Art Not Shame (ANS) received a 2024 Musagetes Fund grant during an important time of growth. The grant helped them open a new and fully accessible Community Arts Hub in downtown Guelph and expand their inclusive, creative programs across the region!
The Musagetes grant also helped bring vibrant, community-led programs to life. Projects like their Community Fabric quilt-making initiative, Queer Print Club, and Songbirds: An Unconventional Choir which brought people together to share stories, express themselves, and build lasting connections. ANS also co-curated Art As We Are: Creative Community Care with the Guelph Civic Museum, featuring zines, videos, and music from more than 200 local creators. By January 2025, over 7,300 visitors had experienced the exhibition!
A major highlight of the year was opening the fully accessible Community Arts Hub in September 2024. The space was designed with care and includes ramps, push-button doors, gender-neutral washrooms, a sensory-friendly room, and a community kitchen. The launch event featured live performances, an open house for all ages, and a gallery show with work by nearly 30 local artists.
Throughout 2024 and 2025, ANS continued offering a wide range of creative programs, like Open Art Circle drop-ins, Creative Calm sessions for youth with anxiety, artist markets, professional workshops, and events that use art for social change. These programs reflect ANS’s strong commitment to inclusion and creativity, and were shaped by community feedback through their Have Your Say survey. With help from the Musagetes Fund, Art Not Shame is building a more accessible community, where everyone is invited to express themselves and grow.