the longer story

Belinda Ageda

artist & arts-in-health practitioner · Toronto

I'm a Toronto-based artist and Arts in Health practitioner. I've spent more than thirty years as a multidisciplinary artist, the last fifteen in arts in health, and my practice comes down to a simple idea: making, drawing, or writing something, even for a few minutes, is a real and practical way to care for your wellbeing.

I've shown work in Canada and the U.S., illustrated children's books, and led community mural projects around Toronto. As a community artist, I saw the work as a tool for social wellbeing and justice, a way to bring people together and get them talking about things that mattered.

Over time my interest narrowed to art for self-care: art that deepens self-awareness and supports mental health. In 2017 I came across the term “Arts in Health,” which finally gave a name to the part of my practice I found most satisfying. I've been growing in and with this field ever since.

The practice

I bring small, personal art-making techniques into workplaces and community settings — simple tools you can use any time to bring stress and anxiety down fast, no artistic experience required. I design each session around the people in the room: frontline staff facing burnout, community members navigating isolation, teams hoping to reconnect as people first, not just professionals. Each session weaves together art, talk, movement, and both small- and large-group work, so everyone can take part and leave with something they can actually use.

“A safe space to connect as people first, not just professionals.” — Community health worker, TAIBU Community Health Centre

Selected partners & clients

I've designed and led programs for, among many others:

Training

I studied drawing and painting at OCAD University, art education at Concordia, and Gestalt psychotherapy at the Gestalt Institute of Toronto.

In 2025 I completed the Arts in Medicine intensive at the Center for Arts in Medicine, University of Florida.

Leadership

• Board member, Toronto Art Therapy Institute
• Young Leaders for Arts and Health mentor — one of 100 selected globally
• Subject-matter expert, Make the Case
• Panelist, ArtsCare 2026

How I work

My approach is people-focused, inclusive and trauma-informed. The goal is never a polished artwork; it's the lightness and focus that come from making something. People arrive carrying a full day, and they leave with a practical tool, a moment of calm, and often a stronger sense of the people around them.

“Warm, professional, attentive and creative… she crafted an experience even beyond what I envisioned.” — Faculty member, University of Calgary