Arts for Peace

—by Annalise Stenekes

For many people in Orillia, Arts for Peace is a hidden gem that is more than just a festival. Alida (Ali) Tomasini, aged 16, has been attending this annual event since she was a small child. For Ali and many others their age, it is a unique community event where everyone genuinely feels like they belong. “It brings the community together in a way that no other festival does,” Ali says. “Because it’s free and in a public space, anyone can participate. That makes a huge difference.”

This year, Arts for Peace returns on Sunday, June 7 at the Rotary Aqua Theatre in Couchiching Beach Park, continuing a tradition that has existed in Orillia since 1984. The festival combines live music, visual art, workshops, storytelling, movement, and hands-on activities to create a welcoming afternoon focused on creativity, connection, and peacebuilding.

For Ali, the event’s impact goes far beyond entertainment. “It shines a light on the fact that creativity and appreciation of art help us understand ourselves and others,” they explain. “To have peace in our world, artistic creation and appreciation is vital.”

Arts for Peace encourages participation rather than simply being a spectator. People are invited to create, move, listen, learn, and connect. Children paint and make crafts beside seniors. Local performers share their talents while families lie on the grass, play with bubbles, or dance with ribbons. Workshop leaders teach skills that encourage mindfulness and wellness.

Ali believes the arts have a unique ability to help people recognize themselves in each other. “Art is expressing something inside of us in hopes that others will recognize themselves in it,” they say.

For local youth, events like Arts for Peace provide an opportunity to participate in community life in a meaningful way. Youth volunteers help organize activities, welcome visitors, perform on the main stage, and contribute ideas. Instead of simply attending, they become part of creating the experience itself. That intergenerational spirit is one of the reasons the festival continues to resonate after more than 40 years. Some of the current organizers and volunteers grew up attending Arts for Peace as children and are now helping to revitalize it for a new generation.

At a time when communities across the globe are grappling with loneliness, polarization, and disconnection, Arts for Peace offers a space where people can gather without pressure, cost, or expectation. “It reminds people that peace isn’t just about politics or world events,” Ali says. “It starts with understanding each other as human beings.”

For Ali, that understanding often begins with creativity: hearing a song, watching a performance, making something with your hands, or seeing your own feelings reflected in someone else’s art.  Arts for Peace hopes to continue offering this unique opportunity to nurture peace through the arts for many years to come.

What: Arts for Peace Orillia
When: Sunday June 7 from 12-5pm
Where: Rotary Aqua Theatre in Couchiching Beach Park, Orillia
Cost: FREE! A4P T-shirts will be for sale ($25 cash or e-transfer) to help cover event costs