About Us
where creativity grows
StoneBoat Arts Centre (SBAC) is dedicated to helping creators create. Operating from a rustic, mid-19th century farm in the wilds of Eastern Ontario, we offer facilities and resources for artists to develop their skills and talents along with space to roam, dream, and commune with nature (and the occasional cow!).
Our Story
StoneBoat Arts Centre operates from the farm we now call home. Over 30 years ago, we purchased the property – an aging farmhouse with barns and sheds on 200+ acres of rocky outcroppings, hayfields, beaver ponds, and never-ending trees. It was love at first sight. The perfect weekend escape from our busy city lives, a place where we and our kids could re-connect with nature, explore, and play.
We also found inspiration here. The farm deeply influenced our work in the arts and media, just as it nurtured our children's passions for writing, music, and theatre. We began to dream of one day welcoming artists of all disciplines to experience the magic of StoneBoat.
We learned that finding affordable space to develop ideas, rehearse or share projects was an ongoing challenge for many creators. And so, in 2014, the first StoneBoat Artist Retreat (SBAR) was launched bringing together artists to share free workspace with Quote Unquote Collective, a Toronto-based theatre company. In each season over the next five years, new groups from far and wide convened at the farm – writers, actors, painters, sculptors, photographers, dancers, musicians, theatre-makers, filmmakers, crafters, and others. Along the way, with the help of the artists themselves as well as generous friends and family, we installed more facilities, including a rehearsal barn with sprung floor, a library, and sleeping cabins.
When COVID hit, we made the decision to make StoneBoat our permanent home. We officially established the Centre as a not-for-profit and now offer residencies at reasonable rates where artists can find inspiration, support, and freedom. Award-winning work, often featuring StoneBoat in the credits, has been produced here ranging from stage plays, films, and dance programs to novels, sculpture, and music albums. We're excited about the possibilities ahead!