INCITE FOUNDATION: Community magic

By HCMApr 9, 2026

The incite Foundation for the Arts supports the work of The Westdale.

The incite Foundation for the Arts has contributed more than $9 million to 50 Hamilton-area organizations, through grants from $2,500 to $300,000, since it was founded in 2011. It is the legacy of the late Carl and Kate Turkstra who believed the arts are key to quality of life and critical to the future of Hamilton. And they believed anyone, regardless of circumstance, should be able to enjoy and pursue music, theatre and visual art. HAMILTON CITY Magazine is showcasing the incredible, creative and talented recipients of incite grants. Here we share the work of The Westdale.

The Westdale has been a central part of Westdale (Canada’s first planned neighbourhood) since it opened in 1935. It was the first theatre in Hamilton built expressly to show sound motion pictures. Last year marked the 90th anniversary of The Westdale.

The theatre remained in operation until it was put up for sale in December 2016. The community immediately rallied. The newly incorporated Westdale Cinema Group (WCG) submitted an offer to purchase the building that was accepted on Jan. 27, 2017.

The full purchase and restoration budget was raised in Hamilton, by Hamiltonians, both from residents and the City of Hamilton. After over 18 months of restoration and modernization of services (washrooms, wheelchair access, heating and air conditioning, etc.), the theatre reopened its doors on Feb. 14, 2019 as a cultural hub showcasing films, talks, music, performance, and special events.

“The Westdale provides a unique cultural and community hub centred around art in all forms,” says executive director Alysha Main. “If the theatre didn’t exist here, there would be a gaping hole in the community. It is important that the public has a space to connect and consume art together in a world that is getting more polarized and isolated.”

The Westdale, which opened in 1935, was restored and reopened as a cultural hub in 2019. PHOTO: The Westdale

Since reopening, The Westdale has prioritized accessibility for those seeking entertainment at the theatre. Some examples of this include open-caption films, Bettear technology for audio accessibility, sensory-friendly screenings, caption devices, a fully accessible washroom, and more.

The theatre’s showings are thoughtfully curated, showcasing the best of independent films and documentaries, interwoven with cinematic classics and all-time favourites, giving special attention to diverse Canadian works.

The Westdale presents a dynamic range of live-stage performances of Canadian greats and local up-and-comers as well as international talents; from musicians to authors, to comedic acts, and beyond.

On April 23, Tom Rush will perform live as part of The Westdale’s Riverboat Revisited series, highlighting the historical Toronto music hub that hosted countless iconic Canadian artists.

The Westdale also provides a space for the community to host their events.

Through its programming, the theatre seeks to use art to explore commonalities and differences and encourage the inclusion of diverse cultural groups. To this end, it supports the work of non-profit organizations and other community groups with low-cost use of the beautiful and historic space.

Funding from the incite Foundation for the Arts supports film talks and Hamilton Originals concerts, which feature talented Hamilton musicians performing original music and also taking on the songbooks of many of the most important artists of our time.

The Westdale hosts movies, music performances, comedy, community events. PHOTO: The Westdale

“It’s incredibly important to receive this funding for these events as they have become cornerstones of the arts community in Hamilton and offer audiences rare opportunities to experience niche and local films and music in an intimate, high-quality setting,” says Main.

“It also gives us the opportunity to present highly popular classics in both film and musical performances, which people may not have many opportunities to see in this big-screen/live format.”

For example, The Westdale’s film talks, funded by incite, usually host around 100 cinephiles who get the chance to hear more about the films they’re interested in and discuss the movie post-screening with other film-lovers.

“We appreciate the incite Foundation’s commitment to the well-being of the Hamilton community and their support for our programming,” says Main. “We call this place ‘community magic’ and that magic wouldn’t happen without incite and our other supporters.”