Asian Arts & Culture Trust

Somehow, it’s been five years already. Five years ago, AACT existed only as an idea - a small initiative rooted in the belief that art, storytelling, and community could create space for connection, dialogue, and care. What began as a few conversations and hopeful plans has grown into a community of artists, creatives, volunteers, collaborators, and supporters who continue to show up for one another in meaningful ways. Over the past five years, we’ve shared exhibitions, difficult conversations, moments of joy, advocacy, healing, and countless memories together. Thank you to everyone who has been part of this journey. AACT has always been shaped by the people behind it, and we are deeply grateful for every person who helped build this community with us. Five years of art, advocacy, and community, and we’re only getting started💛 Photo creds: @kaijieniu

Thanks to everyone who joined us for the opening of On Practices of Belonging. To gather together in a room shaped by stories of migration, memory, longing, care, and connection felt deeply meaningful. This exhibition began as conversations, workshops, shared reflections, and quiet acts of trust. As so many people moved through the space, contemplated on the meanings behind the works, and conversed through the philosophical pondering of life and beyond, we materialized the elusive sense of belonging that this exhibition tries to capture. Our time spent in the gallery again reminded us that belonging is something we build together✨ We are especially grateful to the artists for sharing their vulnerability, imagination, and experiences with such generosity. We are also grateful for @yyzartistsoutlet for providing us with a place that we could all dwell and explore the meaning of belonging together. On Practices of Belonging remains on view through May 29 at YYZ Artists’ Outlet. Photo credits @kaijieniu Presented by Asian Arts & Culture Trust (AACT). #asianheritagemonth #asiandiaspora #torontoart #newcomerartist #poweredbytac

🌊🎶 From Visual Art to Sound What does it mean to truly listen, not just with your ears but with your whole body? Join us for a unique workshop by @7eresa_storyteller that brings together deep listening, visual art, and sound-making through the creation of your own DIY ocean drum. Inspired by the rhythms of water and the movement of sound, this session invites you to slow down, tune in, and explore how sound can be felt, seen, and created. Through hands-on making and guided listening, you will discover how simple materials can become instruments for reflection, connection, and play. 🌊✨ No experience needed. Just curiosity and a willingness to listen deeply. 🎟️ Spots are limited - please register via link in bio #SoundArt #OceanDrum #TorontoWorkshops #CreativePractice #PoweredbyTAC

On Practices of Belonging Presented by Asian Arts & Culture Trust (AACT) 📍 YYZ Artists’ Outlet On view April 29 – May 29, 2026 Join us for the opening ✨ May 1, 2026 | 6–8 PM Artists will be present. All are welcome. No RSVP required. — Featuring: @abhijit_eternalhappiness @alek.phantruc @aliceyutonghua @chloerod @professionaldanner @steffitung @yu.artww @7eresa_storyteller — Bringing together artists working across photography, painting, installation, and digital media, the exhibition considers belonging not as a fixed state, but as a practice shaped by migration, memory, identity, and care. Developed through AACT’s newcomer artist mentorship program, the exhibition emerges from workshops, dialogue, and shared exploration, reflecting on what it means to arrive, remember, and remain connected across distance and time. — See you there! Presented by Asian Arts & Culture Trust (AACT) Produced with the support of the City of Toronto through the Toronto Arts Council

On Practices of Belonging Presented by Asian Arts & Culture Trust (AACT) 📍 YYZ Artists’ Outlet On view April 29 – May 29, 2026 Join us for the opening ✨ May 1, 2026 | 6–8 PM Artists will be present. All are welcome. No RSVP required. — Featuring: @abhijit_eternalhappiness @alek.phantruc @aliceyutonghua @chloerod @professionaldanner @steffitung @yu.artww @7eresa_storyteller — Bringing together artists working across photography, painting, installation, and digital media, the exhibition considers belonging not as a fixed state, but as a practice shaped by migration, memory, identity, and care. Developed through AACT’s newcomer artist mentorship program, the exhibition emerges from workshops, dialogue, and shared exploration, reflecting on what it means to arrive, remember, and remain connected across distance and time. — See you there! Presented by Asian Arts & Culture Trust (AACT) Produced with the support of the City of Toronto through the Toronto Arts Council

On Practices of Belonging Belonging isn’t a place; it’s something we practice. This exhibition gathers artists whose works trace how belonging is shaped by migration, language, race, queerness, memory, and power. Across the pieces, lives unfold in-between. To arrive somewhere new can mean learning how to be seen, how to disappear, and how to protect what feels most tender. Community emerges not just as subject, but as method. Creative practice becomes a way of gathering, of care, recognition, and relation. “Home” shifts from a fixed place to something more fluid: a network of people, practices, and places. Rituals of remembrance travel across time and distance, carrying story, spirit, and responsibility. The works ask: What do we keep when we leave? What do we bury? What do we carry forward? Belonging, here, is not a destination. It is something made, contested, and remade in relation. We’ll be sharing more about the artists and their practices in the coming weeks, stay tuned!

🎨✨ Painting the Inner Mind: What if your thoughts and emotions could take shape on canvas? This workshop with @alek.phantruc on April 19th invites you to explore neurographic painting — a creative practice that blends art, mindfulness, and intuition to transform inner experiences into visual form. Through flowing lines, organic shapes, and colour, you’ll create an acrylic painting that reflects your inner world. Inspired by the idea that memory, emotion, and perception are deeply connected, this session offers a space to slow down, reflect, and create with intention. No experience needed — just come as you are 💛 🖌️ Acrylic on canvas 🕯️ April 19, 2-4pm 🌿 Guided, reflective, and beginner-friendly 🎟️ Limited spots — register via link in bio Let your lines wander. Let your mind unfold. Produced with the support of the Toronto Arts Council. #NeurographicArt #MindfulArt #TorontoWorkshops #CreativeHealing #poweredbytac

Recap of our first Free Public Programming series with @aact.community for their Newcomer Artist Mentorship Program! Huge thanks to @yu.artww and @chloerod for their amazing workshops—from deeply moving storytelling to the whimsical world of shadow play. We were so inspired by the creativity and connection in the space today. We have 6 more workshops coming up throughout the year as part of this series. Stay tuned for more dates soon🤍

✨ Step into the world of Shadow Play! ✨ Shadow puppetry is a storytelling form with a long and rich history across many Asian cultures — where light, shadow, and imagination come together to bring stories to life. Join us for a hands-on workshop led by @chloerod where you’ll create your own puppets, explore movement and shadow, and discover how light can transform simple shapes into meaningful storytelling 🎭🖤✨ Whether you’re curious about puppetry, love creative play, or just want to try something new — this workshop is for you! No experience needed — just bring your playful spirit. 🌙👋 🗓 Saturday, March 21 ⏰ 2:00 PM – 4:30 PM 📍 Lychuu, 41 Baldwin St, Toronto 🎟 Free tickets via link in bio (space is limited!) If you can no longer attend, please release/cancel your ticket so someone else can join💛🎬 Produced with the support of the City of Toronto through the Toronto Arts Council. #AACTCommunity #NewcomerArtists #ShadowPlay #PuppetryWorkshop #poweredbyTAC

📷🕊️ What do photos mean to you? How do they carry memory, culture, and love? Remembering Our Loved Ones invites you into a heartfelt workshop led by @yu.artww to share, reflect, and learn together through visual storytelling across cultures. Together, we’ll explore how images become bridges between memory, identity, and community. 🤎✨ 🗓 Saturday, March 21 ⏰ 10:30 AM – 12:30 PM 📍 Lychuu, 41 Baldwin St, Toronto 🎟 Free tickets via link in bio (space is limited!) If you can no longer attend, please release/cancel your ticket so someone else can join💛 Produced with the support of the City of Toronto through the Toronto Arts Council. #AACTCommunityWorkshop #NewcomerArtists #InterculturalDialogue #TorontoArts #poweredbyTAC

Get ready to usher in the Year of the Fire Horse with a free screening of Julia Kwan’s tender feature debut EVE AND THE FIRE HORSE on 35mm 🐎🔥 The Year of the Fire Horse is a rare occurrence, only happening once every 60 years. Celebrate with TIFF and @aact.community by joining us for a drop-in artmaking activity at 12pm before the screening. The screening will then be followed by a live virtual Q&A with the writer and director, moderated by Christine Vu of @reelasian . Get tickets through the link in our bio. #lunarnewyear #firehorse #yearofthehorse #eveandthefirehorse

🧧✨ Make, Learn & Welcome the Year of the Fire Horse ✨🧧 This Lunar New Year, AACT is bringing hands-on creativity to TIFF’s Lunar New Year 2026: Eve and the Fire Horse 🐎🔥 Before the screening, join us for a free drop-in art-making session where you’ll: 🎨 Customize your own red envelopes (hongbao) using zodiac stamps 📜 Learn about the cultural history & evolution of the hongbao (scroll to view) 🐲 Explore your zodiac sign and element 📅 Sunday, February 15 🕛 Art-making from 12 PM | Screening at 1 PM 📍 TIFF Lightbox 🎟️ GIVEAWAY ALERT(giveaway closed): We’re giving away a pair of free tickets to the film screening! To enter: 1️⃣ Tag a friend you’d bring to the screening 2️⃣ Share this post to your IG Story Come early, get creative, and carry a little intention into the new year — then stay for Eve and the Fire Horse, a tender, funny, and deeply resonant film about family, identity, and growing up between worlds. 🧧 Made by community, for community. We can’t wait to welcome the new year with you! #AACT #LunarNewYear #RedEnvelopes #YearOfTheFireHorse TI