SUN SUN and Garden recording demos at the very colourful Heart Lake Records Home Studio. Photo taken by Ayo Leilani
I didn’t have to separate my identity as an artist from my role as a mother in order to participate. In the past, working in the arts while raising my child often meant pushing through exhaustion, turning down opportunities, or quietly working around systems that weren’t built for someone with caregiving responsibilities. Through the family residency, I experienced what it was like to be included without having to hide or apologize for that reality. Personally, it reduced the stress and isolation that can come from constantly trying to ‘make it work’ and professionally it allowed me to engage more fully and consistently.
Heart Lake Records
Heart Lake Records
Family Residency
Pilot Project: A two-day family-friendly residency with practical and creative supports and opportunities for intergenerational connection and creativity.
Project Duration: June 2025 – February 2026
Continuing to Implement: Yes
Resources Shared: Project Field Notes
About Heart Lake Records
Location: Caledon, Ontario
Artistic Discipline: Music
Operating Budget: Less than $100,000
Heart Lake Records Inc. is a queer, Black, and women-owned and operated independent label based in Ontario. The company focuses on supporting LGBTQ+, BIPOC women, non-binary, and gender-nonconforming artists creating Hip Hop, R&B, and Soul music. As a community-centered company, Heart Lake offers funding, project management, distribution, and mentorship to help emerging talent thrive.
The mission of Heart Lake Records is to amplify marginalized voices and challenge outdated perceptions of urban music and arts culture in Canada. Through care-focused infrastructure and long-term artist development, the company aims to transform the industry into a more inclusive, representative, and supportive space. The label does not simply release music; it builds community, prioritizes creative freedom, and empowers artists to take control of their careers.
Heart Lake Records’ Level UP! Project
Heart Lake Records’ Family Residency Pilot tested a small-scale artist residency model for caregiver-artists. The pilot hosted emerging musician and visual artist Garden and her daughter for a two-night stay, offering practical supports that reduced barriers to participation including: accommodations, meals, and funds for transportation and childcare. The residency also included access to instruments and recording tools, mentorship, art supplies, and equipment for merch production. The residency showed how artistic work can unfold alongside family life rather than separate from it. Garden was able to develop a demo while her daughter got creative alongside her, creating art while listening to music and experimenting with sound and instruments.
Project Highlights:
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- Provided on-site accommodation so the artist and child could remain together throughout the residency.
- Provided three meals and snacks to reduce logistical pressures.
- Offered access to creative tools, including art supplies, printers, a t-shirt heat press, a button maker, instruments, and recording equipment.
- Supported intergenerational creativity by welcoming the child’s participation.
Resources
Heart Lake Records | Project Field Notes
About This Resource Heart Lake Records created these Project Field Notes in 2026 to share details about their Balancing Act Level UP! Pilot Project.
More Information
For more information about the Heart Lake Records, visit heartlakerecords.ca.
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