Connect, Create, Collaborate — Accessible Program for Families

Offered in partnership with Autism Ontario, Connect, Create, Collaborate is a series of family-oriented, accessible artmaking workshops developed for young artists living with Autism Spectrum Disorder and their siblings.

Each two-hour workshop, led by experienced McMichael Educators, combines explorations of the natural world with studio art activities. The program will provide an opportunity for the participants to create art at their own pace while enjoying social interaction in a safe and inclusive environment.

This program is intended for children aged 7 and up living with Autism Spectrum Disorder and their siblings. The participants, members of Autism Ontario, will be able to join the program with their siblings and one supervising adult caregiver(one adult and up to three children/family).

Workshop Themes

Nature Studio

Join our Look and Listen walk to discover the beauty of natural shapes and sounds, explore your personal connection to nature and then—at your own pace—creatively express it in the studio by engaging in artmaking activities.

Printmaking Studio

Discover the magic of physical and visual textures in an outdoor Texture Hunt and then artistically, use the found natural texture and other provided objects to experiment with printmaking techniques. And don’t forget about natural inks! Did you know that they could also be found in nature?

Sculpture Studio

Let’s create 3-dimensional art together using a variety of materials. Use clay, or other tactile materials to build something that has shape and form inspired by the colours in nature and activities of that time of year.

Holiday Workshop

Unleash your creativity and become inspired by the beauty of the winter landscape at the McMichael! Families will enjoy a gentle outdoor hike through the Humber River Valley, followed by time in the galleries and a hands-on studio session. Together, we’ll experiment with mixed media materials to craft a one-of-a-kind keepsake.