The KAC Newsletter | March '26 Issue 1

Volunteer with the KAC, Letters Between Us Closing Reception, Upcoming Events, and Job, Opportunity, & Grant Board Highlights!

March 01, 2026

KAC NEWS & UPDATES

Volunteer with the KAC!

The Kingston Arts Council is looking for volunteers who want to play a meaningful role in Katarokwi/Kingston’s arts sector.

As a volunteer, you’re not just helping at events. You’re supporting artists, strengthening programs, and contributing to a creative community where people of all ages, backgrounds, and abilities can see themselves reflected in the arts.

The next volunteer onboarding session is March 5th, 2026 at 1:00 PM.

Apply before March 3rd, 2026 to be considered for onboarding.


Why Volunteer with KAC?

  • Gain hands-on experience in the arts sector

  • Connect with artists and cultural leaders

  • Build skills in communications, programming, research, and event support

  • Contribute to programs that fund and uplift local creators

Be part of the team that stands behind the artists. Apply today and help sustain the creative sector that shapes Kingston’s cultural life.

POCKET GALLERY

ON DISPLAY: Letters Between Us by Kingston Hidden Artist Collective

Date: 19 January - 13 March 2026
Location: Kingston Arts Council | Unit 115, 370 King St W, Kingston

Letters Between Us is an interactive exhibition by the Kingston Hidden Artist Collective (KHAC) that invites a quiet, two-way exchange between artists and the wider Katarokwi/Kingston public.

Displayed alongside original artwork by KHAC members are two glass jars that form the centre of the exhibition. One contains anonymous handwritten notes from KHAC artists. These messages share things the artists wish the public knew about them, or words they have carried privately, including reflections, memories, truths, and moments of humanity. The second jar invites visitors to respond by leaving their own handwritten message of encouragement, reflection, or gratitude.

Closing Reception

Thursday, March 12th 2026
5:00 PM - 7:00 PM

Join us for the closing reception of Letters Between Us. Connect with artists from the Kingston Hidden Artist Collective, enjoy light refreshments, and gather for a special moment as letter responses to the artists are read aloud.

As the exhibition comes to a close, we invite you to participate in this final act of listening and reflecting.

EVENTS

Modern Fuel x Agnes x Union Gallery
Date: 3 March 2026

In this workshop, Em Harmsen will be highlighting different platforms for building websites. She will explain some best practices of designing a website that is not only engaging, but also accessible.

MEET EM

Em Harmsen is a multi-disciplinary designer and artist. She runs emske – design studio, a mindful creative studio that is environmentally conscious and adaptably minded. She has a background in fashion design, technology and accessibility. Em is currently completing a PhD focused on user centred design at Queen’s University. She is an advocate for inclusive practices and a big fan of slow thoughtful design and artistic work.

About Making Art Work

Making Art Work is a professional development series co-presented by Agnes Etherington Art Centre, Modern Fuel Artist-Run Centre, and Union Gallery. Participants gain enhanced experiential learning opportunities, develop a toolkit of skills in preparing for a career in the arts and extend networks with Kingston’s contemporary art galleries.

Diana Jackson x Emily Wu
Date: 14 March 2026

A playful, hands-on workshop exploring abstract printmaking, memory, and sculptural form. Participants will spend the day creating thin, layered abstract paper prints using a gel plate—prints that will act as expressive “skins” for a simple bamboo framework. These printed surfaces are then wrapped, stretched, and assembled onto the structure, allowing two-dimensional marks to become a three-dimensional sculptural piece.

Throughout the process, participants are invited to reflect on memory, traces, and what materials quietly hold: a written thought, a fleeting experience, or something the paper itself seems to remember through touch, pressure, and repetition. The approach is entirely experimental—there are no mistakes, only discovery.

All materials are supplied. Participants are encouraged to wear a smock or old clothes—this is a hands-on, get-a-little-messy kind of day. No prior experience is required; this workshop is suitable for all levels, including complete beginners. Please bring a snack or lunch for a short break midway through the day, along with curiosity and a willingness to experiment.

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

Production Assistant - Queen’s Quarterly (Queen’s University)
Remuneration:  $48,620.00 - $59,284.00/yearly
Deadline: 4 March 2026

Marketing and Brand Coordinator (Queen’s University)
Remuneration: $60,775.00 - $74,105.00/yearly
Deadline: 10 March 2026

Communications and Marketing Coordinator (Queen's University - Agnes Etherington Art Gallery)
Remuneration: $60,775.00 - $74,105.00/yearly
Deadline: 13 March 2026 - DEADLINE EXTENDED

Ambassador (Modern Fuel)
Remuneration: $22.20/hourly | 4-6 Hours Monthly
Deadline: 15 March 2026

Onboard: Tour Guide (Kingston 1000 Islands Cruises & Trolleys)
Remuneration: $19.05/hourly
Deadline: 8 April 2026

Party & Event Host (Michaels)
Remuneration: $17.60 - $22.50/hourly | Part-Time
Deadline: Until Filled

OPPORTUNITIES

Call for Submissions:
Annual Juried Exhibition: Mending Ways (Modern Fuel)
Deadline: 1 March 2026

Call for Auditions:
Very Heaven (Domino Theatre)
Deadline: 8 March 1:00 PM | 10 March 7:00 PM

Call for Applications:
Come Play by the Lake One-Act Festival (Domino Theatre)
Deadline: 29 March 2026

Call for Applications:
Organ Scholarship (The Royal Canadian College of Organists) 
Deadline: 31 March 2026

Call for Artists:
THIRDSPACE Emerging Artist Residency (OCAD University)
Deadline: 2 April 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!

Capital Grant (Ontario Trillium Foundation)
Deadline: March 4 | 5:00 PM

Dance Projects (Ontario Arts Council)
Deadline: 12 March 2026 | 1:00 PM

Media Arts Projects (Ontario Arts Council)
Deadline: 13 March 2026 | 1:00 PM

Music Recording Projects (Ontario Arts Council)
Deadline: 21 April | 1:00 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