Campers in a circle holding hands

Seasonal Program: Waterfront Explorations

How can Harbourfront Centre’s unique waterfront location provide inspiration for artistic expression?  Program Description  Our 10-acre campus provides a picturesque background for our outdoor Waterfront Explorations, especially once spring weather arrives!  These programs are taught in our outdoor event tents and provide you and your students with the chance to participate in an unforgettable end […]

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Group of girls watercolour painting in classroom

Painting: Explorations in Watercolour

From washes to mark-making, students will discover the creative possibilities of watercolour and mixed media. Students will be encouraged to build their confidence by taking risks so they can explore the concept of abstraction. An examination of both historical and contemporary works of art will provide context for students to express themselves through their composition […]

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A group of students gathered outside Old City Hall

Urban Studies: Kensington Market & Chinatown

Encounter a kaleidoscope of culture in two of Toronto’s most exciting and diverse communities! In this workshop, your students will understand changing demographic patterns and uncover the fascinating cultural histories of Kensington Market and Chinatown.   Students will arrive onsite at Harbourfront Centre and participate in a 30-45-minute introductory presentation describing the history of Kensington Market […]

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Urban Studies: Harbourfront Centre Discovery Walk

Students enjoy a truly experiential learning opportunity as they explore our 10-acre campus, building connections between the relevant social studies or science curriculum areas. Discover the beauty of Harbourfront Centre’s waterfront community and everything it has to offer!  Kindergarten: Community Helpers  Grades 1–3: The Waterfront Community Grade 1: The Local Community (SS) Grade 2: Global Communities (SS) Grade […]

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Students sit around a group of artwork on the floor

Textile Art: Family Portraits

Textile Arts brings communities together and encourages collaboration. Students discuss contemporary and traditional textile works that have encouraged storytelling. Students create a collaborative piece based on a cherished memory involving friends or family using recycled fabrics, collage and fibre arts techniques.

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Students work on their artwork at a table

Textile Art: Social Justice

The textile arts brings communities together and encourages collaboration. Students discuss contemporary and traditional textile works that have encouraged social change and awareness. Students create a collaborative piece based on their vision of a hopeful, healthy and inclusive world using recycled fabrics, collage and fibre arts techniques.

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Printmaking: Young Collagraph

Students gain an understanding of the printmaking process and insight into how artists draw inspiration from the world around them. With the support of our Artist Educators, students explore the collagraph printmaking process by collaging an imaginary animal using textured materials, then ink and print at least one image!

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Printmaking: Reduction Lino

Students will be supported through the reduction process, carving away their soft linoleum blocks to create colourful, layered prints. Students draw inspiration from examining works by prominent artists, focusing on prints by Inuit artists. Students will learn about editions and leave with their unique prints. 

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Printmaking: Lino

Your students will be introduced to a brief history of relief printmaking by examining the artworks of prominent artists, focusing on prints by Inuit artists. Students will design, carve and print a series of colourful relief prints. Students will learn the techniques of relief printmaking using a soft linoleum block. 

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Printmaking: Collagraph

Students will examine printed artwork by celebrated artists. They will discover texture through the art of collagraph – a relief collage used to make prints. Best of all, students will leave with a series of colourful prints. 

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Two students proudly show us their artowrk

Mixed Media: Stencils for Change (formerly Urban Art)

Activists Unite! Students will be presented with historical and contemporary public artworks which call for social change or create awareness about local, national or global issues. Through the design of a stencil, students will use their problem-solving skills to make a simple yet powerful image with positive and negative shapes that express a need for […]

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Indigenous Studies: Exploring Treaties

What do Treaties, Land Acknowledgements and the word “reconciliation” mean? What should we do to foster a positive and reciprocal relationship between Indigenous and non-Indigenous communities?   Let’s go beyond the buzzwords and find out what happened in our history, starting in Tkaronto. 

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Mixed Media: Storytelling

Inspired by one of Jamaica’s famous storytellers – Louise Bennett-Coverley, fondly known as “Miss Lou” – our storytelling program will begin with discussing the importance of sharing stories to learn about ourselves and others. Next, students will hear a favourite story of Miss Lou to honour her legacy. Students will then create their accordion book, […]

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Dance: Urban

From street to stage, urban dance presents new ways to move! Drawing on different urban dance styles, students will develop their own unique dance vocabulary. 

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Excited young students practicing their Hip Hop moves

Dance: Primary Hip Hop

In this active workshop, students will work with an experienced dance educator to explore the elements of hip hop and the elements of dance. 

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Dance: Latin

This active and inspiring program highlights the rich history and traditions of Latin dance. Students will develop a vocabulary of Latin dance styles and demonstrate their understanding of these dance forms through creation and performance. 

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Dance: Contemporary Dance

Students will explore what makes contemporary dance unique and relevant. Through improvisation and choreographic exercises, students will expand their understanding of the elements of dance to create a collaborative composition. 

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Clay: Masks

Students explore the far-reaching traditions of making masks across a variety of cultures. These references will inspire students to make a unique clay mask using hand-building techniques. 

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A student working with clay listens to their instructor

Clay: Building Beasts

Welcome to the exciting world of sculpture. Your students will learn about the historical significance and current practice of using sculptural creatures as a vehicle for storytelling, protection, decoration or to serve a functional purpose on buildings, entranceways and gardens across cultures. These reference images will spark students to create a ceramic sculpture using hand-building […]

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