The Toronto Heliconian Club is a

non-profit association A nonprofit organization (NPO), also known as a nonbusiness entity, nonprofit institution, not-for-profit organization, or simply a nonprofit, is a non-governmental (private) legal entity organized and operated for a collective, public, or so ...

of women involved in the

arts and letters Arts and letters is a historical and traditional term for arts and literature, implying a comprehensive appreciation or study of visual arts, performing arts, and literary arts or literature. The concept is similar to the liberal arts and has been ...

based in

Toronto Toronto ( , locally pronounced or ) is the List of the largest municipalities in Canada by population, most populous city in Canada. It is the capital city of the Provinces and territories of Canada, Canadian province of Ontario. With a p ...

, Ontario. It operates out of

Heliconian Hall The Toronto Heliconian Club is a non-profit association of women involved in the arts and letters based in Toronto, Ontario. It operates out of Heliconian Hall, a historic building located in the Yorkville area of central Toronto. Founded in 19 ...

, a historic building located in the Yorkville area of central Toronto. Founded in 1909, the Club still focuses on its original commitment to women supporting and working in the arts. Today, the club has six sections – Drama, Dance, Humanities, Literature, Music and Visual Arts – open to all professional women working in or supporting the arts. The Club runs a Literary Lecture Series (founded in 1996) and a Concert Series, as well as a Salon Series that features speakers from across the arts spectrum. These are open to the public, with the exception of the Literary Lecture Series, which is by subscription only. A key initiative of the Club over the last decade has been to establish artistic residencies for young female artists setting out on a professional career in Music, Literature, Visual Arts, Drama and Dance. The club offers the musician, dancer and dramatist rehearsal space at the club, and an evening in which they can perform their artistic projects at the club before a paying audience. The Visual Artist is given a solo show of her works at the end of the residency in June of each year and is able to attend the Life Drawing Sessions at the Monday Sketch Club free of charge. The Writer in residence is given a subscription to the Literary Lecture Series and the opportunity during her residency to share her current writing project with members of the club.

History

Mary Hewitt Smart (later Shenstone), a teacher of singing at the

Toronto Conservatory of Music The Royal Conservatory of Music (RCM; ), branded as The Royal Conservatory, is a non-profit music education institution and performance venue headquartered in Toronto, Ontario, Canada. It was founded in 1886 by Edward Fisher (musician), Edwar ...

, had helped establish the Women's Musical Club of Toronto in 1899, and during the early 1900s, she was contemplating a more ambitious project. She wanted to bring together women living and working in all the arts – not just music – for social interaction and intellectual stimulation. To that end, she and 59 fellow artists attended a formal meeting at the Teapot Inn on Wednesday, January 20, 1909. On that day, the Heliconian Club was born with Mary Smart as its first president. It was named for

Mount Helicon Mount Helicon (; ) is a mountain in the region of Thespiai in Boeotia, Greece, celebrated in Greek mythology. With an altitude of , it is located approximately from the north coast of the Gulf of Corinth. Some researchers maintain that Helicon ...

, the mythical abode of the

Muses In ancient Greek religion and Greek mythology, mythology, the Muses (, ) were the Artistic inspiration, inspirational goddesses of literature, science, and the arts. They were considered the source of the knowledge embodied in the poetry, lyric p ...

. The founding members were professionals in painting, music, literature and drama. The first Vice President was painter Elizabeth McGillivray Knowles. Charter members (founding members) included Jean Blewett (poet); Bessie Bonsall Barron (singer), Mona Bates (pianist),

Estelle Kerr Estelle Muriel Kerr (1879-1971) was a Canadian painter, illustrator and writer. Life Estelle Muriel Kerr was born in Toronto, Canada, in 1879. In Toronto she studied with Mary Ella Dignam and Laura Muntz Lyall. She studied at The New York Art ...

(painter), Ellen Elliott (publisher), Mary Dignam (founder of the

Women's Art Association of Canada The Women's Art Association of Canada (WAAC) is an organization founded in 1887 to promote and support women artists and craftswomen in Canada, including artists in the visual media, performance artists and writers. At one time, it had almost 1,00 ...

), Emma Scott Raff (dramatist), Jessie Alexander Roberts (dramatist), Ida McLean (singer), and Marjory MacMurchy – aka Lady Willison (journalist & author). Other early active members were: Lina Adamson, Maude Wilks, Katherine Hale (writer), Mrs. J.V. Fairburn, as well as visual artists Dorothy Stevens, Mabel Cawthra, Marion Long,

Rody Kenny Courtice Rody Kenny Courtice (born Roselyn Margaret Kenny; 1891–1973) was a modernist Canadian painter. She was associated with the Group of Seven early in her career, but later developed a more individual style. She was active in associations of artis ...

Isabel McLaughlin Isabel McLaughlin, (10 October 1903 – 26 November 2002) was a modernist Canadian painter, patron and philanthropist. She specialized in landscapes and still life and had a strong interest in design. Biography Born in Oshawa, Ontario, McLaug ...

and

Kathleen Daly Kathleen Frances Daly (or Kathleen Daly Pepper) (28 May 1898 – 31 August 1994) was a Canadian painter. She is known for her depictions of First Nations and the Inuit in Canada. Life Kathleen Frances Daly was born in Napanee, Ontario. She cam ...

Another impetus for creating the Heliconian Club was the fact that women were excluded from the

Arts and Letters Club of Toronto The Arts and Letters Club of Toronto is a private members' club in Toronto, Ontario, which brings together writers, architects, musicians, painters, graphic artists, actors and others working in or with a love of the arts and letters. It was foun ...

, which had been founded in 1908. Membership was by invitation only, and candidates were required to have distinguished themselves in their particular field. The early Heliconians resembled nomads, giving performances, holding meetings and hosting receptions for visiting artists in several different locations before settling in a permanent home. In 1914, members met in a suite of rooms over a bank at the corner of Yonge and Grosevenor streets. Better accommodation was found at 617 Yonge Street; later the Club moved again to a large room over a closed movie house at 801 Yonge St. At the club's annual meeting of 1923, the acquisition of permanent headquarters was discussed and members were asked to keep an eye open for a suitable building. Shortly afterward, artist Emily Louise Elliot spotted a "For Sale" sign on an apparently empty church on Hazelton Ave. It was the former Olivet Baptist Church, then owned by the Painters' Union, whose asking price was $8,000. In July, 1923, the club acquired the building with a down payment of $2,000 and the prospect of a $5,000 bill for renovations and structural repairs. Diligent fundraising enabled the work to be done. The mortgage was discharged in 1931.Weiers, pamphlet. In its earliest iteration, the Club hosted receptions for artists visiting Toronto, as well as mounted theatricals, skits, concerts, art exhibits, arranged art lessons and held a variety of social events such as luncheons and dinners. One of its specialties was extravagant ''tableaux vivants'' involving the talents of all of the members, including musicians, artists, actors and writers.

Heliconian Hall

The club's building, known as Heliconian Hall, is located at 35 Hazelton Avenue in the Yorkville area of Toronto. It is situated on the east side of Hazelton Avenue, north of Scollard Street. The area is home to many art galleries and boutiques, as well as picturesque Victorian and Edwardian houses. The building was constructed in 1876, and its architecture is

Carpenter Gothic Carpenter Gothic, also sometimes called Carpenter's Gothic or Rural Gothic, is a North American architectural style-designation for an application of Gothic Revival architecture, Gothic Revival architectural detailing and picturesque massin ...

. It has a

board-and-batten A batten is most commonly a strip of solid material, historically wood but can also be of plastic, metal, or fiberglass. Battens are variously used in construction, sailing, and other fields. In the lighting industry, battens refer to linea ...

exterior, and a unique carved

rose window Rose window is often used as a generic term applied to a circular window, but is especially used for those found in Gothic cathedrals and churches. The windows are divided into segments by stone mullions and tracery. The term ''rose window'' wa ...

with

drip moulding In architecture, a hood mould, hood, label mould (from Latin , lip), drip mould or dripstone is an external moulded projection from a wall over an opening to throw off rainwater, historically often in form of a ''pediment''. This moulding can be t ...

on the west façade. It is one of very few board-and-batten buildings still in use in Ontario. The building is protected under Part IV of the

Ontario Heritage Act The ''Ontario Heritage Act'', (the ''Act'') first enacted on March 5, 1975, allows municipalities and the provincial government to designate individual properties and districts in the Canadian Province of Ontario, as being of cultural heritage ...

, designated by the City of Toronto since 1973. In 1983, the Toronto Historical Board recognized it with an appropriate plaque as "the oldest building" in the Yorkville area. In 1990, the Heliconian Hall Foundation was founded as a vehicle to acquire funds for the preservation and restoration of what is often called the gem of Yorkville. Heliconian Hall was designated a

National Historic Site of Canada National Historic Sites of Canada () are places that have been designated by the federal Minister of the Environment on the advice of the Historic Sites and Monuments Board of Canada (HSMBC), as being of national historic significance. Parks C ...

in 2008, due to its distinctive architecture and its association with the Heliconian Club.Parks Canada Directory of Federal Heritage Designations website.
/ref> Other noteworthy architectural features include the square, flat-roofed tower, asymmetrically located on the building's southern elevation, two symmetrical steeply gabled entrance porches, and an arcade of narrow-pointed arched windows. The main hall has a vaulted ceiling, a low stage and a fireplace. Due to its excellent acoustics, the venue is in high demand for concerts and other performances. In addition, there is a small meeting room beside the hall, with a bar and a kitchen. The hall may be rented for events and performances.

Current activities

While the Heliconian Club remains true to its objective as a forum for interaction among women in the arts, it has also evolved. Club events attract participants from across the city – the Monday Sketch Group, founded by artist and teacher Erma Lennox Sutcliffe in the early 1970s, is vigorous. The Literary Lecture Series, founded by Janet L'Heureux and Jocelyn Paul in the mid-1990s, is consistently sold out. Since it was initiated, more than 170 exceptional Canadian authors have been featured. An annual concert series of varied programmes featuring the Clubs' high-caliber performers is another well-ensconced tradition. Each month, member artists present art exhibitions in the hall for public viewing; exhibitions include drawings, paintings, mixed media, found objects, textile art, photography and occasionally sculpture.

Notable members

A handsome, historic building alone does not enable a club to survive for 100 years. The strength, vitality and longevity of the Heliconian Club comes from its many dedicated and distinguished members whose reputation and accomplishments are not limited to Toronto but recognized across Canada. Many early Heliconians were trailblazers in their areas of expertise. Seven Heliconians have received the country's highest honour, the

Order of Canada The Order of Canada () is a Canadian state order, national order and the second-highest Award, honour for merit in the system of orders, decorations, and medals of Canada, after the Order of Merit. To coincide with the Canadian Centennial, ce ...

: 1.

Dora Mavor Moore Dora Mavor Moore, ( Mavor; 8 April 1888 – 15 May 1979) was a Canadian actress, teacher and director who was a pioneer of Canadian theatre. Life and work Born Dora Mavor in Glasgow, Scotland, she moved with her family to Toronto, Ontari ...

(1888–1979), actor and director who was instrumental in establishing Canadian professional theatre and has an annual award named in her honour 2.

Marjorie Wilkins Campbell Marjorie Elliott Wilkins Campbell (1901 – November 23, 1986) was a Canadian writer of history and historical fiction. She won two Governor General's Literary Awards for the best works of the year, one of the Governor General's Award for English- ...

(1901–1986), a writer who also twice won the

Governor General's Award The Governor General's Awards are a collection of annual awards presented by the governor general of Canada, recognizing distinction in numerous academic, artistic, and social fields. The first award was conceived and inaugurated in 1937 by the ...

(1903–2002), visual artist, patron and philanthropist 4. Edna Staebler (1906–2006), prolific writer at

Maclean's ''Maclean's'' is a Canadian magazine founded in 1905 which reports on Canadian issues such as politics, pop culture, trends and current events. Its founder, publisher John Bayne Maclean, established the magazine to provide a uniquely Canadian ...

and

Chatelaine Chatelaine may refer to: *Chatelaine (chain), a set of short chains on a belt worn by women and men for carrying keys, thimble and/or sewing kit, etc. * Chatelaine (horse), a racehorse * ''Chatelaine'' (magazine), an English-language Canadian wom ...

magazines 5.

Francess Halpenny Francess Georgina Halpenny (May 27, 1919 – December 25, 2017) was a Canadian editor and professor. Born in Ottawa, she received a master's degree in English language and literature from the University of Toronto in 1941. She joined the editoria ...

(1919–2017), editor at

University of Toronto Press The University of Toronto Press is a Canadian university press. Although it was founded in 1901, the press did not actually publish any books until 1911. The press originally printed only examination books and the university calendar. Its first s ...

, Dean of U of T faculty of Library Science 6. Dorreen Hall (1921 – ), violinist and music educator who brought Orff method of teaching to Canada 7.

Lois Marshall Lois Catherine Marshall, CC (January 29, 1925 – February 19, 1997) was a Canadian soprano. Her husband, Weldon Kilburn, had been her early coach and piano accompanist. Early life and studies; awards Born in Toronto, Ontario, Marshall "began ...

(1924–1997), soprano Other notable members are listed below: * Mary Hiester Reid (1854–1921) - painter *Jessie Alexander Roberts (1864–1955) – famous elocutionist and author of Platform Sketches *

Susie Frances Harrison Susie Frances Harrison née Riley (February 24, 1859 – May 5, 1935) (a.k.a. Seranus) was a Canadian poet, novelist, music critic and music composer who lived and worked in Ottawa and Toronto. Life Susie Frances Riley was born in Toronto of I ...

(1859–1931 or 1935) – writer under the name “Seranus” and composer * Jean Blewett (1862–1934) – poet and writer * Virna Sheard (1862–1943) – poet and novelist * Florence Helena McGillivray (1864–1938) – painter * Elizabeth McGillivray Knowles (1866–1928) – romantic landscape painter * Emily Louise Orr Elliott (1867–1952) – artist, graphic designer, fashion designer * Mabel Cawthra (1871–1943) – painter and decorator active in the

Arts and Crafts Movement The Arts and Crafts movement was an international trend in the decorative and fine arts that developed earliest and most fully in the British Isles and subsequently spread across the British Empire and to the rest of Europe and America. Initiat ...

* Katherine Hale (1874–1956) – prolific poet and writer of travel books *

Lorrie Dunington-Grubb Lorrie Alfreda Dunington-Grubb (1877 – 17 January 1945) was an English landscape architect. She moved to Canada in 1911 with her husband and business partner Howard Dunington-Grubb where they founded Sheridan Nurseries. She was active in garden ...

(1877–1945) – landscape architect * Mary Wrinch (1877–1969) – painter *

Mazo de la Roche Mazo de la Roche (; born Maisie Louise Roche; January 15, 1879 – July 12, 1961) was a Canadian writer who was the author of the ''Jalna (novel series), Jalna'' novels, one of the most popular series of books of her time. Biography Early lif ...

(1879–1961) – author of the famous Jalna novels * Estelle Muriel Kerr (1879–1971) – painter, illustrator and writer * Marion Long (1882–1970) – painter of military portraits, landscapes and still life * Dorothy Stevens (1888–1966) – etcher and portrait painter *

(1891–1973) – painter and teacher; member of the

Canadian Group of Painters The Canadian Group of Painters (CGP) was a collective of 28 painters from across Canada who came together as a group in 1933. Its Archives is in Queen's University, Kingston. Formation The Canadian Group of Painters succeeded the disbanded Grou ...

* Grace Morris Craig (1891–1987) - painter and writer * Yvonne McKague Housser (1897–1996) – painter often associated with the

Group of Seven The Group of Seven (G7) is an Intergovernmentalism, intergovernmental political and economic forum consisting of Canada, France, Germany, Italy, Japan, the United Kingdom and the United States; additionally, the European Union (EU) is a "non- ...

; member of

Jacobine Jones Phyllis Jacobine Jones (1897–1976) was a sculptor. She was born in England, but emigrated to Canada in 1932. Career Jones traveled around Denmark, Italy and France with her mother for years until, at 28, she studied casting, carving, and ...

(1897–1976) – sculptor *

(1898–1994) – landscape and portrait painter *

Jane Mallett Jane Mallett (April 17, 1899 – April 14, 1984) was a Canadian actress. Career Born Jean Dawson Keenleyside in London, Ontario, Canada, her films included ''Love at First Sight'', ''The Sweet and the Bitter'', ''The Yellow Leaf'', ''Nothing ...

(1899–1984) – actor *Lorna McLean Sheard (1901–1983) – actor and theatrical director who created an Experimental Theatre Group at

Hart House Theatre Hart House Theatre is a 428-seat theatre in Toronto, Ontario located at the University of Toronto's St. George Campus in the Hart House Student Centre. The theatre serves the university and the Toronto community at large. Hart House Theatre op ...

in the early 20th century *

Alexandra Luke Alexandra Luke (14 May 1901 - 1 June 1967), was a Canadian abstract artist who belonged to the Painters Eleven. Early life Luke was born "Margaret Alexandra Luke" in Montreal, Quebec. She was one of a pair of twins, born to parents Jesse Herb ...

(1901–1967) – painter; Member of

Painters 11 Painters Eleven (also known as Painters 11) was a group of abstract artists active in Canada between 1953 and 1960. They are associated with the Abstract Expressionist movement. History Since the 1920s, artists in English Canada had been heavily i ...

*Mona Coxwell (1892-?) – writer, dramatist; published theatre periodical called “The Curtain Call” from 1929 to 1941; member of the Canadian Women’s Press Club *

(1903 – 2002) – artist, patron and philanthropist; member of the

* Claire Wallace (c.1900–1968) – journalist at the

Toronto Star The ''Toronto Star'' is a Canadian English-language broadsheet daily newspaper. It is owned by Toronto Star Newspapers Limited, a subsidiary of Torstar Corporation and part of Torstar's Daily News Brands (Torstar), Daily News Brands division. ...

and the

Canadian Broadcasting Corporation The Canadian Broadcasting Corporation (), branded as CBC/Radio-Canada, is the Canadian Public broadcasting, public broadcaster for both radio and television. It is a Crown corporation that serves as the national public broadcaster, with its E ...

radio broadcaster *Ellen Elliot (1901–1973) – publisher and editor *

Marie McPhedran Marie Green Duncan McPhedran, (October 29, 1900 – September 1, 1974) was a Canadian novelist and writer of short stories for children. Her book ''Cargoes on the Great Lakes'' won the 1952 Governor General's Awards for juvenile fiction. Biograph ...

(1900–1974) – writer;

winner *Byrne Hope Sanders (1902–1981) – journalist, editor of

Magazine 1929 – 1952 *Lotta Dempsey (1905 – 1988) – journalist; wrote for the

Globe and Mail ''The Globe and Mail'' is a Canadian newspaper printed in five cities in western and central Canada. With a weekly readership of more than 6 million in 2024, it is Canada's most widely read newspaper on weekdays and Saturdays, although it fall ...

and columnist at the

for many years *

Ruby Mercer Ruby Mercer CM (26 July 1906 – 26 January 1999) was an American-born Canadian writer, broadcaster, soprano and entrepreneur. Mercer was born in Athens, Ohio, and grew up in Toronto, Ontario, Canada. In 1936, she made her debut as a member of th ...

(1906–1999) – opera singer and founder of

Opera Canada ''Opera Canada'' is a quarterly music magazine published by Opera Canada Publications. It is the oldest continuously published arts magazine in Canada. It is an independent magazine separate from the Canadian Opera Association. Along with Opera ...

Magazine and writer * Muriel Stafford (1906–2004) – organist and choir master *Eleanor Beecroft (1906–2007) – actor *Helen Sewell (1906–2001) – painter and teacher *

Margaret Aitken Margaret Aitken (July 3, 1906 – November 19, 1980) was a Canadian author, columnist, journalist, and politician. Background Aitken was born in Newcastle, New Brunswick. She attended Branksome Hall in Toronto. She was the daughter of Joseph M ...

(1908–1980) – journalist at the

Toronto Telegram ''The Toronto Evening Telegram'' was a conservative, broadsheet afternoon newspaper published in Toronto from 1876 to 1971. It had a reputation for supporting the Conservative Party at the federal and the provincial levels. The paper competed wit ...

and the

who later became a politician *

Isabel LeBourdais Isabel LeBourdais born Isabel Russel Erichsen-Brown (15 April 1909 – 2003) was a Canadian journalist and writer."ISABEL LeBOURDAIS 1909-2003: Her book said Truscott trial wrong". ''The Globe and Mail'', 14 April 2003. She is best known as the a ...

(1909–2003) – journalist and author * Hilda Kay Grant (1910–1996) – writer and artist *Kay Kritzwiser (1910–2009) art critic, feature writer at the

* Bronisława Michałowska aka Bronka Michalowska (1915–2015) – ceramicist *

Pearl Palmason A pearl is a hard, glistening object produced within the soft tissue (specifically the mantle) of a living shelled mollusk or another animal, such as fossil conulariids. Just like the shell of a mollusk, a pearl is composed of calcium carbo ...

(1915 -2006) – violinist; first woman to play violin section of the

Toronto Symphony Orchestra The Toronto Symphony Orchestra (TSO) is a Canadian orchestra based in Toronto, Ontario. Founded in 1906, the TSO gave regular concerts at Massey Hall until 1982, and since then has performed at Roy Thomson Hall. The TSO also manages the Toron ...

*(Aileen) Tyrell Morrow (1915–2005) – artist *Amelia Hall (1916–1984) – actor *Faith Wood Breen (1917–2005) – painter *Elizabeth Dingman (1918–2010) – journalist at several major newspapers including the

*Jean Townsend-Field (1921–2006) – painter *Joanne Mazzoleni aka Edith Joanne Ivey (1924–2019) – opera singer and author; member of Heliconian Hall Foundation *Suzanne Mess (1928–2019) – costume designer *Margaret Keslering Weiers (1928 – 2018) – diplomat, author; worked at the

from 1963 until 1991 as a reporter, feature writer and member of the editorial board *Patricia Rideout (Rosenberg) (1931–2006) – soprano *Mary Gardiner (1932 -2010) – composer, pianist, educator; founding member and former Chair of the

Association of Canadian Women Composers The Association of Canadian Women Composers (ACWC) ( FCC is a not-for-profit organization that aims to promote the performance of works by women composers, to disseminate information about and to women composers in Canada and abroad, to encourage ...

Canadian Music Centre https://www.musiccentre.ca/node/37415/biography https://www.legacy.com/obituaries/thestar/obituary.aspx?n=mary-e-gardiner-rutherford&pid=139268088. * Maryon Kantaroff (1933–2019) – sculptor

Gallery

File:Heliconian Hall side view.JPG, Heliconian Hall File:Heliconian Hall front view.JPG, Front

façade A façade or facade (; ) is generally the front part or exterior of a building. It is a loanword from the French language, French (), which means "frontage" or "face". In architecture, the façade of a building is often the most important asp ...

File:Heliconian Hall - Toronto Historical Board plaque.JPG,

Toronto Historical Board Heritage Toronto is an agency of the Municipal Government of Toronto that works to builds a better city by bringing people together to explore Toronto’s shared past and peoples’ lived experiences. It is located in St. Lawrence Hall in the city. ...

plaque File:Heliconian Hall - Historic Sites plaque.JPG,

Parks Canada Parks Canada ()Parks Canada is the applied title under the Federal Identity Program; the legal title is Parks Canada Agency (). is the agency of the Government of Canada which manages the country's 37 National Parks, three National Marine Co ...

plaque

References

Citations Sources * * *MacKinnon, Donna Jean. ''Newsgirls, Gutsy Pioneers in Canada's Newsrooms''. Leaping Lion Books, 2017. *Walbohm, Samara. ''Ladies in Retirement''. University of Toronto PhD thesis, 2004. *Weiers, Margaret. ''Toronto Heliconian Club: Women Living in the Arts, 1909–2009''. Pamphlet, 2008.

External links

*
Heliconian Club building
– ACO Toronto {{Canadian art Arts organizations based in Canada Organizations based in Ontario 1909 establishments in Ontario Women in Ontario