ArtHouse Halton has been providing free arts-based extra-curricular activities to youth from 7 to 17 years of age since 2009.
“We are providing these young people with the opportunity to experience the joyful expression of creativity and to cultivate life skills that will influence their futures,” explained ArtHouse Executive Director Don Pangman. “The arts foster confidence, resilience, empathy, teamwork, and engagement: important tools for success in life.”
He continued, “ArtHouse uses its programs to cultivate qualities that can teach youth how to “survive” in a fast-changing world: to be adaptable, curious, flexible, responsible, to be ready to take risk, and have a tolerance for failure.”
Recently, ArtHouse expanded its programming even further with its Pathways to Possibilities programming. Pathways to Possibilities include workshops led by special guests which can help ArtHouse participants think about their futures while they are still in their early teens.
“Pathways can show our youth that the “tools” they have gathered from our arts programs can be instrumental in helping them think about their futures, their careers and their contribution to their communities,” said Pangman.
Pathways workshops already in the works or being contemplated include:
- Financial Literacy (Proposed)
- Public Speaking (Proposed)
- Visiting an Auto Body Shop (Proposed)
- Youth Amplified (Sheridan College) – post-secondary education opportunities (Continuing)
- Halton Regional Police – careers in law enforcement and community engagement (Continuing)
- Art Gallery of Burlington and Oakville Galleries – special arts-based workshops (Continuing)
- Centre for Skills Development – introduction to the Trades (Second Session)
“We have been working closely with the Halton Police to show our youth the approximately 30 career choices there are available, under the umbrella of the police force,” said Pangman. “Things like the tactical and canine units, enforcement, forensics, etc. These are choices the kids get really excited about.”
ArtHouse recently participated in an Impact Study led by Dalhousie University’s Resilience Research Centre (Dr. Michael Ungar), with survey results released in February 2024.
Pangman elaborated, “The results confirmed significant increases in confidence, self-esteem, resilience, and future orientation along with a recommendation that we boost our participation in neighbourhoods where we can best benefit our young people.”
Buoyed by these outcomes, ArtHouse is embarking on new rounds of workshops in its Pathways program, as well as continuing its weekly arts-based programming in neighbourhoods in North Halton, Oakville, and Burlington.
Both participating parents and youth are enthusiastic about the ArtHouse experience. A recent youth participant said, “ArtHouse makes me feel welcomed and appreciated. Everybody is so nice and caring and I’ve made so many friends in ArtHouse over the years. I feel like I’m in a safe space when I’m there and there’s no judgement.”
An ArtHouse parent added, ““We are beyond grateful that ArtHouse programs exist for families who may not have the financial means to support their child’s passion. We think it’s also a wonderful idea to offer a variety of programs because children can freely explore. Because of this, we have seen our daughter thrive in this warm and nurturing environment. ArtHouse has made us feel welcome and at home in this new country.”
For more information on ArtHouse and ways to be involved, go here.