Welcome back members, it’s time to kick off our Fall 2026 season at Willow Arts Community! Registration is now open, and this season we are moving to a simple online form to help me navigate the registration process. I appreciate you all growing with us as things expand and change.
I’m looking forward to seeing the creative explorations you will take part in this fall. Here’s to another fantastic season.
See you soon,
Leigh MacLeod (they/them)
Founder/Director
FOLKS MUST BE A WILLOW MEMBER BEFORE ATTENDING PROGRAMMING
Membership is free and available to adults (18+) with lived or living experience of mental illness/substance use in Niagara. No formal referral is required and previous artistic experience isn’t necessary to join, learn new skills, create art, and meet awesome folks.
Membership registration can take 1-14 days. Learn more about membership and how to register on the Membership page of our website.
Drop In programs are available to all Willow members. You do not need to register or commit to every session, please come on by!
By Registration courses and workshops require members to express interest in registering for these activities. Current members will have received an e-newsletter from arts@thewillowcommunity.com with a link to the online form. If you have updated your membership information but did not receive this email, please check your junk mail folder first and if it is not there, contact us at arts@thewillowcommunity.com.
Open Studio is a great place for self-directed learning, collaboration, connection, experimentation, and sharing resources. Bring a creative project to work and share space with your peers. Some basic art supplies will be available. All Willow members are welcome.
Daytime Open Studio
Mondays 1pm – 4pm
September 14 to December 14
skipping October 12 and November 16
Evening Open Studio
Thursdays 5pm – 7pm
September 24 to December 10
skipping November 19
55+ Open Studio (Create)
Wednesdays 2pm – 4pm
September 23 to November 25
For more information, please visit the Creative Explorations webpage.
Writing to Share
Fridays 12:30pm – 2pm
October 23 – November 27
with Dani Hummell (they/them)
LITERARY ARTS
DROP IN PROGRAM
This 6 week drop-in program is designed for participants to share their writing and move from the stage of writing privately and into writing with the intention to share it – whether that’s poetry, a novel, a play, prose or creative nonfiction.
Willow Choir
Wednesdays 6pm – 8pm
October 21 – December 9
with Sarah Jerrom (she/her)
PERFORMING ARTS
WAITLIST ONLY
This 8 week course is open to folks with all levels of singing experience. Willow Choir members will learn to sing and breathe together, and develop musical expression through dynamics, storytelling, and explorations in sound-making. The Willow Choir will perform at the End-of-Season Celebration on December 16.
Gridwork Painting
Tuesdays 1pm – 2:30pm
November 3 – December 8
with Mark Buntrock (he/him)
FOR AGES 55+ ONLY
WAITLIST ONLY
In this 6 week course, participants will start with a grid pattern framework from a number or letter game like sudoku, board games, or crosswords and use a meditative, exploratory process to develop an abstract artwork.
Willow Weavers
Thursdays 1pm – 3pm
November 5 – December 10
with Amber Lee Williams (she/her)
TEXTILE ARTS
WAITLIST ONLY
In this 6 week course, participants will construct their own looms from various reclaimed materials: wood, cardboard, nails, and glue. They will create woven artworks on these individual looms using a variety of fibres and nontraditional weaving materials.
Sharing Your Arts Practice
Sunday December 6
2pm – 4pm
Visual artists, performers, musicians, and artisans are invited to join Willow Arts instructors June-Etta Chenard, Joe Lapinski, Andrea Eby, and Alex Deadman-Wylie as they 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 at the link 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.
Discover
Fridays 3pm – 4:30pm
September 25 to December 4
DROP IN PROGRAM
Discover sessions are an opportunity for Willow members of all ages to learn about interesting topics in the arts, explore new ideas, and take part in artistic conversations. Weekly topics are listed on the Creative Explorations webpage.
Drawing to Abstraction
Saturday November 21 from 1pm – 4pm
with Geoff Farnsworth (he/him)
VISUAL ARTS
WAITLIST ONLY
In this workshop, Instructor Geoff will guide members through the process of starting with reference objects or photographs and working toward straaaange scenes through repeated sketches with pencil, pencil crayon, and other drawing tools.
Willow and the NAC have partnered to offer three workshops for Youth this fall. These workshops are open to Niagara youth ages 17 to 29 and will take place in the Willow Studio.
Willow members, and family/friends of members, ages 17 to 29 are welcome to register at the links below.
Collage+ Experimental Photography
Saturday, October 17 from 12PM-6PM
Instructors: Jenn Judson + Amber Lee Williams
In this full-day workshop, participants will merge found imagery with alternative photography. The first half of the workshop focuses on creating collages using a wide selection of magazines, with guidance on how to play with composition and contrast. These collages will then be scanned, edited, and converted into negative transparencies.
Participants will be introduced to the fundamentals of the cyanotype process, including mixing chemicals, coating paper, making exposures, and developing. Each participant will complete a cyanotype of their original collage.
This workshop is ideal for those looking to expand their collage or photography practice, or for those new to these mediums who want to learn foundational techniques!
Collage+ Experimental Film
Saturday, November 7 from 12PM-6PM
Instructors: Jenn Judson + Connor Wilkes
In this Collage + Experimental Filmmaking Workshop, participants will explore the intersection of analog filmmaking, handmade animation, and collage-based practices. Through experimental processes, participants will work directly with 16mm and 35mm film, creating handmade and direct-on-film animations alongside physical collage techniques.
Participants will manipulate film by hand through scratching, painting, drawing, cutting, splicing, layering, and other experimental techniques, transforming the film strip into a space for visual exploration. These processes will be combined with collage methods to create unique, tactile moving images and animations.
Each participant will complete small experimental filmstrips and hand crafted 35mm slides, with heavy emphasis on exploration throughout the session. This workshop is ideal for those looking to expand their film or mixed-media practice, or for those new to those mediums!
Collage+ Sound
Saturday, December 5 from 12PM-6PM
Instructors: Jenn Judson + Matt Nguyen
In this Collage+ Sound workshop, participants will explore intuitive collage and sound-making. We will begin by creating individual collages guided by ambient music and intuition. These visual ideas will transform into sound exploration using instruments and found objects. Together, we will experiment with listening, improvisation and collaboration to create a group sound piece.
This workshop is ideal for those who enjoy collaboration and experimental art. No musical experience is needed – just curiosity and a willingness to explore!
