After nearly 30 years leading Kingston’s H’art Centre, Katherine Porter retires, leaving a thriving, award-winning community arts hub and a legacy of creativity, collaboration, and inspiration.
It is with mixed emotions that the volunteer Board of Directors of H’art Centre announces that Katherine Porter has shared her plan to retire in December 2025. A passionate founding leader and Executive Director since 1997, Katherine Porter will officially step aside on December 31, marking the transition to a new adventure after nearly 30 years dedicated to guiding an organization that champions inclusive arts for all abilities.
During her tenure, Katherine Porter helped H’art Centre:
- Expand artistic programming for adults with intellectual and developmental disabilities: From its beginnings as a visual arts studio, H’art Centre grew to include dance, music, media arts, and theatre.
- Grow into a national hub: From a small storefront studio, the organization became a nationally recognized, award-winning inclusive arts centre. As Senator Patrica Bovey remarked from the Senate floor in 2018, “These creative innovators are leaders at home and across the country.”
- Engage the community: Countless community groups collaborated directly with H’art participant artists, building a culture of inclusion, connection and creativity.
- Train the next generation of inclusive leadership: Provided hands-on learning to thousands of volunteers, students and artists, creating the foundation for the MixAbilities Inclusive Arts Training Program that will nurture future inclusive arts leadership.
- Advance the organization’s reach: By sharing our expertise at conferences, with organizations such as Special Olympics Ontario, the Art Gallery of Ontario, the National Arts Centre’s Arts Alive: Igniting Creativity Through the Arts web series, and by hosting groups from across the nation.
- Spearhead post-secondary initiative: Pushed for pathways for adults with ID/DD into post-secondary level opportunities, achieving a memorandum of understanding.
- Achieve recognition: In honour of her leadership and impact, Katherine received the 2021 Arts Champion Award at the Mayor’s Arts Awards, presented by the City of Kingston and in 2022 H’art Centre received the Business Excellence Award for Arts and Culture by the Greater Kingston Chamber of Commerce, recognizing H’art Centre as a leading inclusive arts hub. She was also honoured by the Rotary Club of Kingston with the Community Service Award and recognized as a Paul Harris Fellow in 2001.
“Katherine has put the heart in H’art Centre, through the community of staff, participants, and volunteers she has created a special place,” said Josée Thériault, Board President. “A place where creativity and joy exist among people who share their challenges together, a place where learning is fun, and a place where everyone is welcome to be whoever they are. The many initiatives and accomplishments of the organization have raised the profile of H’art Centre in the broader community, both locally and nationally. We are deeply grateful for her dedication and vision over the years.”
The organization has already begun the search for a new Executive Director with updates posted at www.hartcentre.ca/opportunities.
H’art Centre is grateful for Katherine Porter’s leadership and we look forward to honouring her remarkable contributions in meaningful ways over the coming weeks.
Update: The volunteer board of directors recently announced they created a new fund in Katherine’s honour, The Katherine Porter H’art From the Heart Fund, that will ensure her vision for H’art Centre continues.
Executive Director Statement
“It’s the perfect time for this transition since H’art Centre is settled in its forever home at Providence Village, secured support through a Service Level Agreement with the City of Kingston, has an excellent long-term strategic plan, and has a strong team with energy and momentum preparing for the next adventure,” said Katherine Porter. “I am deeply grateful to have worked with remarkable H’art artists, volunteers, students, community artists, donors, agencies, partners and staff to make a difference in the lives of people I love. I am excited for new leadership to bring ideas that will take H’art on its next adventurous chapter.”