Painting the Town Yellow
Art Therapy at The Yellow Door
Every morning of my first four years in Montreal, I walked by a vivid yellow door as I headed down Aylmer toward McGill University’s campus. It always seemed like a fun, quirky touch against the urban backdrop. The entire length of my undergraduate degree had passed before I learned about the organization behind that door and a fifth year before I entered for the very first time. Nestled in the grey-bricked bosom of the Milton-Parc neighbourhood, The Yellow Door works to reduce urban isolation of vulnerable groups in downtown Montreal, with particular focus on building relationships between seniors and youths.
According to their website, the Yellow Door Coffeehouse was founded in the late 1960s. Local artists ran the coffeehouse, which provided a platform for the performance of music and poetry. It was a welcoming space for students and other people in the local area, bringing together people from diverse backgrounds. Community was built through sharing art, in addition to their other endeavors, such as their community-oriented lunch program and their drop-in psychiatric clinic, which was set up in 1970 in response to the growing culture surrounding drug use. The Yellow Door has made its imprint on the Milton-Parc community and, as the longest-running coffeehouse in Canada, has continued showcasing local music and spoken word talent, in addition to supporting the individuals at the margins of our Montreal community.
The Yellow Door describes their organization on their website: “Our mission is to reduce social isolation of vulnerable groups in downtown Montreal. Over the decades we have come to mean so many things to so many people. We are a place to receive support, to find resources, to socialize, to discover new skills, to truly connect with others, to be part of a larger community. We are a place for all ages to come together. We invite you to join us – donate, sign up to volunteer, or come to an activity – we bet the YD will become something meaningful to you too.”
Photo by Jutta Schneider
Located at 3625 rue Aylmer, The Yellow Door has developed many beneficial programs, encouraging intergenerational connection and building community ties. There are two main initiatives: the Generations Program, which pairs youths and seniors together, and Wellness Groups, which focus on promoting holistic well-being. One of their weekly Wellness events is their art therapy program, where attendees are encouraged to work with guided artistic prompts. After speaking to the resident art therapist, Juliana Duimstra, I learned that the art therapy sessions aim to “provide opportunities for self-reflection and creative expression [...] foster community support through shared stories and creativity [and] support mental wellbeing.” It’s also a chance to socialize and meet other creative individuals!
Art therapy is a form of psychotherapy, which facilitates self-exploration and self-understanding. It can include the use of media like painting, drawing, or modelling, and provides individuals with a safe space to express themselves and work through their emotions.You can access and explore deep feelings, enjoy a moment of clarity, or have a mental break from work and other stress. Art therapy, like the Yellow Door offers, can be an outlet for the stress that many of us are encountering this year—and these sessions can act as a chance to connect with your creative self in a stress-free, low-stakes setting.
Each Monday from 13:30 to 15:00, with the help of volunteers, Juliana leads activities that encourage the participants to release their emotions through art. These weekly Art Therapy sessions can be a space to process deeply rooted emotions or to break up your Monday and have a moment to relax and reset your mind. The meetings are bilingual and all ages, with an average of five to ten participants (and a cap of around fifteen). There is no commitment whatsoever with this group - you can drop in any week and try it out!
Juliana detailed some of the activities that they have done before, which included “a collage vision board for 2025, drawing a road as a metaphor for your life, using clay to reflect on how 2024 has shaped you, using masks to explore identity.” No artistic ability or experience is required or expected, and there is no pressure to show people your finished work. There are no right or wrong answers in art therapy!
Each week a new theme is chosen, centered around an activity. A typical session begins with a check-in and an artistic warm-up, followed by working on the main project for that week. At the end there is an optional opportunity to share thoughts, ideas, and, of course, your projects! You are welcome to participate or to simply sit and listen to how others developed their own works.
Another event relevant to Montreal’s artistic community is their Hootenanny, an open stage event on Friday nights, where artists perform their music and spoken-word pieces. This is an opportunity to share your art, work with other creative minds, and foster connections in downtown Montreal. Anyone in the community can also rent out their spaces for meetings and workshops, so I highly encourage organizers to take advantage of this space and support the Yellow Door in their mission.
Other events from The Yellow Door include their reading groups (French and English), knitting classes, and their Rabbit Hole, which is an affordable vegan lunch every Friday. For seniors in particular, their programs include tech help, errand-running, visits and a weekly community hour — their Generations Program celebrated 50 years in 2022!
If you are interested in volunteering with The Yellow Door, visit their website to apply for available positions! They are currently looking for volunteers for their Generations program, where youth connect with and support seniors in our community, as well as for their Wellness Groups. If you want to attend events, check out their calendar and head over—no need to RSVP! They also accept donations through their website. I would also recommend signing up for their quarterly newsletter, to keep up with all things Yellow Door.
I encourage you and your loved ones to get involved—whether as a volunteer, a supporter, or a participant—and become a member of the Yellow Door community!
