Ontario Culture Days

05/28/2026

Planning an Ontario Culture Days festival event? 🎨 Everything you need is right here! 📍

Whether you're a seasoned organizer or planning your very first cultural program, we have put together a collection of free resources to help you create an accessible, fun, and successful event!

What you’ll find in our Organizer Resources:
✨ Step-by-Step Guides: Check out our Organizer Primer and download the handy Event Organizer Checklist to stay completely on track.
✨ Marketing Tools: Access our 2026 Marketing Assets and templates to help you get the word out about your event
✨ Best Practices & Tips: Learn how to enhance festival accessibility with expert advice, get tips on ensuring fair pay for your artists, and more!

From tracking your logistics to maximizing your local outreach, we've got you covered every step of the way. Let’s make this year's celebration of arts, culture, and heritage the best one yet! 🙌

Ready to bring your event to life?

🔗 Explore the full library of Organizer Resources here: https://buff.ly/uUlEgg2

📷 Natalie King’s “As the Flowers Return” at HTO Park, Photo by Sarah Hassanein ()

05/27/2026

We are hiring! 🚀 Marketing & Outreach Assistant in Sault Ste. Marie! 📍

Do you love social media and graphic design, and are passionate about arts and culture? Ontario Culture Days is looking for a creative individual to help us bring our fall festival and Northern Ontario initiatives to life!

From designing social graphics to supporting coordination of on-the-ground events during the Ontario Culture Days festival, this role is a fantastic opportunity to build your portfolio, shadow industry professionals, and dive deep into the province’s arts and culture sector.

The Details:
✨ $21.50/hr | 31 hours/week
✨ Work in-office at our Sault Ste. Marie location (with some hybrid hours available)
✨ Start date: June 15, 2026

Eligibility:
✅ Must be between 15 and 30 years old at the start of employment
✅ Be a Canadian citizen, permanent resident, or person to whom refugee protection has been conferred under the Immigration and Refugee Protection Act for the duration of the employment (International Students are ineligible due to position funding structure)
✅ Have a valid Social Insurance Number at the start of employment and be legally entitled to work in Canada in accordance with relevant provincial or territorial legislation and regulations
✅ Must be a student or recent graduate within the past 6 months

Ready to make an impact? 📩 Send your resume and a 1-page cover letter to [email protected] (Subject: Marketing and Outreach Assistant, Sault Ste. Marie).

🔗 Read the full job description here: https://buff.ly/mUN22rl

📷 Sault Ste. Marie International Bridge, photo courtesy of City of Sault Ste. Marie

Ontario Culture Days is always looking for new partners and collaborators in our mission to foster public engagement with arts, culture & heritage. Check back regularly for new opportunities.

05/22/2026

We’re still thinking about the incredible work from our 2025 Creatives in Residence! This cohort of 8 artists pushed boundaries under the theme “The Shape of Memory”, and debuted original works during the festival from September 19 – October 13.

The 2025 Creatives explored:
🌍 Narratives of migration
✊ Indigenous reclamation
🌱 Ecological interdependence
💬 and so much more!

It was a festival season we won’t soon forget🫶 Read the full blog article here: https://buff.ly/1Ngr14u

Big things are coming! ✨ Stay tuned as we prepare to reveal our 2026 Creatives in Residence cohort. You won’t want to miss the incredible programming they have in store for this year’s festival, running Sept. 18 – Oct. 4. Keep your eyes peeled for the big announcement! 🎨👀

📸Photos:
1. Oluseye’s CROWN ACT Installation at Niagara Pumphouse, photo © Giant Shoe Creative Agency.
2. Shary Boyle’s “The Sleeper: What Keeps You Up At Night?” at the Oakville Museum Erchless Estate, photo by John Jones
3. Natalie King’s “As the Flowers Return” at HTO Park in Toronto, photo by Photo by Sarah Hassanein ( )
4. Eunice Luk’s “Small Things (That Run The World)” at Niagara Pumphouse, photo © 2025 Dave Van de Laar
5. Ashley Manitowabi’s “Land Speaks” Installation at the 6 Foot Festival in Manitowaning, photo courtesy of Debajehmujig Storytellers
6. Roda Medhat’s “Hidden in Plain Sight” Installation at 4C Shared Space in Guelph, photo by Clea Christakos-Gee
7. Catherine Moeller’s “Fish Tales” Gananoque Culture Days, Catherine Moeller Highschool Workshop at Gananoque Secondary School, photo by John Serviss / Joviss Visuals
8. Isabel Okoro's "Magic Dreams (Gentle Grounds)” at 401 Richmond, Photo by Alejandra Higuera
9. Oluseye’s CROWN ACT an Installation and Workshop at Niagara Pumphouse, photo by Dave Van de Laar

05/07/2026

‼️ 1 WEEK until our Organizer Q&A Session‼️

🎨 🎉 Ready to make this festival season your best yet? Join our live Organizer Q&A! We’re diving into everything you need to know to create a standout event. Come with questions, leave with a plan and a dose of inspiration! ✨

🗓️ When: Thursday, May 14, 2026
🕐 Time: 1:00 PM
🔗 Register here: https://buff.ly/mD7IpwX

📸 Expressions in Clay at Queenstown Pottery, Ontario Culture Days in Niagara Region, 2025. Photo by Lisa Dahl.

04/30/2026

✨ WE’RE HIRING! ✨

Are you passionate about the arts and looking to make an impact in your community? We’re looking for three creative and organized individuals to join our team for the 2026 season!

📍 Open Positions:
🌟NEW! Partnerships & Events Coordinator, Toronto - Position open until filled
🌟LAST CHANCE: Marketing & Communications Assistant, Toronto - Applications due TONIGHT at 11:59 PM
🌟EXTENDED DEADLINE: Marketing & Outreach Assistant, Sault Ste. Marie - Applications Due Friday, May 8th

🟢Eligibility: Due to the funding structure supporting these positions, candidates must:
✅Be between 15 and 30 years of age
✅Be a Canadian citizen, permanent resident, or a person on whom refugee protection has been conferred under the Immigration and Refugee Protection Act
✅Be a student (required for Toronto positions, priority for Sault Ste. Marie position)

🚀For more information and how to apply, visit our website here: https://buff.ly/J07nKfl

📷️ 1: Niagara River, Image Courtesy Niagara Parks
📷️ 2 & 3: Courtesy of 401 Richmond
📷️ 4: Sault Ste Marie Museum & Ontario Culture Days Northern Office, courtesy of Kyrstiana Bourdage

04/17/2026

📢Calling all organizers! Do you have questions about the 2026 Ontario Culture Days festival? Whether you’re looking for tips on creating your event or are seeking inspiration, we’re here to help.

Join us online for a live Organizer Q&A Session where we’ll cover everything you need to know to make your festival events a success.

🗓️ When: Thursday, May 14, 2026
🕐 Time: 1:00 PM
🔗 Register here: https://buff.ly/D7Z2GVl

Don't miss this chance to get your questions answered and get inspired for the upcoming season! 🎨✨

Tag a fellow organizer who needs to see this! 👇

📸Arts and Culture Under The Lights, Photo by Chad Kirvan. Courtesy of the City of Thunder Bay.

04/15/2026

🌙 🌷2025 Ontario Culture Days Creative in Residence Shary Boyle welcomes the community to join her at the Oakville Museum Erchless Estate for an intimate talk about her evocative work, “The Sleeper: What Keeps You Up At Night?” on April 29th at 7PM.

During the 2025 festival, Boyle invited visitors to write down their fears and place them inside a sculpture resting at the Oakville Museum Erchless Estate. In a ritual symbolizing grief and renewal, the effigy was buried on the museum grounds at the festival’s end, and a "Moon Garden" was planted on top. Now, 6 months after the burial of the effigy on the Estate grounds, Boyle welcomes the public to experience the “Moon Garden” in its first stages of growing.

Visitors are encouraged to arrive early to wander the grounds, experience the “Moon Garden”, and reflect on the work in its natural setting. As the evening unfolds in anticipation of the full moon, Boyle will share the creative ideas and symbolism behind the piece, exploring themes of renewal, memory, and the quiet rituals that connect us to place.

Light refreshments will follow.

🗓️ Wednesday, April 29th, 7PM at the Oakville Museum Erchless Estate (8 Navy Street). Tickets $10 before tax.

🔗 Link to tickets here: https://buff.ly/vmbyA5O

This Creatives in Residence 2025 program was made possible thanks to the partnership of the Town of Oakville and Oakville Museum.

We acknowledge the support of the Canada Council for the Arts, the Government of Ontario, and the Ontario Arts Council.

📷️ Slide 1: Headshot of Shary Boyle, photo by Jeff Bierk, The Sleeper Box graphic, courtesy of the artist, Collage Graphic courtesy of Oakville Museum. Slide 2 onwards: courtesy of John Jones.

04/10/2026

🎨 We’re Hiring!

Are you looking to make an impact in the arts and culture industry? We’re looking for two assistants to join our team! Both of these roles will support Ontario Culture Days initiatives, helping to promote local events and foster cultural engagement across the province.

📍 Open Positions:
Marketing & Communications Assistant, Toronto
Marketing & Outreach Assistant, Sault Ste. Marie

📅 Deadline: April 30, 2026.

🔗For more information and how to apply, visit our website here: https://buff.ly/6PmbG6h

📷️ Niagara River, Image Courtesy Niagara Parks

04/03/2026

🐣 Happy Easter from Ontario Culture Days!

Please note that our offices will be closed for the long weekend. We look forward to re-connecting with you when we return on Tuesday, April 7th.

In the meantime, we hope you enjoy the weekend by exploring the arts and culture in your local community! 🎨✨🌷

📷️ GACC Mural Workshop with Julia YH at Oakville Festival Hub, Photo Courtesy of Jenna Centra