Providing the thread
that weaves together generations
UrbanArts is a progressive, not-for-profit Community Arts Council
(CAC)/Local Arts Service Organization (LASO) providing opportunities for
diverse cultural expression, artistic development, training and employment to members of urban communities with a focus on youth in central west Toronto. UrbanArts is in the process of transitioning its delivery of programs and services to include the broader community.
Public Attendance
Children & Youth Served
Stats taken from 2016-2017
Artists Employed
Adding value to the neighbourhood
UrbanArts links the needs of those who create/make art, those who engage the artist as an essential element of their own development, and those who support UrbanArts because it adds value (sense of identity, lifestyle, prosperity) to the neighbourhood.
Featured Project:
My City My Six
'My City My Six' saw the delivery of 24 storytelling workshops in the form of poetry, spoken word, comedy and digital story-telling led by UrbanArts. Residents were invited to explore their ideas & share something essential about themselves through 6-word stories.
All the time people tell you that art is so hard to get into and you’re never going to get a job if you want to study anything in the arts. But UrbanArts helped me see that it doesn’t matter if people don’t believe in you. If art makes you happy, make art”
Italia Santoyo
“It’s a positive space and a very productive space. A very forward thinking space for people that are from my area who want to do music. With UrbanArts, they have a place to do it. It’s so important that I come to events like (CultureShock Community Arts Festival) because I’m the same as everybody here.”
Clairmont the Second
"Once I came to UA, a lot of doors opened for me. I had a place to train. I had a place to write. I had a place to be creative. I started off as a participant, which led me to volunteering. After that, I got hired to lead a program."
J-Soul
"What initially caught my attention was the FREE dance classes. We all like FREE things. What kept coming back was the energy, the vibe, and the positivity. I felt welcomed and even loved sometimes. It's hard to find all those things and to fill all those different types of emotions at one time, at one place"
Chris Dalagiannis
Thank you to our supporters
UrbanArts could not provide programs & services without the support and participation of its public and private sector partners.
