Big Changes Brewing: A New Kitchen for Arts Hub Brockville
Article written by Katherine Hobbs
This month is the start of a transformation plan for Arts Hub Brockville as we begin an exciting kitchen renovation designed to better serve our artists, audiences, and community partners.
The kitchen has always been more than just a place to make coffee. It’s where conversations start, volunteers gather, visiting artists refuel, and ideas quietly take shape. After years of enthusiastic use, the space is ready for an upgrade that reflects how central it has become to the life of the Hub.
Why renovate now?
As Arts Hub Brockville continues to grow, so does the demand on our shared spaces. This renovation will significantly improve the functionality of the kitchen for events, workshops and receptions while creating a true community kitchen that is safe and compliant with current health code requirements.
Aging appliances and fixtures will be replaced with modern, state-of-the-art equipment, allowing us to better support everything from small gatherings to large-scale programs.
Our old worn out kitchen
One of the projects we are especially excited about is partnering with the Brockville Food Bank to offer cooking workshops for youth. These sessions will help participants learn how to prepare meals using items they may receive through food assistance programs.
“Teaching cooking skills to students and children is important because it supports lifelong learning and helps establish healthy eating habits early, laying the foundation for informed food choices,” notes the Brockville Food Bank.
The kitchen transformation is vital. It will bring people together to build practical food skills, share knowledge, and strengthen social connection and dignity within our community. It will also better support rentals and collaborative programming allowing us do more of what we do best: Bring people together around arts, culture, and creativity.
This compact oven offers remarkable versatility, capable of cooking for 2 to 100 people. It will support lunches for theatre camps, dinner theatre events, and a wide range of cooking workshops and programs.
What to Expect this January:
The Arts Hub Board members will be sorting through the current kitchen this month to decide what is needed in the future space. The renovation will then begin early in February. While there may be some short-term disruptions, we are planning carefully to keep impacts on programming to a minimum.
The kitchen renovation will include durable and easy-to-clean stainless steel work surfaces.
The result will be a practical but beautiful kitchen that meets health and safety standards while supporting everything from exhibition openings to community meetings.
We’re deeply grateful to everyone who has supported Arts Hub Brockville —through volunteering, attending events, donating, or simply spreading the word. This renovation is another step in strengthening the Arts Hub as a welcoming, vibrant space for all.
Stay tuned for updates (and more photos!) as the project gets underway. We look forward to expanding our offerings and welcoming you back into a space where the kettle is always on—and the possibilities are even bigger.