Our History

Overview and History of the Centre

NPCC was built in 1992 by the then City of Etobicoke specifically for our Resident Groups with support from Mayor Sinclair and city councilors. It replaced a bungalow also situated in the park, called “The Willows”, which was subsequently torn down. The Willows housed one of our Resident Groups: the Etobicoke Art Group.

NPCC doors opened on February 12, 1993, and became home to five of our six Resident Groups: Etobicoke Handweavers and Spinners, Etobicoke Art Group, Etobicoke Quilters Guild, Etobicoke Rugcrafters and Humber Valley Art Club. The Calligraphic Arts Guild of Toronto joined NPCC a few years later, in 1999, as our sixth Resident Group. All six groups remain with us today.

Since 1992, NPCC has been a not-for-profit organization, obtaining our registered charitable status in 2018. As an arts hub in Western Toronto, NPCC serves the community by offering arts-based classes, workshop, drop-ins, open studios, events and exhibitions within and outside its facilities. We serve the diverse landscape of Toronto through partnerships, outreach initiatives and community engagement.

We welcome all individuals to the Centre through free and paid programming and deliver free arts-based learning as outreach programs outside the Centre. NPCC provides gallery space as rentals in its fully accessible facilities of 4 studios, 5 gallery spaces, administrative offices and support spaces. We are proud to serve all demographics through our art exhibitions – we offer an average of 17 exhibitions per year per gallery, rotating on a 3-week exhibition schedule. Our internal programming primarily targets adult populations through the guilds we serve; and family and youth programming through the classes and workshops we offer. Externally, we serve a wide range of populations including youth, families and adults.

Our Studios, Galleries and Resident Groups

Studio A

Studio A is home to two Resident Groups: The Calligraphic Arts Guild of Toronto (also known as CAGT) and the Humber Valley Art Club (also known as HVAC).

Calligraphic Arts Guild of Toronto

CAGT was founded in 1974 by Alf Ebsen and incorporated as a not-for-profit organization in 1975.
CAGT has been a resident group at NPCC for over 20 years.
CAGT meets 10 times per year and offers a variety of educational and hands-on activities related to the calligraphic arts.
Guest speakers, artist demonstrations, opportunities to practice with experienced instructors and the camaraderie of shared interests are on offer.
CAGT works with all types of lettering arts’ materials from gouache to gold while learning about scripts, calligraphic history, design, new trends and more.

Humber Valley Art Club

HVAC was founded in June of 1951 by a group of eight women with art school backgrounds who decided to start painting again after many years in other fields. They carried their easels outdoors to paint landscapes in the Humber Valley area of west Toronto. By the end of the summer the group totaled over 40 artists and Humber Valley Art Club came into being.
The group painted in various locations over the years, beginning in each others’ homes, back yards and en plein air. Eventually in the 60’s – 80’s they rented space in the original wing of the Humber Valley United Church, running popular workshops for up to thirty-six participants. During these years juried exhibitions were held in various locations, including the O’Keefe Centre (juried by well-known Toronto landscape painter Doris McCarthy!) and the Women’s Building at the Canadian National Exhibition.
In the late 80’s, along with members of other art groups, they formed the Arts Centre Development Committee and began the task of lobbying local politicians, key among them Bruce Sinclair, then-mayor of the City of Etobicoke, to take on the challenge of persuading the City of Etobicoke to build a brand new Art Centre in Neilson Park.
Mayor Sinclair and city councilors were supportive of the project and fundraising began in earnest. Key members from five different art groups (two painting groups – HVAC, EAG & three fibre arts groups – EQG, EHS, ER) were integral in planning the interior design of the Centre, providing their “wish list” to the architect for the layout of four studios, two galleries, the main office, kitchen and other essential space in the Centre.
HVAC has been a not-for-profit organization since its founding in 1951.

Studio B

Studio B is equipped with tables, chairs, easels, drawing horses, one large etching press, one medium press and a small press, slot-hood and overhead ventilation, and a variety of still-life materials.
Studio B is home to the Etobicoke Art Group (also known as EAG).
Established in 1951, the Etobicoke Art Group continues as a vital group of practicing artists .
All EAG activities are run by volunteer members who enjoy classes, workshops, lectures, and exhibitions organized for their mutual benefit.
EAG classes focus on studio opportunities to improve skills in portraiture, life drawing and painting, painting in oils or acrylics, and printmaking.

Studio C

Studio C is equipped with tables, chairs, looms, spinning wheels and sewing machines.
Studio C is home to our three fibre and textile groups:

Etobicoke Handweavers and Spinners Guild (also known as EHS)
Etobicoke Quilters’ Guild (also known as EQG)
Etobicoke Rugcrafters (also known as ER)

Etobicoke Handweavers and Spinners Guild

EHS was founded more than half a century ago to encourage an interest in handweaving, spinning and dyeing, offering services and learning opportunities to members and educating the larger community about their crafts.
Their large scale looms are used by members for joint weaving projects like blankets, scarves and decorative textiles.
Monthly meetings feature guest presentations and, throughout the year, several weaving and spinning workshops take place, usually on weekends.
Most EHS members are interested in a variety of textile arts such as knitting and felting.
EHS participates in an annual gallery show of members’ work, participates in community events like the Royal Winter Fair Sheep-to-Shawl competition and the Etobicoke Farmers’ Market and has a robust charity knitting program.
EHS offers a weekly Friday drop-in and monthly Sunday drop-ins, along with monthly spinning-focused drop-ins, offering members the chance to turn up, share ideas, seek help, show recent achievements and, not incidentally, have lunch together, share stories and laugh.
At the core of these achievements is a dedicated group of volunteer executive members and chairs.

Etobicoke Quilters’ Guild

The Etobicoke Quilters Guild (also known as EQG) is one of the oldest quilting guilds in Canada.
Since EQG was formed in 1975, the guild has grown to more than 140 members and incorporates a wide range of interests and skill levels.
In its early days, EQG formed a joint quilt show with York Heritage Quilters Guild, which led to the formation of Quilt Canada.
In addition to monthly meetings, members enjoy a range of activities, including open studio time, educational workshops, annual exhibitions and juried quilt shows.
Members give back to the community through the long-standing “Comfort Quilt” program, which began in 1989. Members create unique and beautiful quilts to be donated to charities. Each year EQG donates more than one hundred quilts to provide comfort to people of all ages in hospices and shelters across Metropolitan Toronto.

Etobicoke Rugcrafters

The Etobicoke Rugcrafters (also known as ER) practice, promote and share the techniques of traditional and contemporary rug hooking in a congenial group setting.
ER’s membership represents all levels of skill from novice to expert.
During regular meetings, members work on projects of choice using various hooking styles such as: primitive, fine shading, asian, pictoral, geometric and many more!
ER’s regular meetings are when members can exchange ideas and information, and be inspired.

Studio D

Studio D is used for smaller groups such as our children’s classes and workshops.

Galleries

Neilson Park Creative Centre has four unique gallery spaces for artists to exhibit their artwork, connect with other creatives and celebrate their art.
Individual artists, artist collectives, independent curators and other organizations are all welcome to apply to exhibit in our galleries. Exhibitions run for a duration of three weeks. We welcome artworks of all mediums.

Art Space Connect Gallery

Art Space Connect Gallery is the largest exhibition space in the centre of Neilson Park Creative Centre.
It is a bright and spacious gallery with a 20 foot ceiling and adjustable spot lighting. It has over 130 running feet of wall space in a 1600 square foot facility.
Pedestals and moveable walls are available.
This is an ideal gallery space for exhibitions of two and three dimensional visual artworks of all mediums.