Emerging Artists

Abby Kettner (she/her) is a multidisciplinary artist and aspiring arts-administrator based in Toronto. Abby recently graduated with a BFA in Cross-Disciplinary Art: Life Studies from OCAD University, and her artistic practice continues to evolve as she explores Object-Oriented Ontologies through her unique visual language. Interested in collaboration and community art projects, Abby is currently working with the Carrier Bag Collective to develop accessible workshops for artists.

Alia is a Bahamian-Colombian artist currently based in Toronto. Her work is translated through her use of reminiscent color schemes and patterns from her two cultures. Bringing to life scenes of melancholy surrounding the female figure, while examining topics of mental health, the female gaze and personal experience. Alia explores what it is to be her and takes you along, through her works of art. Her most recent bodies of work include ceramics, while experimenting with the many techniques within the craft such as firing and glazing. Creating pieces that are interactive in a living space.

Andrea Josic is a queer, Mad, Bosnian-Canadian poet, performer, journalist, and arts educator based in the GTA. She has been competing in international poetry slams for 6 years and is a national award-winning poet and journalist with work published with This Magazine, Xtra, Indie88, pulpMAG, and more. They were the champion of the 2020 Toronto Poetry Slam, the co-champion in the 2019 Feminine Empowerment Movement Slam, and a runner-up in the 2021 Canadian Individual Poetry Slam. As an Emerging Artist with VIBE Arts, a Public Art Assistant with STEPS Public Art, and an Arts Instructor in schools and communities across Ontario, Andrea hopes to cultivate joy and healing in their work.

Cassandra Myers (My’z) (they/she/he) is an award winning poet, performer, dancer, illustrator, and counsellor from Tkaronto, Ontario. As a queer, non-binary, South-Asian-Italian, crip, mad, survivor of sexual violence, Cassandra's work is cinematic and juicy with it's critical anti-oppressive eye. Cassandra’s work has won national literary and spoken word titles including the National Magazine GOLD Award in Poetry and Champion of the Canadian Festival of Spoken Word. Their work is the kind that tugs concepts into frays, tying new solar systems in their wake. Find their poetry in ARC Poetry Magazine, Canthius, the Tahoma Literary Review, and elsewhere.

Born in the Caribbean island of Trinidad, Cheyenne Gold is a racialized settler Canadian Artist, Speaker, and Educator. She is no stranger to the stage, as a dance artist with over 15 years of experience. Known for her career as an independent dance teacher/choreographer in the Greater Toronto Area, some also know Cheyenne through the world of public speaking and spoken word where she has presented to audiences of all ages in Canada and the Caribbean and was featured on CBC Radio in 2022. Cheyenne is a proud multi-hyphenate who often draws on her heritage’s rich storytelling traditions in her work and believes in the power of mindful artist/human-centered learning experiences.

Desiree is an award-winning poet who has touched many stages sharing her truth. As a director of the Toronto BAM! Youth Slam and the 2019 Canadian Festival of Spoken Word National Champion with Up from the Roots, she’s looking for growth by way of the stage. She has represented Toronto Poetry Slam at the 2020 Women of the World Poetry Slam in Dallas, Texas placing in the top 40 of 100 poets and was ranked among the top three poets in Canada at the 2020 Canadian Individual Poetry Slam. Her poetry has also been featured as part of CBC’s Poetic License series and The Bentway’s ‘Safe in Public Spaces’ campaign. In addition to her performance experience, she helps facilitate a range of community programming for organizations like Unity Charity, JAYU, Poetry in Voice and is currently part of VIBE Arts NExT mentorship cohort. She is the recipient of the JAYU’s iAM Arts for Human Rights Award, and the RBC Future Launch Scholarship.

Dominic Justina is a multi-faceted creative from Kingston, Jamaica currently living in Toronto. She is passionate about guiding people towards their divine creative power and away from limiting beliefs. She was born into a very musical family starting with her great great grandmother. Her introduction to art through music and sound has been a gateway into appreciating other forms of creation including visuals arts, poetry and podcast production. Her art has been featured in the Pearson International Airport, Castle Frank Subway Station and Fort York Historic Site in Toronto. Her journey has taken her to New York where she joined a dance company as a teenager, then to Toronto where she's now recognized as an emerging artist that also works in Tech. Dominic currently produces and hosts the Life on Hifi podcast with conversations for the soul ft creatives!

Emily Condie is an Artist, Writer, Curator, and Multidisciplinary Creative from Toronto, Ontario, who holds a BFA from OCAD University, with a specialization in Drawing and Painting. Through a combination of research, material exploration and creative writing in her studio practice; Emily explores theoretical frameworks and themes of affect theory, non objective painting, memorial, loss, intuition, and sensory experiences related to memory to create physical and digital paintings. Emily is a Marketing and Communications Professional and Emerging Arts Administrator, who is passionate about creating paid professional opportunities for emerging artists and designers, cultivating community art spaces, and facilitating unspoken connections between artist and audience. Emily currently has work in private and corporate collections across Ontario, and is continuing to define a role for herself within the creative landscape of Toronto.

Spoken word artist from Toronto, Ontario. A talented songwriter for the past 20 years, and dedicated short story writer for 18 years. Her involvement in the poetry scene started with the performance of her most popular poem ‘Letter to My Angel’, at Fallen Soldiers in 2013. Incorporates choruses and hooks as techniques in her poetry. Genre: cultural reggae and 90’s rap. Biggest influences from artists for her writing: Morgan Heritage, Tupac, Mary J Blige, Nas, Renee Henry, Whitney French & Mally Bless. Moving around the city frequently and getting exposed to various lifestyles, her writing reflects on her personal experience and the lives of people surrounding her. Also passionate about building relationships with different communities, she has been an active member in community engagements across the GTA since 2010. And a reporter for the Toronto Caribbean newspaper in 2020. Gloria was a Creative Writing Teacher in Nemaska through the Cree School Board in 2023.

Jasmine Vanstone (she/her) is a Jamaican-Canadian multidisciplinary artist, community arts facilitator, and arts administrator based in North York. She experiments in digital collage, digital photography, drawing, painting, poetry, murals, and paper crafts to share visual reflections of anti-Black racism, mixed race identity, mental health and wellness, and environmental justice. A graduate of York University, Jasmine earned a BFA with Honours in Visual Art and a Certificate in Cultural and Artistic Practice for Environmental and Social Justice. She then earned a Postgraduate Arts Management Diploma from Centennial College and began to flourish and support outreach and community-centered programming at Art Starts and TO Live. With the support of mentorship, Jasmine’s work has been featured at Nuit Blanche, Gallery 44, Meridian Arts Centre, Pearson Airport, id8 Downsview The Perimeter Project, Workman Arts’ Rendezvous with Madness Festival, Harbourfront Centre’s KUUMBA Festival, Friends of Kensington Market: A Future without Oppression, JAYU, and VIBE Arts.

Joaquín, is a Colombian born visual artist who has always allowed his creativity to take him to different mediums, scales and explorations but has always been drawn to a more graphic and illustrative language to communicate this expression. Alongside practicing his illustration and art, Joaquín knows firsthand the positive and powerful impacts that come with access to expression, resources and good mentors. He strives to provide accessibility to others who are in need of that same nourishment.

Karyin Qiu is a first generation Hakka Chinese Canadian artist born in the northern city of Whitehorse, Yukon. Breaking was her first love and introduction into Hip-Hop culture, where she later expanded her practice into different Street Dance and classical forms to develop her versatility as a freestyle dancer. Upon moving to Toronto, she became immersed in the dance scene through engaging in community events, participating in numerous training programs, performing on various stages, film and television, and dance competitions across the GTA. She is extremely grateful for the opportunities she’s had, and strives to make an impact by upholding authenticity in all aspects of her self-expression. Her goal as a VIBE Arts emerging artist and arts facilitator is to foster spaces for people to realize their greatest potential and co-create a better reality with one another.

Martin Gomes (He/They) is an Afro-Latino, queer artist born & based in downtown Toronto. He currently works as a freelance artist with a myriad of different non-profit arts organizations as an artist facilitator giving youth a platform to speak for and express themselves through poetry, beatboxing, and storytelling. As a performer, he's had the privilege of performing at TIFF, Scotiabank Arena, Wrigley Field, Nuit Blanche, and Dundas Square. His hope as an artist is to advocate for authenticity, empathy, and intention by example; to inspire people to be more intentional with themselves & the world around them.

Maneesa Veeravel is a creative storyteller with over a decade of experience in community-based arts creation, facilitation and space-making. Maneesa is a mad, queer, Tamil, gender fluid, chronically ill survivor, born and settled on the stolen lands of the Wendat, Anishinaabe, Mississaugas of the Credit, and the Haudenosaunee peoples. Maneesa’s work reflects intergenerational wits, wounds and wisdoms as it pertains to land, body and the notion of survival.

Mike Regis is an extremely passionate young black filmmaker from Toronto, Ontario. Mike seeks to find the truth in human relationships in every narrative he creates through his work as a Film Director. With a focus on the Black experience. Mike aims to portray the cultural and societal nuances authentically. Mike’s style is centered around portraying humanity through visual techniques such as production design, lighting, and camera to further provide realism to his characters and story. Mike is an ArtWorksTO and POV 3rd Street Alumni. I’ve even had the pleasure of having my short film “Promotion” featured and produced by CBC.

Nailah began artistic gymnastics as a young child and remained dedicated to it until her medical retirement from the sport at age 14, following 5+ years of national-level competitions and countless medals. Despite the demands of her sport, Nailah also found the time to train as a classical singer and actor with the Canadian Children’s Opera Company, appearing as a featured performer in albums and shows across the country, including The Four Tenors, Toronto Symphony Orchestra (Christmas Pops; Back in the Day; Canadian Specials), and Canadian Opera Company (Carmen; Madame Butterfly; La Bohème), as well as touring with the company across North America and to Europe. Since beginning her formal dance training while attending Etobicoke School for the Arts, Nailah has honed her skills internationally. Between summers at The Ailey School and the completion of her Honours BFA in Dance from York University, Nailah’s formal movement vocabulary has been highly influenced by Theatre Jazz, contemporary floor and partner work, Graham Technique, Precision Jazz, Dunham Technique, contemporary ballet, Limón Technique, and Horton Technique. Immediately following her graduation from YorkU, Nailah moved to New York City to pursue a performance career where she had the honour of training and performing with companies and choreographers including VIM VIGOR, Ailey II, Helen Simoneau, Ronald K Brown/EVIDENCE, Ross Daniels, Jennifer Muller, and Buglisi Dance Theater while studying as an Ailey School Scholarship Student. Since returning to Toronto, she has been entranced by the circus world, transitioning into a full-time circus artist, specializing in contortion, handbalancing, and acrobatics with Alixa Slobodyan (Alixa Flexibility), Serchmaa Byamba (Circus Center), and Maleke Duncan-Reid (Cirque-ability), before adding Lyra (Keely Whitelaw and Leeann Ball), pole (Elspeth Cudmore), and now Cyr Wheel (Christa Wilson and Francis Caron) to her ever-growing repertoire.

Natalie “Rare” Chattargoon better known as Rare, is a multifaceted Toronto born & raised creative. Her craft involves spoken word poetry, photography, film and an educational background in Social Service Worker. She grew up facing many barriers and challenges throughout her journey that motivated her to strive for a better life. Her work explores social issues through her art forms. Educating others on social issues, spreading love through art and helping others grow. She hopes to engage people through the mind, body and soul. Rare takes pride in her community development work and empowers young leaders to go for their dreams. She has worked in many marginalized communities to try to break the stigmas surrounding social issues. She loves what she does and is very passionate. Rare is truly one of a kind, so divine and hard to find.

Nicholas Ridiculous is a multidisciplinary artist who loves organic creation; raw, flawed, and original. After a lot of his own life experiences with things like the child welfare system, he wants to use his passions to express those experiences and to help others who may have similar ones. With a foundation of creative writing, visual arts, and fresh off a four-year college stint for fashion arts and design, Nicholas hopes to keep building his skills to tell many stories across all mediums of art. He is a nostalgia junky drawing inspiration from his life and the things he loves, in hopes to process and better understand this ridiculous world.

I am an emerging multidisciplinary artist that often conceptualizes work around the human figure or condition, driven by personal experience and the desire to make social commentary. By cognitively filtering customs or ideologies, I can communicate my stance. My work is often explorative, subjective and thought-provocative, revealing playful intent that will combine opposite art styles like realism and abstraction. The colour palette and elements are often restrictive with distinctive features. I constantly look for ways to experiment with how viewers engage with art through sensory work or relatability. After privately practicing, I have exhibited and connected more with those in the field, most recently having my first solo show at The Drake Hotel.

Prince Amoako is a spoken word artist from Toronto. He uses his art form as a way of therapy through creative expression. This platform has become a way for Prince to shed light on current social justice issues around the world and his own community. His work has been featured on platforms such as CBC Arts: Poetic License Series III, Toronto Black Film Festival, and 416RISE. He has also represented Toronto on the Toronto Poetry Slam team and has won many competitions. Prince has also been a part of a program called Speakers University which focused on developing public speaking techniques which was featured on CBC. Prince has gone on to curate poetry workshops for Humber College students as a way to help them destress and share their experiences as post-secondary students. As an artist Prince pushes himself to be uncomfortable by sharing the most vulnerable pieces of his life and making himself uncomfortable on stage to show the audience they are not alone in their experiences. He is determined to give back to his community through creative expression.

I am a Chinese-Canadian creative and an expert daydreamer, who utilizes my passion in storytelling to produce digital and traditional imagery that provokes child-like wonder and captures nostalgia. My work draws on my interest in mental health, East Asian history and mythology, and all things fantasy. I have worked as a freelance traditional painter and digital illustrator for 8 years, supporting other independent musicians, writers, and artists. I strive to create awareness in the beauty of Asian cultures and otherwise marginalized communities. Alongside my art, my versatile background includes my academic education in business and years of entrepreneurial experience exemplified in three of my start-up businesses. When I’m not painting, you can find me working with my hands- sewing, making resin crafts, and thrift flipping.

Shaniece Phillips is a dancer, choreographer and creator from Rexdale.  Her dance dreams began watching her older sister teach hip hop classes, studying music videos on 106 & Park and watching You Got Served 10,000 times.  Hip hop and dancehall are her two loves. She is inspired by the Jamaican culture she was brought up in. As she teaches, she hopes to instill the fact that dance is a full comprehensive culture of people, places, and history. She wants to instill that dance is a living and breathing thing that exists outside of the studio. It was not born in pristine studios with glass mirrors. The pioneers of these dances often didn’t have access to these spaces. They were often born out of struggle, rebellion, celebration and the fight to be seen and take up space. She has experience working within her own community in camps and afterschool programming. She is currently on faculty of the Youth program at City Dance Corps Studio in Toronto.  Shaniece graduated from the University of Guelph-Humber in 2016 with a Bachelors’ degree in Psychology. She now studies at the Create Institute in Toronto, training to become an Expressive Arts Therapist, where she learns to use not just dance, but all modalities of art to access healing. While still pursuing her dance dreams hopes to inspire those from her community to find the power of dance.

Siddharth Khaire also known as Graffi sid, was born in Baroda, India in 1992 and now resides in Toronto, Canada. Sid came to Canada in 2016 as an International student to learn Project Management. As it was one of the key course to learn for a Mural artist and a Street artist. Sid is a self-educated visual artist who stimulates his creativity based on the day-to-day activity. As a child he was always to be found with a sketchbook and pencil in hand, so the choice of cartoon creators and funky design always been seen in his artwork, as he grew up as a teenager, he was exposed to Hip-hop Culture, though it was just arrived in India. He was fascinated by graffiti and street art. Sid was once a fan of only black and white, he now paints with explosions of colors. He predominantly approaches his artwork utilizing a street art perspective with an underpinning of re-contextualization through mixed media materials and his creativity, Freehand aerosol and traditional brush techniques are evident with Sid’s works, primarily incorporating mixed media such as acrylics, aerosol, inks, markers and stencils, among other things. He is always known for his detail work and creative concepts. He is an artist who always believe in learning and does not believe that he has finished becoming a “grown up”.

Soka Lazara is a mixed Costa Rican, Nicaraguan, French-Canadian, and German lens-based artist and community arts facilitator based in Mississauga. She completed her Bachelor of Fine Arts in Photography Studies at Toronto Metropolitan University and completed a Graduate Certification in Arts Education and Community Engagement from Centennial College. In her artistic practice her work revolves around self-portraiture, editorials, and documentaries. Soka explores themes of storytelling, identity, family lineages, and her own personal experiences in her artwork. In her practice she incorporates 3D printing, and sculptures to accompany her photographs. Soka has been facilitating community arts programs since 2019. She is interested in creating engaging arts programs that provide participants with the tools for self-expression, self-sufficiency, and community advocacy. Soka has worked with various arts organizations within the GTA as a facilitator and arts administrator. She has worked with the City of Mississauga, Clay and Paper Theatre, the Workers Arts and Heritage Centre, and VIBE Arts.

SRE is multidisciplinary artist who is passionate to create things from scratch. He believes that having a blank canvas in any artistic direction can bring out the best in any person. Due to the environment that SRE has been around, he believes that everyone has a voice/skill that has not been tapped into to the fullest and strives to be the push that an artist would need to push boundaries.

Tristan Sauer is a New Media Artist and Curator interested in physical computing, wearable technology, and Sculpture. Sauer's practice is critically focused on technology and capitalism, viewing their relationship as a potential modern-day Pandora's box. He is interested in the intersections between our digital and physical worlds, and how technology affects the various facets of human existence. Often expressed through his own identity as an Afro-Canadian, Sauer explores these topics through both an Afro-futuristic and Afro-Pessimistic lens. A graduate of the New Media program at Toronto Metropolitan University, Sauer has presented locally at the Plumb, Meridian Art Centre, Gallery 1313, and Whippersnapper Gallery. He has curated as a member of Long Winter, online through Symbicocene Gallery, and REEL Asian Film Festival, and most recently in-person at Xpace Cultural Centre.