East End Arts is excited to be partnering with The Image Centre of Toronto Metropolitan University to present a Polaroid Emulsion Transfer Workshop for youth. The deadline to apply is March 1st, 2026. Scroll down to learn more!
Polaroid Emulsion Transfer Workshop
Saturday March 7, 2026
12-3PM
St. Matthew’s Clubhouse, 450 Broadview Ave.
REGISTER AT FORM LINK BELOW
ABOUT THIS WORKSHOP
Partnering with the Image Centre of TMU, East End Arts is supporting a Polaroid Emulsion Workshop for youth ages 15-25! In this workshop participants will each create a mixed-media Polaroid self portrait. The session will begin with each participant posing for a Polaroid portrait. Using this image, youth will learn the hands-on techniques of transferring their image emulsion onto another material surface, such as: paper, fabric, wood or stone. In combining instant photography with found or repurposed objects, this 3 hour workshop will explore the material and sculptural possibilities of photography, with incorporated support from guest artist Marzieh Miri who will provide participants with a presentation on their artistic practice, along with a demonstration of Polaroid emulsion transfer techniques.
WHAT TO EXPECT
- All workshop materials and supplies will be provided.
- Presto fare will be provided to each participant.
- Participants will each receive an honorarium of $50 after completing the workshop (this will be provided on the day of).
- Participants are encouraged to bring materials they may wish to transfer their polaroid image onto. Watercolour paper is the most common, which we will provide along with a few other paper options. However you may consider bringing one of the following materials for a unique Polaroid transfer.
Note that not all materials and surfaces work well for this process. Click here to see some examples of different transfer surfaces.
- Specialty printmaking papers
- Printed photograph
- Wood (panel, block, bark, small branch)
- Rocks or Stones
- Leaves
- Seashells or Seaglass
- Fabric swatches (light coloured natural fibres: cotton canvas or denim, silk, linen)
- Ceramic tiles
- Workshop registration will close on Sunday, March 1st (11:59PM).
WHO IS THIS FOR?
- Youth ages 15-25 (those ages 15-17 must have a legal guardian register on their behalf).
- Maximum of 10 spots available.
- Participants will be selected based on their responses to the questions below, and not everyone who fills out this form is guaranteed a spot. We will get back to everyone letting them know if they have been accepted or not.
HOW TO REGISTER:
Visit our Google Form below and fill out the application form for the Polaroid Emulsion Workshop!
ABOUT THE GUEST ARTIST
Marzieh Miri is an Iranian-Canadian multidisciplinary visual artist. Her research and creative practice explore the concepts of place, land, and environment using photographic media. She is particularly interested in experimental and alternative approaches that examine the relationship between humans and their environment. Marzieh holds an MFA in Documentary Media from Toronto Metropolitan University (formerly Ryerson). She has received grants from the Ontario Art Council and has exhibited her art projects in Iran, France, Austria, and Canada. In addition to her work as an artist, she has also worked as an architect, professor, writer, and critic. Marzieh has published book chapters and articles in international journals and presented at conferences and courses in Canada, England, and Iran.
PHOTOS FROM PREVIOUS WORKSHOPS
ABOUT THE FUNDER + PARTNER
About The Image Centre
The Image Centre (IMC) is Canada’s leading institution dedicated to the exhibition, research and collecting of photography. Established in 2012 at Toronto Metropolitan University, in the heart of the city, the IMC welcomes visitors to explore the intersection of photography and culture. Through compelling exhibitions and engaging public programming, the IMC showcases work by emerging, renowned, and anonymous photographers, past and present. With a growing collection of nearly 500,000 photographic objects and an innovative scholarly research program, the IMC is also a vibrant hub for the preservation and study of photography.
The Image Centre’s Poy Family Youth in Focus program provides free, customized workshops for community organizations and youth in the Toronto area. These sessions provide hands-on, photography-based activities that encourage critical thinking about our exhibitions and explorations of image-making and storytelling processes. By engaging with new, young audiences, The Image Centre aims to promote greater inclusivity, equity, and accessibility in a museum context.