sponsors community partners
Message from Artistic Director
As we stand on the precipice of another transformative year, we are delighted to extend our heartfelt invitation to you. Prismatic 2024 embarks on a journey that is both deeply rooted in our local artistic landscape and expansively attuned to the global stage. Our festival’s evolution is a testament to our unwavering commitment to nurturing the artistic spirit, not just within our community but across borders.
Our focus for Prismatic 2024 is to weave a tapestry of support for our local artists while simultaneously broadening our national and international horizons. We envision a festival where the essence of sustainability is not merely an aspiration but a guiding principle. Our dedication to the long-term vitality of both the individual artist and the arts sector as a whole is reflected in our thoughtful programming and practices.
This year, we are embracing the philosophy that relationships are the foundation upon which vibrant communities are built. Through intentional partnerships and collaborations, we seek to foster an environment where every connection serves as a catalyst for growth and creativity. Our commitment to these values is a direct reflection of our leadership—two dynamic
Staff
Raeesa Lalani
Artistic Director
Kelly Li
Managing Producer
Michael Mader
Technical Director
Willum Watt
Marketing and Communications Coordinator
Regine Tiu
Website Designer
women of colour whose vision and resilience inspire and propel us forward.
At Prismatic, we believe in the profound impact of art to transform and transcend. We care deeply about the artists who shape our world, prioritizing their needs and celebrating their contributions. As we unveil this year’s festival, we invite you to join us in a shared exploration of artistic excellence, community, and sustainability.
Thank you for being an integral part of this journey. Together, let us continue to illuminate the world with the transformative power of art.
Raeesa Lalani Artistic Director
Board of Directors
Jacqueline Warwick Chair
Miya Turnbull
Vice Chair
Kate Hamilton
Treasurer
Jeff Ward
Laurie Gillis
Neal Morgan
Kaif Lalani
Special Thanks
Hannah Zamora
Jordan Bennett
Sophie Wilcott
Alexane Couture
Katie Blatt
Jenelle Duval
Steve Meiklejohn
Theresa Meuse
Denise John
Linda Gorrie
Lisa Mutch
Trena Empringham
Welcome to Prismatic
The arts help us tell our stories, recognize our shared humanity and build a vision for the future together.
And the world needs more of what the arts provide: more beauty, more conversation and more connection—that’s why there has never been a more urgent need to support the arts. Arts organizations and artists are essential to their communities, ensuring that people across Canada have the opportunity to experience great art. The Canada Council for the Arts is proud to support the Prismatic Arts Festival and its creativity in bringing the arts to life for audiences from coast to coast to coast.
Michelle Chawla
Director and Chief Executive Officer Canada Council for the Arts
Welcome to the 2024 Prismatic Arts Festival!
Each year, this event unites diverse performers from Indigenous and other cultural communities, to share their amazing stories through the arts. Prismatic pushes boundaries in dance, theatre, music, film and more, building cultural bridges and promoting openness and inclusion.
Our government knows that the arts are often the best way to help people learn about the shared heritage and values of this land. That is why we are a proud supporter of the arts across Canada, including this dynamic event.
As Minister of Canadian Heritage, I’d like to congratulate everyone involved with this year’s wonderful celebration. Your work is driving meaningful change in our society.
Enjoy the shows!
The Honourable Pascale St-Onge
Minister of Canadian Heritage
Prismatic 2024
Since 2008, the Prismatic Arts Festival has been celebrating the work of leading Indigenous and culturally diverse artists from across Canada. This annual event showcases Nova Scotia’s rich culture and heritage through performance, music, film, poetry and dance.
Nova Scotia is a mosaic of many cultures, heritages, backgrounds, and traditions. Our stories are important to Canadians, and we are thrilled to be able to share them through events like the Prismatic Arts Festival.
As a province we strive to be inclusive and welcoming, creating opportunities for important cultural conversations. This festival brings diverse perspectives, experiences and visuals to Nova Scotia and helps us build a better future for our province and our country.
On behalf of the Province of Nova Scotia, thank you to the organizers, volunteers and artists who put together an entertaining and engaging festival.
Yours truly,
The
As Mayor of Halifax and on behalf of Regional Council, it is my distinct pleasure to extend a warm welcome to everyone taking part in the Prismatic Arts Festival 2024 taking place here in Kjipuktuk/
Halifax Regional Municipality is located on the ancestral and unceded grounds of the Mi’kmaq people in the district of Mi’kma’ki. We acknowledge the Peace and Friendship Treaties signed in this Territory and recognize we are all Treaty People.
As one of Canada’s only multi-arts festivals, Prismatic 2024 will showcase and celebrate the innovative works of Indigenous artists and culturally diverse artists from across the country. For more than a decade this much anticipated vibrant event has been captivating audiences with boundary-pushing new works in theatre, dance, music, film, visual arts, media arts and spoken word.
Arts and culture are among this region’s most valuable resources. I want to acknowledge, with gratitude, the festival organizers, volunteers, sponsors, partners and public funders for their commitment and dedication to our arts community and the continued celebration of diversity in our region. Enjoy the spectacular display of creativity, talent, and art in all its forms!
Kindest regards,
Mike Savage, Mayor of Halifax Regional Municipality
Honourable Tim Houston, Premier of Nova Scotia
Program Schedule
SEPTEMBER 21ST TO NOVEMBER 23RD
Mark V. Campbell - Still Tho: Aesthetic Survival in Hip Hop’s Visual Art MSVU Art Gallery
SEPTEMBER 22ND TO DECEMBER 21ST
Shianne Gould Exhibition (Available during all venue programming) Bus Stop Theatre
SEPTEMBER 23RD TO 25TH
Various Times Shahin Sayadi - Performance + Masterclass Acadia University
THURSDAY, SEPTEMBER 26TH
6PM Calligraphy + Movement Workshop with Shion Skye Carter The Blue Building
7PM Stephanie Joline - Women of This Land Film Screening Art Gallery of Nova Scotia - Windsor Theatre
FRIDAY, SEPTEMBER 27TH
8PM Kaha:wi Dance Theatre - Homelands (artist talkback) Dalhousie Arts Centre - Dunn Theatre
SATURDAY, SEPTEMBER 28TH
8PM Kaha:wi Dance Theatre - Homelands Dalhousie Arts Centre - Dunn Theatre
SUNDAY, SEPTEMBER 29TH
1PM Celebration of Mi'kmaw Porcupine Quillwork Art with The Quill Sisters Art Gallery of Nova Scotia
8PM The TALK: Connections Lion's Head Tavern
MONDAY, SEPTEMBER 30TH
6:30PM An Evening With Prismatic: Shianne Gould, Dáminí Awóyígà and AfroQueens, & Residuals (住み 墨) by Shion Skye Carter Bus Stop Theatre
TUESDAY, OCTOBER 1ST
7:30PM TRIA Theatre - King Gilgamesh and the Man of the Wild Neptune TheatreScotiabank Stage
WEDNESDAY, OCTOBER 2ND
7:30PM TRIA Theatre - King Gilgamesh and the Man of the Wild Neptune TheatreScotiabank Stage
THURSDAY, OCTOBER 3RD
2:30PM Ahmed Moneka - Interdisciplinary Creation Masterclass Dalhousie Arts Centre
7:30PM Theatre Conspiracy - Foreign Radical (preview) Alderney Landing Theatre
7:30PM TRIA Theatre - King Gilgamesh and the Man of the Wild Neptune TheatreScotiabank Stage
8PM Ali Enriquez Concert CBC Studio 60
FRIDAY, OCTOBER 4TH
2PM Theatre Conspiracy - Foreign Radical (student matinee) Alderney Landing Theatre
3:30PM Theatre Conspiracy - Immersive Performance Masterclass Alderney Landing Theatre
6:30PM Harmonies & Hues: Mumu Fresh, Ibe Ananaba, & Erasure Art Collective (concert at 8PM)
Fountain School of Performing ArtsJoseph Strug Concert Hall
7:30PM Theatre Conspiracy - Foreign Radical Alderney Landing Theatre
7:30PM TRIA Theatre - King Gilgamesh and the Man of the Wild Neptune TheatreScotiabank Stage
SATURDAY, OCTOBER 5TH
2PM Theatre Conspiracy - Foreign Radical Alderney Landing Theatre
6:30PM ANSMA Town Hall with Mumu Fresh MacPhee Centre
7:30PM Theatre Conspiracy - Foreign Radical Alderney Landing Theatre
7:30PM TRIA Theatre - King Gilgamesh and the Man of the Wild Neptune TheatreScotiabank Stage
SUNDAY, OCTOBER 6TH
2PM Theatre Conspiracy - Foreign Radical Alderney Landing Theatre
2PM TRIA Theatre - King Gilgamesh and the Man of the Wild Neptune TheatreScotiabank Stage
7:30PM Theatre Conspiracy - Foreign Radical Alderney Landing Theatre
TheOCTOBER 10TH TO 12TH
7:30PM (Thursday & Friday) Linda Carvery - Watch Over Me Bus Stop Theatre
2:30PM (Saturday)
OCTOBER 25TH AND 26TH
7:30PM Jeremy Dutcher with Symphony Nova Scotia Dalhousie Arts CentreRebecca Cohn Auditorium
NOVEMBER 12TH TO 24TH
7:30PM & 2PM (weekends) Winter Moons Neptune TheatreScotiabank Stage
OCTOBER 21ST TO 25TH
Various Times Arrivals Legacy Voice Masterclass Dalhousie Arts Centre
Mumu Fresh
Mumu Fresh (also known as Maimouna Youssef) is a GRAMMY nominee, Indigenous Music Award winner, Musical Ambassador for the US State Department, elected governor of the DC Chapter of The Recording Academy, and an Ambassador of The Black Music Collective. Mumu Fresh has a very diverse and expansive musical background ranging from jazz, gospel, spirituals, and traditional African and traditional Indigenous music, to hip hop, soul, rock and experimental acapella fusion. Maimouna has a passion for activism and community service. A critically acclaimed AfroIndigenous singer, emcee, songwriter, activist, workshop facilitator and audio engineer, Mumu Fresh has been called a “quadruple threat” by The Roots’ Black Thought and “groundbreaking” by Oscar-winning artist, Common. Mumu Fresh has released 2 solo LPs, 2 group LPs, 1 solo EPs, 1 mixtape, and countless singles and features.
She has donated much of her time and platform to ‘Art Activism,’ increasing awareness and education around race and gender inequity, environmental justice, and independence for artists. Maimouna has served as a mentor for several young, aspiring artists through GRAMMY U. In 2020, she founded her own online music education platform called “Muniversity Studies” to teach aspiring artists how to reimagine the music business and thrive independently with purpose. Mumu Fresh is a global citizen, musical healer, cultural philanthropist, and a community pillar.
FRIDAY, OCTOBER 4TH 6:30 PM (CONCERT 8:00 PM)
DALHOUSIE ARTS CENTRE
JOSEPH STRUG HALL
Mark V. Campbell
Dr. Mark V. Campbell is a DJ, scholar, and curator. He is Principal Investigator in the SSHRC-funded research project, Hip Hop Archives: The Poetics and Potentials of Knowledge Production. As co-founder of the Bigger than Hip Hop radio show in 1997 and founder at Northside Hip Hop Archive in 2010, Mark has spent two decades embedded within the Toronto hip hop scene operating from community-engaged praxis as both a DJ and a Curator. His books include: We Still Here: Hip Hop in North of the 49th Parallel with Dr. Charity Marsh (2020) and …Everything Remains Raw: Photographing Toronto Hip Hop Culture from Analogue to Digital as part of the 2018 Contact Festival exhibition at the McMichael Canadian Art Collection.
Still Tho: Aesthetic Survival in Hip-Hop’s Visual Art
Still Tho is an ode to the visual artists in Canada who shaped Hip-Hop culture and its aesthetics. Through their art, they have placed justice front and centre to inspire social change at home and around the world. The phrase “Still Tho” in the exhibition’s title refers to a common expression that speaks to acts of artists’ perseverance, overcoming numerous barriers to make art and build community. While some aspects of hip-hop’s early years in the late-1970s and early1980s have been well-archived, visual works from that period were mostly temporary. Artists often overwrote one another’s graffiti, while the natural elements destroyed outdoor murals. The mixed-media works in this exhibition explore how hip-hop’s visual artists have woven together historical, nostalgic, and archival elements to leave a physical legacy. Moreover, the exhibition highlights the lasting impact of HipHop’s visual art on both Canadian culture and visual aesthetics in our digital age.
Presented by
SEPTEMBER 21, 2024 TO NOVEMBER 23, 2024 MSVU ART GALLERY
TRIA Theatre
King Gilgamesh & The Man of the Wild
King Gilgamesh & The Man of the Wild is a one-act theatre-music production that fuses a scripted play featuring actor-musicians Ahmed Moneka and Jesse LaVercombe with live performance by Ahmed’s acclaimed Arabic-maqam / jazz band, Moneka Arabic Jazz. The play traces the friendship of “Ahmed” and “Jesse” as they meet in a Canadian coffee shop and forge a bond while confronting their differences – one Jewish, one Muslim, and each born in the shadow of the first Gulf War between the USA and Iraq. The present-day story of a friendship interweaves with the ancient Mesopotamian Epic of Gilgamesh. The play, co-created with director Seth Bockley, features themes of art, sex, fatherhood, mortality, and identity.
The play’s action is accompanied throughout by the emotional, rousing and world-spanning music of Moneka Arabic Jazz, whose music scores the show’s physical, expressive, playful, and intimate theatricality. The two-man epic spans centuries, cultures, and continents, illuminating the mysteries of love, death, and friendship in a moving, funny, tragic, and ultimately celebratory “play with music” that appeals to theatre and music audiences alike.
Co-presented with
TUESDAY, OCTOBER 1ST TO SATURDAY, OCTOBER 5TH 7:30 PM
THEATRE SCOTIABANK STAGE SUNDAY, OCTOBER 6TH 2:00 PM
The Quill Sisters
For the past six years, a group of skilled Mi’kmaq women from Epekwitk have worked together to revitalize the traditional artform of porcupine quill work. Early collaborative efforts centered on design feedback, joint harvesting, business strategies, and a lot of laughter! The Quill Sisters recognize that by working together, they can build a community network
centred on Mi’kmaq values that makes ancient cultural practices relevant in the modern world. Each with their own unique style, together they showcase traditional practices that are timeless. Kay Sark, Cheryl Simon, and Melissa Peter-Paul are proud to share with you their work as quill sisters.
In Collaboration with
Ibe Ananaba
Ibe Ananaba is a multidisciplinary artist exploring the impact of sociocultural complexities on contemporary living, with an interest in art as a tool for social transformation. He is always willing to push creative boundaries and enjoys experimenting with diverse traditional and non-conventional materials as a painter, illustrator, muralist, art director, calligraphist, and designer. Crowned the 1st Prize Winner of the Art Masters contest (Art Vancouver 2019) Ibe’s art has been studied and used as a case study for a project thesis by various University scholars across Nigeria. In 2023, he participated in the group exhibition Black Euphoria at the Art Deco Museum in Miami. He was a panelist at the 14th edition of Contemporary African Diaspora Arts (CADA), where he presented Black Fashion Is Art during Art Basel Miami 2023.
In Collaboration with
FRIDAY, OCTOBER 4TH 6:30 PM
DALHOUSIE ARTS CENTRE
JOSEPH STRUG HALL
Ali Enriquez
Ali Enriquez is a Cuban-Canadian multi-instrumentalist and songwriter. Born and raised in the vibrant city of Havana, Cuba, by a family of musicians, she began her musical training at the age of five. Her first trip to Canada was in 2012, and in 2016 she moved to Halifax where she became familiar with the classical and jazz music scene, playing with symphony orchestras, chamber ensembles, jazz bands, and ensembles as a singer and violinist. Ali began her studies in Performing Arts at Dalhousie University, later transferring to NSCC’s Music Arts program where she started her career as a songwriter. She has performed with the National Symphony of Cuba, the Nova Scotia Youth Orchestra, Symphony Nova Scotia, the Dalhousie Symphony Orchestra and Jazz Ensemble, the Back Alley Big Band, and many other ensembles. Ali has performed for the members of Parliament in Ottawa, the Halifax Jazz Festival, Romerías de Mayo (Cuba), the Ravello Music Festival (Italy), and more. Her debut single “Se Vale Llorar” – released in March 2023 – is now available on all platforms.
In Collaboration with
Kaha:wi Dance Theatre
Kaha:wi Dance Theatre is a Rotinonhsyón:ni led company renowned for exquisitely produced and viscerally impactful performances, embodying stories that cultivate space for transformation, dialogue, and connection to Indigenous knowledge and experience. Founded in 2005 by Ohswé:ken / Six Nations of the Grand River based Artistic Director, Santee Smith, Kaha:wi (Ga-HA-Wee) means “to carry” in Kanyen’kéha. Sharing new Indigenous performance, embodied and multidisciplinary storytelling, Smith’s work is focused on Indigenous methodology, interdisciplinary and intergenerational work. Artistic and community research for performances delve into ancestral memory, Onkwehónwe:néha mind-set, and strive to align with and share truth, creativity, and story. Reaching audiences regionally and globally, Kaha:wi Dance Theatre ignites awareness and sparks opportunities for collaborations and exchange.
Homelands
Homelands is a dance honouring our kinship connection to the natural world, its patterns, energies, and life forces. A multimedia dreamscape creates the landscape: water, textures with three women dancers embody the elemental. Offering and aligning with earthy imagery and sound design, Homelands places Yethi’nihstenha / many womxn within Kahnyen’kehàka ancestral homelands of upper state New York and Ohswé:ken / Six Nations of the Grand River. Making joyous, transcendent, and powerful embodied alignments to Ka’satsténhsera’kó:wa Sa’oyé:ra / movement in the direction of the immense creation / nature, Homelands affirms human beings are creation made – we are land and water.
Co-presented with
FRIDAY, SEPTEMBER 27TH
SATURDAY, SEPTEMBER 28TH 8:00 PM
DALHOUSIE ARTS CENTRE
DUNN THEATRE
Dáminí Awóyígà
Dáminí Awóyígà is an activist, spoken word poet, and Halifax’s Youth Poet Laureate. The 16 year old high school student is the founder of DAmini Creatives and the Afro-Indigenous Book Club, a book club created to encourage young people to read books written by Black and Indigenous authors and to share the experiences of Black and Indigenous Canadians. She is a youth freelance journalist for CBC’s Mainstreet. She is the Vice-Chair of Charles P. Allen
High School’s Black Student Association. Dáminí has enjoyed being a board member of the Nova Scotia Girls Institute for Resource and Learning (NS GIRL), she is also part of the HRM Youth Advisory Council. Dáminí has received multiple awards including the Queen Elizabeth II Diamond Jubilee Medal. As a spoken word poet for over five years, Dáminí loves to write, sing, and perform poems that bring attention to social justice issues.
Dáminí and AfroQueens
Dáminí and AfroQueens present a captivating performance combining poetry, music, and dance, featuring renowned spoken word poet Dáminí Awóyígà and talented dancers who will bring the poetry to life through their movements. The visually stunning blend of dance and poetry will take the audience on a journey through history, rhythm, and emotion.
MONDAY, SEPTEMBER 30TH 6:30 PM
Jenelle Duval
Jenelle Duval will be opening various shows at Prismatic 2024 with a song dedicated to the land.
Jenelle Duval is a Mi’kmaw creator and curator from Seal Rocks, NL who currently lives and works in St. John’s as an Advisor in media and content growth. Jenelle was the Artistic Director of Spirit Song Festival, an annual celebration of Indigenous Arts and Culture in St. John’s, for nearly a decade. Jenelle is a founding member of EMCA-winning group Eastern Owl, and a tireless advocate for the preservation and revitalization of cultural arts and music. In her solo practice, she writes and performs songs and stories that reflect her relationships and connections to people and places. Jenelle is rooted in her home territory of Ktaqmkuk, where she shares her life with her amazing daughter Kassidy.
THURSDAY, SEPTEMBER 26TH TO SUNDAY, OCTOBER 6TH
Theatre Conspiracy
Founded in 1995, Theatre Conspiracy is an experimental performance company and registered charity whose critical inquiry and aesthetic curiosity contributes to a public dialogue on vital contemporary themes in the international conversation. Their performances activate and encourage freedom of expression, diversity in identity and opinion, and challenges to the status quo. Based in Vancouver, BC, Theatre Conspiracy provides a platform for artists creating contemporary work for stage and media to investigate new directions in society, politics, and culture.
Foreign Radical
Foreign Radical invites 30 participants into an intriguing theatrical game that explores security, profiling, freedom of expression, and privacy in the age of cybersurveillance. Mobile throughout the performance, the participants collaborate, compete, investigate, debate, and spy on each other.
The Foreign Radical set is divided into four play areas where participants, depending on personal and group responses to various questions posed by the game’s ‘host’, witness different perspectives on the action. They are at times divided into groups or left all alone to gather evidence from dramatic scenes and documentary media that colour their views and how they play the game.
Co-presented with
THURSDAY, OCTOBER 3RD (PREVIEW) 7:30 PM
FRIDAY, OCTOBER 4TH TO SUNDAY, OCTOBER 6TH 2:00 PM & 7:30 PM
Shianne Gould
Shianne Gould is a talented Mi’kmaq artist from Waycobah, Cape Breton who has been painting since childhood. Her work is characterized by vibrant colours with themes surrounding family and the relationship to Mother Earth. Shianne’s art has been featured in the Friends United initiative.
MONDAY, SEPTEMBER 30TH 6:30 PM BUS STOP THEATRE
EXHIBIT: SEPTEMBER 22ND TO DECEMBER 21ST BUS STOP THEATRE
Shion Skye Carter
Born in Gifu, Japan, Shion Skye Carter (she/they) is a dance artist based in Vancouver. Informed by her experience as a first generation Japanese-Canadian immigrant, Shion’s art explores how identity and selfhood are channeled through bodily movement and sensed perception. Shion’s live performances and experimental dance films thoughtfully depict the different contours of their intersectional identity and how it impacts their experience of themselves and the external world. She is the recipient of the 2022 Iris Garland Emerging Choreographer Award as well as the Chrystal Dance Prize in 2023.
Residuals
(住み 墨)
Residuals (住み 墨) is a solo dance project written and performed by Shion Skye Carter. Drawing on visual, sonic, and physical influences from Japanese calligraphy integrated with dynamic choreography, Shion reinterprets the traditional form through a contemporary lens. Calligraphy brush strokes inform Shion’s movement as they dance among hundreds of sheets of translucent paper, channelling moments and impressions from their childhood, while the lighting evokes an abstracted memory of their Japanese grandparents’ rural home where many of the artist’s memories of domestic life and cultural rituals originate. The culmination of 3 years
MONDAY, SEPTEMBER 30TH 6:30 PM
of artistic research and development, interweaving interdisciplinary elements such as full-stage video projections, sculptural costume design, and bilingual spoken text, Residuals (住み 墨) takes audiences on a personal journey of self-discovery, where the inner layers of Shion’s identity begin to unfurl.
The work’s title holds a double meaning:
住み /sumi/ = to reside in a place
墨 /sumi/ = ink
Erasure Art Collective
Erasure Art Collective is an interdisciplinary arts group committed to researching and reinterpreting archival texts using visual, poetic, and performative erasure.
Shauntay Grant is an author, poet, playwright, and interdisciplinary artist with roots in Nova Scotia’s historic Black communities. An associate professor of creative writing at Dalhousie University and former poet laureate for the City of Halifax, she “creates artworks that are engaging and accessible, but also challenging, rigorous, and informed by deep research” (The Royal Society of Canada).
Tyshan Wright hails from the historic Maroon Town of Accompong in St. Elizabeth, Jamaica. Based in Kjipuktuk (Halifax), Tyshan works at the intersection of contemporary art and traditional Jamaican Maroon culture and craft. A “Keeper of the Heritage” (Jamaica Gleaner), his mixed media representations of Jamaican
Maroon instruments and ceremonial objects examine the expulsion of Maroons from Jamaica to Halifax in 1796.
BLACKOUT
BLACKOUT is a project which reimagines slave ads using ‘erasure’ or ‘blackout’ – a form of poetry created by erasing words from an existing text to create a visual poem. The project uncovers messages in ads that appeared in local newspapers during slavery –a legal practice of buying and selling human beings that saw millions of Africans and people of African descent enslaved over hundreds of years. BLACKOUT reworks slaveholders’ texts to reveal new narratives honouring those who challenged one of history’s most inhumane systems, and championing their bold acts of resistance. FRIDAY, OCTOBER 4TH 6:30 PM
Stephanie Joline
Stephanie Joline is an Indigenous writer, director, and producer based in Halifax, Nova Scotia. Her Indigenous roots come from her mother who is Inuit from Labrador; her father is French Acadian from the South Shore of Nova Scotia. Equally adept at film and television, Stephanie’s stories provoke conversation, break boundaries, and are deeply rooted in inclusivity and feminism.
Her feature films include Night Blooms (2021), a coming-of-age story set in the 1990s; and Play Your Gender (2016). Stephanie has also directed for television and streaming platforms,
such as: Words Matter (2022, CBC Gem); Stream Me (2020, Amazon Prime); Farm Crime (2020, CBC Gem); Spirit Talker (2019, APTN). In 2020, she was awarded the Irving Avrich Award from TIFF recognizing rising Canadian talent. The following year she was longlisted for the DGC Discovery Award, and in 2022 she received Best Nova Scotia Director from Women in Film and TV Atlantic and won her first Canadian Screen Award for best directing in the factual television category.
THURSDAY, SEPTEMBER 26TH 7:00 PM
Women of this Land
Women of this Land is a documentary series spotlighting the resilience and cultural richness of Indigenous women in Atlantic Canada as they share their stories of connection to land and heritage. Produced by Peep Media, directed by Stephanie Joline, and featuring shalan joudry and Dr. Imelda Perley Opolahsomuwehs.
In Partnership with
Linda Carvery
In Halifax’s North End, Linda Carvery began her musical journey at the Cornwallis Street Baptist Church. Since then, she has become an accomplished jazz, blues, and gospel singer in both solo and collaborative projects, receiving a Lifetime Achievement Award from the African Nova Scotian Music Association. For her first CD Yesterday / Today (2000), she was awarded the East Coast Music Award for Best Jazz Artist. Also a talented stage performer, she has acted in musical productions at Neptune Theatre, Eastern Front Theatre, and Mulgrave Road Theatre. As a prominent performer in Nova Scotia, Linda Carvery helps to foster the province’s artistic hub, having served as President of the Nova Scotia Mass Choir and as a part of Symphony Nova Scotia and the Nova Scotia Arts Council.
Watch Over Me
Blending story and song with accompanying jazz pianist Holly Arsenault, Watch Over Me is an autobiographical performance by Linda Carvery. Sharing memories of growing up in the North End of Halifax and other formative experiences, Watch Over Me is a humorous, dynamic tale of resilience.
The
In Collaboration with
Winter Moons
Led by shalan joudry, this L’nu (Mi’kmaw) dance theatre performance follows the story of L’nu women surviving the three moons of winter together deep in the forest. Through contemporary and theatrical movement and music, Winter Moons weaves cultural teachings and timeless stories. This hour-long cultural musical theatre was first crafted for fireside sharing in the round. The story follows L’nu women who care for a fire ember through the winter season (December 21 – March 21). L’nu legends, star stories, and contemporary dance express the harsh realities of living off the land in a long-ago Mi’kma’ki winter. If the women were able to keep the ember alive until the Spring Equinox, there is a celebration to honour the women and the returning of summer.
Dancer and Artistic Director of Samqwan, Sarah (Sali’j) Prosper is a L’nu woman from Mi’kmaq First Nation community Eskasoni (Wekwistoqnik ~ land of the fir trees). She holds a BSc in Therapeutic Recreation, is studying Indigenous ways of Healing through Movement in the Masters of Arts in Leisure Studies at Dalhousie University, and is ADAPT-
TUESDAY, NOVEMBER 12TH TO SUNDAY, NOVEMBER 24TH 7:00PM AND 2:00PM (WEEKENDS ONLY)
NEPTUNE THEATRE SCOTIABANK STAGE
The
Certified. Sarah has danced with Mocean Dance, Kinetic Studios, House of Eights, Painted Dance Co, and Nestuita’si. An accomplished creator and leader in arts, dance, and culture, Sarah has performed, collaborated, co-created, and consulted in Indigenous-inspired multidisciplinary, interdisciplinary, and intergenerational productions.
shalan joudry is an L’nu (Mi’kmaw) narrative artist working in many mediums. She is a poet, playwright, podcast producer, oral storyteller, and actor, as well as a cultural interpreter. For over two decades shalan has brought her Mi’kmaw stories to a new generation of listeners, sharing her poetry, oral storytelling, and drum singing with numerous stages, events, schools, and organizations. In 2021, shalan teamed up with theatre director Ken Schwartz and mask coach Ann Marie Kerr to stage her newest theatre piece, KOQM, a one-woman show recounting the strength of L’nu women over a 400-year period of colonization. The show won the 2023 Robert Merritt Award for Outstanding New Play by a Nova Scotian.
In Partnership with
Jeremy Dutcher
In Collaboration with
The
A JUNO Award and Polaris Prize winner, two-spirit song carrier, composer, activist, and ethnomusicologist from Tobique First Nation, Jeremy Dutcher is known for his unique and beautiful blend of traditional Indigenous music and contemporary classical. Critically acclaimed for his innovative, powerful sound and recently featured in Vogue for his artistic flair, Jeremy returns to Symphony Nova Scotia after his sold-out 2019 concert with an all-new, boundary-pushing orchestral performance. FRIDAY,
Prismatic Arts Festival is a meeting place of creative minds, singular stories, and exceptional artistry. With the voices of Indigenous artists and artists of colour at the fore, Prismatic’s Industry Series is a dedicated space for us to come together, building an artistic community that is rooted in Kjipuktuk / Halifax but spans across Turtle Island.
Through the TALK, workshops, masterclasses, and more, you are invited to join us in celebrating our artistic community by learning together and sparking new ideas in one another.
Industry Series Masterclasses
Arrivals Legacy Voice
Facilitator: Diane Roberts
Co-Facilitators: Lopa Sircar, Gerry Trentham
One Week Teaching Residency for FSPA students and local artists
Friday, October 25th | 1:05PM – 2:25PM (Final Showcase) | FREE
Studio 2, Dalhousie Arts Centre
Interdisciplinary Creation
Led by Ahmed Moneka
Thursday, October 3rd | 2:30PM — 4PM | FREE
Open to the public & FSPA students
Studio 2, Dalhousie Arts Centre
Immersive Performance
Led by Theatre Conspiracy
Friday, October 4th | 2PM — 4:30PM | FREE
Open to FSPA students
Alderney Landing Theatre
Solo Acting
Led by Shahin Sayadi
One part performance, one part instruction
Monday, September 23rd | 7PM | FREE (Performance)
Tuesday, September 24th | 2:30PM | FREE (Masterclass #1)
Wednesday, September 25th | 11:30AM | FREE (Masterclass #2)
Acadia University
Open to Acadia Theatre students and faculty
Workshops & Events
The TALK: Connections
Hosted by local Cuban jazz musician Jeff Goodspeed
Sunday, September 29th | 8PM
Lion’s Head Tavern
Open to the public | FREE
Join us for this networking gathering in celebration of Prismatic 2024 artists and our local arts community. There will be delicious food, impeccable tunes, and wonderful company.
ANSMA Town Hall with Mumu Fresh
Hosted by Jah’Mila
In collaboration with ANSMA
Saturday, October 5th | 6:30PM – 9PM
MacPhee Centre
Join us for Presence in the Industry: Movement Making and Independent Artistry, a conversation about creating space when there is none, the power of being present, and education/self-ownership as an independent artist.
Movement + Calligraphy Workshop
With Shion Skye Carter
In partnership with Wonder’neath Art Society
Thursday, September 26th | 6PM – 8PM | FREE, Registration required
The Blue Building
Movement + Calligraphy is an open-level workshop derived from Shion’s own choreographic practice integrating dance with calligraphy. Participants will be guided through an introductory lesson on Japanese calligraphy leading into an improvised movement score, embodying the brushstrokes of the calligraphy pieces that were just created.
Movement Class with Santee Smith
Thursday, September 26th | 10AM – 11:30AM
Halifax Dance
In collaboration with Live Art Dance and Mocean Dance
Open to the public | Registration required
Morning
Professional Training with Shion Skye Carter
Thursday, September 17th & Tuesday, September 24th | 10AM – 11:30AM
Halifax Dance, Studio 2
Hosted by Mocean Dance
Intermediate to Advanced Dancers | Registration required
