Northwest Territories

The NWT Arts Program is a marketing initiative that supports artists of the Northwest Territories (NWT) to participate in the creative economy. NWT Arts aims to foster a positive environment for artists to generate an income from their creative work through business development workshops, marketing programs and services, and increasing consumer awareness to the unique and skillful pieces of work that are handmade in the NWT. NWT Arts is excited to bring a cohort of 6 artists from across the NWT to TOAF63, allowing them the opportunity to share the story of their art with you.

 Indigenous Curatorial Collective

The Indigenous Curatorial Collective / Collectif des commissaires autochtones (ICCA) is an Indigenous run and led non-profit organization that aims to support and connect fellow Indigenous curators, artists, writers, academics, and professionals through various methods of gathering. The ICCA engages in critical discourses, increases professional opportunities for our members, develops programming, and most importantly works to build reciprocal relationships with Indigenous curators, artists, communities and the institutions we engage with.

We welcome the Indigenous Curatorial Collective (ICCA) as our new programming partner, who brings their unique perspective and curatorial vision to TOAF this year for the Emerging Artists by Emerging Curator Award.

For this opportunity award, curator Jesse King has curated a feature exhibition of TOAF63 artists titled Blushing Bodies. This showcase is generously supported by the Barry & Laurie Green Family Charitable Trust and ICCA.

Tangled Art + Disability

Tangled Art + Disability is dedicated to connecting professional and emerging artists, the arts community, and a diverse public through creative passion and artistic excellence. Our mission is to support Disabled, d/Deaf, chronically ill, neurodiverse, k/crip, Mad, sick & spoonie artists; to cultivate Disability Arts in Canada; and to increase opportunities for everyone to participate in the arts. We do this by:

• Developing, showcasing, promoting, and employing Disabled artists;
• Creating partnerships and collaborations that increase opportunities for Disabled artists;
• Empowering Deaf, Mad, and Disability-identified people to embrace and explore their own creativity;
• Publicly showcasing the rich diversity of talent from the Disability Arts community.

Deaf Culture Centre

The Canadian Cultural Society of the Deaf’s headquarters, located in the historic Distillery District of Toronto, is the first free standing Deaf Cultural Centre of its kind internationally. It offers an art gallery, a board room with video conference ability and special event facilities, as well as a gift shop featuring Deaf artists’ artwork. Visitors are comprised primarily of Deaf patrons at special events and of hearing Distillery patrons exploring the site and from around the world, both Deaf and hearing. A Social Enterprise partnership with the Palgong Tea Company well known for its milk tea based with rich flavoured teas fruit teas, flavoured topping foams, smoothies and coffee variations, it is designed to enhance the experience of visitors in a signing environment, it is located in the Historic Distillery District area of Toronto, a revitalized heritage site that is home to a growing number of arts, entertainment and cultural organizations. It is here that visitors/customers can see Deaf culture in action.

The CENTRE provides education and cultural opportunity to both Deaf and hearing communities, and provides many opportunities in which there is Deaf and hearing visitor exchange. Sign Language Institute Canada (SLIC), one of the important branches of CCSD will soon become a reality. SLIC was established in 1981 for sign language instructors to develop the national certification process for Sign Language Instructors/Teachers and to pursue to a higher level.

An exciting roster of artists and leading arts organizations are participating in this year’s Art Encounters program – TOAF’s dedicated access and outreach program.

Our heartfelt thanks to the Lindy Green Family Foundation, the inaugural supporter of this initiative, TD Bank Group (TD), Higgins Event Rentals and all our individual supporters.