Our Story
Art with Heart began about three years ago with, Nikki Campbell-Schram who worked as a bar manager, had no prior business experience nor aspirations of entrepreneurship but who had a fierce passion for the arts, for teaching and a BIG dream.
Her new business debuted as a small youth theatre company in Port Dover with just 7 young cast members and a performance at Lighthouse Festival Theatre for a grand audience total of 25 people. Since that first program, Art with Heart has seen tremendous growth and Nikki introduced her love for painting and visual arts into the company as well, starting out by offering kids crafts at the local park through the summer.
Her love of leading young people through their own unique creative processes lead her to open a small studio in her grandmother’s cabin, which offered kids and adult painting classes and even a summer camp! The programming grew quickly in popularity and soon, the move to 518 Main Street in Port Dover was made.
As they grew Nikki knew it was time to find a partner who she could work alongside and her long-time close friend Leanne Zyba was the obvious choice. Leanne worked behind-the-scenes at Art with Heart from the very beginning, making frequent trips down to support her friend by volunteering as an extra pair of hands at a paint party or helping her lead a camp or work an event. When Leanne moved from Hamilton to Simcoe, it seemed as if fate had aligned. Leanne began working more hours organizing art supply shipments and teaching summer camps and soon became a wonderful asset to the company.
OUR MISSION STATEMENT
To create a safe, inclusive and welcoming space that enriches and empowers our community through both private and public engagement in the arts, and provides genuine encouragement of all people’s artistic journeys, allowing them the freedom to imagine and sparking in them the inspiration to create.
Nikki Campbell-Schram
