Arts Education reverberates past the walls at the Werklund Centre, where teachers, students and the community unite to cultivate a diverse arts scene accessible to everyone.
The newly named Werklund Centre (formerly Arts Commons) believes in reimagining art education to create a vibrant and inclusive learning experience that ignites the imaginations of both teachers and students while nurturing creativity for generations to come.
Each year, the Werklund Centre hires between 500 and 600 teaching artists, connecting students with professional artists across a wide range of disciplines, says Karen Youngberg, Associate Director of Education at Werklund Centre.
“There are many different ways in which an artist can engage in Werklund Centre,” Youngberg says, adding that the arts education programming is reflecting what the community needs.
“An artist can be part of the TD Incubator program and show their work through the galleries or Amplify program, they can be a teaching artist, they can perform, they collaborate with other artists, they can do spoken word; there are lots of different ways in which community is supported past the classroom.”
Programming is designed to defy traditional classroom instruction, Youngberg explains, adding students don’t just learn about the arts — they step onto stages, explore behind-the-scenes spaces and spend a full week immersed in creative practice.
“Learning about the arts is not just in the classroom, it’s beyond the walls,” she adds.
Inclusivity and accessibility
Werklund Centre continues to expand access to arts education through fully funded, immersive programs for students across the city, with a focus on sectors that face barriers to participation.
Limited budgets can make arts programming difficult to access, particularly in communities with new immigrant families and working-parent households, but with financial support from the centre’s sponsors, financial barriers are removed.
“We believe the arts are for everyone, and we do our best to make it accessible for every ability,” Youngberg adds.
In addition to workshops led by teaching artists, students experience parts of the building typically unseen by the public, offering insight into the various roles that support artistic production.
These experiences help broaden students’ understanding of creative careers, explains Paula Timm, Werklund Centre's Arts Education Specialist and teaching artist.
“By the time students leave, they’ve seen that art can be anything from design and performance to technical and production roles,” Timm says, adding that the centre conducts pre and post surveys for each program.
“The survey results indicate increased student appreciation for the arts, alongside heightened joy and peer connection.”
Unlocking potential and creativity
Teachers regularly report discovering new skills and unlocking levels of engagement in students that were not previously visible in classroom settings.
Inclusive programming remains a cornerstone of the centre’s work. Students with diverse learning needs and abilities are welcomed alongside their peers, says Timm.
“We welcome them into the space the exact same way we welcome anybody else. Our diverse learners teach us so much more than we teach them.”
Werklund Centre teaching artist, Jenny Dale, is an illustrator, puppeteer, author and classroom teacher with a focus on painting figures and landscapes. She teaches a wide range of mediums, including found-object assemblage, collage and puppetry.
This year at the Werklund Centre, Dale is leading a monarch butterfly puppet project, a mask project and a bunraku-style puppetry project.
“One of the most fulfilling parts of this work has been witnessing just how powerful the arts can be for children,” she says, adding she enjoys the opportunity to collaborate with artists from many different disciplines.
“Through that collaboration, we can create truly meaningful and memorable experiences for students. I have seen students find their voice and discover their passions…and I have also seen students learn to collaborate and accept one another’s differences.”
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