Harbourfront Centre Welcomes New Artists-in-Residence and Showcases Their Work at the Fall 2025 Exhibitions Opening

A Craft & Design Artist-in-Residence at Harbourfront Centre carefully works on a new piece in the metal studio, refining technique and exploring creative process as part of the Fall 2025 residency program.

Celebrating over 50 years of shaping Canada’s contemporary craft movement, Harbourfront Centre introduces new Artists-in-Residence and welcomes sector leader

TORONTO , ONTARIO , CANADA, October 8, 2025 /EINPresswire.com/ -- Harbourfront Centre welcomes 20 new artists this fall into its world-recognized Craft & Design Artist-in-Residence program, representing artistic disciplines across textiles, glassblowing, ceramics and metalwork. Over the next three years, these artists will have the unique opportunity to innovate and experiment within a shared studio space and a supportive community of makers. Here, they will refine techniques, showcase new works in exhibitions and teach courses that invite the public to engage with the craft process firsthand, ensuring the next generation of Canadian makers continues to thrive.

“For more than half a century, Harbourfront Centre’s Craft & Design Studio has been a cornerstone of Canada’s contemporary craft movement, training over 500 artists, hosting international exhibitions and conferences, and shaping the evolution of material practice across the country,” said Cathy Loblaw, CEO of Harbourfront Centre. “By providing space, mentorship and opportunity, we help artists build their careers and contribute to Canada’s vibrant creative economy.”

Additionally, Harbourfront Centre is also pleased to announce the appointment of Janna Hiemstra as Manager of Craft and Design. The former Executive Director of Craft Ontario, Hiemstra brings nearly two decades of sector leadership to one of Canada’s most influential craft programs.

Hiemstra’s arrival, along with the introduction of this new Artist-in-Residence cohort, will be celebrated at Harbourfront Centre’s Fall 2025 Exhibitions Opening Party on Thursday October 9, 2025, at 235 Queens Quay West. The evening will feature remarks from leadership, an opportunity to meet resident artists and the debut of Meet Your Maker, an exhibition spanning the Craft & Design Studio and Gallery 235, inviting audiences into the heart of contemporary craft and design.

“Harbourfront Centre has long been Canada’s leading Craft & Design Residency, and an essential destination for discovering the power, beauty and relevance of contemporary craft,” said Janna Hiemstra. “It’s an honour to lead a team that continues to foster creativity, collaboration and connection among artists and audiences alike.”

Also running across Harbourfront Centre’s campus is Copper Canopy, a suspended grid of copper leaves that plays with light, shadow and movement, and Fluid Fossils, a site-specific mural by Winnipeg artist Anna Binta Diallo that explores time, memory and interdependence through human silhouettes composed of found imagery.

Thanks to the generous support of the Government of Canada, the Canada Council for the Arts, the Ontario Arts Council, the Government of Ontario, the City of Toronto and RBC Foundation, Harbourfront Centre Craft & Design Studios are open year-round, welcoming the public to see artists at work across textiles, glass, ceramics and metal/jewellery to explore the ongoing relevance of skilled making in today’s world.

2025–26 Craft & Design Artists-in-Residence

New Residents
Ceramics: Keenan O’Toole (Toronto), Marina Van Raay (Toronto), Nilou Ghaemi (Toronto)
Glass: Caelan Nowicki (Calgary), Eleni Papkov (Toronto)
Metal: Laura Papworth (Toronto), Rayce Min (Toronto/Halifax)
Textiles: Ella Morreale (Toronto), Liam MacAloney (Toronto/Halifax), Omar Zayed (Toronto)

Returning Residents
Ceramics: Emma Bickers (Toronto), Mariana Bolaños Inclán (Toronto)
Design: Christian Maidankine (Toronto), Kate Tessier (Toronto)
Glass: Bram Locknick (Toronto), Charlie Larouche Potvin (Montreal), Sydni Weatherson (Toronto), Anthony Toomey (Philadelphia USA)
Metal: Alan Guzman (Toronto), Ellinor Nelson-Hachey (Toronto), Viyan Petekkaya (Vancouver), Yalda Mohajer (Toronto), Jiho Choi (Toronto/Halifax)
Textiles: Khadija Aziz (Toronto), Tracey-Mae Chambers (Toronto)

Recently Completed Residents (exited September 2025)

Olivia Mae Sinclair – Textile

Mohammad Tabesh – Ceramic

Juliana Scherzer – Textile

About Harbourfront Centre  
Harbourfront Centre is Toronto’s waterfront community campus for arts, culture, learning and recreation. Spanning a 10-acre campus at the heart of Toronto’s central waterfront, it is a registered, charitable not-for-profit cultural organization that offers year-round programs and events accessible to all audiences. The organization champions established and emerging Canadian artists across varied disciplines and serves as a recreational hub for more than 6.3 million annual visitors. Whether hailing from across the street or around the globe, Harbourfront Centre offers memorable and meaningful experiences for all who visit. www.harbourfrontcentre.com 

Morganne Campbell
Harbourfront Centre
+1 437-771-4562
mcampbell@harbourfrontcentre.com
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