Nia Centre's December 2015 Newsletter

be. belong. become.

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December Newsletter The year is winding down to a close and the holidays are in full swing but Nia Centre is busier than ever. We've moved to our temporary location, we've put on a successful Lunch 'N' Learn last month and ended the year with our Master@Work session with Farley Flex. Read on to see all the happenings for this December.

Season's Greetings Safe & Happy Holidays from Nia Centre

On behalf of the entire Nia Centre team have a safe and purposeful holiday season. Here's a fun video, our way of saying Season's Greetings. We'll be back to business January 4th 2016.

be. belong. become.

Nia Centre Calendar Sneak Peek

This month marks an exciting time for Nia Centre for the Arts as we finally embark on our long awaited journey to begin construction of our Arts Facility located at 524 Oakwood Avenue. To celebrate this exciting milestone, we are highlighting individuals who have been instrumental in making this plan a reality. Our way of honouring the past, present, and future of the organization we will be using our Calendar to launch our Be. Belong. Become. campaign.

Our partner and Creative Lead on this project is Live it Wear it (LIWI) creator Mark Stoddart.

Five years ago, Mark embarked on a journey to create an awareness campaign using his art to influential people in the community with a strong message through t-shirts design. This successful campaign brought influencers across art forms, sectors, and generations together to promote the message of solidarity. To pay tribute to this movement Nia Centre for the Arts is launching our Be.Belong.Become t-shirt campaign to raise funds and awareness about the building of the centre.

Stay tuned!

New Neighbours!

Our temporary home with Design Cofounders

The entire Nia Centre team is excited to be sharing space with Design Cofounders as we move into full construction phase of 524 Oakwood Avenue. Design Cofounders is a company that has combined agency, startup incubator, education program, and community impact space under one roof in 4500 sq.feet at the heart of Downtown Toronto. We are grateful to be downtown and working alongside heart-centred innovative folks.

Lunch 'N' Learn December Sommer Blackman

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This month's LNL features lawyer, Sommer Blackman. She will be sharing legal information on how to protect one's creative works, copyright laws, licensing fees and more. Have lunch with and ask critical questions about how to protect yourself and your art!

Sign up today as spots are already filling up!

Sign Up Today

Support Mr. Fresh on Kickstarter AFRO on the Move

AFRO member and long-time Nia Centre supporter, Mr.Fresh started business when he was only 8 years old. By the time Fresh was 13, he already invented his own green base product which was an air and fabric freshener that is 100% green to the earth.

A City of Toronto Youth Entrepreneur of The Year, I.N.I Award Winner, a Toronto Youth Cabinet Member and Nia Centre member, Mr. Fresh is planning to elevate his business to the next level and has started a Kickstarter campaign. After being inspired by his auditions for Dragon's Den, he is hungry for success. Support this young entrepreneur reach is goal today or visit his website for more info.

Support Fresh

Masters@Work Recap with Farley Flex

On Dec 5th, 2015, Nia Centre for the Arts hosted our fourth Master Class as part of the Masters@Work series. Facilitated by Canadian Idol Judge and Canadian Media Icon Farley Flex, it was a full day of informative content, performances, critiques and overall fun energy! Our next Masters@Work is scheduled for spring 2016, stay tuned for our next session.

"Having participated as facilitator of a Master Class workshop on behalf of Nia Centre for the Arts gave me great insight as to the relevance of the organization. I will be highly recommending Nia Centre to my professional colleagues and clients alike."

-- Farley Flex It was an absolute honour to work with Farley for this Masters@Work. Special thanks to Idil

Jeilani for all the support in coordinating an incredible session.

Lunch 'N' Learn Recap Michelle Pearson Clarke

Our Lunch 'N' Learn series is a monthly talk-back session between a mentoring artist or art professional and 10 early career artists, over lunch. Topics range from building one’s creative skill set, the politics of creating one’s art, intersections of identity in art, creative career paths and more.

November's LNL featured visual digital artist, Michele Pearson Clarke. Trinidad-born film and installation artist, Michele Pearson Clarke. Using archival, performative and process-oriented strategies, her work explores queer and black diasporic longing and loss.

"[This was] incredibly enriching with both support for more spiritual, emotional and ephemeral parts of being an artist as well as more concrete skills and process involved in doing artistic work.

[I am] learning to give myself permission to do a project or really anything that I would like to do. Thinking about the reason I do my work including when it is a public project or a personal project."

-- Program Participant

Be sure to join us for our upcoming Lunch 'N' Learn sessions this month and in the new year!

Special thanks to Aden Abebe for coordinating a successful experience.

Artist Statements & Bios Feature Community Workshop

Are you an emerging artist who has been asked for an artist statement but don't know how to

start? Have an artist bio that needs a makeover? Do you indentify as a young black woman?

Well this workshop is for you. SpeakSudan presents: Artist Statements & Bios Workshop. It's free and takes place December 12th from 3:30pm at The Centre of Social Innovation Regent Park, 585 Dundas Street East. Food and tokens are provided. RSVP on Facebook today!

Mikey Smith Raw Works Festival Feature Event

The Watah Theatre Presents Mikey Smith Raw Festival This week-long theatre festival is named in honour of Jamaica’s brilliant, dynamic, prophetic and political dub poet Michael Smith. Smith, born September 14, 1954 was stoned to death on August 17, 1983 for his humanitarian views and voice.

MIKEY SMITH RAW WORKS FESTIVAL SCHEDULE Monday December 14th | 6:00 - 10:00PM Sage Secrets of Honor Ford-Smith & Visual Art Exhibit by Fiya Bruxa @ The Watah Theatre & Dancemakers Tuesday December 15th | 6:00 - 10:00PM Zak'isha Brown | Yosef Selassie | Ilana Divantman | Mahlet Gebreyohannes | Sarah Michaels | Angaer Arop @ Dancemakers Theatre Wednesday December 16th | 6:00 - 10:00PM Grace Gutierrez | Ase Eschu Bafamet | Lana Kouchnir | Jena Alma Singh | Faduma Mohamed | Tuku Matthews @ Dancemakers Theatre Thursday December 17th | 6:00 - 10:00PM Paul Ohonsi | Alexandra Sproule | Shaniqua Roberts | Danielle Smith | Andreena E. Hofferden | SashOYA Simpson @Dancemakers Theatre Friday December 20th | 6:00 - 10:00PM Natasha Adiyana Morris | Clover Fannin | Samson Brown | Najla Nubyanluv | Kareen Weir | Raven Dauda @Dancemakers Theatre Saturday December 19th | 1:00 - 4:00PM FREE Youth Arts Day @ The Watah Theatre Saturday December 19th | 6:00 - 10:00PM Chimurenga: Watah Theatre Inaugural Season Photo Book Launch & Stage Performances by Artists-in-Residence & d'bi. & the 333 (Live Concert) @ Dancemakers Theatre Sunday December 20th | 1:00 - 5:00PM Wholistic Health Day @ The Watah Theatre

More info on Facebook Buy Tickets today!

Events DEC 9 REEL TALKS: DAUGHTERS OF THE DUST & UPON WESTMINISTER BRIDGE

Watah's Reel Talks is a monthly film series exploring our collective humanity and current state of existence on the planet. For the month of December of 2015 , REEL Talks honours December 18th as the International Migrants Day. Watah 9 Trinity Street #317 6pm to 9pm, PWYC

DEC 10 LIFE AFTER HATE: THE FORGIVENESS PROJECT

The F-YOU: The Forgiveness Project turns 5. Join in as they celebrate with favourite speakers and powerful stories from the last five years.

Daniel Spectrum 585 Dundas Street E 7pm to 10pm, Free

DEC 12 IMPROVE WORKSHOP

Speak Sudan presents an improv workshop facilitated by Sedina Fiati open to all self identifying black womxn (trans/cis inclusive).

Centre of Social Innovation 585 Dundas St E, 3rd floor 1pm to 3pm, Free

DEC 12 ARTIST STATEMENT & BIOS

The workshop will examine content and style of artist statements and workshop as a part of portfolio development that is reflective of your body of work/aspirations.

Centre of Social Innovation 585 Dundas St E, 3rd floor 3:30pm, Free

DEC 12 KWANZAA WITH ACHA

The African Canadian Heritage Association hosts their annual Kwanzaa Celebration to celebrate community tradition.

70 Fawcett Trail, Scarborough 1:30pm to 5:30 pm, Free Donations accepted: Monetary, Canned Items and Gently Used Shoes for Kenya Project More info: achaonline@gmail.com

DEC 13 CURATING 101 WITH ELLE ALCONEL

This is a free workshop for young black womxn visual artists/aspiring artists. The workshop will examine the relationship between gallery, artist and curator and better enable and equip artists to exhibit their work.

Ryerson Image Centre 33 Gould Street, Toronto 12pm, Free

DEC 13 THINGS BLACK GIRLS SAY: ONE YEAR ANNIVERSARY

Come celebrate with free cake and amazing comedy featuring Coko & Daphney, Chantel Marostica, Aisha Brown, Jhannelle Dennis, Keith-Pedro, Alex Pavone and Ify Chiwetelu.

Comedy Bar 945 Bloor Street W 7pm - 9pm, $15

DEC 14 #LASTRISE2015

In 2015 R.I.S.E Edutainment has organized 45 successful Monday night events, attracting over 3,150 artists and community members. This will be our last event until February 1st 2016.

Burrows Hall Community Centre 1081 Progress Avenue 6pm to 11pm, $10

DEC 14 - 20 MIKEY SMITH RAW FESTIVAL

The Watah Theatre, founded by Canadian Poet of Honor and YWCA Woman of Distinction, d'bi.young anitafrika, excitedly announces the first of a tri-annual festival for the 2015/16 KENTE Season, The Mikey Smith Raw Works Festival.

Dancemakers Theatre 313, 9 Trinity St. More info

DEC 17 WRITING WHILE BLACK VI

Writing While Black is a community dialogue series centred around the voices of writers from the African Diaspora. The main goals of the workshops is to create a safe space and develop a community of black writers who can provide support to one another's artistic projects.

Harlem Restaurant 67 Richmond St. E 6pm - 9pm, $10

DEC 18 PIXELATION: CALL FOR SUBMISSION

This exhibition will be held throughout the month of February 2016, Black History Month at

OCAD U. The theme seeks to interrogate the ways in which contemporary art and design perpetuate or challenge anti-blackness.

More info: pixelation2016@gmail.com

Feel free to contact us to add your event to our newsletter listings: info@niacentre.org

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