“Toronto Arts Foundation announces the 2015 Emergence Symposium on Arts and Equity
Toronto Arts Foundation’s Neighbourhood Arts Network and SKETCH are proud to host the 2015 Emergence Symposium | Arts & Equity: Leading Social Change. The Symposium will be held November 12 -14, 2015 at Evergreen Brickworks (November 12-13) and Toronto Centre for the Arts (November 14).
The Emergence Symposium will convene over 200 artists, cultural workers, community leaders, academics, youth and policy makers to create dialogue around some of the important questions surrounding equity, diversity and inclusiveness. This facilitated three day symposium experience will create space for critical discussions, leadership development, creative self-reflection, peer-to-peer exchange and cross sectoral collaborations.
This biennial gathering, this year celebrates and nurtures equity-centered leadership development opportunities. Important issues and efforts are communally explored by using community-engaged arts as a spring board. Over three days of workshops, performances, presentations and activations, we strive to have attendees participate in investigating these questions:
- What does inclusivity, positive social change and equity presently look like in our communities, creative practices and organizational work?
- How are artists and cultural leaders setting examples for true community innovation?
- How can we support each other in our development as leaders, artists, community builders, policy makers and healers?
Featured speakers, performers, and workshop presenters include:
– Lee Maracle & Victoria Freeman
– Duke Redbird
– d’bi.young anitafrika
– Richard Fung
– Deanna Bowen
– Darren O’Donnell
– Min Sook Lee
– Tina Lopes
– Nadia Chaney
– Rup Sidhu
– Devon Ostrom
– Sheniz Janmohamed
– Sedina Fiati
– Syrus Marcus Ware
– Naty Tremblay
– Lishai Peel
Performers include :
Lisa Odijig-McHayle, two time world championship hoop dancer
Raging Asian Women Taiko Drummers, audience favourite drumming ensemble with an aptitude for challenging systemic and internalized oppressions
For the rest of the line-up please visit: www.neighbourhoodartsnetwork.org/symposium.
The symposium will include unique panels & hands-on breakout sessions presented by local and national artists, presenters and creative facilitators and leadership workshops, thematic working groups to build community action, collaboration, and peer-to-peer mentorship opportunities. ASL interpreters will be available and meeting spaces are accessible. Attendees will also be provided with resources and toolkits to continue their learning after the Symposium is over.
The 2015 Emergence Symposium is being presented by Neighbourhood Arts Network and SKETCH, and in partnership with North York Arts and Evergreen Brickworks.”
-submitted by Neighbourhood Arts Network
Read Neighbourhood Arts Network’s profile on ArtBridges’ Community-Engaged Arts Directory and Map
