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An Arts Organization based in The Esplanade Community
What's on?
One event at a time, we are claiming public spaces in The Esplanade to bring arts at no cost to audience members.
All workshops at The Jamii Hub is either free or affordable!
About Us
Jamii, founded in 2011, is a not-for-profit arts organization based in the Esplanade community, Toronto. Our vision is to enhance togetherness within the communities we engage. We initiate, welcome, enable, facilitate and produce creative experiences, arts events and workshops with, for and by the people of the Esplanade and beyond with an intent of creating shared memories.
![Last week, we attended the launch of Housing for All: How Toronto Built the St. Lawrence Neighbourhood, authored by Frank Lewinberg and Vincenzo Pietropaolo @vincenzopietropaolophoto . It was one of those special evenings where you can’t walk two steps in St. Lawrence Hall without bumping into someone you know. Familiar smiles, excited hellos, and that shared pride we all carry for the place we call “home.” We also heard thoughtful words from Publisher Marc Côté, Co-authors Frank Lewinberg and Vincenzo Pietropaolo, and our neighbourhood’s long-time champion, David Crombie.
There’s a lot written about St. Lawrence’s design and policy legacy, but many of those works are academic or technical. Housing for All offers something different: a narrative, image-rich perspective shaped not only by practitioners but also by the people who live here. It translates decades of work and experience into stories the public can connect with and lessons that planners, designers, and communities everywhere can learn from. It’s a resource that helps us understand why this neighbourhood is considered one of the most successful examples of social “mixity”, where people of different incomes, backgrounds, and generations continue to build their lives side by side.
Leaving the launch, our hearts felt full. The story of this neighbourhood is a story we are all still writing together. And as Jamii’s Alchemist, Isorine Marc @isorine.marc , says in the book: “People from the neighbourhood really identified with The Esplanade. The youths who grow up here, they’re from The Esplanade. There is a strong sense of pride, belonging and identity. […] And around here, we call ourselves Esplanadians.”
If you’d like to explore the book, we have a copy at The Jamii Hub that you’re welcome to flip through. And if you’d like your own, visit cormorantbooks.com @cormorantbooks
#StLawrenceNeighbourhood #OldTownToronto #HousingForAll #CormorantBooks #FrankLewinberg #VincenzoPietropaolo](https://scontent-sea5-1.cdninstagram.com/v/t51.71878-15/572127753_3290751414417295_7414329565742426946_n.jpg?stp=dst-jpg_e35_tt6&_nc_cat=102&ccb=7-5&_nc_sid=18de74&efg=eyJlZmdfdGFnIjoiQ0xJUFMuYmVzdF9pbWFnZV91cmxnZW4uQzMifQ%3D%3D&_nc_ohc=kdHV8WlohAkQ7kNvwHjJe0I&_nc_oc=AdnXbasp4A-ZVnD96ZvS8APEhyEWJrSdi0FxI69c5kPqOQFH7aM3xzkjKAkA41MLsEk&_nc_zt=23&_nc_ht=scontent-sea5-1.cdninstagram.com&edm=ANo9K5cEAAAA&_nc_gid=jo4CfffCSBVf0u3tAdFBYw&oh=00_AftnA3abICLhRweikLRk4Vrfux_ut0UtId0cqWMVIXKmWA&oe=698867DF)
What's Upcoming?
Multiple Dates1 day to the eventFeb 04, 2026, 7:00 p.m. – 9:00 p.m.The Jamii Hub, 264 The Esplanade, Toronto, ON M5A 4J6, CanadaSew at your own pace and create a handmade kimono. A four-part sewing series led by Diséiye Thompson. Free with registration.
Multiple Dates4 days to the eventFeb 07, 2026, 11:00 a.m. – 12:30 p.m.The Jamii Hub, 264 The Esplanade, Toronto, ON M5A 4J6, CanadaA weekly confidence-building program where girls and non-binary youth explore self-love, media literacy, friendship, and more through hands-on activities led by trained BeaYOUtiful mentors.
Multiple Dates6 days to the eventFeb 09, 2026, 7:00 p.m. – 8:30 p.m.The Jamii Hub, 264 The Esplanade, Toronto, ON M5A 4J6, CanadaSing freely and follow what feels right. A four-part community singing series led by Martin Gomes. Free with registration.- Multiple Dates8 days to the eventFeb 11, 2026, 7:00 p.m. – 9:00 p.m.The Jamii Hub, 264 The Esplanade, Toronto, ON M5A 4J6, CanadaSew at your own pace and create a handmade kimono. A four-part sewing series led by Diséiye Thompson. Free with registration.
Highlights
Since 2011, Jamii has proudly brought multiple forms of arts and The Esplanade community together. Check out some of Jamii's highlights below.
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