Series Season: 2024

Learn more about available dates and times for this course:

“Poets have always been philosophers and revolutionaries – they think outside the box, speak truth to power, and speak truth in general.”

This panel will focus on demystifying the approach to songwriting, beat-making, production and music publishing, featuring several of Toronto’s top music industry professionals. Moderated by Music Publishers Canada’s Manager of Communications, Laura Holtebrinck, the panel will mentor aspiring songwriters and producers, shedding light on the creative and business aspects of music publishing.  Presented by TD […]

For centuries, the island nation of Taiwan has sustained the growing habitats of bamboo, bulrush and banana throughout the country due to its humid, subtropical climate. Woven into Refinement: A Sampling of Contemporary Fibre Works from Taiwan uses the fibre found in these plant species.   This exhibition, in collaboration with four weaving design studios, takes time-honoured techniques […]

Lighting is an essential element of everyday life. Like moths to a flame, we are inherently drawn to it. Lighting is beautiful and functional, technical and sculptural. It can simply reduce darkness, but it can be so much more. Everyday Lighting investigates illumination at the intersection of craft, art, sculpture and design.   Through the Artists-in-Residence […]

Revisiting Sycorax is a sculpted wire figure that emerges from Shakespeare’s play, The Tempest, and conjures an errant entrance into a new landscape. She is a supernatural force formed from an accumulation of twists and coils of wire. Tactile and visual forms intertwine race, science and art to craft a resonant hum, a toned and […]

Central to the Craft & Design Studio’s ethos is a commitment to broaden the dialogue around contemporary craft and design practice. For our artists and designers, method and meaning are not disparate; connections are made with the past and present and with an eye to the future. Harbourfront Centre Artists-in-Residence explore ideas of technology, identity […]

Future Matters, a group exhibition featuring the work of eight local and international artists and designers, explores themes related to material expression, innovation and environmental sustainability.  Including an eclectic range of works in sculpture, video, photography, installation and textiles, this multidisciplinary exhibition embraces the intersection of both traditional and futuristic practices and materials.   In fact, […]

Three artists respond to The Power Plant Contemporary Art Gallery’s Fall 2023 Exhibitions in a series of videos for the inaugural edition of KUUMBA 365. Artists Randell Adjei, Dwayne Morgan and Paulina O’Kieffe-Anthony chose one or more works to respond to through the Black cultural lens using spoken word. Their creative process was documented through diary […]

This event is cancelled.

Join us for an unforgettable evening of cinematic storytelling as we present a series of remarkable short films that will take you on a captivating journey of emotions. From heartwarming tales to thrilling adventures, this screening promises to be a rollercoaster of feelings that will leave you inspired and moved. Additional films include Unless We […]

An evening of cinematic magic, shown through The Last Tree and more films. These films have been carefully curated to showcase the power of storytelling and we invite you to immerse yourself in the emotions and experiences they offer.  Additional films to include Abina and the Important Men directed by Soumyaa Kapil, and Amelia’s Closet directed […]

With a voice that can “boom like a cannon,” JUNO Award winner Jully Black headlines this year’s KUUMBA Festival, bringing her trademark groove, soul and R&B sounds that have made her a platinum-selling recording artist and one of the CBC’s “25 Greatest Singers Ever.” Reminiscent of R&B royalty Whitney Houston and Mary J. Blige, Jully […]

Step back in time with a screening of Chevalier and follow the extraordinary untold story of Black French maestro Joseph Bologne – the first classical composer of African descent to attain widespread acclaim in Europe. This rousing historical drama shares the life of the gifted composer who wrote pioneering string quartets and helped establish the symmetry and […]

A Jamaican poetry workshop, inspired by the words and style of Jamaica’s beloved Mother of Culture, Miss Lou. Participants will read, translate, interpret and perform poetry written by Miss Lou to then create and perform their own poetry written in her trademark style. Facilitated by Maurice Gordon and Marsha Laylor. Presented by TD Bank Group […]

Why Black Women Whisper is a poetic, multi-genre piece performed in spoken word, combining storytelling and performance with a backdrop of African rhythm and drums. Composed by Anne-Marie Woods, the story confronts the impact of racism and the systemic barriers placed on the voices of Black women and the efforts instituted to silence them. How does […]

Ready to spin? Learn how to craft your unique sound on the tables with one of New York City’s best music producers and DJ’s, DJ Fleg. Fleg has shared the stage with artists Talib Kweli, Grandwizard Theodore, Crazy Legs, Rich Medina and many more. Aspiring DJs will learn the fundamental skills and how to pull from […]

Interact and learn from some of the world’s greatest breaking athletes! Start with the basics while safely increasing your confidence with the support of master breakers. This workshop is perfect for beginners and those looking to up their basic breaking skills, from classic toprock, downrock to power moves and freezes. Get ready to get down […]

Interact and learn from some of the world’s greatest female breaking athletes! Start with the basics while safely increasing your confidence with the support of master breakers. This workshop is perfect for beginners and those looking to up their basic breaking skills, from classic toprock, downrock to power moves and freezes. Get ready to get […]

Please Note: The Preliminaries is a 7-hour event where audiences will come and go throughout the day. As this event is sold out, current ticket holders are encouraged to arrive early. A standby line will be in place for those who show up without a ticket. Ticket holders will be admitted as space in the […]

Three films offer an authentic glimpse at the heart and soul of a global athletic movement, captivating audiences and educating people on the journey of breaking from street dance to an organized sporting body. You’ll gain a deep appreciation for the passion, dedication and innovation that has shaped this dynamic art form into the growing […]

Join a roundtable with award-winning multidisciplinary artists Aaron Jones and Tiffany J. Sutton amongst their work in the exclusive KUUMBA exhibition, (Screaming)…into the void. This dynamic panel discussion and Q&A offers an opportunity for audiences to hear directly from the artists on their inspirations and motivations behind their unique visual art works, where Jones and […]

Join us for a special screening of The Hate U Give, a gripping and timely cinematic adaptation of Angie Thomas’ powerful novel. Explore the themes embedded within this critically acclaimed film for an evening of reflection, dialogue and community.   This coming-of-age teen drama stars Starr Carter, a young teen constantly being forced to switch between two […]

“What’s the point of having a voice if you’re going to be silent in the moments you shouldn’t be?”  Speaker, activist and cherished award-winning YA author of the highly acclaimed #1 New York Times bestseller The Hate U Give, Angie Thomas, is Keynote Speaker at this year’s KUUMBA.   Through an evening of inspired words and laughter, Thomas […]