Access Alliance Arts for Family Health
Weaving together community: Individual to collective tapestry
“Over, under, over, under.” Throughout the summer at Access Alliance Danforth, this rhythmic mantra became the heartbeat of the Nesting Grounds weaving program. What began as individual threads on handmade cardboard looms gradually transformed into a collective piece.
The program was led by Ebru Winegard, a Turkish newcomer and community artist who brought the art of weaving to a multi-generational group. For Ebru, the craft is inseparable from identity. “For me, weaving is a connection to my heritage and to my mother,” she shares. “My earliest memory is watching her weave on a huge loom that covered an entire wall. Returning to weaving later in life helped me reconnect with her and with where I come from.”
Like many art forms, weaving holds deep-seated memories. For Ebru, it also served as a bridge during her own transition to Canada. “As a newcomer, I remember desperately needing spaces where I could connect with others. Art creates that space. Even if we don’t share a language, we can still connect through what we create.”
The program engaged on average of 25 to 30 participants each week to broaden their technical skills. Mother brought their children and grandmothers, making this program a family endeavor. Ebru support skills development of diverse cultural traditions, including Middle Eastern, Iranian, and Turkish weaving and knot techniques, as well as basket weaving. To ensure the art remained accessible beyond the program, staff and participants learned to construct looms from everyday household materials.
The program also provided a unique space for participants to reclaim past identities. One participant, who helped join the individual pieces into a larger, vibrant tapestry, shared, “I liked the sewing because, back in my home country, I used to be a surgeon.” It was a poignant reminder of how the skills and professional experiences newcomers bring with them can find new, healing expressions in their new homes. “Art is one of the best ways to build connection. You can see what someone has made, appreciate it, and understand something about them without needing words.” says Ebru.
For many, it was their first time weaving. Some discovered the joy of trying something new, building confidence and creativity, while others learned patience and perseverance, skills that carried over into other parts of their lives, including their healthcare journeys. Many participants expressed interest in connecting with a health coach or mental health support, showing the broader impact of creative programming on well-being.
A participant expressed “I didn’t think I was creative at all, but after eight weeks I was so proud of what I made. Weaving is slow and tactile, it helped me slow down in a fast-paced world, and the rhythm of it made me feel calmer.” Ebru also notes the different ways participant interacted in the program observing that “some participants didn’t create much in the first few weeks, but later they were finishing a piece every session. It showed me that sometimes people just need time before they open up.”
Ebru reflects on this new opportunity at Access Alliance, “working within a healthcare settlement agency made me feel supported as a facilitator. I could focus on knowing the participants, facilitating the art form and felt assured there was a team to offer support participants in other ways., like their mental health and health. Over the weeks, we built real connections, it became a space where people could freely choose and express themselves.”
Following this experience, Ebru also reflects on her journey as a community artist in Canada. With a deep felt sense of gratitude, she relays that “community arts anchored me in this country. Through this work, I began to feel that I could call this place home. That freedom to pick the color you want, to create without restriction is what community engagement means to me.”
The program’s intergenerational design welcomed grandparents, parents, and children, strengthening community bonds and supporting newcomer mental health through shared expression. By creating a safe space for dialogue, the sessions helped families navigate the transition of settlement together while reinforcing cultural continuity.
Ultimately, the Summer Weaving Program demonstrated that community-based art does more than produce creative work; it builds participant confidence, fosters cross-generational connection, and ensures newcomer communities feel seen, valued, and supported.
Learn about expressive arts programs: https://accessalliance.ca/programs-services/community-programs/
