We’re excited to introduce Mika Babineau, one of our 2019 Northbound Gallery Program artists! In her self-portrait series, Ace and In Your Face, Mika beautifully showcases different aspects of asexuality, such as coming out, belonging in the LGBTQ+ community, and acceptance. 

Keep reading to learn more about Mika’s arts background, her Northbound exhibition, and what she hopes people will take away from seeing her work!

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

I am a Toronto based painter who was originally born in Moncton, New Brunswick. I moved to Ontario to go to college, but ended up staying here in order to seriously pursue my art career. I graduated from Sheridan College with honours, and I’ve been a practising artist for 3 years now. In that time I’ve exhibited at a variety of galleries and libraries, plus a few art fairs. I specialize in portraits and landscapes, both encompassing vibrant colour energy.

What can you tell us about your exhibition? 

My exhibit is meant to both empower asexual people by talking about their experiences, while also informing and educating allosexuals (non asexual people) about an aspect of the LGBT+ community they may not know much about. Each self portrait explains a different aspect of my journey of coming to terms with being asexual. There are 8 paintings in total, each with a passage which explains different aspects of asexuality to the viewer, with themes of coming out, representation, and belonging.

What does the title of your exhibition, Ace and In Your Face, symbolize?

The “Ace” in Ace and In Your Face is the fun nickname asexual people have given themselves (“aces”), while the “In Your Face” is for the uncompromising and overt themes I am educating my audience about. I really want to be in the viewer’s face about asexuality, telling my story with conviction and confidence. Aces are very seldom given the spotlight, so it is finally our time to shine, and time for me to be unapologetically myself in this series.

What do you hope people will take away from seeing your exhibition? 

I hope people will take away a better understanding of asexuality, and of the queer community as a whole. There are so many different sexualities and gender identities out there, and I want people to be willing to learn about all kinds of different people’s experiences. Aces are not understood very well by the general public, or represented very well in many spaces; I want to give a voice to their struggles and their lives. I want people to come away feeling more accepted, and feeling more acceptance for other people. And ultimately, I don’t want any ace to ever feel broken or unaccepted ever again. 

Ace and In Your Face is currently on display at the Toronto Centre for the Arts until August 24. The exhibit is open to the public Tuesday-Friday from 1-6 PM. To learn more about Mika’s exhibit, click here.

For over 15 years, Brant Matthews (a.k.a. Fireguy) has had a burning desire to entertain the world with its most fascinating element. Based in Toronto, he has performed in countries all over the world, and we were lucky to have him bring the heat to Cultura Festival last month! 

Keep reading to learn more about Brant and his fiery skills, his experience working with Toronto performers, and his thoughts on arts and culture in the North York community. 

Can you tell us about yourself, your interests, and what you do? 

I’m a Guinness World Record Holder in Fire Eating and have been performing fire and glow shows at various events for over 20 years. 

How and why did you get into fire performing? 

I learnt how to juggle for a play and wanted to learn fire juggling. Then I figured I should learn how to fire eat. Following that I started busking on the streets of Montreal. It’s been a slow and steady rise from gig to gig where I now travel the world with my show. 

What is it like getting to work with so many talented performers in Toronto?

I started a talent agency called Dispatch Talent that had a training space in North York. I now book many performers for events and enjoy mentoring up and coming acts. It’s very cool to see people grow their talent and become self sufficient artists. 

How do you think organizations like ours can work together to increase the arts and culture profile of North York?

We need to get more people on the street with their art. I feel that the street can teach people about dealing with rejection. Rejection is the best way to learn what isn’t working and what is. I would love to see streets filled with artists of all types adding to the culture of North York and the GTA. Mel Lastman Square is such a nice area for shows and events like Cultura Festival, which really makes use of the space with music, food, and an outdoor movie (and of course, there were some fantastic buskers brought to you by Dispatch Talent!)

We’re excited to announce that Brant will be hosting North York Arts’ inaugural fundraiser on October 24th! To learn more about the event, visit northyorkarts.org/fundraiser. To learn more about Fireguy, visit fireguyshow.com and to learn more about Dispatch Talent visit www.dispatchtalent.com. 

It’s hard to believe that the fourth and final night of Cultura Festival is this Friday – time really does fly when you’re having fun! 

To close off this year’s festival, we’ve got a spectacular group of performers lined up, including live music from The Arsenals and Charmie! Want to learn more about each artist and get a sneak peek of their music? Keep reading! 

If you like what you hear, make sure you join us this Friday, July 26 from 6 – 11 PM at Mel Lastman Square to catch their free performances at Cultura. 

The Arsenals

The Arsenals 100% Kick-Ass Ska, a.k.a. The Arsenals, is a 6-piece Toronto based band that blends Jamaican Ska, Rockysteady, Reggae, and “Ska-terized” Pop music. They play the history of Jamaican Music, from authentic Studio One Ska and Rocksteady to classic Reggae! 

Charmie 

Charmie is a passionate 23-year-old singer-songwriter based in Toronto. She plays a unique contemporary fusion of Rhythm, Blues, Pop, and Soul music. As a self taught musician, Charmie excels at playing guitar, piano, bass, and drums!

Photo by: Jeff Sun

We can’t wait for the musical performances at Cultura Festival this Friday, July 19! We are very lucky to have two incredibly talented bands taking the stage: Delhi 2 Dublin and Moskitto Bar. 

Keep reading to learn more about each band and check out our suggested playlists to get a sneak peek of each group’s unique sound! 

Love the music and want to hear more? Stop by Cultura this Friday evening from 6 – 11 PM at Mel Lastman Square to watch both bands play LIVE (and for free) right here in North York! These are going to be two showstopping performances you won’t want to miss! 

Delhi 2 Dublin

Delhi 2 Dublin is a Vancouver-based electronic ensemble that brings South Asian influences into the world of Western pop music. They play a fusion of Bhangra, electronic, funk, dub, reggae, hip hop, Celtic music, and a mashup of other genres!

Moskitto Bar

Moskitto Bar started with the connection of three talented artists playing in the woods at Ontario’s OM Festival, while mosquitoes fed on them. Since then, more musicians have joined, sharing their passion for music and mixing cultures. Moskitto Bar’s sound combines Ukrainian, Balkan, Iraqi, Middle-Eastern, and French Celtic music.

Photo by: Shoeb Kadri

The first night of Cultura Festival is this Friday! Get ready for 4 unforgettable nights of live music, delicious food, exciting buskers, interactive art activities, animated movie screenings, and more!

Never been to Cultura before? Not sure what to expect? We’ve got you covered! Keep reading for a list of must-have items that will help ensure you have the best possible experience at the festival! 

1) Comfy shoes

With so many different activities and performances going on, you’re going to want to explore every corner of Mel Lastman Square – so don’t forget to wear your comfiest shoes! 

2) Sunscreen

Even though Cultura starts at 6 PM, the sun doesn’t set until later in the evening. If it’s a sunny day, make sure you apply lots of sunscreen! 

3) Your appetite (and cash!)

There are a ton of delicious food trucks coming to Cultura this year! From wood oven cooked pizza to authentic Caribbean cuisine to Korean BBQ (and much more), there’s something for everyone to enjoy. Grab a bite of your favourite dish or try something new! 

4) A reusable water bottle 

Stay hydrated (and help save the environment) by bringing your own water bottle! We will have a water station on-site where you can refill your bottles. 

5) A hat

Cultura Festival is an outdoor event, so bring your favourite hat to keep cool from the sun! 

6) A cushion or a blanket

Each night, we’ll be screening a different animated movie. Bring a soft cushion or a cozy blanket so you can get comfy and enjoy the movie!

7) A Camera

Cultura showcases the beautiful and vibrant cultural community of North York, and there are so many fantastic photo opportunities and great moments to capture (be sure to stop by our tent to take a Polaroid picture in our photo booth)! Share your photos on Twitter and Instagram with #CulturaToronto and tag us @NorthYorkArts! 

8)  Your friends and family

The more the merrier! Make Cultura a night to remember and spend it with the people you love.

We’re excited to introduce Banafsheh Erfanian, one of our Northbound Gallery Program artists this year! To get to know Banafsheh, we asked her a few questions about herself, her art, and her exhibition with Northbound. Read below to learn more!

Can you tell me a bit about yourself and your art practice?

I am a Toronto based painter, illustrator, and educator. I was born in Tehran, Iran and graduated from Tehran University of Art with a Bachelor of Graphic Design. I also hold an MFA in Illustration. I have been painting and illustrating for 15 years; during this time I have illustrated 30 books and magazines, written more than 25 articles in art reviews, exhibited around the world, and have won several international awards. The stories I have illustrated such as, Arabian Nights, Ardavirafnameh (Zoroastrian Paradise, and Inferno), Shahnameh (The epics of Iranian kings), convey mythical themes and share their messages through magical realism or surrealism that stimulate my ideas. I find these stories to be a platform through which I illustrates what is beyond reality.

What can you tell us about your exhibition?

 The sparks of an individual’s identity can be found in their background. Their identity means the ground that holds their roots, the land where they came into existence, the land where they saw four seasons; the taste of their food and water, the costumes they wear, their sun and rain, their mountains and seas, their looks, their language and accent. Shahnameh is one of the most important tales about Persian epics that has been passed down from generation to generation during centuries. It has had such importance that has been patronized by Persian kings to be produced as picture books. My roots as an Iranian-Canadian artist can be found in my culture and Shahnameh is an undeniable part of my culture. Persian literature conveys Philosophical implications and is a window to the Iranian body of wisdom and collective psyche and an endless source of information and creation for an artist with Persian background. This exhibition is a contemporary visual read of Shahnameh addressing the younger Persian generation. I hope I can be a link to this cultural chain and encourage the younger generations of my community to know more about their cultural roots and history.

What do you want people to take away from the show?

This exhibition aims to give the audience a grasp of Persian history and culture through the poet of Shahnameh and the illustrator’s point of view. I hope this will help the Persian younger immigrant generations that have not lived in Iran, but have Persian blood in their veins to know more about Persian literature and have a deeper sense of a part of what it means to be Persian. It would also be an opportunity for youth to enrich their imagination and for Canadians from diverse background, to learn about the Persian literature and art through Shahnameh’s whimsical narratives and my visual interpretations

To you, what role does art play when understanding a culture’s history?

If you take a retrospective look at the history of art, you will interestingly find out that art has been used by the powers as a tool of power reinforcement. For instance, In the Medieval times, illuminations were made to make people have a stronger belief in Christianity. Persian kings used architecture and colossal sculptures and reliefs to show to the nations how powerful their empire was at the time. In Sassanid time, A prophet emerged who was entitled ‘Mani, The Painter Prophet’ because he was a talented painter himself and his followers were attracted to his ritual through painting and music. In fact, art was a magical tool as it is today in the same way. Any form of power has taken advantage of art as capitalism does through commercials today. Apart from the power discourse, I believe any type of art reflects a great deal about the culture of the time they belong to. Artworks are the purest documents of their time through which you can explore people’s look, costumes, rituals, politics, architecture, nature, and the collective insight of the peoples that used to live in the ancient times.

For more information about Banafsheh and her upcoming exhibition, click here.

Summer is on the horizon, and with it are North York Arts’ July festival programs Cultura Festival and Sunday Serenades. NYA is thrilled to announce the addition of Fanny Martin to our team, who will be producing both festivals!

Fanny, who has diverse arts festival production experience, brings a unique expertise to Cultura Festival and Sunday Serenades that will build on the successes of years past while implementing strategies for new and innovative visitor experiences.

Tell us about yourself. Where you’re from and your interests.

I grew up in a small village near Paris where community music was really important. My father was a leader in the local marching band, and my earliest musical memory is to bang the snare drum in a parade. Playing, listening and making live music happen has been a constant thread in my life. Before coming to Toronto, I spent 10 years in the UK, where I worked with festivals, orchestras and music education programs.

How did you get into festival production?

Besides music, my other passion is books, so I studied literature then business with a view to get into the circulation side of publishing – my aim is always to share what I love! A chance encounter led me to work on an international conference. I was warned that I might catch the event management bug, which I did indeed. The next step was to combine music and events, and I got my start at the Manchester Jazz Festival, which led to many other opportunities, as a producer and consultant.

What can we expect with Cultura this year?

Hopefully sunshine! Weather is always a concern but we’ve just got to plan for all scenarios. Rain or shine, we’ll bring Mel Lastman Square to life with food, roaming buskers, pop-up bands, family animations – that’s all in the first part of the event, from 6 to 8pm – then we’ve got some fantastic international bands lined up for main stage, and when the sun comes down we’ll put the giant screen up and all watch a great film under the stars. There’s a lot going on and we design the experience so that everyone can choose their own adventure on the Square!

How do you envision a successful festival strategy?

When planning a festival, we’re always oscillating between the minuscule details and the very large picture, taking in everything in between. Some decisions have an immediate result on the audience experience – for example, making sure there are enough washrooms on site – and others can have far-ranging repercussions, for example on artists’ careers and local businesses. Another key element of success is to bring specialists together – programmers, technicians, marketers, fundraisers – and get them to coordinate their efforts to deliver on time, even if they have very different ways of working and sometimes different priorities. That’s why it takes a lot of time and imagination, and it’s very important for me to have a collaborative, mutually-beneficial approach.

Cultura Festival and Sunday Serenades run every Friday and Sunday in July, respectively, at Mel Lastman Square. To learn more go to https://www.northyorkarts.org/programs/

We’re proud to announce the addition of Art Starts founder Julian Carvajal to North York Arts’ programming committee!  Julian has weaved a career in both non-profit and arts sectors culminating in his work with Art Starts Mentorship Hub, an initiative to support and encourage underrepresented communities in Toronto’s dynamic arts setting.

A lifetime lover of the arts, Julian has strived to enrich himself through various artistic mediums, all while giving back to the community through his volunteer and charitable initiatives.  As Art Starts’ Special Projects Manager, Julian brings a unique perspective and knowledgeability that will enable North York Arts’ continued success of engaging and cultivating the arts in local communities. We at NYA are excited to work with Julian going forward in 2019!

To learn more about Art Starts and its initiatives go to www.artstartsto.com