Toronto Art Therapy Institute

What Toronto Art Therapy Institute does

The Toronto Art Therapy Institute (TATI) is a Toronto-based nonprofit career college and registered Canadian charitable organization founded in 1968, operating as Canada's first and longest-standing art therapy training program. It delivers a Graduate Level Diploma in Art Therapy (DTATI) in two modalities — Onsite at its 124 Merton Street headquarters and a Distance Learning format — with a 600-hour practicum requirement, integrating creative arts practice with psychotherapy theory. The program is recognized by the College of Registered Psychotherapists of Ontario (CRPO) for both academic and clinical experience components, and is an approved training program of the Canadian Art Therapy Association (CATA), making TATI completion a direct pathway to professional registration.

TATI's core technology stack is intentionally lean: it relies on the Owl Practice platform for secure, CRPO-compliant video therapy sessions and, since a 2024 collaboration with Toronto Metropolitan University's Master of Digital Media program, has produced the MindMosaic digital collage prototype and the 'Not Standard Procedures' video series. Supporting digital assets include the TATI Zine Archive (Creative Commons student publications), a Video Library, and an Art Therapist Directory listing 72 practitioners.

TATI's business model blends tuition-based graduate education with donation-based community services and ancillary fees. Revenue is generated primarily through DTATI program tuition (delivered to graduate students pursuing art therapy and psychotherapy careers), supplemented by suggested donations ($15, $20, or $30 per session) at the TATI Student Art Therapy Centre, plus transactional fees for transcripts and documentation requests ($20 CAD each) and ticketed workshops. Multi-year foundation sponsorships (Donner Canadian Foundation 2020-2025; Echo Foundation 2023-2025) and a newly instituted $10,000 equity-deserving bursary pool for 2026-2027 underpin the financial structure. Customer segments span individual graduate students, practicum placement hosts (hospitals, schools, social service agencies), and community members seeking accessible mental health support.

Name

Toronto Art Therapy Institute

Legal name

Toronto Art Therapy Institute

Website

https://tati.on.ca

Company type

Private

Founded year

1968

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

The Toronto Art Therapy Institute, founded in 1968, is Canada's first art therapy training program, delivering a CRPO-recognized Graduate Level Diploma in Art Therapy onsite and via distance learning, and operating a donation-based virtual student therapy centre serving community members across Canada.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Headquarters

HQ city

Toronto

HQ country

Canada

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Technology or R&D, Others

Revenue model

1. Art Therapy Education Programs: Tuition-based graduate-level diploma programs (Onsite and Distance Learning). Students pay fees for coursework, practicum supervision, and related educational services.
2. TATI Student Art Therapy Centre Services: Donation-based art therapy services offered by practicum students. Suggested donations of $15, $20, or $30 per session. Tax deductible receipts issued. Revenue supports administration, technology costs, and accessible mental health services.
3. Transcript and Documentation Services: Transcript requests at $20 CAD per transcript. Documentation requests at $20 CAD per document.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels5 records

Marketing channels8 records

Core offering

Toronto Art Therapy Institute (TATI) is a registered career college and Canadian charitable organization offering a Graduate Level Diploma in Art Therapy (DTATI) delivered through Onsite and Distance Learning formats, training students to integrate art practices with psychotherapy. The institute also operates the TATI Student Art Therapy Centre, which provides donation-based virtual art therapy services to community members through supervised student practitioners.

Product overview

Toronto Art Therapy Institute (TATI) is an educational institution offering a Graduate Level Diploma in Art Therapy (DTATI) in two formats (Onsite and Distance Learning), recognized by the College of Registered Psychotherapists of Ontario (CRPO) and Canadian Art Therapy Association (CATA). The institution operates the TATI Student Art Therapy Centre providing donation-based virtual art therapy services to the community (16+), facilitated by supervised student therapists via Owl Practice platform. Supporting resources include an Online Art Hive (virtual community art studio), Video Library featuring the 'Not Standard Procedures' series, TATI Zine Archive, and an Art Therapist Directory listing 72 practitioners. The institution also periodically offers specialized art therapy groups for various populations including eating disorders, eating disorders, SWANA communities, and adults with disabilities.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Graduate Level Diploma in Art Therapy (DTATI) Graduate-level diploma program training students to integrate art practices with theories and skills in psychotherapy for work with individuals, groups, adults, children, youth, older adults, couples, families, and diverse communities. Includes 600 practicum hours requirement.
• Onsite Program In-person art therapy training program at the Toronto campus featuring classroom instruction, experiential learning, and supervised clinical practicum placements.
• Distance Learning Program Online art therapy training program allowing students to complete coursework remotely with virtual instruction and remote practicum placements across Canada.
• TATI Student Art Therapy Centre Donation-based mental health service offering brief virtual arts-based psychotherapy (8-12 weekly sessions) provided by supervised TATI students. Available to individuals 16+ residing in Canada (except Quebec). Tax deductible receipts issued for donations.
• Online Art Hive Virtual open community art studio for adults 18+ to create art together, share skills, and build community, facilitated by supervised TATI practicum students.
• Art Therapy Groups Periodically offered specialized art therapy and arts for wellness groups for specific populations including those with eating disorders, SWANA communities, 2SLGBTQIA+ individuals, and adults with disabilities.
• Art Therapist Directory Searchable directory of 72 TATI graduates, students with RP(Qualifying) status, and connected creative arts therapists offering art therapy services, filterable by location and specializations.
• Transcript and Documentation Services Official transcript and documentation request service at $20 CAD per transcript or document request, with non-refundable fees.
• Community Workshops and Events Community workshops and events including themed workshops (e.g., 'Singing in the Dark Times'), Art Hives, Research Symposia, and gatherings co-hosted with OATA. Tickets range from $15 (students) to $30 (professionals).

Quantifiable outcome

• Graduates working at major Toronto healthcare institutions including The Hospital for Sick Children, Sunnybrook Hospital, Women's College Hospital
• +1 more outcomes

Named customers11 records

Segments5 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Integration2 records

Partnerships

Ten partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• Toronto Metropolitan University Master of Digital Media ProgramcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerCollaboration with TMU MDM program in summer and fall 2024 for student major research projects. Outcomes include 'Not Standard Procedures' video series featuring interviews with creative arts therapy practitioners, and 'MindMosaic' prototype digital collage tool for virtual art therapy sessions. Presented at MDM Industry Day.
• Owl PracticecoreTechnology or IntegrationOwl Practice is the psychotherapy practice management platform used for secure video therapy sessions at the TATI Student Art Therapy Centre. Platform is compliant with CRPO and Canadian privacy regulations.
• Hospitals and Healthcare OrganizationscoreOthersPartner organizations hosting TATI practicum students include The Hospital for Sick Children, Sunnybrook Hospital, Women's College Hospital, and other healthcare facilities. Students provide art therapy services under supervision.
• Schools and Educational InstitutionsminorOthersTDSB and other public/private schools host practicum students for art therapy services with children and youth. Humber College also mentioned as employer for TATI graduates.
• Community Mental Health and Social Service AgenciescoreOthersAgencies including YWCA Toronto, BOOST, The Etobicoke Children's Centre, Skylark Children Youth & Families, Youthdale Treatment Centres, Covenant House, and others host practicum placements for TATI students.
• College of Registered Psychotherapists of Ontario (CRPO)coreOthersCRPO recognizes TATI programs for both academic and clinical experience components. Completion of TATI program meets the education requirement for registering with CRPO.
• Canadian Art Therapy Association (CATA)coreOthersCATA is an approved training program by CATA. Students may join CATA for student membership, and graduates may apply for professional membership with pathway to registered membership upon completion of additional requirements.
• Ontario Art Therapy Association (OATA)coreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorOngoing collaborative relationship including co-hosted Art Hives, Research Symposiums, and community events. TATI students and OATA members regularly partner for community arts-making and professional development events.
• Sheena's PlaceminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerCollaborative BIPOC Advocacy Zine project co-facilitated by TATI research advisor and students, published on Sheena's Place website.
• Concordia UniversityminorOthersReference to Art Hive model developed by Dr. Janis Timm-Bottos of Concordia University. TATI has connections through faculty (e.g., Jazmine Tufford-Singh completed Masters at Concordia) and shared research interests in community arts therapy.

Scale indicators6 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Broad incumbents

• American Art Therapy Association: Largest North American professional association for art therapists, with affiliated training programs and credentialing standards. Comparable as the broader incumbent shaping curriculum norms, with TATI board member Donna Betts as Past-President providing institutional linkage.
• Concordia University — Art Therapy Program: Major Canadian university with an established art therapy graduate program in Montreal. Comparable as a higher-education incumbent offering an accredited alternative pathway into art therapy practice, including the Art Hive model that TATI references.

Others

• College of Registered Psychotherapists of Ontario (CRPO): Provincial regulator whose recognition of TATI's academic and clinical experience components underwrites the institute's credentialing value. Comparable as the governing ecosystem enabler whose standards and recognition decisions directly determine TATI's market positioning.
• Canadian Art Therapy Association (CATA): National professional association that approves TATI's training program and offers membership pathways. Comparable as an ecosystem player governing the professional standards that shape TATI's value proposition and graduate outcomes.

Regional players

• Humber College — Social and Community Development: Ontario college where TATI graduates are employed and which offers related community and social service programming. Comparable as a regional training provider in adjacent helping-professions disciplines that overlap with art therapy career pathways.

Direct peers

• Adler Graduate Professional School: Ontario-based graduate school offering programs in counselling and therapy disciplines including arts-informed approaches. Comparable as a competing private career college in the same graduate psychotherapy credentialing space.
• Vancouver Art Therapy Institute: Western Canada-based art therapy training program with similar diploma offerings and practicum structure. Comparable regional peer competing for the same Canadian student market with geographic specialization in BC.
• Create Institute: Toronto-area art therapy training program offering diploma-level education and practicum placements. Comparable as a direct competitor in the Ontario market for art therapy credentialing and student recruitment.
• Kutenai Art Therapy Institute: Another long-standing Canadian art therapy training institute offering a diploma program with practicum requirements. Directly comparable as a peer credentialing institution competing for the same prospective students across Canada.

Emerging players

• Toronto Metropolitan University — Master of Digital Media: Research collaborator with TATI on MindMosaic and the 'Not Standard Procedures' video series. Comparable as an emerging partner in digital arts/health innovation that could potentially develop competing digital art therapy offerings.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks7 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Instagraminstagram.com/tati.community
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/toronto-art-therapy-institute

Compliance5 records

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles1 record

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Toronto Art Therapy Institute