MARCH ART BEAT
by Sabrina Boyer, Programs & Education Manager
March was a record-breaking month for programs at the Art Gallery of Mississauga, filled with vibrant learning, creativity, and community connection across all ages.
We were delighted to welcome ESL students from both Ascension of Our Lord Secondary School and Heartland International English School for tours and hands-on activities inspired by the exhibitions of Shaheer Zazai and Whyishnave Suthagar. Students explored themes of language, identity, and storytelling through art, creating their own pixelated designs inspired by Zazai’s Excel-based tapestries, and composing letters in multiple languages—including Spanish, Italian, French, and Arabic—reflecting the rich diversity of our community.
March was also a dynamic month for our Art Hive programming, generously supported by the Hazel McCallion Fund for the Arts. We hosted three Art Hives this month—two at the gallery and one offsite at Huron Park Community Centre, with generous support from Councillor Dipika Damerla. Our March Break Art Hive on March 18 saw our largest turnout yet, with 130+ participants coming together to craft, connect with the community, and share in the joy of collective artmaking. We look forward to expanding this program into more wards across the city in April and May.
Momentum continues to build for our Art of Yoga series, as more participants join us to experience movement and mindfulness within the gallery space. On March 22, we celebrated our first sold-out class led by instructor Aman—an exciting milestone for this growing program. With April sessions now also fully booked, we encourage those interested to join our waitlists and look ahead to upcoming dates in May and beyond, where classes with both Aman and Pam will continue to offer welcoming, restorative experiences for all levels.
This month also marked the launch of our first glass workshops. In partnership with the Newcomer Centre of Peel, we welcomed 25 seniors to create their own fused glass coasters, each one a unique expression of colour and design. Just days later, we we held a sold out workshop for the general public, with 34 participants. These pieces will be fired off-site by one of our valued community partners, and we can’t wait to see the final results.
Finally, we celebrated the concluding session of Threads of Connection, our off-site textile workshop series held at Evergreen Retirement Community. Over the course of the program, participants created intricate, hand-sewn and embroidered works, reflecting on meaningful moments and personal histories. These powerful pieces will be exhibited in the Mississauga Civic Centre Great Hall from April 15–18, with a closing reception on Saturday, April 18, from 2–4 PM. All are warmly invited to attend and celebrate the artists’ work.
March was a month of growth, creativity, and deep community engagement—we’re excited to carry this momentum into the months ahead.
