Welcome to the Neighbourhood
Every year, over 150,000 newcomers arrive in Toronto. With a wide spectrum of lived experiences, language, and aspirations, the settlement sector aims to provide these newcomers with immediate support such as housing, food security, employment and schooling. Beyond those immediate needs, what can be harder to facilitate, is the sense of belonging and connection with one’s new community and neighbourhood. MABELLEarts has long believed that deep belonging and connection is effectively created through community arts engagement.
The Welcome to the Neighbourhood (WTTN) program aims to co-create innovation between community arts and the settlement sector. Through a variety of activities, initiatives, and events, the program supports Canadian newcomers to broaden their social networks, increase their opportunities for socio-economic participation and forge supportive relationships in the broader community to support their full integration.
Our current activities are funded by the Immigration, Refugees, and Citizenship Canada department (IRCC).
In 2021 We…
Delivered five outreach pop-up workshops for settlement sector partners
Engaged 30 newcomer clients from the Arab Community Centre of Toronto in four 6-week workshop series
Offered training to 20 newcomer artists; developed and delivered a new mentorship program for 2020's newcomer artists, with select internships
Connected two new Community Arts Partners with new Settlement Sector Partners
In 2022 We…
Delivered three outreach pop-up workshops for settlement sector partners
Engaged 30 newcomer clients from the Arab Community Centre of Toronto in two 6-week workshop series
Offered training to 20 newcomer artists; developed and delivered a new mentorship program for 2021's newcomer artists, with select internships
Connected three new Community Arts Partners with new Settlement Sector Partners
In 2023 We Will…
Deliver five outreach pop-up workshops for settlement sector partners
Engage 60 newcomer clients from the Arab Community Centre of Toronto and 60 newcomer clients from the Rexdale Community Health Centre in two 6-week workshop series each as well as events
Offer training to 20 newcomer artists in community arts facilitation; develop and deliver a new mentorship program to 2022's newcomer ambassador artists with select internships
Connect four Community Arts Partners with Settlement Sector Partners and support their programming to engage 225 new settlement clients
Produce an accessible digital toolkit on the subject of best practices utilizing community arts for work in the settlement sector