Our Fall 2026 Season starts September 14 and runs until mid-December. We have courses, workshops, drop-in programs, and more happening this fall. We look forward to seeing you in the Studio!
Visit the Current Courses page to learn more.
We’re excited to announce a new program of creative activities for Older Adults – Niagara residents and Willow members ages 55 and up. Join us in the Willow studio for arts education courses, Discover learning sessions, and Create art-making times.
Visit the Creative Explorations page to learn more.
Willow Arts Community is a celebrated peer-led arts organization located in the heart of downtown St. Catharines. We foster safe spaces for creative exploration and connections for people living with mental illness/substance use (MI/SU) in Niagara.
We offer seasonal, multidisciplinary artistic programming and creative opportunities at no cost to members. All materials are provided, and no previous experience is necessary for participation. We hire local professional and working artists to design and facilitate programming. This bolsters the livelihoods of artists within our community and builds peer networks.
We celebrate new and original work through visual arts exhibitions, live music events, festival appearances, and publications. We regularly facilitate special projects in partnership with local agencies and social justice groups. Public events and special projects allow us to engage with and reach the wider community, build connections and networks for our members, and reduce stigma.
Willow Arts is run by and for people living with MI/SU. Individuals with MI/SU experience inequalities due to symptoms of their illness, stigma, and poverty. Through participation, members learn new art skills, socialize with like-minded people, and communicate their ideas in an enriching environment. Our members have indicated that active participation increases a sense of belonging to a community, expands professional networks, and increases artistic output.
Visual artists, performers, musicians, and artisans are invited to join us on December 6 at 2pm for the St Catharines edition of Sharing Your Arts Practice!
Willow Arts instructors June-Etta Chenard, Joe Lapinski, Andrea Eby, and Alex Deadman-Wylie will share their approaches and advice for leading arts education classes and workshops.
Created for folks who are looking to build their skills in sharing their art practice in an educational setting, this workshop is an opportunity to learn from Willow Arts instructors and discuss teaching your practice with other artists.
This is a free workshop open to Niagara artists at all stages of their practice. If you are interested in attending, please RSVP below. You will receive a reminder email in the week leading up to the workshop.
If you can’t join us in St Catharines, we will be offering this workshop again in Welland and in Fort Erie in early 2027, so please keep an eye out for the dates and times of those sessions.
Membership in the Willow Arts Community is free and open to adults living in the Niagara Region who have lived experience of mental illness and/or substance use. You do not need any artistic experience to be a Willow Member. Membership is suitable for anyone who is motivated to explore their creative identity, whether you are someone trying an art form for the first time or someone with a dedicated artistic practice.
Learn more about membership and how to register on our Membership page.