The opening of the 2020 Northbound Exhibition Program is quickly approaching, and we’re excited to introduce our first artist: Anna Kavehmehr! Born in Tehran, Anna moved to Toronto in 2013 to pursue her art career. Her exhibition, “Lacrima: /’la.kri.ma/”, follows the story of a girl in different stages of her life where she is experiencing feelings of loss, loneliness, displacement, and the hopelessness that comes with them. 

Keep reading to learn more about Anna and her work!   

Tell us about yourself and your background in the arts. 

I started drawing from a young age by copying my mom’s sketches. She used to draw beautiful portraits and I was always in awe of how she captured elegance with a few lines. I became obsessed with creating art that conveys something intangible, and I never stopped drawing. I went to art school and studied Graphic Design and focused on book illustration for my thesis.  After moving to Canada, I completed my master’s degree in Digital Media and created an AR storybook of Alice’s adventures in Wonderland for my final project. I am currently working on a short animation and a graphic novel and am always open to collaborate with other artists. 

Describe your exhibition; where did you draw inspiration? 

This collection of work stemmed from emotions that I was experiencing after immigrating to Canada and the loneliness that came with it. The feelings were contradictory, complex and at times dark. What compelled me to create art about them was that I was fully aware of them and was trying to work through them by bringing them on a page and confronting them. It almost felt like being stuck in a freeze-frame moment where I was merely a bystander looking upon myself.

What is your favourite part about showcasing stories and emotions through your work?

 For me, creating any sort of art is almost a form of therapy. Depicting emotions has helped me understand the different states I’ve been in and has helped me know myself a little better. I believe stories have the power to connect a wide range of audiences that might on the surface have nothing in common. They help us understand different people, their struggles, their happiness and their dreams. To me, Illustration is just a different form of storytelling.

What is something you hope that people take away from your exhibition? 

My hope is that I was able to depict that dark emotions can creep up in the most ordinary settings as well as over-powering a situation one might be in. That all emotions are welcome in getting to know oneself. 

What are you most looking forward to as a participant of Northbound? 

I am incredibly grateful for this opportunity and thankful to North York Arts for promoting emerging artists, especially in the North York area. The chance to have so many people view your work is always very exciting, and I’m looking forward to connecting with other North York based artists and art enthusiasts. 

Lacrima: /ˈla.kri.ma/ will be on display from April 1 – April 30 at the North York Centre; the exhibition opening will take place on April 1 from 12 pm – 1 pm. This exhibition is free to the public. For more information, click here.

We are excited to introduce Cecilia Acevedo, the group leader of Legacy Collective. Legacy Collective is an independent North York-based senior engagement initiative supported by North York Arts. The group celebrates creativity and wisdom through peer-to-peer learning, storytelling, and art-making. 

Over the past year, Cecilia Acevedo has been the group’s lead coordinator – she has ensured that it is a well-run space for sharing, creating, and building friendships. We asked Cecilia about her interest in the arts and her involvement in the Legacy Collective. 

Tell us a bit about yourself and your interest in the arts. 

My name is Cecilia and I am from Chile. I came to Canada in 1984 and while it was really hard at the beginning, as time went on it became much better. I always had an interest in the arts (I think I got it from my mom!). There was just something inside me that drew me to art – I think my favourite is visual art. I’m a visual learner; I can look at something and in my mind, I can see where to add or change colours. Art has always been a way for me to express myself.

Tell us about Legacy Collective; when did you get involved and what is your role now? 

Legacy Collective is a group of senior women from different ethnic backgrounds. We gather together and share our knowledge in visual arts, painting, crochet, knitting, and other types of art. In 2009, before I was a part of Legacy Collective, I was involved with another arts group that I learned about at a community centre. Then, 3 years ago, I heard about the Legacy Collective and decided to join. Now I am one of the group’s leaders and I’m really happy because I have the opportunity to teach and share my knowledge with the other ladies, which they can use to improve their skills. 

What impact has the Legacy Collective had on you and the participants?

For me, the Legacy Collective has been very important because it’s a place where we can share our knowledge, emotions, and our cultures. We all come from different countries and situations which gives us the chance to learn from each other – a chance that we wouldn’t have had otherwise. For this reason, being a part of the Legacy Collective has been amazing. Legacy Collective was able to bring people from all around the world together. 

How do you hope to see Legacy Collective grow in the future? 

It’s our dream for Legacy Collective to grow. We want to do so many more things – and we are trying. We want to grow our participants, become much bigger, and we want to continue to give a helping hand to other people. Just like North York Arts, we want to be able to share with those in our community. 

The Legacy Collective meets every Friday in North York. To learn more about the work they are doing visit https://www.northyorkarts.org/project/legacy-collective/. Interested in joining? Contact cecilia@northyorkarts.org.

North York Arts is excited to announce that the Call for Nominations to the Board of Directors is now open!

The Board of Directors provides strategic leadership, governance, establishes policy, oversees the operations and financial performance of North York Arts and assesses the Board’s own effectiveness. Our Board Members will serve on several committees, including:

• Executive
• Finance & Audit
• Accounting
• Governance & Nominating
• Programming & Events
• Fundraising & Marketing
• Legal

New members will be supported and mentored by the existing Board of Directors to help ease the transition into this leadership role. Participation on the Board is voluntary and there is no remuneration for service.

Expected Commitment from Board Members:

• Term begins April 2020 and have the ability to serve for a minimum of one (1) year and eligible for re-election at the annual general meeting
• Attend 8 Board meetings that take place each year: one in conjunction with the Annual General Meeting
• Able to commit the time and resources to serve on the Board and one board committee, and represent North York Arts as requested

The Governance & Nomination Committee is particularly interested in candidates with the following knowledge and expertise, who either live or work in the City of Toronto:

• Fundraising, Development & Sponsorship
• Community Arts & Leadership
• Small Business and/or Social Enterprise

Qualifications:

• Commitment to North York Arts’ Vision and Values and has an appreciation for the arts
• Personal commitment to devote the time necessary to perform the responsibilities of a Board member
• Strong communication and collaborative skills
• Previous non-profit board experience is an asset
• Live and/or work in the City of Toronto

To apply:

• Please submit a cover letter and your résumé / CV by March 11, 2020 to lila@northyorkarts.org
• All applicants must complete this application to be considered for the position.
• All cover letters and résumé / CVs will be reviewed by the Committee to be selected for an interview.
• Nominations Committee will then make recommendations for each open board position to the Board. The Board will meet and review the recommendations and then motion for selection.

North York Arts is strongly committed to equity and inclusion within the community and encourages applications from all qualified candidates including Persons with Disabilities, Persons of Colour, Indigenous and 2SLGBTQIAP community members. We thank all applicants in advance, however only those selected for an interview will be contacted.

For more information about the role and nomination process – please contact Executive Director, Lila Karim at lila@northyorkarts.org or 416-733-9388 x 7062.

We’re excited to introduce arts leader and educator, Charles Smith. Charles is the Artistic Director of The Wind in the Leaves Collective and the Executive director of Cultural Pluralism in the Arts Movement Ontario (CPAMO). 

We’re highlighting Charles’ involvement in CPAMO, specifically growing the equity and diversity landscape in the arts. North York Arts was fortunate to be involved in CPAMO’s most recent cohort of organizations dedicated to deepening their understanding of equity and pluralism in the arts and making organizational changes. 

Tell us a bit about yourself and your background in the arts.

I am a poet, essayist, and interdisciplinary performing artist.  I’m also an arts administrator and educator involved in teaching and promoting equity and pluralism in the arts and society.  I’m from New York City where I studied poetry with Armand Schwerner and William Packard at City University New York and New York University.  When I arrived in Toronto, I started the Black Perspectives Cultural Program in Regent Park and was very involved with Black Theatre Canada. I am currently the Executive Director of Cultural Pluralism in the Arts Movement Ontario (CPAMO) and Artistic Director of The Wind in the Leaves Collective, an interdisciplinary performance group combining his poetry with music, dance, and visual arts.

What is CPAMO and what kind of work are you doing in the city?

CPAMO is a movement of Indigenous and racialized artists and arts organizations engaged in empowering the arts communities of Ontario. We aim to build the capacity of artists by providing access to cultural institutions and facilitating partnerships with various arts organizations. CPAMO strongly believes that its efforts will create an environment in which creative artists from Indigenous and racialized communities will be better understood by presenters for music, dance, theatre, interdisciplinary practices, visual arts, and literary publishers.

To assist in achieving CPAMOs goals and objectives, we undertake activities in community engagement, professional development, research and publications, artist performances, and organizational development and change.

What is the role that arts organizations play in facilitating cultural pluralism?

Arts organizations can and do play a significant role in promoting cultural pluralism.  This is being done by such organizations working directly with Indigenous, radicalized, queer, deaf and disabled, women and other marginalized artists.  Such work can include coming to understand their artistic practices, staging and/or exhibiting these works as well as active promotion and advocacy.  

How can individuals and arts organizations get involved? 

CPAMO is always open to new people and/or organizations that want to get involved. You can become a member (free of charge) or become a presenter. CPAMO members are able to use our website to promote their activities, and they take part in surveys and Roundtable meetings to provide input into CPAMO’s initiatives. You can also join our email/ newsletter list; CPAMO newsletter comes out every other month and we publish the information shared at our events.  

To learn more about CPAMO and to get involved, visit: https://cpamo.org/. To learn more about the how North York Arts was involved,visit: https://cpamo.org/equity-education-in-the-arts/cpamo-poc-phase-2/

Next month, North York Arts will be running “Second Act Seniors” An 8-week ESL theatre program for seniors and adults. Each week, participants are led by instructors to feel more confident in their English speaking abilities. 

With that said, we’re excited to introduce one of the instructors, Stephan Dyer. Along with his partners Juan Cajiao and Isaac Luy, Stephan founded MalPensado, a Spanish speaking comedy club. We spoke to Stephan about MalPensado, comedy as a tool for development, and what he’s looking forward to with Second Act Seniors.

Tell us about yourselves and what you do.
Juan Cajiao, Isaac Luy and I are bilingual comedians and public speaking coaches born in Colombia, Venezuela, and Costa Rica, respectively. In 2014 we founded MalPensando, the only Spanish comedy club in Canada. We’ve also been on TEDx and Comedy Central and performed in 15 countries including Malaysia, Singapore, and Luxembourg. In 2017, MalPensando became a bilingual comedy school and has since helped over 600 people in 5 countries become funny, confident speakers through improv, clown, public speaking and comedy workshops.

Tell us about MalPensado and its impact on the community.
MalPensando gives back to the Hispanic-Canadian community regularly as it is one of our key priorities and core values. Every year we give over $3000 workshop scholarships to charities that help Hispanics better adapt into Canada. We also offer numerous free Leadership workshops on a yearly basis in order to give our community the necessary tools to succeed in today’s Canadian society.  Examples of these workshops are “LinkedIn Workshop To Advance Your Career (For Hispanic Newcomers),” “Resume Critique Workshop For Hispanic Newcomers,” “How To Network Effectively: The Canadian Way,” “The Secrets Behind Getting A Job in Canada,” “How To Be A Master Of Ceremonies,” “Speaking With Confidence,” and coming this winter 2020 “Financial Literacy for Youth.”

How can comedy be used to develop public speaking and other skills?
Comedy is truth and pain. Comedy is basically tragedy plus time. In other words, it’s very therapeutic. When you’re real on stage, when you’re authentic, you connect with people because it’s also happened to them. Typically when something is “relatable”, it’s funny! 

Our 6-week course actually teaches people to conquer the fear of public speaking, make people laugh, and influence any audience! It helps people get amazing presentation skills because we teach you 25 tips and techniques. Instead of me telling you, I’ll just copy and paste one of our student’s testimonials: 

“This was honestly one of the best things I have ever done. I was able to push myself beyond my comfort zone and grow as a person. Prior to this course, I wasn’t very confident in myself. One of the main reasons I joined the course was to overcome social anxiety, and it definitely helped me do that and so much more. MalPensando not only helped me become a more confident public speaker, but a more confident person in general. I am super grateful for the lessons Stephan and Juan taught us. It is definitely a course that impacted my life greatly. I got to meet some amazing people from different walks of life that I would have never crossed paths with if it hadn’t been for this course. I highly recommend this for everyone! It was an incredible experience that I wouldn’t trade for anything.” 

What are you most looking forward to during your Second Act Seniors workshop?
So excited you have no idea. More often than not, I find that seniors are more authentic when expressing themselves. That authenticity is KEY for connecting with an audience and making people laugh because, as you remember, comedy is truth and pain, Often, they’re not scared about being vulnerable and sharing real stories, real failures, or telling it like it is. Their stories will be therapeutic and will inspire people everywhere. 

Second Act Seniors starts on February 4th! Interested in signing up? Visit northyorkarts.org/project/second-act-seniors or call 416-733-9388 x 7067. 

Want to learn more about Stephan and MalPensando? Visit: malpensando.com

At North York Arts, we are lucky to work with so many incredible artists and arts workers in our city. One of these incredible people is Adom Acheampong, an arts programmer who currently works at the Nia Centre for the Arts. Adom has been immersed in the arts sector for many years and we are excited for her to be part of Northbound 2020 as a jury member! 

We spoke to Adom about her arts background and current work, what she loves about Toronto’s arts community, and her involvement with Northbound 2020.

Tell us a little bit about yourself and your arts background. 

I’ve had the privilege of working in programming, mentorship, advocacy, and curatorial capacity in the arts for five years now, and am proud to be able to support the arts & cultural communities throughout Toronto – specifically for Black & Indigenous People of Colour. Currently, I am the Program Manager at Nia Centre for the Arts, and the Chair of the Decent Work Advisory Committee as part of the Ontario Nonprofit Network. 

Creatively, I am a writer working mainly in short fiction and prose. My work has most recently appeared online with Broken Pencil Magazine, and will be featured in the forthcoming FEEL WAYS anthology. I am also currently one of four fantastic 2019 Writers-in-Residence at Firefly Creative Writing Studio. 

Can you tell us about the work you do at the Nia Centre for the Arts? 

As the Program Manager at the Nia Centre for the Arts, I work to continually advance our mission to support, showcase, and promote an appreciation for art from across the African Diaspora. This involves everything from developing meaningful and impactful partnerships and programs, developing opportunities for young people to find their purpose through the arts, continually evaluating programs, and of course, lots of grant writing and reporting! I work with a small but phenomenally powerful team, and every day brings new challenges and opportunities.

What do you love most about Toronto’s community arts scene?

What I love most about Toronto’s community arts scene is its transformative potential to truly bring out the creativity in everyone. Community arts is the hub for tough conversations, challenging ideas, and grassroots innovation. As artists, we are consistently at the forefront of social critique and change. Through community arts, everyday people can meaningfully engage in this critique, and drive social change in ways that are accessible and impactful to them and their respective communities. Toronto is a great example of how this creative potential manifests within a city.

What are you looking forward to about being a Northbound 2020 jury member? 

Sitting on a jury is always an honour and a great experience. Although usually fun and incredibly engaging, I don’t take the responsibility lightly. Although I am very excited to review the submissions, I am most excited for the lively conversation that will undoubtedly take place during the jurying process amongst passionate jury members committed to equity, access, and creating meaningful opportunities for artists.

To learn more about the Nia Centre, visit https://www.niacentre.org/home. To learn more about our Northbound 2020 Exhibition Program, visit https://www.northyorkarts.org/project/open-call/. 

North York Arts is proud to introduce Aqua Nibii Waawaaskone, an Indigenous singer, songwriter, storyteller, artist, and activist originating from North Bay, Ontario. We spoke to Aqua about her background and passion for the arts, her current projects and involvement with NYA, and the importance of Indigenous voices being shared through community arts. Keep reading to learn more!

Tell us a little bit about yourself, your background, and your passion for the arts?

I am an Indigenous two-spirit woman of mixed ancestry. I am Ojibwe with French and Scottish heritage. I identify as Anishnaabe and Metis. I am an artist and activist. I feel very strongly about honouring my teachings and traditions and have always been called to creation in many forms. I am a songwriter and feel it is my deepest level of self-expression or what I like to call “the expression of my spirit”. I am also a drum carrier and drum maker. This is a role I’ve taken on and is a responsibility in my community. The drum has helped me and continues to do so. I am proud to be sober and continue to heal on my journey as I work with the traditional medicines of my ancestors. I have always been passionate, from a young age I felt so righteous about giving voice, face, and space to those who go unheard, unseen, unnoticed. As I grow on my journey I understand that it takes many of all Nations to do this good work for us to heal. I share my medicine and my experiences knowing that they may resonate with someone, even just one, but also accepting that they won’t resonate with others, if any, and that’s ok. 

Why is it important for Indigenous voices and stories to be shared through community arts?

I feel very strongly that Indigenous voices be heard in all areas including community arts because they are of value. This was not the belief for a very long time. Our voices as all marginalized and oppressed groups have been silenced, this needs to change. Community arts is a portal, a vessel to accomplish this. The arts have always allowed for more openness and love than many other areas in mainstream society. This is where it begins, but certainly not where it ends. The young ones I teach and mentor do not see themselves reflected in many aspects of this world. I believe it is crucial to have our own people telling our own stories in our own ways. For our young Indigenous people to see themselves in the leaders in all facets including the arts. 

Can you tell us about the work you are doing with the North York Arts team?

I have had the opportunity and privilege to work with some amazing people at North York Arts, one being Melissa Foster, someone I consider a strong ally. She has been humble, patient, and understanding when it comes to learning about Indigenous peoples and our ways. It’s because of her and the strong connection and relationship we have both nurtured that I’ve been working with North York Arts for the last 3 years. Over this time I have shared my original medicine music, including a song called The Strong that tells a part of the story of my people’s experience in residential schools. I have also lead circles for all Nations to learn about my culture and the hand drum. I have honoured the land and taught the intention behind honouring the land that gives us life and the lives that were given to protect her. I am currently going to be working with Melissa and other team members to discuss the Truth and Reconciliation’s calls to action and how they can be implemented into community arts. This is a big one, but there are other amazing Indigenous people in the community who are also helping. I love my work with North York Arts. It has always been a positive experience for me as an Indigenous two-spirit woman of mixed ancestry. 

What can you tell us about the projects you’re currently working on?

I am currently leading a free and inclusive hand drum group that is open to all Nations, ages, genders, and walks of life every Monday evening at Regent Park School of Music from 7pm-8:30pm. I am also leading another free and inclusive hand drum group every second Tuesday starting from September 17th at Native Child & Family Services of Toronto at 156 Galloway Road from 6pm-7:30pm. I lead a weekly hand drum circle at the Native Women’s Transition House, where I lived for 2 years about 9 years ago. This circle began when I moved out. This circle is closed as it is only for the women and children who live in the house, but it is very close to my heart as I wouldn’t be where I am without the women who worked at the house who helped me so much along my journey. I am training Okichitaw weekly at The Native Canadian Centre as I work towards earning my blackbelt and hopefully one day becoming an instructor so I can pass on this knowledge to young Indigenous and non-Indigenous women. Part of my role as a warrior for peace is teaching and sharing with women. They are our life givers and much of my work is about supporting the strong and powerful women in my community. I am continuing to write new music as I gear up to record my blues album Red Rhythm & Blues. 

For more information on Aqua, visit https://aquamusic.ca/

North York Arts is proud to introduce Min Soo Kim, the founder and president of Minhwa Canada! Minhwa Canada is a group of amateur and professional artists who are practicing traditional Korean folk paintings (“Minhwa”) with a modern twist.

Keep reading to learn about Min Soo and Minhwa Canada, what she hopes people will take away from the exhibition, and what Minhwa means to her.

Can you introduce yourself and tell us a bit about your arts background?

My name is Min Soo Kim and I am a Minhwa artist and teacher based in Toronto, Canada and Seoul, South Korea. For over 27 years I have worked with Minhwa mediums and have been teaching for the last 8 years of its unique history and techniques. I am the founder and president of Ontario’s newest art collective, Minhwa Canada.

Tell us about the Minhwa Collective, why it was formed, and what they do. 

Minhwa Canada brings together artists with an interest in Korean Folk painting and history. Members meet on a weekly basis to paint, discuss, and share interpretations of Minhwa’s historic art form. Minhwa, Korean folk painting from the Joseon Dynasty, is a unique art form developed by the “common people.” The then taboo art was an illegal practice in order to uphold the kingdom’s royal artists’ prestige and standards. Minhwa’s symbolisms are related to the everyday people’s lives and wishes of good luck, longevity, happy marriage and more.

What do you hope people will take away from seeing your exhibition, The Colours of Korean Folk Art? 

Minhwa Canada would like to engage with a wider audience to share and discuss the traditional Korean art form of Minhwa. Through the exhibition, Minhwa Canada members are excited to showcase the possibilities of Minhwa and encourage others to join as well. Minhwa Canada’s art classes are more than just learning new skills. By painting as a collective, artists form a bond and friendship and a sense of being part of a community where all voices, opinions and interpretations matter. We hope that The Colours of Korean Folk Art starts up new conversations to all viewers.

What does Minhwa mean to you? 

Minhwa is a form of expression through intricate symbolism but also a place to explore possibilities in a traditional medium. I like to push Minhwa’s boundaries by incorporating new symbolisms related to today’s modern times while keeping its traditional significance and methods. At the same time, without Minhwa, I would never have been able to form Minhwa Canada and meet talented artists living right here in the city and from across provinces. Minhwa to me is a gateway to start conversations, meet new people, express opinions, learn patience, and much more. 

Minhwa: The Colours of Korean Folk Art will be on display from November 5-21, 2019 at the North York Centre. The opening of the exhibition and an Artist Meet & Greet will take place on November 5 from 12-2 PM. Click here to RSVP for free!

To learn more about Northbound and Minhwa Canada, visit northyorkarts.org/project/northbound-exhibition-program/.

We’re excited to introduce Marina Nazarova, a Russian-Canadian visual artist and illustrator based in Toronto. Marina is one of our Northbound artists, and she will be at NYA’s upcoming fundraiser this month doing live paintings!

We spoke to Marina about her arts background, her artwork, and the importance of public art. Keep reading to learn more!

Tell us a little bit about yourself and your arts background.

I grew up in Russia and moved to Canada when I was 19, leaving my family and friends behind. The new life turned me upside down and since then I always felt like there is two of me that exists. I began to investigate the themes of personal identity and duality through my figurative paintings when I studied at Emily Carr University of Art and Design in Vancouver. Now based in Toronto I continue to explore this subject from my home studio.

What themes do you explore with your work, and where do you draw inspiration?

I draw my inspirations from people I meet, places I go and photographs that I find or take myself. Essentially any source that can tell me a story about dual realities and shifting perceptions.

 Why do you think public art is so important in a community? 

I believe that public art is absolutely a necessary component of any city. In a way it’s a rather magical element that not just beautifies the neighbourhood and gives the place an identity, but importantly it unites people and builds communities. Art in public spaces is accessible. Everyone can enjoy it, experience it, and feel it. The artwork creates a strong narrative that can be inspiring and moving.

What are you looking forward to at North York Arts’ Beers And Brushes fundraiser next month?

I’m looking forward to meeting new people and sharing my love for painting. I want to see North Toronto engaged in the cultural life and staying curious about arts.

Don’t miss Marina’s live paintings at Beers and Brushes on October 24! To learn more about our fundraiser and buy tickets, visit northyorkarts.org/fundraiser. To learn more about Marina, visit marinanazarova.com.