an educator role in the academic-industrial complex to facilitating free community-based arts programming for BIPOC communities since 2020, I understand the value of accessible concepts that engage and illuminate the human experience. As a social worker with a circuitous journey to accepting that I am disabled despite supporting disabled university students for years, I worry about how BIPOC communities could benefit from a more thorough understanding of the need for disability justice, which inspires my course idea, which would invite BIPOC participants to percolate on their experience of (dis)ability. 

Each week, Disability Justice principles will be reviewed and discussed, and participants will be invited to reflect and write about their learning. Topics of discussion each week will be centered around the 10 Disability Justice Principles developed by Sins Invalid.

Dates: Thursdays, October 5th – December 7th, 2023

Times: 6:00 – 7:45pm 

Location: ONLINE

Salgal Gokani will be the ASL interpreter for this class. 

Questions? Contact Emily Peltier at emily@scarborougharts.com.

Chainmaille: Basics to Advanced

Join us for Lauria Poirier’s course ‘Chainmaille: Basics to Advanced.’ 

Registration begins September 15th. 

This workshop series will be an intensive 8 week Chainmaille making workshop. Students will start with a small project of a very simple bracelet, each week learning a new ever increasingly difficult weave, culminating with a beautiful pendant containing a swarovski crystal center. Students will receive all materials necessary to engage with the workshop including chainmaille equipment (professional pliers, jump rings, swarovski crystal, and beads).

Dates: Monday’s, October 2, 9, 16, 23, November 6, 13, 27 and December 4th 2023, Evenings, 5:30-7:30PM

Times: ​​5:30-7:30pm

Location: Online via Zoom

Questions? Contact Emily Peltier at emily@scarborougharts.com.