When St. Lawrence College made cuts to its arts programming in the early 1990s, a group of instructors and community advocates in Kingston worried that something essential would be lost. They did something practical and bold: they pooled their resources, secured some of the equipment the college was clearing out, and rented a space at Princess and Victoria. “Kingston School of Art was created so that arts programming and art classes could continue here and become available to the broader community,”,” says Board President Christianne Wojcik.
That early decision to rescue and reuse art equipment helped define the school’s identity. Printmaking presses and other tools that might have disappeared instead became the backbone of a community art school dedicated to affordability and access. “The whole impetus was to keep artmaking accessible in Kingston at a time when there was a decline in programming, classes, and studio space,” Christianne explains. For 30 years, Kingston School of Art (KSOA) held its ground on that same corner, offering classes, studio time, and community programs built around the idea that if you provide space and equipment, people will come to make art.
In 2025, KSOA entered a new chapter with a move to Providence Village, joining a community of organizations focused on health, wellness, and inclusion. The school downsized into what Christianne affectionately calls “our little cottage,” a cozy, affordable space in the renovated Motherhouse. The move allowed KSOA to reimagine how its cherished printmaking presses could serve artists in a new way. The new space includes a dedicated printmaking studio equipped with professional equipment alongside a flexible multi‑purpose classroom for other visual arts programming.
Printmaking has become a key part of KSOA’s future. A growing community of print artists now gathers regularly under the newly created “Printmakers’ Collective,” using the presses for workshops, open studio time, and collaborative projects. The same commitment that once saved equipment from being discarded now ensures that specialized printmaking tools remain available to students, emerging artists, and community members who might not otherwise have access to them. “These presses are not just objects,” Christianne suggests. “They are what make it possible for people to explore printmaking without needing to invest in all this equipment themselves.”
Being part of Providence Village is also reshaping KSOA’s strategy. Instead of expanding by adding more studios, the Board has been thinking in concentric circles. The first circle is keeping the school itself sustainable, with low overhead and well‑used equipment that continues to earn its keep. The second circle is deepening partnerships within Providence Village so that art becomes part of what people experience when they come for other services. “If you come here to engage with other organizations—like Alzheimer’s Society or Heart to Heart-- we want art to be part of that experience and offer art classes and programs that align KSOA as part of the Village” Christianne says.
The third circle looks outward to the wider city. Christianne and the Board are exploring how KSOA can take art out into “arts deserts,” where people have limited access to walkable, affordable classes. By keeping costs low at their Providence Village base, they hope to empower teaching artists to offer courses under the KSOA umbrella in under‑served neighbourhoods, using portable equipment and offering mobile programs in shared spaces across Kingston.. “Because we can keep our overhead low, we can keep our price point low,” Christianne notes. “Down the road, we want to make it easier for people across Kingston to find art where they are, not only if they can come to us.”
“It all comes back to the original vision,” she reflects. “We are here so that people in Kingston can keep making art, learning, and finding resilience through creativity, no matter where they live or what their circumstances are.”
