Hamilton Artists Inc. (The Inc.) is a charitable, not-for-profit artist-run centre. It was founded in 1975, incorporated in 1979, and received charitable status in 1981.
Since its inception, The Inc. has been committed to the values of artist-run culture, offering an alternative to commercial spaces and established public galleries and museums by providing artists with opportunities for critical engagement, exploration, and risk-taking. We serve members of our community at all stages in their careers by presenting local, national, and international exhibitions, workshops, artist talks, and professional development services. As a member-driven organization, we provide our more than 300 members with an accessible and inclusive forum to address the social and professional needs of artists through workshops, lectures, and our dedicated Members’ Gallery.
As an artist-run centre, Hamilton Artists Inc. empowers artists of all career levels to take risks with their contemporary visual arts practices and present their work in a critical context. Our exhibitions, publications, and special projects offer education and mentorship, facilitate regional and national dialogue, and encourage collaboration, conversation, and critical inquiry. Our programs are free and open to everyone.
Hamilton Artists Inc. aspires to connect with our changing communities by taking an intersectional approach, identifying and removing systemic barriers, and supporting artists and art practices that reflect the people of our region. We aim to be a destination for critical, unconventional, and challenging contemporary art practices that contribute to regional and national discourses.
Our communities are local, regional, and national in scope. The following values speak to our commitment to these communities in the broadest sense.
Criticality, Creativity, and Art: We value art that is creative, challenging, and responsive to critical discourses, providing fruitful connections between local, regional, and national artists and art audiences.
Dismantling Structural Barriers: We are aware of systemic barriers within the art world, and strive to implement equitable models that provide true access and engagement with our programs. We are proactively taking actions so that our Board, Staff, and artistic platforms will reflect our diverse and changing communities.
Responsive to Change: We are aware of our responsibility to be responsive and informed and we are taking actions to ensure that our operations and programming can meet the emerging needs of our communities on an ongoing basis.
Mentorship & Education: We are committed to providing resources that offer all artists the professional development they need.
Collaboration: We believe in collaboration with community partners as a core principle that allows us to serve our shared communities through reciprocal fostering of creativity, criticality, inclusivity, mentorship, and responsiveness to changing needs.
