Celebrating Community Impact in the Arts
Congratulations to Jamii & Berkeley Castle!
In recognition of the transformative partnership behind Jamii Hub, a vibrant community arts campus rooted in Toronto’s Esplanade neighbourhood, this team is being honoured with the 2026 Community Impact Award.
For fifteen years, the partnership between Jamii and Berkeley Castle has helped transform Toronto’s Esplanade neighbourhood and David Crombie Park into a vibrant, community-centred arts campus woven into everyday life.
Jamii, Swahili for “community”, is a dynamic arts organization dedicated to fostering connection, belonging, and creative participation through inclusive arts experiences. Anchored by Berkeley Castle’s restored 19th-century industrial complex, the partnership has created welcoming spaces where artists, residents, and audiences of all ages can gather, create, and connect.
What began in 2011 with Berkeley Castle lending a projector and screen for Jamii’s first community movie night, has grown into one of Toronto’s most impactful neighbourhood arts collaborations.
Together, they have presented more than 400 arts events, engaged over 600 artists, and welcomed nearly 100,000 participants and audience members through initiatives including the Wayo Children’s Festival, LAINI youth leadership programs, Belonging workshops for older adults, and large-scale public art activations.
Berkeley Castle’s sustained support through space, resources, mentorship, and long-term stewardship helped make possible the Jamii Hub, now a year-round home for community arts, artist development, and intergenerational gathering.
Together, Jamii and Berkeley Castle have created a powerful model for neighbourhood cultural development rooted in creativity, belonging, and shared civic commitment.
Here’s what their incredible team and supporters have to say:
“At the heart of Jamii is a belief in the power of the arts to bring people together. We create spaces where neighbours, artists, and families feel connected to one another and to the community around them.”
— Isorine Marc, Founder and Artistic/Executive Director, Jamii
“For us, this partnership is about investing in place-making through the arts — and continuing to evolve alongside the community it serves. We’re proud to help build a cultural home where artists, residents, and community life can grow together.”
— Linda Leistner, Manager, Berkeley Castle
“This partnership is a living continuation of the values that guided the original development of the Esplanade: human-scaled, inclusive, and community-centered. Their dedication, vision, and measurable impact exemplify the transformative power of arts-business partnerships, and they serve as a model for communities across Canada.”
— The Honourable David Crombie, O.C., O.Ont., Former Mayor of Toronto
The Community Impact Award recognizes an arts and business partnership that has enhanced the quality of life and enriched a local cultural scene through an innovative program, partnership or neighbourhood revitalization initiative.
Congratulations to all of the 2026 Award Recipients!
Visit businessandarts.org/awards to learn more about the Business / Arts Awards celebration and to get to know this year’s exceptional recipients.
Presenting Partner
Edmund C. Bovey Award Partner
Peter Herrndorf Arts Leadership Award Partner
Supporting Partners
