Room 13 has been in Harbourfront Community Centre, Toronto, since 2009. The centre shares a building with the Waterfront Public School which serves the children from an inner city Toronto neighbourhood on the shores of Lake Ontario.

Twice a week, Room 13 welcomes 21 children to paint, sculpt, and get dirty. The young artists are encouraged to develop and lead the art activities. In this way, they learn valuable personal skills and transfer knowledge and experience of different techniques.

In their own words:

“The arts are slowly being removed from public educational curriculum, which means that fewer people have the chance to develop creatively. Nothing against multiplication tables and grammar, but we think children need and deserve a well-rounded education. Plus, our students aren’t just learning art. They’re learning to lead, to organise, to believe in themselves and each other. So this programme actually matters a whole lot. It matters even more to the people who participate because most wouldn’t have access to art programmes otherwise. Room 13 turns children who wouldn’t ordinarily get the opportunity to participate in art programmes into painters, sculptors, photographers and entrepreneurs and helps them grow as artists and as people. It’s great.”