Youth Outreach: Connecting to Community Through Art – for elementary and high school students with (dis)abilities

This program provides arts programming to youth with intellectual and/or developmental delays in elementary and secondary school in the Life Skills/LRC classes.  We meet students once a month through the school year at Centre Wellington District Secondary School, Elora Public School, and John Black Public School. The sessions offer guided art instruction and ideas, led by an ECFTA Arts Educator, and assisted by classroom teachers.

The program is free to students.  Project themes are centered around community building and emphasize collaboration and success through personal artistic expression. The goal is connecting students to the community in meaningful and creative ways.

SUPPORTIVE ARTS | Weekly inclusive ART & mindfulness WORKSHOPS

WEDNESDAY & THURSDAY classes for adults with varying abilities. September through June.

Please visit our PROGRAMS-ADULT WORKSHOPS page for more information or to register for FALL, WINTER, or SPRING session blocks.

SUPPORTIVE ARTS is a unique and inclusive program offering arts-based learning opportunities and compelling artistic experiences to individuals with varying abilities.

2025 SUMMER CAMPS!

Elora Centre for the Arts 75 Melville Street, Elora, Ontario, Canada

REGISTRATION IS OPEN! 

SCROLL DOWN TO JULY/AUGUST TO SEE WEEKLY CAMP DESCRIPTIONS

SUPPORTIVE ARTS FOR ADULTS SPRING 2025

Elora Centre for the Arts 75 Melville Street, Elora, Ontario, Canada

Scroll down to MARCH classes. Click LEARN MORE to register.

EVERY WEDNESDAY 10 AM-12 PM

EVERY THURSDAY 10 AM–12 PM 

SUPPORTIVE ARTS WINTER WEDNESDAYS

Elora Centre for the Arts 75 Melville Street, Elora, Ontario, Canada

SUPPORTIVE ARTS 2025 WINTER WEDNESDAYS

JANUARY 8 - MARCH 5, 2025 

EVERY WEDNESDAY, 10 AM - 12 PM 

Weekly inclusive art & mindfulness classes for adults with varying abilities 

$180.00

SUPPORTIVE ARTS WINTER THURSDAYS

Elora Centre for the Arts 75 Melville Street, Elora, Ontario, Canada

SUPPORTIVE ARTS 2025 WINTER THURSDAYS

JANUARY 9 - MARCH 6, 2025 

EVERY THURSDAY, 10 AM - 12 PM 

Weekly inclusive art & mindfulness classes for adults with varying abilities 

$180.00

PAINTING BASICS FOR KIDS! 4-WEEK SATURDAY SERIES

Elora Centre for the Arts 75 Melville Street, Elora, Ontario, Canada

Artist Eileen MacArthur is back in the ECFTA classroom to lead a fast and fun, art-packed introduction to the basics of painting for young artists ages 8 +.

Eileen will offer guidance in observational painting techniques, transfer-methods, colour theory, value, brush handling and composition, and how to break a painting down into more manageable parts!

$110.00

OPEN STUDIO MONDAYS WITH EILEEN MACARTHUR

Elora Centre for the Arts 75 Melville Street, Elora, Ontario, Canada

MONDAY AFTERNOON 7-WEEK SERIES

Join us Mondays 12:30-3:00 pm this winter! Open Studio is designed as open-flow studio time, loosely guided by artist Eileen MacArthur.

$245.00

MIGHTY MATISSE! JANUARY PA DAY FOR KIDS

From bright solid shapes to colourful painted still life florals, we will ponder the beautiful and complicated inner world of French icon Henri MATISSE. Young makers will explore composition, pattern and colour, and learn about how artists tell stories with pictures!

sold out 

$70.00

NEEDLE FELTED LANDSCAPE WITH MEGAN CLELAND

Elora Centre for the Arts 75 Melville Street, Elora, Ontario, Canada

Join fibre artist Megan Cleland for a fun and friendly introduction to the art of needle felting in the round!

$120.00

Meet the Artists of ‘Quadrant’ – Opening Reception Event

Elora Centre for the Arts 75 Melville Street, Elora, Ontario, Canada

Please join us in the gallery to meet and mingle with the artists of our new 'Quadrant' exhibition!  A lovely way to spend a Sunday afternoon.  Refreshments will be served.  Everyone is welcome.

Artists Inspiring Artists – a FREE series to ignite creativity, presented by the Canadian Opera Company! – Session 1

Elora Centre for the Arts 75 Melville Street, Elora, Ontario, Canada

Event cancelled due to illness.  To be rescheduled.  Register for one of the other upcoming sessions!

New Year, New You! With the Canadian Opera Company!

Kick off 2025 with a burst of creativity by joining the Canadian Opera Company and Elora Centre for the Arts for a transformative series of 3 evening workshops designed to fuel your artistic spirit. Hosted by Renée Salewski, a talented Teaching Artist from the Canadian Opera Company, these workshops are crafted to push you beyond your artistic boundaries. Explore new techniques and perspectives through improv, acting, creative writing, and visual art.

Free

CIRCLE WEAVING WITH WOOL & NATURE

Elora Centre for the Arts 75 Melville Street, Elora, Ontario, Canada

WEAVING WITH DIANNE KENNEDY CRUTTENDEN

The smooth, flowing nature of circles offer a calming connection to nature.   Join tapestry artist Dianne Kennedy Cruttenden in our bright and cheery workshop classroom for a creative journey into the portals of circle weaving!

$120.00

Artists Inspiring Artists – a FREE series to ignite creativity, presented by the Canadian Opera Company! – Session 2

Elora Centre for the Arts 75 Melville Street, Elora, Ontario, Canada

New Year, New You! With the Canadian Opera Company!

Kick off 2025 with a burst of creativity by joining the Canadian Opera Company and Elora Centre for the Arts for a transformative series of 3 evening workshops designed to fuel your artistic spirit. Hosted by Renée Salewski, a talented Teaching Artist from the Canadian Opera Company, these workshops are crafted to push you beyond your artistic boundaries. Explore new techniques and perspectives through improv, acting, creative writing, and visual art.

Free

The Georgian Bay Series AFTER TOM THOMSON

Elora Centre for the Arts 75 Melville Street, Elora, Ontario, Canada

OIL PAINTING WITH RICK WORTHINGTON

The second in our GEORGIAN BAY series celebrating the work of members of the Group of 7, AFTER TOM THOMSON is an intermediate oil painting workshop for artists with some oil experience. Create a master copy of Tom Thomson’s iconic 1916-1917 painting The West Wind.

$150.00

VALENTINE POP-UP MARKET AT SCHOOLHOUSE ARTS COLLECTIVE

Art LOVERS❤️ Warm your soul this Valentine’s weekend!

Visit the artists of the Schoolhouse Arts Collective at the Elora Centre for the Arts, FEBRUARY 8 + 9 from 11 -4 for a heart-warming weekend featuring a Pop-Up Art Sale, Playful Workshops, and sweet ❤️TREATS! 

For more information, please visit

NEEDLE FELTED 3D SHEEP WITH MEGAN CLELAND

Elora Centre for the Arts 75 Melville Street, Elora, Ontario, Canada

Join fibre artist Megan Cleland for a playful afternoon of guided needle felting and learn how to take felting into another dimension! This class is suitable for beginners and those with some experience flat felting that want to try felting sculpturally!

$80.00

Sundays at the Centre – Women’s Winter Wellness

Elora Centre for the Arts 75 Melville Street, Elora, Ontario, Canada

Grab your bestie, sister or mom and join us for an afternoon to rejuvenate and reconnect!  With a focus on mindfulness and creativity, this session includes take home items, art project & materials as well as a special beverage and snack.  

Theme – Intention Setting and Mindfulness: Gentle Movement, Reflection and Art Project

$75.00

THE DRAWING ROOM! |  4-WEEK SATURDAY SERIES  | LIVE ANIMALS with Donna Hull

Elora Centre for the Arts 75 Melville Street, Elora, Ontario, Canada

Art-up your Saturdays in a playful afternoon of drawing with artist Donna Hull! Learn the 101’s of drawing from an art educator with more than 30 years of experience teaching in the classroom and beyond!  This 4-week series will focus on a visit from LIVE ANIMALS, the wonders of nature, drawing organic shapes and artist's choice of a naturalistic animal portrait, Owl or Horse! FEB 15, 22, MARCH 1, 8

$120.00

BURNING ON PAPER! PAPER PYROGRAPHY WITH HEATHER MARTIN

Elora Centre for the Arts 75 Melville Street, Elora, Ontario, Canada

Join Pyrography artist Heather Martin of FireWork Designs for an introduction to the art of burning on paper! In this interactive 2-Sunday afternoon class students will have an opportunity to explore and practice creating consistent lines, patterns, and shading with burning on paper!

Get Tickets $130.00 3 tickets left

Vibrant Visions: Beyond Words – How the Arts Bring Meaning and Connection in Life’s Final Chapter

Join us for our second afternoon in our 'Vibrant Visions' speaker series!  Our 5 panelists will discuss and present various angles and viewpoints on Beyond Words: How the Arts Bring Meaning and Connection in Life's Final Chapter, presented by the Aboyne Rural Hospice and the Elora Centre for the Arts.

Tickets are on sale now! (scroll down to purchase): $30 General Admission  |  $20 Seniors/Students

Get Tickets $20.00 – $30.00 15 tickets left

Artists Inspiring Artists – a FREE series to ignite creativity, presented by the Canadian Opera Company! – Session 3

Elora Centre for the Arts 75 Melville Street, Elora, Ontario, Canada

New Year, New You! With the Canadian Opera Company!

Kick off 2025 with a burst of creativity by joining the Canadian Opera Company and Elora Centre for the Arts for a transformative series of 3 evening workshops designed to fuel your artistic spirit. Hosted by Renée Salewski, a talented Teaching Artist from the Canadian Opera Company, these workshops are crafted to push you beyond your artistic boundaries. Explore new techniques and perspectives through improv, acting, creative writing, and visual art.

Get Tickets Free 2 tickets left

Sundays at the Centre – Women’s Winter Wellness

Elora Centre for the Arts 75 Melville Street, Elora, Ontario, Canada

Grab your bestie, sister or mom and join us for an afternoon to rejuvenate and reconnect!  With a focus on mindfulness and creativity, this session includes take home items, art project & materials as well as a special beverage and snack.  

Theme: Gratitude and Connection – Breathwork, Stretching and Hands-on Art Project

Get Tickets $75.00 11 tickets left

MARCH BREAK ART CAMP IMAGINING IS BELIEVING!

Elora Centre for the Arts 75 Melville Street, Elora, Ontario, Canada

IMAGINING IS BELIEVING March Break Camp!

A week where creativity knows no bounds. A place to dream, to believe, and to inspire. Where imaginations can run wild, where possibilities are endless, and art comes alive! For ages 5-12.

Get Tickets $350.00 6 tickets left

The Georgian Bay Series AFTER VARLEY

Elora Centre for the Arts 75 Melville Street, Elora, Ontario, Canada

OIL PAINTING WITH RICK WORTHINGTON

Rescheduled to Saturday, March 15.

The third in our GEORGIAN BAY series celebrating the work of members of the Group of 7, AFTER VARLEY is an intermediate oil painting workshop for artists with some oil experience. Create a master copy of Frederick Varley's 1921 masterpiece, Stormy Weather, Georgian Bay.

Get Tickets $150.00 4 tickets left

IGNITE! Art Auction for the Elora Centre for the Arts – a week-long event!

Elora Centre for the Arts 75 Melville Street, Elora, Ontario, Canada

IGNITE! Art Auction Week - An extraordinary art auction fundraiser event happening this spring at the Arts Centre! This special week will celebrate and feature the vibrant creativity of some of Canada's finest artists with a curated collection of beautiful original works from across Centre Wellington and Southern Ontario.

We are honoured to have Art Dealer, Advisor and Curator Renann Isaacs, working with us to bring this incredible event to life!

Artists Inspiring Artists – a FREE series to ignite creativity, presented by the Canadian Opera Company!

Elora Centre for the Arts 75 Melville Street, Elora, Ontario, Canada

Calling all creative people in our community who want to be inspired!   Join the Canadian Opera Company and Elora Centre for the Arts for a transformative evening workshop designed to fuel your artistic spirit. Hosted by Renée Salewski, a talented Teaching Artist from the Canadian Opera Company, this workshop is crafted to push you beyond your artistic boundaries. Explore new techniques and perspectives through improv, acting, creative writing, and visual art.

Get Tickets Free 26 tickets left

SUPPORTIVE ARTS WEDNESDAY MORNINGS

Elora Centre for the Arts 75 Melville Street, Elora, Ontario, Canada

SUPPORTIVE ARTS SPRING

WEDNESDAY MORNINGS

10 AM – 12 PM

MARCH 19-JUNE 18, 2025  

 

Weekly inclusive art & mindfulness classes for adults with varying abilities. We offer Wednesday morning, Thursday morning & Thursday afternoon classes, September-June! 

Sold Out $280.00

SUPPORTIVE ARTS THURSDAY MORNINGS

Elora Centre for the Arts 75 Melville Street, Elora, Ontario, Canada

SUPPORTIVE ARTS SPRING

THURSDAY MORNINGS

10 AM–12 PM 

MARCH 20-JUNE 19, 2025 

Weekly inclusive art & mindfulness classes for adults with varying abilities. We offer Wednesday morning, Thursday morning & Thursday afternoon classes, September-June! 

Get Tickets $280.00 3 tickets left

SUPPORTIVE ARTS THURSDAY AFTERNOONS

Elora Centre for the Arts 75 Melville Street, Elora, Ontario, Canada

SUPPORTIVE ARTS SPRING

THURSDAY AFTERNOONS

1 PM-3 PM

MARCH 20-JUNE 19, 2025 

 

Weekly inclusive art & mindfulness classes for adults with varying abilities. We offer Wednesday morning, Thursday morning & Thursday afternoon classes, September-June! 

$280.00

MAUD LEWIS TULIPS! PUNCH NEEDLE RUG HOOKING

Elora Centre for the Arts 75 Melville Street, Elora, Ontario, Canada

Let's paint with yarn! Join textile artist Caitlin Barrie for a guided introduction to the traditional art of punch needle rug hooking! Join us for an immersive day and create your own  a 9.5" x 9.5" vibrant punch needle rug inspired by Nova Scotian Folk Artist, Maud Lewis’s lively painting Tulips!

No experience is necessary,

Sold Out $120.00

IGNITE! Art Auction Grand Finale Event!

Elora Centre for the Arts 75 Melville Street, Elora, Ontario, Canada

IGNITE! Grand Finale Event - The exciting wrap-up event to our IGNITE! Art Auction Event. 

  • This is THE event to attend! Tickets for the IGNITE! Grand Finale Event are $50 and spots are limited, so be sure to secure yours NOW (ticket link below). Prepare for an elevated evening filled with artful cuisine, paired wines, and live music … all the while placing bids (in competition with fellow guests and online national/international bidders) on some of your favourite pieces. You might even place the WINNING bid and land that piece you have had your eye on! 

Get Tickets $50.00 27 tickets left

Sundays at the Centre – Women’s Winter Wellness

Elora Centre for the Arts 75 Melville Street, Elora, Ontario, Canada

Grab your bestie, sister or mom and join us for an afternoon to rejuvenate and reconnect!  With a focus on mindfulness and creativity, this session includes take home items, art project & materials as well as a special beverage and snack.  

Theme: Self-Care for Body and Soul: Facial & Massage Techniques, Inner Beauty Encouragement and Hands-On Art Project

$75.00

REDUCTIVE LINOBLOCK PRINTMAKING WITH AHMRI VANDEBORNE

Elora Centre for the Arts 75 Melville Street, Elora, Ontario, Canada

2-SATURDAY WORKSHOP MARCH 29 & APRIL 5

Learn the tools and techniques needed to create a two-colour image through reductive linoblock printmaking with artist Ahmri Vandeborne!

Reductive lino prints are created through a process of designing an image and selectively carving away details to print each new colour layer. 

Get Tickets $85.00 7 tickets left

PARIS MATCH! APRIL PA DAY FOR KIDS

Elora Centre for the Arts 75 Melville Street, Elora, Ontario, Canada

I love Paris in the Springtime! CEZANNE, MATISSE, & CHAGALL will pay a visit to our studio classroom this PA Day, as we create our own art-salon, complete with Edith Piaf as our background crooner! Aspiring artists will learn about the great French Impressionists and consider how art movements develop, by many minds coming together to create a community!

Get Tickets $70.00 26 tickets left

THE ART OF ANIME+MANGA!

Elora Centre for the Arts 75 Melville Street, Elora, Ontario, Canada

Anime and Manga fans. This class is for you! Artist Eileen MacArthur will introduce young artists age 8 + to the basics of drawing and skill building, while learning about Anime!

Get Tickets $65.00 7 tickets left

EASTER ART+CRAFT!

Elora Centre for the Arts 75 Melville Street, Elora, Ontario, Canada

This Easter-themed workshop will get young artists 6 + hopping in a fun-filled half-day exploring art, crafts, stories and art history from Easter traditions around the world!

Get Tickets $65.00 12 tickets left

WEAVE! AMULET POUCHES

Elora Centre for the Arts 75 Melville Street, Elora, Ontario, Canada

WEAVING WITH DIANNE KENNEDY CRUTTENDEN

Celebrate May Day with tapestry artist Dianne Kennedy Cruttenden. This workshop will offer an easy-going introduction to the art of weaving and go home with your own hand woven and embellished amulet pouch, perfect for the arrival of Spring!

Get Tickets $100.00 10 tickets left

DRAWING FOR ADULTS WITH EILEEN MACARTHUR

Elora Centre for the Arts 75 Melville Street, Elora, Ontario, Canada

Join artist Eileen MacArthur April 27 and May 4 for this two-Sunday introduction to the basic concepts of studio drawing. Students will work with graphite, conte and charcoal and explore the use of line, shape, value, proportion and composition. Using a still life set-up, there will be time for group and individual critique. This class will focus on observational drawing from life and how to draw what you see.  All skill levels welcome!

Get Tickets $100.00 4 tickets left

OPEN STUDIO SPRING MONDAYS

Elora Centre for the Arts 75 Melville Street, Elora, Ontario, Canada

MONDAY AFTERNOON 6-WEEK SERIES

Join us Mondays 12:30-3:00 pm this Spring! Open Studio is designed as open-flow studio time, loosely guided by artist Eileen MacArthur for artists who have some experience and would like specific guidance to develop or resolve their work. Classes will be collaborative and relaxed and offer both individual and group critiques, as well as affording the students to opportunity to experiment with various methods and materials.

Get Tickets $210.00 12 tickets left

COLLAGRAPHS FOR KIDS! PRINTMAKING WITH AHMRI VANDEBORNE

Elora Centre for the Arts 75 Melville Street, Elora, Ontario, Canada

Calling all budding artists! Interested in trying something new? Learn the basics of printmaking through the art of collagraphs!

Guelph artist Ahmri Vandeborne will show you tips and tricks on how to compose an image of your choosing, translate your image to a collagraph matrix (raised surface), and ink up your plate for some hot-off-the-presses printing!

Get Tickets $30.00 12 tickets left

POKEMON WORLDS!

Elora Centre for the Arts 75 Melville Street, Elora, Ontario, Canada

Pokemon kids! Join artist Eileen MacArthur for a half-day Sunday workshop celebrating the world of Pokemon! We will be making a Pokemon habitat using a variety of different materials and methods, including drawing, painting and sculpting!

Get Tickets $65.00 4 tickets left

PAINTING OUTSIDE! FAMILY PLEIN AIR

Elora Centre for the Arts 75 Melville Street, Elora, Ontario, Canada

Join in our local celebration of plein air painting this May in this 2-hour quick-paint class with artist Eileen MacArthur! Family Plein Air is a fun indoor-outdoor, family-friendly paint for all ages who want to experience art-making together!

Get Tickets $25.00 14 tickets left

ABSTRACT EMBROIDERY WITH AHMRI VANDEBORNE

Elora Centre for the Arts 75 Melville Street, Elora, Ontario, Canada

Artist Ahmri Vandeborne joins us for a Thursday evening introduction to embroidery this May. Learn how to take an abstract idea from paper to fabric in this easy-going, loose and freestyle approach to embroidery!

Get Tickets $65.00 9 tickets left

SCULPTURAL NEEDLE FELTED HARE

Elora Centre for the Arts 75 Melville Street, Elora, Ontario, Canada

Join us for a transformative experience with fibre artist Megan Cleland into the world of Sculptural Needle Felting. Whether you’re an experienced felter or a curious beginner, this 2-day workshop promises an engaging blend of artistry and fun.

Don’t miss this opportunity to create, connect, and be inspired!

Get Tickets $225.00 12 tickets left

BREAKING BOUNDARIES: USING LIMITATIONS TO EXPAND CREATIVITY IN PAINTING WITH AHMRI VANDEBORNE

Elora Centre for the Arts 75 Melville Street, Elora, Ontario, Canada

Find out how creative you can be when you set your own rules while painting! What happens when you only use two colours? Or when you have to use a tiny paint brush on a large canvas? Or when you use dice to choose what type of lines you paint and what colours you use?

Artist Ahmri Vandeborne will guide artists in a playful evening workshop setting limitations on tools and processes to help expand your creativity!

Get Tickets $65.00 11 tickets left

INTUITIVE ABSTRACT PAINTING

Elora Centre for the Arts 75 Melville Street, Elora, Ontario, Canada

Join Stratford artist Sal Cucci for an introduction to intuitive abstracts and explore your personal expression in this  playful and inclusive weekend!

This immersive 2-day workshop will appeal to painters of any level, whether you are beginning your abstract journey, or would like to deepen your practice.

Sold Out $290.00

LET’S VAN GO! JUNE PA DAY FOR KIDS

Elora Centre for the Arts 75 Melville Street, Elora, Ontario, Canada

Young makers! Take a stroll through the vibrant world of Vincent Van Gogh and explore his use of colour and line to create motion, emotion, and intensity! Let's explore the sunny side of painting and using LOTS of vibrant yellow, yellow, yellow and practice Impressionist methods of art-making, as we work together to recreate Van Gogh’s luminous sunflowers on canvas!

Get Tickets $70.00 30 tickets left

FLOW+GLOW! ART & MOVEMENT CAMP

Elora Centre for the Arts 75 Melville Street, Elora, Ontario, Canada

3-DAY CAMP FOR AGES 4-7

If your budding artist loves art, with a little get-up-and-go mixed in, this ART + MOVEMENT camp is for you!

We’ll invent our own junior yoga moves and get those ants in your pants dancing and singing, along with playful creativity and friend-making!

Get Tickets $210.00 4 tickets left

ART THEN+NOW! MINI MASTERS CAMP

Elora Centre for the Arts 75 Melville Street, Elora, Ontario, Canada

5-DAY CAMP FOR AGES 7-12

Let’s time-jump into the art time machine and look at Art THEN + NOW! This camp is full-on art making, trying out new materials, and exploring the connections between art today and art of the past!

Sold Out $350.00