QUINTE ARTS COUNCIL

The Quinte Arts Council is honoured to celebrate Hands in Commemoration, a landmark festival recognizing our local Deaf culture and the deep significance of the Sir James Whitney School for the Deaf (SJW) in our community.

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Founded in 1870 as the Ontario Institution for the Education of the Deaf and Dumb, Sir James Whitney School is Canada’s oldest and largest school for the Deaf. It is one of Belleville’s important cultural assets. For more than 150 years, it has been a cultural and educational cornerstone, nurturing generations of Deaf students and shaping the fabric of Belleville. Today, the school continues to stand as a proud symbol of identity, heritage, and community.

A Festival of Art, Language, and Identity

At the heart of this festival i

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