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Belonging Artist in Residence: Alisa McRonald

Alisa McRonald holding punch needle textile art against colourful background.

Alisa McRonald is Cambridge Art Galleries’ first Belonging Artist in Residence.

Cambridge Art Galleries begins the New Year with a new artist in residence program and the first artist selected for the program is Alisa McRonald.

“I am so honoured to be selected as the resident artist for the first Belonging Artist Residency. I cannot wait to meet and work with the community surrounding Cambridge Art Galleries. I envision a beautiful community exhibition full of connections and creating art together.” Alisa McRonald

During her residency, Alisa will engage the community by inviting participants of all ages and skill levels to contribute to sculptural textile works that explore storytelling, identity, and folklore. Using hand-crafted techniques such as weaving, sewing, and punch-needle embroidery, the project will become a living, collaborative tapestry – an evolving conversation between artist and community.

The community is invited to participate in the Belonging Artist in Residence with Alisa at the Preston Gallery from January 5 to March 13, 2026.

Alisa McRonald was selected as the Belonging Artist in Residence through a juried process that included: Glodeane Brown (curator, writer, arts management professional), Judy Major-Girardin (artist, Professor Emerita, McMaster University), and Cambridge Art Galleries staff.

About the Artist

Alisa McRonald has exhibited nationally and internationally, including at El Room in Mexico City (2025), The Artist Project (2025), Drey Gallery (2024), the Toronto Reference Library, the Interior Design Show, CAFKA (2023), Craft Ontario (2022), and the Drake Hotel (2021). Her work has been featured in Harper’s Bazaar Japan, Untitled Magazine, and the Toronto Star. She received the 2024 Craft Ontario Rich Foundation Residency, was a 2023 Ontario Culture Days Creative in Residence, and has won awards from DesignTO (2023) and the Toronto Outdoor Art Fair (2020). Passionate about reclaimed textiles, she rescues handmade items, honouring the labour, love, and memory embedded in their fibres.

The Belonging Artist in Residence is made possible through the generous support of the Keith and Winifred Shantz Fund for the Arts held at the Waterloo Region Community Foundation.