Critical Mass
A Centre for Contemporary Art
Welcome to Critical Mass!
We believe in Art for All!
Critical Mass is a not-for-profit contemporary art organization based in Port Hope, Ontario, on the traditional territory of the Mississauga Nations. We are grateful to have the opportunity to work, create and present art on these lands that the Williams Treaties First Nations have been and continue to be the stewards and caretakers.
We believe that art changes how we see the world and our place in it. We bring contemporary art experiences to Port Hope so that everyone in our community can have that opportunity.
Stay connected for updates to our programming schedule, artist residency calls and line up, artist talks & spotlights, volunteer opportunities, member events, and community engagement activities.
What’s On & Featured
Info Session – 2023 Artist Residency!
Critical Mass Art is all about people coming together and the synergy that produces for all in our community! This summer Critical Mass will host a collaborative residency to energize, excite and challenge local artists in new ways of thinking and making art together. We are seeking 10 artists to participate in this collaborative residency project this June & July. Interested artists are invited to attend one of 2 in-person info sessions – June 1st or June 3rd.
Read more & RSVP
Life of a Small Town
Life of a Small Town by Greta Grip & Lee Jones will document a year in the life of the Port Hope community emerging from the pandemic together.
Read more
What's ON snapshot for 2023!
We kicked off 2023 (our 10th year) with a membership drive and event (Vinyl Night) and a new Spring gala event – The Goose Ball – the first Saturday of May! This year is full of artist collaborations, new community partnerships, art socials, and of course, community engagement. Together we can harness the power of contemporary art to build a vibrant, connected and more inclusive community.
What’s ON
Greta Grip – Life of a Small Town
Life of a Small Town by Greta Grip & Lee Jones will document a year in the life of the Port Hope community emerging from the pandemic together.
Read more
Artist Call – TBTBB Art Show & Sale
Critical Mass and Beyond The Blue Box have collaborated to present an ART SHOW & SALE this August. This art show reimagines and revamps thrift store finds into new art pieces, and further diverts waste from the landfill. ALL artists and aspiring artists are welcome to participate in this show. More info will also be shared about this project at our Artist Info Session on June 1st (7pm) and 3rd (noon) at the Little Station.
Register Here
Lee Jones – Life of a Small Town
Life of a Small Town by Greta Grip & Lee Jones will document a year in the life of the Port Hope community emerging from the pandemic together.
Read moreA look back on our 1st Residency Cohort
AIR Wrap Up Celebration Event
That’s a Wrap! Critical Mass celebrates the artists of our pilot Artist-in-Residence program, and our funders Ontario Trillium Foundation and Municipality of Port Hope who made it all possible. Join us Saturday, Oct 23rd at 5:30 p.m. for an early evening picnic to recap the highlights!
Read more
Mast Year Collective – July 2021
During their residency, Mast Year Collective will explore how food – from making, to sharing, to eating – is entwined and grounded in our physical environments both past and present.
Read more
2021 Artist-in-Residence Line Up
We are excited to announce our 2021 artist in residence line up! Made possible with funding from Ontario Trillium Foundation.
Read more
Brian Hoad – August 2021
During his residency, Brian Hoad will explore personal narratives from his time coming-of-age in Port Hope, considering themes of memory, nostalgia, and an interest in how people connect with their envionment, both now and throughout history.
Read more
Susan Campbell – June 2021
During her residency, Susan Campbell will be mapping the evolving cultural palimpsest of what our community values and preserves. How we talk to one another through messages, notes, posters, and official signs can be mapped from our environment.
Lucas Morneau – September 2021
During their residency, Lucas Morneau will explore the cultural environment in sports (hockey in particular), and reclaim the racially charged and homophobic pejoratives often used to attack a player’s “manliness”.
Read moreFind us online
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📣 Exciting news! Critical Mass has an opportunity for 10 artists to participate in a Collaborative Artist Residency Project (to take place this June & July)! 📣 Art Gallery of Northumberland please pass along to any artists in our region you think might be interested in a collaborative project this summer. Northumberland Creates please share this opp with your visual artists! 🙂
For more info and to be considered for the residency, artists are invited to attend one of 2 information sessions at the Little Station next week:
Thursday, June 1st at 7PM, or
Saturday, June 3rd at 12PM
10 Artists. 10 Panels. 10 Interventions.
Critical Mass Art is all about people coming together and the synergy that produces for all in our community. For the last few years our Artist in Residence program has brought artists to Port Hope to animate the community with challenging contemporary art ideas.
This summer, we are taking a different approach. Critical Mass will host a collaborative artist residency to energize, excite and challenge local artists in new ways of thinking and making art together!
The Little Station will be a hub of activity for two months as two groups of 5 artists negotiate the development of a total of 10 collaborative artworks.
How will they do it? What will the artwork look like? What will the artists learn about themselves and others?
The community will be invited to visit the Little Station regularly to interact with the artists, and see how the work is progressing throughout this project. There will be a final big reveal Exhibition in October!
All artists are invited to attend an introductory gathering (on Thursday, June 1st at 7pm or Saturday, June 3rd at noon) where we will discuss the parameters of the project and draw (at random!) the 10 artists for this collaborative residency project.
This residency project addresses coming out of isolation, ‘letting go’, trusting one another again, challenging your artwork in new ways, and bringing the arts community together to start a visual conversation.
To RSVP to the INFO SESSION, visit the linktree page in our bio, or our website.
criticalmassart.com/residency-2023/
linktr.ee/criticalmassart
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