The Art of Creation Exhibition at the
Art Gallery of Hamilton

About The Exhibition

The Art of Creation began at the Art Gallery of Hamilton.

This inaugural Exhibition marked the formal launch of the Art of Creation Program and established the model that continues to guide the initiative today.

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We opened first with a soft launch that brought together the pregnant participants who contributed to the project, alongside the collaborating artists and research team. It was an intentional moment; the individuals whose lived experiences informed the work were the first to see it installed in a public gallery setting.

That evening grounded the project in community before opening the doors more broadly.

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Following the soft opening, the Exhibition ran publicly at the Gallery and became a central platform for dialogue in Hamilton. It featured Hamilton-based artists interpreting themes of early development, pregnancy, sperm and egg contributions, placental biology, and intergenerational health. Showcasing local artists in a major Hamilton institution was important. This was our home turf, and we were deliberate about

beginning the journey within our own community.

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The AGH Exhibition also served as a research site. We conducted a structured program evaluation that assessed audience engagement, knowledge translation outcomes, and shifts in understanding related to early development and preconception health. The findings informed two peer-reviewed manuscripts and established the evidence base for arts-based knowledge translation within our Art of Creation Program.

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In parallel, we delivered workshops and structured engagement sessions with the McMaster School of Midwifery, Hamilton Public Health, and multiple Hamilton community organizations. These sessions integrated Exhibition visits with facilitated discussion, allowing health professionals, trainees, and community members to reflect on how early life science intersects with practice and lived experience.

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The AGH exhibition was more than a gallery show.

It was the foundation of the Art of Creation Program. It was the first demonstration that art could function as a rigorous, research-informed method of translating complex developmental science to the public.

It marked the beginning of an ongoing national and international journey that started in Hamilton, Canada.