Workman Arts Scaling Project (2015 – 2021)

In early 2015, as part of Workman Arts first Ontario Trillium Foundation (OTF) grant, Workman Arts implemented a two-year project (Phase 1) to consolidate its body of knowledge and develop a scaling framework that allowed the organization to evolve from a practice-based service provider to an evidence-based leader and change agent.The initiative established many ambitious goals, including identifying three communities in Ontario to pilot the replication of our art training programs. 

In March 2018, Workman Arts was awarded a second grant from the Ontario Trillium Foundation (OTF) for Phase 2 of the project. Over three years we worked with selected partners to replicate our Art Training program in three Ontario communities – Thunder Bay, North Bay and St. Catharines.

Our joint vision was to reduce social isolation by bringing meaningful opportunities outside of the mainstream mental health system to socially isolated individuals with lived experience of mental illness and addictions. In each city, partners worked together to promote the program, refer clients, identify professional artists as instructors and support the implementation and sustainability of the program.

Our implementing partners were:

•       ArtFix of Nipissing, North Bay
•       Willow Arts Community, St. Catharines
•       Mindful Makers Collective, Thunder Bay