Providence Village Inc. (Providence Village) and H’art Centre of Smiles Inc. (H’art) are thrilled to announce their new partnership that will see H’art relocate to Providence Village inside the historic Providence Motherhouse building. This move strengthens both organizations’ missions as they endeavour to provide care and support services to support, uplift and empower equity-deserving populations in the Kingston and area community.
H’art will begin moving operations in April 2025 and will be fully settled in by June 2025, without any interruption in services during the transition. H’art will move into a large space in the south portion of the Motherhouse, previously part of the former Providence Spirituality Centre. As part of this move, H’art will occupy more than 4,200 square feet of space, providing ample room for their variety of inclusive arts programs, including H’art Studio and those focused on outreach, collaboration, and training.
“We’re beyond excited,” shared Katherine Porter, Executive Director, H’art Centre. “H’art is moving to a vibrant new central location that reflects our commitment to community connection and collaboration! Our new hub will be a warm and welcoming home for our programs, exhibitions, and workshops that inspire and engage H’art Studio artists and our many partners. A heartfelt thank you goes out to our amazing board members for their unwavering trust in us, to the board members serving the Village and to everyone who played a part in this journey. Together, with our new neighbours, we plan to nurture an environment where great things flourish, partnerships thrive, and every individual is valued for their creative abilities. We can’t wait to embark on this adventure at the Village with all of you—let’s create something incredible together!”
For more than 25 years, H’art Centre has provided opportunities for creative expression and personal growth through the arts to support people with disabilities and those facing barriers to participation in the arts. Starting out as a small organization in a storefront studio, H’art has grown into a thriving arts hub, and its dream to bring “inclusive arts for all abilities” has become a reality.
Laurie French, President & CEO of Providence Village, expressed her enthusiasm for the partnership, “We are delighted to welcome H’art Centre to Providence Village. Their multidisciplinary arts programs, participants and artist community serving adults with disabilities will bring vibrancy and energy to the Village. We are truly grateful for this partnership and believe H’art will be a perfect addition to the Village.” She added, “Back in 2016, H’art Centre was among the first organizations invited to explore the possibility of locating services onsite at the [then] future Providence Village; it’s incredibly fulfilling to see this vision becoming a reality today.”
Learn more about Providence Village here.
