The Ontario government has announced a $230,700 investment to support the expansion of community programs in Pembroke and the surrounding region. MPP Billy Denault shared the news on March 10, 2026, confirming that the funding will go toward the Ottawa Valley Community Arts Open Studio to grow its ART Helps initiative.
The funding is provided through the Ontario Trillium Foundation, an agency of the Ministry of Tourism, Culture and Gaming. This grant is part of a larger provincial effort that saw over $47.5 million distributed to 153 non-profit organizations, First Nations, and small municipalities across the province to help them improve and expand their services.
The ART Helps program, led by Artistic Director Anya Gansterer, is designed to support mental health and reduce loneliness by connecting participants with nature through art-making. Workshops currently feature a variety of natural materials, including wood, glass, water, plants, stone, clay, animal fibre and sound. With this new funding, the program will expand its reach starting in 2026 to include media and performing arts, alongside its established visual arts offerings.
Since 2018, the Ontario government has invested more than $857 million in over 7,700 projects through the foundation. These grants are aimed at strengthening community wellbeing by supporting organizations like the Ottawa Valley Community Arts, which has been working to integrate music, drama, and visual arts into the lives of local residents since 2011. According to MPP Billy Denault, who serves as the Parliamentary Assistant to the Minister of Tourism, Culture and Gaming, this investment is a step toward building more vibrant and healthy communities in the region.
