ART WITH A HEART INC.

ART WITH A HEART INC. DELIVERS SPECIALIZED EXPRESSIVE ARTS GROUP PROGRAMS. COMMUNITY ARTS PROGRAMS PRIVATE SESSIONS AND ARTISTIC WORKSHOPS IN A VARIETY OF MEDIA. OUR COMMUNITY ARTS PROJECTS AND PROGRAMS ARE OFTEN RUN IN OUR STUDIO AND ARE USUALLY ACCESSIBLE TO THE PUBLIC. WE ALSO SUPPORT A NUMBER OF DIFFERENT GROUPS IN THE COMMUNITY AND RUN SPECIALIZED PROGRAMS WHEN REQUESTED WITH MARGINALIZED AND UNDERSERVED GROUPS SUCH AS WOMEN & CHILDREN'S SHELTERS INDIVIDUALS WITH MENTAL HEALTH ISSUES TRANSITION BACK INTO THE COMMUNITY OUT OF CARE FAMILIES AND INDIVIDUALS WITH AUTISM HOMELESS AND AT-RISK YOUTH CHILDREN AND ADULTS WITH PHYSICAL AND INTELLECTUAL DISABILITIES. MOST OF THE GROUPS AND INDIVIDUALS IN THESE POPULATIONS HAVE ECONOMIC LIMITATIONS AND ARE ON ONTARIO WORKS ODSP OR CPP OR OTHER TYPES OF FUNDING (LIKE PASSPORT FUNDING) AND HAVE VERY LIMITED INCOME FOR PARTICIPATION IN THESE TYPES OF PROGRAMS. ONE GOAL OF OUR PROGRAMS HAS BEEN TO PROVIDE A SENSE OF BELONGING INCLUSION DEVELOPING CONNECTIONS TO THEIR GREATER COMMUNITY THROUGH THE ARTS. OUR STAFF VOLUNTEERS AND PARTICIPANTS OFTEN DEVELOP REFLECTIVE EMPATHETIC LEADERSHIP SKILLS THROUGH OUR ACTIVITIES THAT CAN BE SHARED WITHIN THEIR COMMUNITIES AND SPHERES OF INFLUENCE AS WELL AS COPING SKILLS SUCH AS MINDFULNESS AND USE OF ARTS TO REDUCE STRESS ANXIETY AND DEPRESSION. WHEN ART IS USED IN THIS CAPACITY IT CAN HELP PEOPLE FIND THEIR VOICE HAVE A MORE POSITIVE OUTLOOK ON LIFE INCREASE SELF-AWARENESS AND COMPASSION AND FIND THEIR MOODS BRIGHTENED.

OUR MISSION AND MANDATE IS 'BUILDING COMMUNITY THROUGH ART'. ART WITH A HEART INC. IS DEDICATED TO USING THE ARTS TO ASSIST AND EMPOWER PEOPLE IN VARIOUS SITUATIONS OF NEED THROUGH MULTIDISCIPLINARY PROJECTS AND PROGRAMS. WE STRIVE TO RECOGNIZE THE UNIQUENESS OF THE INDIVIDUAL WHILE BUILDLING CREATIVITY CONFIDENCE AND SELF-WORTH IN AN INCLUSIVE ENVIRONMENT. THROUGH VARIOUS PROGRAMS WE ENCOURAGE TEAM BUIDLING AND DEVELOP SYNERGY ALLOWING PARTICIPANTS TO EXPLORE AND EXPRESS THEIR CREATIVE SPIRIT. WE ASPIRE TO CHALLENGE ENCOURAGE AND EQUIP THESE INDIVIDUALS TO JOIN IN AND BUILD COMMUNITY WITH US.