Reconciliation Through Art 2025 offers three days of connection, learning and celebration

Building on the resounding success of last year’s debut, Reconciliation Through Art is returning to Almonte this September in an expanded three-day format, offering even more opportunities for connection, conversation, and celebration.

Taking place from September 28–30, 2025, the event is meant to commemorate the National Day for Truth and Reconciliation by honouring and showcasing Indigenous culture and history through art exhibits, performances, film, food, and teachings. The program also includes outreach to local schools, providing students with opportunities to learn directly from Indigenous leaders and artists.

“For me, reconciliation has been a lifelong goal,” says event organizer The Honourable Tony Belcourt, O.C., a respected Métis Elder and leader. “This is about people having a better understanding of who we are, our history, the challenges we’ve faced—and also celebrating the achievements and joy of our cultures despite those challenges.”

Belcourt believes that art plays a vital role in that process of sharing and healing. “Art is a repository of our history,” he told Lanarkist. “It’s how we’ve kept stories alive—through songs, music, clothing, sculpture, and paintings. It connects people to both our past and our present.”

The event opens on Sunday, Sep. 28, with a special screening of Inendi, a Canadian Screen Awards–nominated film by Sarain Fox. The film will be followed by a somber but important discussion on the Indian Residential School experience and legacy. Monday evening’s Our Voices in Song concert will fill Almonte’s Old Town Hall with the sounds of award-winning Indigenous artists including Amanda Rheaume, Kevin Schofield, Aurora Jade, and Jennifer E. Brant.

On Tuesday, Sept. 30, the final day will begin with a Water Walk ceremony, followed by the Indigenous Art Showcase and Teachings at the Mississippi Valley Textile Museum (MVTM). Acclaimed artists such as Christi Belcourt, Jason Baerg, and Patti Belanger will share their creations, demonstrate their crafts, and tell the personal stories behind their work. Upstairs in the Millworkers Learning Centre, educators, dancers, and musicians will answer audience questions and offer teachings on Métis, Inuit, and other Indigenous histories and traditions.

For Belcourt, the heart of Reconciliation Through Art is rooted in the pursuit of openness and connection: “We want people to feel comfortable and to understand that we have always engaged with open arms to other people and worked together successfully for the common benefit of everybody in our communities.”

Belcourt credits a dedicated volunteer team for bringing the event to life last year, allowing it to grow in size and scale in 2025. “This is reconciliation in action,” he says. “Our committee includes both Indigenous and local community members, all working together for the common benefit of everyone here.”

Belcourt hopes the popular event will continue to grow into a beloved community tradition and practice in reconciliation. “We’re dealing with some solemn issues when we talk about residential schools or the Sixties Scoop,” he explained. “But we also want people to know that our cultures are vibrant and joyful. We want to celebrate—and we want others to celebrate with us.”

For full event details, visit reconciliationthroughart.ca.