I am a passionate storyteller. I have been able to tell stories in multiple ways using dozens of mediums. I studied arts for 8 years at a fine arts school in Santiago de Cali, Colombia where I am originally from. I have had the privilege to experience firsthand the use of multiple mediums to tell stories. Many of my friends don’t know but I have been writing since I was a child. I have been too shy to write in English because I always have the language fear. I have won awards back home in poetry and my tales and poems were published since I was 7 years of age. I am very passionate about writing and telling stories. I started my own anthology of stories and poems to talk about the feelings I developed when I was first diagnosed with Diabetes Mellitus Type I in 1999. It was really hard for me to describe the way my body was feeling and the way I was feeling in relation to others and my relation to the food.
My Mom studied Gerontology, and while she was going to her practices with my sister and me, I developed this profound love and admiration for seniors. I respect them a lot and I decided to do something to ensure they had an opportunity to express themselves, tell us their stories and celebrate who they are as well as their ancestry. I was able to pilot the program during COVID thanks to the financial support of North York Arts.
This organization believed in the program and my skills to run it. For 10 weeks, Mondays and Fridays became a space for dialogue, a positive space of support and comfort; a space where seniors expressed their feelings and their anguish, their fears, and their concerns. We laughed, cried, kept silent, sang together, danced in the distance, told stories, celebrated countries and their traditions, shared recipes, knitting techniques, and much more!
Thanks to the connection we had with participants a couple of things happened. Personally, I was able to develop a new diagram to make stories more interesting taking them to a deeper level that I didn’t even imagine myself. I call them the Octopus Diagrams. In order to tell stories sometimes, we need to ask the right questions and think and ask out of the box. Creative elements were added to the stories beyond linear storytelling.
Since May 2020 until now, I have had the pleasure of engaging with over 80 seniors, 4 different organizations, and collaborating with Paula Solano, illustrator, to enhance the participants’ stories.
HERE you can take a look at one of the iterations of the program with TPL. If you happen to know Spanish you can listen to the final audios and a teaser of how the program ran HERE.
Leading Change: From Artist to Change Maker and Community Builder
Tasneem Dairywala is an artists and arts facilitator who has lived most of her life in the Flemingdon Park community of North York and she has been part of the NYA community since 2016, “NYA has been my mentor, partner, and friend for many years. My first experience with NYA was as a volunteer. Then a mentee, an artist and eventually a board member and donor”. It’s been an amazing experience for NYA to be able to play such an important role in the growth and development of Tasneem’s career as an artist and community builder.
Tasneem first connected with NYA as a volunteer and her relationship soon began to grow, “I went from not even knowing that this sector of community arts existed to finding the resources to create my own opportunities. I learned so much from Melissa and Lila that I decided to start a non-profit organisation to run programs in my neighbourhood. From grant writing to budgeting, they helped me every step of the way. Since then, I have received continuous support from NYA staff as mentors, partners, and cheerleaders. I worked with Melissa on my first grant. They helped me work through my ideas and the writing process. There are still some of those lines in the grants I write today, so the grants I get today have been influenced by that first grant I wrote with NYA’s help. And what’s also really nice is that I’ve been able to see NYA and the staff there grow. It’s been a journey. From never even having attended a board meeting to starting a non-profit – that leap would have never happened without NYA. NYA gave me the opportunity to discover my potential as an artist and a leader. They believed in me and encouraged me to pursue my dreams”
After working with NYA Tasneem founded Art Ignite. Art Ignite is a non-profit community arts organisation with the aim to provide free or low-cost visual art workshops and exhibitions that cater mainly to the Flemingdon Park community in Toronto. Many of Flemingdon Park’s residents are new immigrants living in low-income households with limited access to art activities. Led by professional artists, these activities transform community spaces into creative hubs where residents can unleash their imaginations, connect with their community, gain skills, and become leaders of change.This is where Tasneem learned to create what she referred to as “beautiful little communities”. Which for her means people having a space to gather, to share stories and use colours. “I would bring my baby to our sessions and she would sit in the middle of the room and people would create around her. Even through Covid we stayed connected. Those programs don’t exist anymore but those relationships do. Every time I went home after leading those programs I felt like something really special happened there”.
Tasneem described the power of art as having “a ripple effect that we can’t quantify or qualify”. While attending an exhibition recently Tasneem experienced what exactly that means when she was talking to another attendee about a children’s book she was working on. The book is The Little Fairy Finds Her Glow: An Illustrated Children’s Book About Courage and Kindness and it is about a little fairy who discovers the power of love and kindness. Tasneem was asked to read some of it so she pulled out her phone and started reading. “As I’m reading it she starts to cry. She said it made her think about everything that is happening in the world and wished we could only see each other that way. Other people then began to join the conversation. People were sharing their perspective, experience and feelings about current events. People who were strangers just moments before were now building a meaningful relationship. Even just for that short time. Art makes the world less lonely. The fact that these simple words created for children were able to reach people and touch them deeply made me feel like.. yes I’m moving in the right direction – I’m in the right place.”
“Art is not only a form of expression, but also a source of connection. I see the impact it has through my role as an arts educator and an artist. It can uplift you when you need it most. And the impact is even larger when we create together. We need to support our artists because you can support a community by supporting its artists’.
![Thank you for joining us at Inspire North!]()
Thank you for joining us at Inspire North!
An extra special thank you to our incredible photographers, Maria Vega, Ricky Yu, and Shoeb Kadri.
When I was a young creative growing up in North York, I knew I was drawn to the arts. But, at the time, I had limited access to opportunities that developed my toolkit for beautifying spaces, sparking conversations, and amplifying marginalized voices – myself included. It took interning at North York Arts, mentorship from community arts organizations VIBE Arts, Sketch, and JAYU, and peer support from talented artists to really make this emerging artist, facilitator, and arts administrator begin feeling confident. With these experiences, I make it my mission to give back to the community, especially youth, through arts education and community engagement – be it through my arts administration roles for community-based programming, my art by sharing my story, and through arts facilitation/mentorship by sharing what I’ve learned during my artistic journey.
I am so grateful that my story and my passion have led me to connecting with artists, creatives, and changemakers who have taken chances on me to create change in my community.
Journaling Your Cultural Collage (JYCC) is a reflective and explorative arts & wellness program I designed with youth in mind. Funded by RBC Foundation and VIBE Arts with community partners North York Arts and YIELD, this program uses digital collage and various forms of journaling to affirm identity and practice self-care. Artists were able to compile a photobook and appreciate various cultures and walks of life by sharing stories and learning how to create artist statements.
StreetARToronto Evelyn Wiggins Cycle Track brought me back to my university days where I could design and paint a mural near York University. It was very fulfilling being able to beautify the neighborhood where I learned about Cultural Artistic Practice and Visual Art. Thank you to the curatorial, administration, and health and safety team for supporting artists!
Photo credit: Gage Fletcher @gage.fletcher
Yonge North York BIA x STEPS – Cafe TO is exciting because I ate (and continue to eat) at so many restaurants in WIllowdale and revisited many family memories. I remember when Sheppard Centre had the movie theatre and Pizza Pizza was one building south, but now I have my art on picnic benches in front of many places I’ve witnessed change!
L-R Tropical Splash in front of Yonge Sheppard Centre, Eating ChungChun with little bro on Byng Ave, Tropical Splash near North York Blvd.
VIBE Arts NExT Black Mentorship Exhibition was my first ever art exhibition and it was the greatest because I was able to bring my community into Meridian Arts Centre and connect with wholesome Black artists. I also juggled my arts administration and artist hats being the Education & Engagement Coordinator at TO Live. As an artist, I created a digital collage and painting series called Persephone’s Panganat that spoke to my mixed race identity and I felt so seen, especially celebrating with my North York neighbours who came on opening night.
VIBE NExT Black Mentorship 3.0 cohort
There is so much more to share, but alas word counts get the best of memories, so I would be honoured if you could support my artistic journey by following me on Instagram @articulately_jasmine. You are also invited to the Gardiner Museum x VIBE Arts FREE community celebration on August 16 @ 6:30pm!
My involvement with NYA started last Spring 2022 when I was finishing my post-graduate certificate in Arts Management and searching for an arts organization to work with as an intern. Going through NYA’s Impact and Annual Reports page, it didn’t take long for me to put NYA at the top of my list. Working to address the needs of not only artists and arts organizations, but the community as a whole through different types of art is a remarkable endeavor that I wanted to be a part of.
I am currently with NYA doing administrative support and I take pride knowing that the seemingly minute details of my work in the organization ripple through the bigger successes that happen in our community programs.
Prior to joining NYA, I worked as a kindergarten teacher for more than 10 years. I believe that the arts is a powerful tool in shaping the future. My background in psychology and my passion for the arts are woven into my pedagogical approach as I find creative ways to engage my students in art-playing and art-making. Promoting the arts at school is imperative as a means for students’ self-expression and understanding identity. The arts bring an array of benefits to children’s growth and development including increased self-confidence, enhanced communication skills, and improved cognition.
In 2020, I’ve completed a research that centered around visual expressive arts and student anxiety for my MA in Educational Studies (Special Education) program. My study has investigated and provided information on student anxiety present in schools, the causes, different types, signs and symptoms, and their externalizing behaviors observed in students in the classroom. I also gathered a resource on visual expressive arts (drawing, painting, sculpting, collage making, and mosaic art) used for its therapeutic function, its types, application techniques, and the possible benefits thereof to students with externalizing anxiety behaviors. Finally, a set of recommendations that can help educators integrate visual expressive arts activities into their regular classroom routines were given.
Why is this information important to share in the arts community? As student anxiety becomes an increasing concern in the classroom especially that the recent pandemic exacerbated it, teachers who form the frontline in supporting these students need all the necessary resources that could enable them to support students, (without waiting for the school’s mental health services that are often inaccessible to many students). As mentioned earlier, the arts have a powerful contribution in the development of our youth towards success. When funding and budget cuts threaten arts education and programming in schools, opportunities are taken away from students, and to many, it can hurt academically and psychologically.
As community members, artists, and the workforce behind arts organizations, we are part of the village that collectively raises and supports our youth and sets them up for success. We have to stand guard, be more proactive, and continue to be creative and resourceful in saving the arts for our youth. After all, art saves!
I’ve been with NYA since 2014 and this year I took on a new position as Director of Development (previously I was the Director of Programming and Outreach). Why the switch? Well, to be honest, it’s exactly the same reason as why I wanted to do programming in the first place – because art matters.
My arts background is primarily in Theatre. As I was nearing the end of my degree in Theatre I started to become interested in the emerging world of community arts. Community arts seemed to be a way to work in the arts that made sense to me. Fast forward a few years and I find myself working as a front-line worker in the social service sector, specifically in shelters and in supportive housing. I ended up working in this sector for close to a decade, while maintaining my own artistic practice. In social services the impact of the work is very tangible. Simply put – access to adequate housing is a human right. It is one of our basic needs. It’s hard to argue with the immediate importance of the work. I certainly would not argue against the importance of the work but for me… it was missing something.
When given the opportunity, I began facilitating programs and bringing in other artists. One project in particular had a significant influence on me. It was a theatre project that brought together youth from the shelter, staff and professional artists. Youth chose their role either writing or acting in these 10-minute plays. Staff or outside artists directed or acted. I’ll be honest I didn’t really know what I was doing and I made 1000 mistakes overseeing this project, but in the end all the little mistakes didn’t seem to matter all that much. Everyone had fun and the experience clearly had an impact on all those involved. The project built bridges between staff and residents and a wider creative community. The youth were proud of what they had done. I’ll never forget when one youth who chose to write a short story said to me “No one has ever asked me to tell my story before this”. It wasn’t even so much what he said but how he said it that will stay with me. He had a look on his face that I had never seen before. There seemed to be a shift in the way he saw himself. I witnessed the effect that participation in the arts can have on an individual. I had the privilege to be part of that and the lessons I learned continue to influence every aspect of my work. Art can be a creative platform to share one’s story and has the ability to impact our sense of self and community.
On the one hand as housing workers we were primarily focused on housing and barriers to housing which is absolutely vital but I realised that there was maybe something else I could do to address a different need; one that helps build the individual, the self, and creates a sense of belonging. All I had to do was provide the opportunity; to make some space for people to participate. The process of art-making did all the work. It’s internal work. You can’t really check a box at the end and say, yep done, good job. It’s work that lasts a lifetime and no one really knows the exact impact because it may not be relevant until years later. I loved that I could use whatever resources and tools I had to make that space available. So I made the switch into arts management, and got lucky enough to start working with NYA.
These experiences made me appreciate the value of art in the socio-economic and cultural ecosystem. We tend to think of the importance of things in a linear or hierarchical way. For example, Maslow’s hierarchy of needs. This is a dated reference I know but it is my opinion that it still holds true when it comes to how many people view the importance of charitable work.
Maslow’s Hierarchy of Needs are:
- Physiological Needs (air, water, food, housing)
- Safety needs (personal security, employment, health)
- Love and Belonging (friendship, community)
- Esteem (status, respect, recognition, freedom)
- Self-actualization (desire to be the most that one can be)
But what if we challenged ourselves to see it more like an ecosystem? Where each need has a domino effect on the other. Where they are constantly in a relationship with one another and support one another.
(Let me be clear. If someone is dehydrated I’m not saying we should give them a paintbrush. Give them water. Certains needs, need specific things to satisfy those needs. If your need is water, that need is imminent. But what I’d like to encourage is a more holistic view that can see and appreciate the value of the relationship that exists between things like self actualization and our physiological needs).
Many communities and worldviews reflect this way of looking at things but in this society a linear or hierarchical way of thinking is still dominant.
That’s what was missing for me all those years ago. A focus on nurturing our humanity/soul/creativity/_______ (please insert whatever word makes sense to you). If we saw these needs as part of an ecosystem and not separate from one another how might that affect our work in the charitable sector and how we support the charitable sector? I’m still working on answering these questions.
Art is and always has been an expression of our humanity. It is something we can’t lose and we all have a right to. That is what drove me to start working in arts programming and what drives me in this new role. Creating space so that the art can do the work. It is also why I believe giving to the arts is important and why it is a priority for me. Simply put- art matters.
Thank you to our incredible photographers!
Cinematoscape – Ice Skating Photography on Feb 4th
Maria Vega Photography – Roller Skating on Feb 18th
The Grow North Creative Residency is an initiative by North York Arts to “pass the mic” to artists in our community. Local artists living in North York are given the opportunity to share information, teachings, and their artistic practice with our audience, and engage with the North York Arts community in meaningful ways.
One of the most beautiful things I have experienced since the start of the protests in Iran, is the solidarity my non-Iranian friends have shown from the beginning of the woman, life, freedom movement. It is absolutely wonderful to witness so many people supporting, empathizing and genuinely wanting to help Iranian protesters in their fight for freedom.
I have been asked multiple times and have seen countless comments all over social media of non-Iranians asking: “How can we help?”, and so I wanted to share some of the ways that you can help below:
- Stay engaged and share the news about Iran
- Write to your representatives and ask them to support Iranian protesters
- Sign petitions in support of the Iranian protesters
- Attend protests in your area
- Help Iranians overcoming internet blackouts and filtering
At this link, you will find a comprehensive list of resources and action items, such as how to help protesters with the internet blackouts and filtering, that is updated on a regular basis.
If you would like to stay up-to-date on the Iran news, information and real-time developments, here are some accounts you can follow on Instagram:
Thank you again to North York Arts for giving me this opportunity to amplify the voices of the protesters in Iran.
The Grow North Creative Residency is an initiative by North York Arts to “pass the mic” to artists in our community. Local artists living in North York are given the opportunity to share information, teachings, and their artistic practice with our audience, and engage with the North York Arts community in meaningful ways.
Since the beginning of the protests in Iran in September 2022, more than 500 protesters have been killed and more than 10,000 protesters have been arrested. Yet the protesters are still fighting for freedom, whether on the streets all over Iran or by various acts of civil disobedience.
In an attempt to get the protests under control and inspire fear, the Islamic Republic has charged many innocent protesters with “Moharebeh” which translates to “Waging war against God”. A crime that is punishable by death in Iran.
At least 4 protesters (Mohesen Shekari (23), Majidreza Rahnavard (23), Mohammad Mehdi Karami (22) and Mohammad Hosseini (39)) have been executed after giving false confessions under extreme physical and psychological pressure. At least another 41 protesters have received death sentences and are at risk of execution.
False confessions in Iran are a widely reported phenomenon, especially amongst the political prisoners. These confessions are often used as evidence in sham trials, resulting in expedited convictions.
Physical and psychological torture, as well as threats against the prisoner and their family or loved ones are among the methods wherein these false confessions are extracted. It’s also important to note that Iran’s legal system lacks many of the protections and due process that are guaranteed in democratic countries.
Due to the limitations on the Internet in Iran and lack of freedom of speech, Iranians in diaspora have started an online campaign to raise awareness on the executions in Iran, and get the support of the international community in hopes of getting the death sentences overturned.
If you would like to join the campaign:
- Grab a pen and paper and write #StopExecutionsinIran
- Take a photo of or with the sign
- Post it. Hashtag it!
Or simply share a post or protest art and use the hashtag #StopExecutionsinIran
You might think posting on social media and hashtags don’t help in any way. For better or worse, we live in an extremely online world where trending hashtags and social media campaigns have an incredible effect in raising awareness on a topic and in turn will have news media reporting more on the said topic.
This is how Iranians in Iran and all over the world brought attention to the death of #MahsaAmini and the #WomanLifeFreedom movement, by using the hashtags to educate, shed a light on what was happening in real-time and demand attention from the international community.
By getting the hashtags trending, we got the attention of the news media, brands, politicians, celebrities and people around the world which started a larger conversation regarding policies against the Islamic Republic and limiting their power to suppress their own people.
This is what we are hoping to achieve with the #StopExecutionsinIran and we hope that you will join us in raising your voice and supporting the people who are so bravely fighting for freedom.
The Grow North Creative Residency is an initiative by North York Arts to “pass the mic” to artists in our community. Local artists living in North York are given the opportunity to share information, teachings, and their artistic practice with our audience, and engage with the North York Arts community in meaningful ways.
If you are on social media or have attended protests in person, you might have seen the amount of art that is being produced in support of the protests in Iran. You might be wondering why creating art is so significant in the fight for a free Iran.
For context, It is important to know that Iran has a rich history of art, poetry and music that dates back thousands of years. For the past 43 years, all forms of art have been policed, censored, repressed or blocked by the Islamic Republic government. Artists living in Iran cannot freely express themselves through art or any other means. You will find a lot of symbolism, metaphors, or other clever tools artists utilize to express what is forbidden under the Islamic Republic rules and regulations. Iranian artists living outside of Iran who create political art or feely criticize the regime, risk going to prison or worse if they ever decide to go back to Iran.
In a society where freedom of choice and freedom of expression is against the rules, to freely create art and speak your mind becomes a form of protest. This is why protest art has become so important for Iranians.
Now what is protest art? Protest art or Activist art is the creative works produced by artists and activists that reflect social movements or bring awareness to a political issue. It is a traditional means of communication for citizens, as well as protesting totalitarian regimes where freedom of expression can be seen as a form of civil disobedience. Protest art comes in many forms and mediums such as: illustration, animation, video art, music, anthems, poems, performance art, installation and more.
Many Iranian artists, myself included, feel that it is our responsibility to use our voice, platform and skills to show solidarity with the protesters, help amplify their voices through art and hopefully bring positive change to the movement.
Over the past 3 months, a large number of non-Iranian artists and musicians have also joined in on creating protest art in support of the protesters which has brought worldwide attention to the protests.
If you are an artist who is inspired by the Iranians’ fight for freedom, please use your voice and skills to amplify the Iranian voices. Create portraits, videos, posters, music or any other way that feels authentic to you, to raise your voice in support of the protesters in Iran.
