Founded in 2002 and located in an 1856 heritage schoolhouse, the Elora Centre for the Arts (“ECFTA”) is Centre Wellington, Ontario’s arts and cultural hub. We are a charitable organization that promotes, teaches and nourishes the creation and appreciation of the arts through exhibitions, events, and workshops for all ages. ECFTA is a leading exhibitor in the region; gallery spaces feature the work of almost 300 artists and artisans annually, and welcome over 14,000 visitors. We provide outreach and in-house arts educational services to over 5,300 people annually, through workshops, school programs, summer camps, and PD day camps.

One of ECFTA’s primary goals is to be relevant and to create impact within our community through vibrant arts-based programming. We start by identifying a proven need and ask, "How can art and creativity help fill that need in a meaningful way?” This has led us to create specific outreach programs to support marginalized populations, including adults and youth with (dis)abilities, youth recovering from addiction, and low-income families. Themes are largely focused on mental health, resilience, environmental stewardship, and community-building. We have been able to react swiftly to community needs arising from the pandemic, which has seen our outreach programming grow dramatically – from 200 free participant spots in 2019 to 3,000 last year. ECFTA’s operating budget has grown at an average of 16% year-over-year since 2017, largely because we have listened to, and focused our efforts on, the needs of the community.