*Speaker Key: -Julian Carvajal/Host: JC -Aitak Sorahitalab/Guest: AS *Note: Interview has been divided into segments based on the questions asked with time stamps marking minutes and seconds. PODCAST BEGINS * [00:00-00:10] Julian Carvajal/Host: Hello everyone! I am here today with Aitak Sorahitalab. Aitak, a dear member of the committee, welcome and thank you so much for being here today with us. * [00:10- 00:11] Aitak Sorahitalab: Thank you for having me! * [00:12-01:13] JC: Can you tell us who you are? * 01:14-01:17] AS: [Guest chuckles] Sure! Is it a philosophical question? * [01:18-01:29] JC: [Host laughs] Anyway you want to! It can be in a creative way, philosophical, even though we don't have more than 15 minutes, but [host laughs]. * [01:30-01:12] AS: Yeah, actually, if I want to answer philosophically, I have to say, I'm just a human being, ahm [chuckles], that’s it! But in real life, ehm, not existential life [guest laughs], I am a Visual Artist working dominantly with clay, other materials like video, photography, installations. The other identities that I have are: immigrant; I am an immigrant; I’m an Art Administrator and Art Educator, art advocate and PhD Student at York University researching about public art and a mother-to-be [chuckles]. * [01:13-01:46] JC: Congratulations! This is amazing! This beautiful baby is going to have a wonderful family full of creative people around...This creature, it's amazing, it’s amazing! I'm very happy for you! Actually, I had the opportunity to meet Aitak many years ago when she first came to Toronto and it was amazing! So, I'm very happy to see you all these years in different roles; in the Arts sector as well and especially with the newcomer artist because you have done an amazing job so, I just want to congratulate you for that. And another question is, what is your connection with North York Arts? * [01:47-02:39] AS: Well, I have a lot of connections. Ah, North of York was sort of, ah, well, we landed in Richmond Hill but we lived there very shortly and then we moved to North York and so, I can tell that North York is my first home in Canada and we lived there for almost three years. So I love North York, I loved Doris Avenue that we used to live and, ahm, of course, the former Toronto Centre for the Performing Arts because that was the first place that I went, ahm, for the art events. We had a lot of great events, festivals, collaborations, and NYA. Also, North York, as you mentioned, is an Iranian community place. I don't live there anymore but I still have a lot of strong connections [guest chuckles]. * [02:40-02:44] JC: [Host chuckles] So how did you become part of the NYA family? * [02:45-03:16] AS: Well, I remember, I think it was in 2015 that, ahm, they had a symposium with the Neighbourhood Arts Network. It was kind of an art jam, 2 or 3 day festival and talks and art shows and everything. That was lovely! My husband and I both participated in that. We went to different workshops; there was the place that I got connected with other artists and art workers and NYA’s staff. * [03:17-03:23] JC: Ahm, Aitak, ahm, as a newcomer artist, how welcomed did you feel by North York Arts? * [03:24-04:11] AS: Very, very well welcomed! As I mentioned, the staff was always friendly, kind, and I connected with them right the way when I saw them. I shared my ideas with them; I spoke with the former employee named Ely. Ely now is the Chair of Airsa, my organization, but we got connected in that place first; even curated an exhibition and the participants were immigrant artists who celebrated ‘Nowruz’ or the first day of Spring as their New Year or any kind of festival and, that was a great experience there! Working with staff members and the place, that was fantastic! * [04:11-04:36] JC: So, Aitak, I have known you for a couple of years and I know that you go for it! You know? You aim at something and you just go for that! And you know? This is about celebrating the organization but it's also about reflecting upon our future as well, so I totally understand there are many needs for the newcomer communities here in the city. So what do you think are the needs of newcomers that we need to address in the future as a Local Arts Service Organization? * [04:36-05:27] AS: Uhum, very good question. You know, with Airsa, my organization, we constantly assess the needs of newcomers, specifically the new members, so we try to keep updating ourselves and educating ourselves but the thing, the one matter that shows up -comes up every time- is connection. By connection I mean connection with people, connection with spaces, with even, even sense of belonging! So when a newcomer comes to Canada and settles somewhere, for example in North York, they need to see, kind of their culture representation, public artwork events that is going to connect people with their background and with the place that they live. I think this connection is the most important thing. * [05:27-05:54] JC: Thank you. Thank you. Noted! Noted, noted! For all of those who are listening, you know, we are very good at listening to our artists, participants, so this feedback, we take it very seriously, even during this podcast because this is about not only celebrating but also understanding that we have a responsibility as a Local Arts Service Organization, with the stakeholders, artists, etcetera, etcetera. Here's some other questions: Aitak, what are you hoping to see more in the art scene in the city ? * [05:55-06:45] AS: In the city? Public Art? [guest and host laugh]. More Public Art for sure, and diversity in Public Art. Diversity as I mean gender, different cultures, different languages, and of course different voices. As a newcomer artist, I would love to be in the arts scene, sort of. That's really hard to get in -as you know- and the most bad year I had was the information- like, lack of information. So I tried to make this organization as a bridge for newcomer artists or as we say new Canadian artists and with the opportunities and the facilities that exist in the scene. I would like to see these bridges more, and connections, and more Public Art in the city. * [06:45-06:50] JC: [Chuckles] Thank you for sharing. Ahm, Aitak, what are your wishes for the next ten years of North York Arts? * [06:51-07:21] AS: Ten years? Well, I would like to see North York Arts as a very strong established art organization, handful of projects and programs for everyone, for newcomers also [chuckles] and full of community art programs and artist collaborations and organization collaborations, because I think this is important too in this city: to not work in separate islands [guest laughs]. * [07:22-07:52] JC: Yes, totally! People, please listen to Aitak! [host laughs] I can not say much, but yes, it is true; we need to communicate more, we have to listen! We have to open our ears and especially understand that there are some power dynamics as well. Totally get it! North York Arts always tries to engage with newcomers and we have Second Act programs, but yes! We need to do more, so thank you for that reminder. And last question: is there anything that you think makes North York Arts special or unique? * [07:53-08:25] AS: Ahm, again, I think the staff members? [Guest and host laugh] Because, as you mentioned very well, I think they are kind, they are listeners and they are positive thinkers all the time and I would love to see that more I would love to connect. I know that I don't live in North York anymore but I still work with them so yeah, sharing knowledge and experiences as a new member of the art scene in Toronto. Yeah, I think this is unique in North York Arts: Making good connections with people. * [08:25-08:32] JC: Aitak, thank you so much for accepting this invitation today. It was lovely and super fun talking to you today. * [08:32-08:35] AS: Thank you for inviting me to this interview. * [08:36-08:37] JC: Thank you so much. PODCAST ENDS