Belonging: Made by Many
With Artist in Residence Alisa McRonald
From January through March, Cambridge Art Galleries and Cambridge Public Library hosted the inaugural Belonging Artist in Residence, Alisa McRonald.
During her residency, Alisa engaged the community through workshops and open studio sessions, inviting participants of all ages and skill levels to engage with different textile and art-making practices. In this exhibition, you will find community members have contributed to textile artworks that explore storytelling, identity, and folklore.
Visitors are invited to play and create at the work stations in the gallery. Using hand-crafted techniques such as weaving, punch needle, stitch and collage, the exhibition continues to be a living, collaborative artwork – an evolving conversation between artist and community.
The Belonging Artist in Residence and Community Exhibitions are juried by Glodeane Brown (curator, writer, arts management professional), Judy Major-Girardin (artist, Professor Emerita, McMaster University), and Cambridge Art Galleries staff. After a thorough selection process, Alisa McRonald was chosen as the Artist in Residence and eight regional artists were chosen to have their work presented in solo exhibitions at Cambridge Public Library, Old Post Office throughout 2026.
This project is made possible through the generous support of the Keith and Winifred Shantz Fund for the Arts held at the Waterloo Region Community Foundation.

Alisa McRonald is a Canadian contemporary artist whose work bridges folklore, fantasy, and material memory through reclaimed fibres and handcraft traditions. With an international exhibition history spanning New York, Tokyo, Los Angeles, Mexico City, and across Canada, her work has been presented at venues including Craft Ontario, CAFKA Biennial, The Artist Project, and The Drake Hotel. She is the recipient of the 2024 Craft Ontario Rich Foundation Residency and a DesignTO Best Product/Design Award, and her work has been featured in Harper’s Bazaar Japan, Untitled Magazine, and the Toronto Star. Rooted in DIY culture and community engagement, McRonald maintains both a studio and teaching practice, honouring the labour, memory, and emotional resonance embedded in reclaimed textiles.
