Leah Houston is an artist who has been cultivating a dynamic, multi-disciplinary community-based arts practice for almost 20 years. Her work incorporates public space transformation, performance and community ritual with people of all ages and backgrounds.

Leah has created and produced many community arts projects and events and led a number of artists to create new work that tells the ordinary, extraordinary stories of our lives. Her most consuming project to date has been the ongoing collaborative transformation of the Mabelle Park, a once-neglected green space in the heart of the Mabelle neighbourhood with thousands of residents and dozens of artists, architects, gardeners and builders at Mabelle Arts.

As the Executive Director of Mabelle Arts, Leah has developed strong skills related to strategic growth, governance and partnership development. Under her leadership, Mabelle Arts has emerged as a powerful example of what's possible when people come together to make art and solve problems. With a team of compassionate, smart and imaginative colleagues, Leah and Mabelle Arts are re-defining the role of the arts in low-income communities. Leadership development and civic engagement; public space transformation and design; grassroots tower renewal and local economic development are all integral to the work of Mabelle Arts under Leah's leadership.

Leah is a graduate of York University’s Environmental Studies Department and holds an M.A from the Ontario Institute for Studies in Education at the University of Toronto. In 2021, Leah was awarded the inaugural Tim Jones Creative Placemaking Award and in 2025 she received the King Charles Coronation Medal for her work in the Mabelle community.

Public Art Works Created with Mabelle Arts

2007-25 Mabelle Park Transformation. Fifteen years of community-engaged art practice with over 50 professional artists, architects and thousands of residents culminating in a $3.9 million dollar social infrastructure and community transformation project.

2018 Welcome to this Place – National project in five Canadian cities and culmination of West Mall park transformation.

2017 A Common Table – Year two of a multi-year park transformation in the West Mall neighbourhood.

2016 Show Us A Shiny Thing -Year one of a multi-year park transformation in the West Mall neighbourhood. 2014 Flowers and Threads collaborative art project with unionizing garment workers in Dhaka Bangladesh. 2012 Pebble Mosaics for custom pathway/Collaboration with artist Sonja Rainey.

2011 Custom Park Furniture Collaboration with Public Displays of Affection.

2010 Bake Oven/Bread Shed: Mabelle Park, Art Gardens: Mabelle Park.

2009 Sound Shed, Mabelle Park.

Selected Exhibitions

2014 After the End: performative installation and mobile art studio; created with Designers, Composers and over 100 women and girls for Nuit Blanche North.

2013 Ariadne and the Wolf: storefront installation celebrating the work of R. Murray Schafer; created in honour of Schafer’s 80th birthday for Nuit Blanche North.

2013-2011 A Light In Mid Winter: annual community parade in honour of the Mabelle neighbourhood. Mabelle Arts/Mabelle neighbourhood/over 400 audience members.

2010 Sidewalks and Pathways: TCHC lobby art temporary galleries, 5005 Dundas Street West, 41 Mabelle Avenue/Mabelle Arts.

We Carried the Water: Coming of age ceremony and installation, Mabelle Park/Mabelle Arts.

Lantern Festival: Mabelle neighbourhood/Mabelle Arts.

2009 HEREthereHOME: Temporary Galleries and installations throughout the Mabelle neigbourhood/Mabelle Arts.

CONTACT photography festival: LEMONADE! Arts Etobicoke

2008 We Are Here: Nuit Blanche, culmination of yearlong residency in two homeless shelters.

Workshops

Over 1000 community workshops for people of all ages facilitated since 2002.

Formal Education

2007 Master of Arts Adult Education and Community Development, Ontario Institute for Studies In Education/University of Toronto. Published thesis: The River of Radical Imagination: Community arts and the promise of integrative feminist values.

2002 Bachelor of Environmental Studies Faculty of Environmental Studies, York University

International Experience

2016 Nepal Partnership with NexUs Culture Nepal

Three-day artist training, two-week arts programming for children and youth facilitated by Leah Houston with assistance from local artists and activists.

2015 Flowers and Threads

Collaborative art project with over 100 Bangladeshi garment workers in collaboration with Robin Pacific and Claire Samuel.

Arts Apprenticeships

2005 to 2008 Ruth Howard: Apprenticeship in community-based design and artistic direction. Projects include:

• Where I’m From: Large-scale installation with Mabelle youth

• A Bridge of One Hair: community created props and installations

2002 to 2005 David Anderson: Apprenticeship in giant puppet building. Projects include:

• Night of Dread/The Shrine Project: community installation honouring of dead heroes and mentors

• The Syliad: puppets and props

• Lilith Unfair: puppets and props

Teaching Experience

2015 to 2009 Associate Faculty: Jumblies Studio Toronto and Vancouver: yearly week-long intensive for artists of all disciplines interested in working in a community context. 20-30 students per year. Mentorship and support to identified interns and organizations.

2010 and 2011 Associate Instructor: Humber College Faculty of Performing Arts: week-long collaboration between performance and production students led by professional theatre and installation artists. 170 students per year.

Grants and Scholarships Received

2007-2025 Mabelle Arts exceeds $1 million in annual operating.

2020-2024 Over $3.9 million in capital dollars from all levels of government, family foundations and corporate sponsors.

2018-2025 Over $2.5 million in federal contribution agreements

2016-2018 Ontario Trillium Foundation

2016 Toronto Arts Council Strategic Funding, Arts In the Parks Program

2014 and 2016 Weston Family Parks Challenge

2010-2012 Ontario Trillium Foundation multi-year funding; Vital Ideas, Toronto Foundation, Toronto Arts Council Operating Funding, Community Arts.

2010-2013 Ontario Arts Council Operating Funding, Community Arts,

Ontario Trillium Foundation multi-year funding, Toronto Arts Council Arts Access.

2012 Canada Council for the Arts Visual Arts ACCP program.

2009 Ontario Trillium Foundation $215,000 over three years to support A Park of Many Paths.

2009 Ontario Arts Council Integrated Arts, Artist in the Community/Workplace, Toronto Arts Council Arts Access. 2008 Ontario Arts Council Integrated Arts, Artist In the Communiy/Workplace, Toronto Arts Council Arts Access. 2008 (personal) Ontario Arts Council Artist in the Community/Workplace,Toronto Arts Council Artist Residency. 2005 (personal) Full Funding Adult Education and Community Development Ontario Institute for Studies In Education/U of T.

Media Coverage

How a tiny Toronto park went from overlooked lot to the beating heart of a community — with the help of a few clowns: Edward Keenan, Toronto Star, October 5, 2024

Toronto the grey: the city’s green space is disappearing, and it’s likely to get worse, Toronto Star, June 25, 2023 Community organization Mabelle Arts breaks ground for park transformation project, CBC, June 11, 2023 Toronto’s Artists Are City Builders, Toronto Sun, October 4, 2016

Arts-Oriented Summer Camp for Syrian Refugees, Toronto Star, August 5, 2016

Connecting the City, CBC Metro Morning, June 19, 2013

Parks and Revolution, The Globe and Mail, August 25, 2012

Neglected Green Patch To Get New Life, The Globe and Mail, April 17, 2010

An Outdoor Home Away From Home at Kipling and Dundas, Toronto Star, February 13, 2013

A Walk Through the Gloaming, Spacing, May 4, 2012

Op Eds

MABELLEpark: Mabelle Arts and LGA Architectural Partners reimagine the community consultation process to better serve a vibrant, low-income community, Leah Houston and Janna Levitt, Canadian Architect, August 2023

As our city evolves, so should our parks, Leah Houston, Etobicoke Guardian, May 2023

Awards

2025 Recipient of the King Charles III’s Coronation Medal

2021 Recipient of the Tim Jones Creative Placemaking Award

2016 Recipient of the Toronto Foundation’s Vital People Award

2013 Recipient of the Queen’s Diamond Jubilee Medal

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