East End Arts 2021 Annual Report

2021 Annual Report

Our 2021 Journey T

hrough the continued COVID-19 roller coaster, in those high celebratory moments and in the low frustrating ones, we find ourselves turning to the arts.

As a community arts organization, we see first-hand, repeatedly and continually, how the arts can transform people, places, and neighbourhoods. From largescale mural projects (like Women Paint Riverside) to creative workshops for adults and seniors (at Doorstop Diaries), from empowering storytelling programs for youth (like Gen Z-ines) to community celebrations around light and hope (Light It Up!), this year’s East End Arts programs have kept east-enders connected, curious, joyful, and full of hope.

We are immensely proud of the diversity and depth of programs we presented in 2021, and how, together, we’ve built successes both in-person and online.

Our east end community thrives with the arts.

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Here we invite you to relive the magic of our 2021 programs in the pages to follow. A lot of hard work,

creativity and love went into making this second pandemic year such a memorable one (despite many obstacles). A huge thanks to you, to our staff team, and to our artists, partners, and volunteers for bringing the power of community arts to life.

Sincerely, Shana Hillman & David Carey

Shana Hillman Executive Director, East End Arts

David Carey Board President, East End Arts

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Girls Mural Camp 2021

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Our Vision:

East End Arts’ vision is to unite, inspire and enhance the communities of east Toronto with the transformative power of the arts.

Our Mission:

East End Arts is committed to cultivating an arts community in the east end of Toronto that helps to increase arts engagement opportunities, and support local artists in our community.

Our Values:

Inclusion & Accessibility Creativity & Innovation Collaboration & Generosity Well-being & Understanding Sustainability & Responsibilty 5

Gen Z-ines Prioritizing the Mental Health and Stories of Youth

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hroughout the COVID-19 pandemic, we saw the mental health of youth significantly impacted with the loss of inperson connections and extracurricular opportunities to express themselves. Gen Z-ines is a program that we presented twice in 2021 to give youth members a way to connect and be creative. As the name suggests, this is an online zine-making program for Gen Z youth ages 13-17 to tell their stories and share their artwork through their own homemade zines. Presented by East End Arts, The Metcalf Foundation, and Workman Arts, and led by talented artist and illustrator Naz Rahbar, Gen Z-ines participants explored topics and techniques related to mindfulness, mixed media, drawing, creative writing, poetry, and more. Their final zines were then printed and distributed at local bookstores, and through East End Arts, allowing them to share their stories with the world!

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I loved being able to create anything I wanted to and having the opportunity to get my work out there for the first time. Gen Z-ines was a great idea, I would definitely want to do it again,” - Gen Z-ines Youth Artist, 2021.

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Winter Light Activations Giving East Enders a bit of Light and Hope

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he winter of 2021 was dark and long, but thanks to outdoor art installations and events, we were able to bring east enders a bit of light and hope! Not All Shadows Are Dark was an installation created in the second floor window of 629 Danforth Avenue that used light, shadows, and silhouettes to share an important message with the GreekTown community: together #WeShineOn, even through dark times.

This installation was created by artists Monica Gutierrez and Camila Wong, and was presented by the GreekTown BIA, East End Arts, and The City of Toronto as a response to some of the devastating mental health impacts of the pandemic.

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ur first COVID winter also saw our first Light it Up Lantern Celebration, an opportunity to celebrate the Spring Equinox, and the love and light that got us through the dark of winter. Light It Up invited hundreds of community members across the east end to create their own homemade lanterns of love and hope to place on their porches, balconies or windows. This program culminated with a surprise lantern parade led

by Shadowland Theatre and supported by Old’s Cool General Store in the Crescent Town Community on the first evening of Spring.

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Art is always a great way to lift spirits, connect hearts and bridge minds. With this installation, shining vibrant colours and shadows onto the Danforth, we wanted to remind neighbours and passersby that we’re not alone and we will be ok,” - Monica Gutierrez, lead artist of Not All Shadows are Dark.

Women Paint Riverside

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BYOBeads Online

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Doorstop Diaries Making an Important Digital Space for Senior Artists

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oorstop Diaries was our at-home art program for seniors to learn new art techniques, have fun, sharpen their digital skills, and tell their stories through a set of “travelling journals”. From July 2021 to February 2022 twenty-four seniors enjoyed ten incredible workshops with eight+ incredible arts facilitators, (Alison Thompson – Layered Forms Collage, Cindy Elener – The Zentangle Method, Hanan Hazime – Self-portrait Collage, Julia Prajza – Hand Lettering, Natalie Very B. – Emotional Inks, and Sameena Anis – Fun with Comics, Vincy Lim & Stephen Fistell), and received a series of weekly email art-prompts to help fill the pages of their journals. Throughout the course of the program the diaries were swapped with other participants, and culminated with an exhibition at St. Matthew’s Clubhouse for people to view and enjoy the contents of their diaries!

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[Doorstop Diaries] was no less than a godsend during the lonely lockdown periods we have experienced...I’ve learned new skills, and experimented with art techniques I’d never attempted. The instructors were encouraging and open, and not one bit patronizing to inexperienced seniors in the group, like me. I felt like a member of a community and a valued person throughout the project, even though I never entered a room with anyone from the group,” Senior Artist from Doorstop Diaries, 2021.

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Creative Facilitation Camp Helping Artists Enhance Their Business Skills

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n 2022 we continued our focus on professional development opportunities for artists by bringing back Creative Facilitation Camp (CFC) for its fourth year in a row! Presented by East End Arts and Scarborough Arts, in collaboration with Partners in Youth Empowerment, Digital Main Street, and Community Impact Consulting (Parul Pandya), CFC 2021 was a three-day online professional development series that allowed participants to enhance their creative facilitation skills and gain other valuable skills to support their artistic practice. Over a weekend in February we gathered with a talented, diverse group of artists, educators, and experienced facilitators on Zoom, and everyone left equipped with the skills to lead digital workshops, share their practice and work online, and generate new revenue streams for themselves in a digital world.

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I loved all of CFC this year, but the through-line of it all is how much care was put into everything and it was something that was always consistent through out the entire experience. I always felt at every moment, everyone was so well taken care of. Thank you,” - CFC Online Participant, 2021.

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Summer sessions of Life Drawing with AGA Arts start.

April 21

S P R I N G Gen Z-ines Our online zine-making program for youth to tell their stories and share their artwork kicks off.

August 8

Life Drawing

Light It Up

Our first Light it Up Lantern Celebration in the east end with Shadowland Theatre.

Humans of the Danforth

A project ft. photos and invterviews of GreekTown business owners begins.

S U M July 31

March 5

February 15 16

Light and shadow installation in GreekTown BIA begins, #WeShineOn.

Our new merch line with BBJ launches!

An online professional development series to help artists enhance their facilitation and business skills.

W I N T E R Not All Shadows Are Dark 2

#EastEndLove Merch Launch

July 17

Launch of new season of BYOBeads led

by Adam Garnet Jones!

CFC Online

March 20

BYOBeads

February 26

February 11

Looking back on 2021...

Doorstop Diaries for Seniors

Our at-home art program for seniors to learn new art techniques and new digital skills begins.

A public art program in Riverside to give space to women and gender diverse street artists kicks off.

F A L L A fun outdoor dance party in East Lynn Park with community members from east Toronto and beyond.

Bombing Misogyny

An online panel discussion to tackle misogyny in the streetart world.

W I N T E R

Safety Dance

October 10

Women Paint Riverside

October 2

In celebration of the Year of Public Art, #ArtworxTO, our public art tours launch!

ArtSkool Guides

Our educational guides for kids to explore and learn about public art go live.

November 13

Our first online book club led by Lalaa Comrie to learn about antioppression.

Local Discoveries Public Art Tours

A four year partnership begins, to offer mentalhealth focused programs.

December 9

November 10 AntiOppression Book Club

October 10

September 28

August 11

Our summer program for youth who identify as women, girls or non-binary to learn & explore streetart.

M E R September 10

Girls Mural Camp

Workman Arts Satellite East

#Destination Danforth Celebration

Celebrating the wrap up of this project with our communities, and the new Resilience! mural.

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Girls Mural Camp Building the Muralists and Artists of Tomorrow

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resented by East End Arts and the Riverside BIA, and led by talented facilitators and artists Monica Wickeler and Bareket Kezwer, Girls Mural Camp (GMC) made a return again in 2021 for its third year! GMC is a three-week summer program for youth between the ages of 14-18 who self-identify as young women, girls, or non-binary to explore the history of street art, graffiti and murals, and develop their own individual artistic style. The camp always culminates with the co-creation of a street mural, and the 2021 GMC mural is located in Riverside.

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ollowing GMC 2021, youth artists also had the opportunity to receive a paid mentorship as part of Women Paint Riverside, an exciting opportunity to work as an assistant to a street artist on a full size mural as part of an incredible women-in-street-art jam!

GMC has always focused on empowering young women and nonbinary artists to learn confidence and streetart skills to become the muralists and artists of tomorrow, and we know we’ll be bringing it back for years to come.

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I enjoyed the creative freedom that we had to design the mural all by ourselves. I liked how we had the responsibility of painting it, and could make artistic decisions on the fly to turn an old eyesore garage into a professional looking mural,” – Girls Mural Camp Youth Artist, 2021.

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Women Paint Riverside Providing a Platform For those that are often left out of the Mainstream

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omen Paint Riverside: Currents of Change is the largest mural project we’ve presented to date!

This public art program was about transformation, community, and water sustainability and stewardship, and was supported by incredible partners: Women Paint, Native Women in the Arts, the Riverside BIA, and StreetARToronto.

Working with co-curatorial consultants Bareket Kezwer and Ariel Smith, Women Paint Riverside brought together twenty plus women and gender diverse street artists, muralists, and graffiti writers to create twenty plus murals that add beauty and colour to the

laneways in the Riverside community, celebrate our important connections to water, and share the artists’ unique stories in public spaces—a place these voices are often underrepresented.

The project took place in September of 2021, and also provided an exciting mentorship opportunity for the youth artists of East End Arts’ program, Girls Mural Camp 2021.

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Giving representation to women and gender nonbinary artists in the street art world is still so important.

Having space to share the stories and perspectives of BIPOC people is vital in our diverse city. I felt empowered being a part of this group of artists, and I’m thankful projects like this exist and prioritize our voices,” - Claire Browne, artist from Women Paint Riverside, 2021.

Women Paint Riverside Celebration

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#DestinationDanforth Celebration

Anti-Oppression Book Club Growing our Commitment to Anti-Oppression

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ver the course of the COVID-19 pandemic, we saw numerous movements to address the deep inequities that exist in our societies, and we encountered countless opportunities to learn and increase our knowledge of anti-oppressive practices. In September of 2021, our Anti-Oppression Book Club launched to provide another opportunity to learn! Led by the talented Lalaa Comrie of This Black Girl Reads, the Anti-O Book Club was created to be an online space for community members of all ages and backgrounds to come together, have difficult conversations about various forms of oppression, and learn in an inclusive & respectful space. Over the course of nine months and six impressive books, we have loved expanding our practice and understanding of anti-oppression with twenty+ committed readers and social justice warriors, and we are excited to bring this online program back in the fall of 2022!

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This is a space where as a community we can continue to address the deep social inequities that exist in our societies, and where we can continue to learn and increase our knowledge of anti-oppressive practices, together,” - Lalaa Comrie, Anti-Oppression Book Club Lead Facilitator.

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Safety Dance Creating Connection & Joy Through Movement

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n the fall of 2021 we invited our east end communities to gather and Safety Dance with us! Presented by East End Arts, The Danforth Mosaic BIA, and the Department of Illumination, and led by talented dancer and choreographer Arwyn Carpenter, Safety Dance allowed community members to have a fun encounter outside of their everyday lives, reconnect with their neighbours, and find a sense of happiness and joy through movement and dance. Covid-19 has been hard on everyone, so we weren’t surprised when this event nearly sold out and filled up the beautiful East Lynn Park! Strangers dancing the two-step, neighbours waving their arms, and grandparents and grandkids hopping and spinning together - we saw it all at our first ever east end Safety Dance, and we’re hopeful to bring more editions of this event back throughout 2022 and beyond!

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It’s easy for us to forget that we are human creatures, we are animals, we are meant to move our bodies... I think there’s something quite powerful about moving and dancing in unison. It can really bring a group of people together, and feel like we’ve created something together.

It’s full of joy, and it’s really important to feel joy in the body,” - Arwyn Carpenter, Safety Dance Lead Artist, 2021.

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Funders & Donors For the 2021 Fiscal Year

GOVERNMENT FUNDERS:

OTHER FUNDERS:

INDIVIDUAL DONORS:

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Carissa Ainslie shannon blair David Carey Kerrin Churchill Tura Cousins Wilson Jane Farrow Melanie Fernandez Donna Garner Christina Giannelia Jane Gutteridge Laura Hanson

Shana Hillman Claire Hopkinson Jennifer Lay Jacqueline Lee Jennifer Lee Jeanne Lovsted Jeffrey Maddison Sophie Malek Larry McLean Anne Milne Susana Molinolo Naomi Norquay

IN-KIND DONORS: Sucheta Rajagopal Amelia Sirianni Sheila Sky Jini Stolk Joanna Strong Glenn Teneycke Elissa Timothy Peter Venetas Lyn Wright Kok Yan Wong Anonymous Donor

Aura, BBJ Pop Merch, Bubbles the Cat, Chelsea Virginia Creates, Dulux Paint, Dimensions Framing, East Toronto Coffee Co., Jeff Hieminga, Laughing Vikings, Mezes Restaurant, Moss LED, Old’s Cool General Store, OMA Chiropractic and Wellness, Pizza Nova, Pizza Pizza, Secret Planet Print Shop, Sobeys, STEPS, TJ Gerow Truck Services, Toronto Public Library, Toronto Transit Commission, Xing-Hwa Wang.

Financial Breakdown For the 2021 Fiscal Year

Financial Statements are available upon request.

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East End Arts’ Staff & Board EAST END ARTS

EAST END ARTS BOARD

Shana Hillman Executive Director

David Carey, President

Chelsea Cameron-Fikis Communications Manager

Carissa Ainslie, Secretary

Adam Barrett Program Coordinator Tyler Andrews Office & Outreach Coordinator

Peter Venetas, Vice President

Kasturi Ghoshal, Treasurer Melanie Fernandez Heather Kelly Tura Cousins Wilson

With special thanks to Alex Milne, our intern turned Program Assistant from OCADU; Kimberley Dewing, our intern turned Communications & Marketing Assistant from Humber College; Cecilia Chan and Sarah Devine, our Communications and Marketing Interns from Humber College and Ryerson Univeristy; and Jennifer Miao, our Bookkeeper, for their important contributions in 2021!

Also thank you to Project Work for their collaboration in helping us provide meaningful work to a disabled person in our community, who helped us keep our Clubhouse clean and tidy, amidst a pandemic.

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Photo Credits PHOTO CREDITS: Cover: Women Paint Riverside Celebration. Photo by Chelsea Cameron-Fikis Pg 4: Girls Mural Camp, 2021. Photo by Shana Hillman.

Pg 5: Women Paint Riverside, Cedar Eve. Photo by Chelsea Cameron-Fikis.

Pg 7: Gen Z-ines moments. Photos by Naz Rahbar.

Pg 9: Top left and right = Light it Up Lantern Celebration. Photo on left by Adam Barrett.

Photo on right by Alisa Wing. Bottom left and right = Not All Shadows Are Dark 2. Photo on left by Shana Hillman. Photo on right by Roya DelSol. Pg 10: Women Paint Riverside. Photo by Shana Hillman.

Pg 11: BYOBeads Online performance. Photo by Adam Barrett.

Pg 12: Doorstop Diaries photos and artwork. Photos by top to bottom, left to right: Alex Milne, Anastasia (Doorstop Artist), Diana (Doorstop Artist), Adam Barrett.

Pg 14: Creative Facilitation Camp. Top image by Adam Barrett. Bottom left by unknown, and bottom right by Bareket Kezwer.

Pg 19: Girls Mural Camp 2021. Top photo by Cass Rudolph. Bottom two photos by Shana Hillman.

Pg 20-21: Women Paint Riverside. All images by Chelsea Cameron-Fikis, except top right image that is by Claire Browne.

Pg 22: Women Paint Riverside group shot. Photo by Cass Rudolph.

Pg 23: #DestinationDanforth Celebration with Councillors. Photo by Shana Hillman.

Pg 25: Anti-Oppression Book Club. Top book photos by Chelsea Cameron-Fikis. Bottom screenshot by Adam Barrett.

Pg 27: Safety Dance. Top left photo by Tyler Andrews, top right photo by Chelsea Cameron-Fikis, bottom two photos by Cass Rudolph.

Pg 31: Staff photos of the EEA Team. Photos by Chelsea Cameron-Fikis.

Pg 33: Community Partners shots. Photo on left by BBJ Pop Merch with the #EastEndLove March. Photo on right of Neighbourhood Food Hub Mosaic by Alex Milne.

Pg 34-35: Various program photos. Top to bottom, left to right - Women Paint Riverside, photo by Chelsea Cameron-Fikis; Light It Up Lanterns, photo by BBJ Pop Merch; BYOBeads Online Circle, photo by Adam Barrett; Gen Z-ines art, photo by Naz Rahbar; Humans of the Danforth, photo by Adam Barrett; Local Discoveries Maps, photo by Adam Barrett; AGA Arts Life Drawing, photo by Adam Barrett; #DestinationDanforth Celebration, photo by Chelsea Cameron-Fikis.

Pg 36-37: Top to bottom, left to right - οικογένεια Mural, photo by Chelsea CameronFikis; Girls Mural Camp, photo by Shana Hillman; Rocky the Rock Snake, photo by Adam Barrett; Safety Dance, photo by Cass Rudolph; Doorstop Diaries senior artist, photo

by Alex Milne; Light it Up Lantern Celebration, photo by Adam Barrett; Women Paint Riverside, photo by Chelsea Cameron-Fikis; ArtSkool Guides and Tour, photo by Chelsea Cameron-Fikis.

Annual Report design and creation by Chelsea Cameron-Fikis.

East End Arts’ Community Partners A special thank you to the many amazing Community Partners who helped to make our programs possible and incredible!

Abbey’s Goal Reproductions Access Alliance Crescent Town Club AGA Arts Cumin Restaurant Akin Studios Danforth Mosaic BIA Alterna Savings Department of Applegrove Illumination Community Complex Digital Main Street ArtCave Draft Reading Series Arts in the Parks Driftscape App Arts Etobicoke DeSerres Danforth BBJ Pop Merch Dusk Dances The Beach BIA East End United The Bentway Church Brad Bradford, Firefly Creative Writing Councillor Fresh Paint Studio Broadview Danforth GreekTown on the BIA Danforth BIA Centennial College Humber College Chelsea Virginia Julie Dabruisin (MP) Creates Lakeshore Arts Coffee and Clothing Leslieville Flea Market Community Impact The Make Station Consulting Max the Mutt College Copy Cat Michael Garron 32

Hospital Native Women in the Arts Neighbourhood Arts Network Neighbourhood Food Hub North York Arts Nuit Blanche Toronto Obsidian Theatre OCAD University Old’s Cool General Store Oma Chiropractic and Wellness Paint Cabin Partners in Youth Empowerment Paula Fletcher, Councillor Percy Ellis Construction Playwrights Guild of Canada Queen Books

Riverdale Hub Riverside BIA Ryerson University Scarborough Arts Secret Planet Print Shop Shadowland Theatre STARToronto St. Stephen’s Community Housing

STEPS Toronto Arts Council Toronto Arts Foundation Toronto Community Housing Toronto Outdoor Art Fair Toronto Public Library Toronto Transit Commission

Urban Arts Winter Stations Wong’s Ice Cream Work In Culture Workman Arts (with Slaight Family Foundation)

33 #EastEndLove Merch with BBJ Pop Merch

Mosaic Mural with Neighbourhood Food Hub

Women Paint Riverside

Light It Up Lanterns

Humans of the Danforth

Local Discoveries Maps

BYOBeads Online

Gen Z-ines

Life Drawing with AGA Arts

#DestinationDanforth Celebration

οικογένεια Mural in GreekTown

Girls Mural Camp

Doorstop Diaries

Light it Up Lantern Celebration

Rocky The Rock Snake

Women Paint Riverside

Safety Dance

ArtSkool Guides

ST. MATTHEW’S CLUBHOUSE 450 BROADVIEW AVENUE TORONTO, ON M4K 2N1

@EastEndArtsTO

www.eastendarts.ca