Time is running out to sign up for our pre-sale list for the Villa Charities Italian Canadian Immigrant Tribute! Registering for our pre-sale list ensures you’ll get priority access to be among the first to purchase your name plaque when they go on sale this fall.

The tribute installation at the Columbus Centre will honour Italian Canadian immigrants by featuring individual plaques with the names of family members and the year they immigrated from Italy to Canada. As a donor you’ll also be able to submit your family photos and a brief history of your immigrant journey for our website.

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Check out our new digital Program Guide and enjoy everything we have to offer at Villa Charities and the Columbus Centre beginning this fall. We have programs for all ages and interests including cultural events, art exhibitions, Italian language workshops, health and fitness, dance, visual arts, music, special culinary events and more. Download your copy from our website today!

View The Program Guide

To commemorate the 50th anniversary of the death of famous Italian writer and dramatist Dino Buzzati, Villa Charities and Istituto Italiano di Cultura of Toronto, in partnership with Ponte tra Culture Society, presents “Stories, Strange Stories” (“Storie, Strane Storie”). This 5-week intensive theatre program, led by Italian theatre actor and director, Gianluca Barbadori, invites individuals of any age, nationality and experience level to come together, connecting through the Italian language and dramatic theatre for a unique social experience featuring ‘strange’ spaces and ‘strange’ stories. 

Everyone is welcome! No previous theatrical experience required. Open to professionals or amateurs, and no knowledge of the Italian language is necessary.

Spaces are still available for our next Information & Orientation Session on Saturday, September 17 at 10:00am. Classes begin Monday, September 19.

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Join us tonight at 7:00pm for the opening reception of the new exhibition, “Mary Magdalene Resurrected” by Lilian Broca, at the Joseph D. Carrier Art Gallery.

Experience this new monumental mosaic series by master artist Lilian Broca. Made of 6-foot-high mosaics constructed from Venetian glass, this series of 7 monumental scale panels explores the figure of Mary Magdalene.

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Villa Charities, in collaboration with the Canadian Italian Business and Professional Association of Toronto (CIBPA), presents a lecture about finance for seniors on Tuesday, September 20. Experienced financial specialists and planners will focus on several topics and provide helpful advice. Learn about Wills & Estate Planning, Investing and Retirement Goal Planning.

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From the postcard view of Italy as seen by outsiders, to the reality behind the façade as represented by Italy itself, this two-part lecture series for Cultural Tuesdays with Dr. Franco Gallippi presents the many romantic portraits of Italy as conveyed through cinema, television, literature, and other media. Join us on September 27 and explore “How the World Sees Italy”.

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Villa Charities, with funding by the Government of Canada’s New Horizons for Seniors Program, resumes our popular Ballo Liscio social dancing nights for the fall. Join us each Wednesday from September 28 to December 14* at 6:30pm as we dance the night away. These weekly events are open to everyone and feature live musical performances. 

*No Ballo Lisco on October 12.

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Beginning October 4, Anthony Sestito from Pastaio will be leading a series of classes on how to make fresh pasta. Join us for “Egg Dough, Shapes of Central/Northern Italy”, and learn about making fresh egg dough including the process beginning from the “well” method for handmade pasta shapes including fettuccine, pappardelle, farfalle, garganelli, and soppressine. Participants will also make a simple sauce and enjoy a final dish of Tagliatelle ai funghi. 

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Be sure to register for our Italian language workshops this fall! Our online book club “Club del Libro” beginning on September 28 with “Nessuno si salva da solo” by Margaret Mazzantini will take you on a literary adventure. Or, enjoy a drink and snacks while you discuss and explore Italian art with “Art & Aperitivo” starting October 3 with Daniela Sanzone. 

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Learn Italian through storytelling, music and arts with “Italian for Toddlers” beginning September 28 at the Columbus Centre. This program in partnership with Accademia dei Ragazzi will feature 10 one-hour classes for a total of 10 hours. Parents must attend class with their child.

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On Sunday, October 16 at 3:00pm, Villa Charities will be hosting “Beatrice & Adolfo: Doing What They Love”. This concert will feature musical duo Beatrice Carpino (singer) and Adolfo De Santis (pianist) as they present a selection of popular Italian and English songs, Neapolitan songs, and Broadway songs.

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Have a question about our programs and services? Take the opportunity to speak one-on-one with Marco DeVuono, President and CEO of Villa Charities Inc.!

Appointments are 20 minutes each and must be scheduled in advance. The next Friday Chats is scheduled for Friday, October 14. Contact us today to schedule your virtual meeting – call 416-789-7011 or email [email protected]. 

Book Your Meeting

Thanks to everyone who participated in the second Ital-Canadian Golf Open on September 8 in support of CIBPA Toronto, ICCO Canada, and Villa Charities Foundation.

With your incredible support, we raised over $100,000 in support of scholarships and bursaries for students across the country.

Thank you to our sponsors, donors, and volunteers for making the tournament at The Country Club a success! We hope to see you next year.

Registration is now open for our recreational and adult dance programs beginning this fall at DanzArts Toronto. Recreational and competitive programs offer training for all levels, from the beginner dancer to pre-professional, and adults who want to combine their love of dance with great exercise. Many classes are available including Kinderdance, tap, ballet, jazz, hip-hop, musical theatre, acrobatics and more. Register today to reserve your spot for the 2022/2023 season.  

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Improve your strength and conditioning with Columbus Centre Athletic Club’s OMEGA High-Intensity Interval Training! With varied, high-intensity functional movements, these 45-minute workouts will help improve physical well-being and cardiovascular fitness in an encouraging environment with specialized coaches. Register for our upcoming demo classes for OMEGA Strength, OMEGA Cardio and Core, OMEGA Strength and Cardio, and OMEGA 55+ Beginner.

Registration for demo classes will take place the week of September 19, 2022.

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Want to show off your skills in squash? Join our competitive squash house league starting September 19. Players will be able to choose between three levels (beginner/intermediate/advanced) to play against other squash players and win prizes!

Matches are scheduled every Monday night from 5:20 – 9:00pm. Semi-finals will be on November 28 and Finals will be played on December 5. Prizes and social will be held at Caffe Cinquecento following the final match. Please RSVP by emailing [email protected] or call 416-789-7011 Ext. 229.

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