Workers Arts and Heritage Centre, Hamilton

Workers Arts and Heritage Centre opened in 1996 to present the history of working people and their role in shaping Canadian society. Founded with a mandate to explore labour, immigration, and social change through art and community programmes, it is housed in the mid-19th-century Custom House. The limestone building once managed goods entering the region and now serves as gallery and event space.

The gallery’s exhibitions address industrial development, labour movements, craft traditions, and daily life. Contemporary works are shown alongside archival photographs, tools, posters, and personal documents, linking art with lived experience. The programme highlights diverse voices, including migrant workers, factory employees, and grassroots organizers.

In addition to its rotating exhibitions, the centre hosts talks, film screenings, workshops, and community events that encourage discussion about social history and cultural identity. Local lore adds another dimension to the building’s past. The former Custom House is often described as “haunted,” associated with the “Dark Lady,” a figure said to appear in the attic, blending recorded history with local legend.