The KAC Newsletter | August '26 Issue 1

NEW Pocket Gallery Exhibit, Upcoming Events, Job Opportunity, & Grant Board Highlights!

July 15, 2026

KAC NEWS & UPDATES

A Fond Farewell

Dear KAC Community, 

It feels bittersweet to announce that, after two years with the Kingston Arts Council, I’ve decided to depart the organization for a new opportunity. However, I couldn’t leave without saying something to the community that made this work feel so meaningful. 

I came to the KAC because I believed in what it stood for: a more connected, supported, and celebrated arts sector in Katarokwi/Kingston. What I didn’t expect was how much working with all of you would make me a better artist and person. Over the past two years I’ve had the pleasure of working alongside, artists, organizers, and volunteers who continually showed kindness, generosity, and a real drive to change things for the better. That didn’t go unnoticed, and it sure as heck didn’t go unappreciated.

We got a lot done in just two years. We rebuilt the website, refreshed the newsletter, launched a membership program, redesigned the pocket galley, overhauled the volunteer program, curated a more welcoming office space, and completed the Artist Prosperity Project, which I hope keeps sparking honest conversations about how Katarokwi/Kingston supports its arts sector. 

I’m proud of all of it and I’m happy to have done it for a community worth doing it for. I wish I had time to do even more with all of you. I’ll still be around, still be at events, still be volunteering, and I’ll still be rooting for every one of you. I loved my time here. The KAC is genuinely something wonderful and I feel lucky to have been part of it for a while.

If you, like me, believe in the hard work that the KAC continues to do for us, I encourage you to join me in making a donation as a small thank you for everything they make possible. Every dollar stays local and goes directly toward supporting Katarokwi/Kingston artists.

Thank you again for everything you all have done to make my time here so special. Good luck to the KAC and good luck to all of you. 

Take care of each other. 

B.C. Gorrie (he/him)
Former Program & Communications Coordinator

POCKET GALLERY

LAST CHANCE: Q (we’re) by Harvey Tolentino Doniego

Date: 25 May - 17 July 2026
Location: Kingston Arts Council | Unit 115, 370 King St W, Kingston

Thursday 16 July 2026, 6:00 - 9:00 PM
The KAC Office | Tett Centre, 370 King Street West
Free & Open to Everyone

Join us for the final night of Harvey Tolentino Doniego's Pride exhibition, Q(WE'RE). This is a night about showing up and being seen.

Dress fun, dress camp, dress like yourself. We'll watch Fire Island, work together on a community paper weaving piece using kraft paper and pens, and share a few words from Harvey about their art practice and how this exhibition celebrates both Pride and Filipino Heritage Month.

There's also a little red heart box collecting answers to two questions that might shape Harvey's next piece: what's your queer armour, and what does your queer future look like?

Refreshments provided to keep the good times going. Tickets are free, but please RSVP.

Pride comes from community, and this is ours. Come sit with us!

EVENTS

Union Gallery
Date: July 29 - August 19, 2026 | 7:00 PM

Join Union Gallery on Wednesday evenings for low-stakes, thought-provoking drop-in arts activities and a chance to mingle with fellow artsy folks in Katarokwi-Kingston. This series is mainly geared toward older youth and adults, but all are welcome. These programs are free, and no registration is required!

Cultivate Art Commons
Date: 31 July 2026 | 10:00 AM - 11:00 AM

Join Cultivate Art Commons for a guided meditation that invites you to experience art slowly, openly, and with fresh attention. Led by mindfulness facilitator Jay Vidyarthi, this session offers a gentle way to connect with the artworks through presence, curiosity, and reflection.

There are always plenty of arts events happening in Kingston and the surrounding area. Check out our Arts Events Calendar to view our full list of upcoming events!

JOBS

Executive Director (Kingston Literacy & Skills)
Remuneration: $82,000 - $102,000
Deadline: 26 July 2026

Director, Public Services (Kingston Frontenac Public Library)
Remuneration: $127,927 - $153,262/annually
Deadline: 7 August 2026 | 4:30 PM

Marketing Coordinator (Queen's University)
Remuneration: $62,142.00 - $75,772.00/annually
Deadline: 11 August 2026

Theatre Critic & Researcher (Kingston Theatre Alliance)
Remuneration: $21.65/hourly – Part-Time
Deadline: Rolling

Upper Strings Teaching Artist (Sistema Kingston)
Remuneration: $32-$36/hourly (Part-Time)
Deadline: Until Filled

Guitar or Woodwinds Teachers (Long & McQuade)
Deadline: Until Filled

OPPORTUNITIES

Tragically Hip Inspired Show (Art Noise)
Deadline: 31 July 2026

Call for Volunteers (RoadTrip Music Festival)
Deadline: Rolling

Call for Filmmakers: Kingston Canadian Film Festival 2027 (KCFF)
Deadline: 15 November 2026

Call for Filmmakers: ReelOut Queer Film Festival 2027 (ReelOut)
Deadline: 25 September 2026

GRANTS

Below is a snapshot of upcoming grant deadlines. To view our more comprehensive and fully navigable database of grant opportunities at the local, provincial, and national levels, please visit the KAC Grants Board!

Short-Term Projects (Canada Council for the Arts)
Project funding for First Nations, Inuit and Métis individuals, groups and organizations for activities of up to 1 year in length.
Deadline: 22 July | 11:59 PM

Artist Entrepreneur (The Foundation Assisting Canadian Talent on Recordings)
Deadline: 23 July | 5:00 PM ET

Theatre Projects (Ontario Arts Council)
Deadline: 6 August | 1:00 PM

Seed Grant (Trillium Foundation)
Deadline: 19 August 5:00 PM

SUPPORT THE KAC

Love the arts? So do we!

When you support the Kingston Arts Council, you’re helping empower an arts sector that drives innovation, fuels the local economy, and enriches the lives of everyone in Katarokwi/Kingston.

Your donation – whether one-time, monthly, or annual – enables us to deliver impactful programs and services that support the artists and creatives shaping our cultural industry.

As a registered charity, we’ll provide a charitable tax receipt for your contribution. Join us in building a thriving, sustainable arts sector.

THE KINGSTON ARTS COUNCIL IS PROUDLY FUNDED BY