Download - Nia Centre for the Arts Executive Summary
Centre for the Arts
Nia Centre for the Arts
Research and Development Phase
2008
720 Bathurst St, Suite 402, Toronto, ON M5S 2R4 | 416 535 2727 | info@ niacentre.org
Executive Summary
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T A B L E O F C O N T E N T S
Initiative Summary……………………………………………………………………………....3
Introduction…………………………………………………………………………...4
Organizational Overview……………………………………………………………………………....5
Spatial Considerations & Design…………………………………………………………………………………..7
Programming……………………………………………..…………………………..9
Sustainability………………………………………………………………………….12
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I N I T I A T I V E S U M M A R Y
Nia is an African Canadian Centre for the Arts. It is an Arts Centre focused
on education, self-determination, and community development for youth,
with a focus on Black youth in Toronto’s most underserved communities.
Nia engages the arts as a vehicle to provide young people with the tools
to combat and overcome various social barriers that hinder their social
and personal growth. As a multi-disciplinary workspace of approximately
10, 000 sq ft., Nia will house a number of arts-based organizations and
programming that currently exist across Toronto. Nia will become a local
and international point of reference for all people interested in engaging
African-based arts and culture in Toronto. Recently, Nia completed its
research and development phase and is in the midst of securing a
building to begin programming in 2010.
At peak operating levels, Nia will service anywhere from 250-300 youth on
a weekly basis through a potential of twelve different programs divided
into five streams. As a community arts hub, Nia will consist of several
spaces that will make artistic, entrepreneurial, cultural and social
resources accessible to the most underserved youth. These spaces will
work to stimulate arts development both in Nia’s local neighbourhood
and across the city of Toronto. In an international context, Nia will
operate on a level similar to the Africa Centre in England or the Black Arts
& Cultural Centre in the United States, coordinating conferences and
festivals that engage both Canadian life as well as the African diaspora.
Theword“nia”comesfromthe
ArabicandSwahiliwordmeaning
purposeorintent.
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I N T R O D U C T I O N
Vision To empower young people to facilitate social and political change in
their communities through the arts.
To ensure the holistic development of Toronto’s most underserved,
marginalized and criminalized youth by providing a balance between life-
resource development, cultural expression and marketable skilled
development through the arts
Nia’s Philosophy Nia is deeply invested in the potential of art to transform the lives of young
people who face social barriers. Thus, Nia is based on four pillars:
education and continuous learning, artistic engagement, active
citizenship and community. We believe art, in all forms, is a powerful tool
to develop life skills as well as increase the self-worth of racialized
individuals in Canadian society.
Mission Nia aims to provide young people with the tools to overcome social
barriers to success, such as racism, sexism, systemic oppression, poverty
and violence by:
Pursuing social justice via artistic engagement.
Facilitating the personal and social development of young racialized people.
Fostering the continuing growth of various forms of art
indebted to the Afro-diasporic experience.
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O R G A N I Z A T I O N A L O V E R V I E W
Governance
Nia will be governed by a seven-member board of directors, with the help
of an eleven-member youth advisory board and an executive resource
team consisting of eleven community arts animators. Decisions around
Nia’s legal status will be made in the first quarter of 2010 by the board of
directors.
Human Resources
During Nia’s first three years of operation the centre will be staffed by five
core and five contract/seasonal positions in addition to human resources
lent by partnering agencies. In 2010 Nia’s core staff will consist of an
Executive Director, Operations Manager, Program Manager, Financial
Sustainability Specialist and an Administrative Coordinator.
Nia has received organizational mentorship from b current and will also
work with the following organizations to ensure organizational and
professional development opportunities: Toronto Arts Council, Artscape,
Schools Without Borders, Agora Foundation, Protek Media, and the Youth
Challenge Fund.
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O R G A N I Z A T I O N A L O V E R V I E W [ c o n ’ t ]
Financial Resources
Thus far, Nia’s primary funder has been the Youth Challenge Fund. As a
Youth Challenge Fund Legacy Initiative, Nia received financial resources
to provide for three years of sustainability, from 2009 to 2011. Thus,
operating budget, staffing, programming and capital costs are areas in
which Nia has already secured significant support. Nia’s next phase of
development will focus on organizing sustainable resources to meet our
annual operating budget.
Organizational Support
In order to ensure the effective development of hard and soft
infrastructure, Nia’s first three years of operation will receive organizational
support from b current, the Youth Challenge Fund and our fiduciary
trustee, Microskills. Nia’s organizational development will also be
supported by its partnerships and alliances with entities such as the City of
Toronto, Toronto Community Housing Corporation, Schools Without
Borders, Manifesto Community Projects, Urban Arts, Lost Lyrics and Somali
Youth Association of Toronto.
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S P A T I A L C O N S I D E R A T I O N S & D E S I G N
In order to provide service to more than one of Toronto’s thirteen priority
neighbourhoods, Nia takes very seriously the notion of neutral territory.
Consequently, we see Nia’s greatest impact resulting from its ability to
draw youth from various priority neighbourhoods to a space void of turf
issues. Thus far Nia has identified two potential operating sites and will
secure a facility before the end of 2009 in partnership with one the
Toronto’s public institutions.
Figure1:NiaCentrefortheArtsprojectedexterior
Nia’s spatial design will be an environmentally sustainable, anti-oppressive
space interested in community revitalization. Specific spaces in the
centre will be reserved for collaborative art projects, entrepreneurial
incubation, resident companies, and for income-generating opportunities.
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Within its 10, 000 sq. ft. Nia Centre will include the following facilities:
office space
multi-use performance space,
library/arts archive,
prayer/meditation room
video editing suite
audio recording studio
gender neutral washrooms
rehearsal space
gallery/exhibit space
daycare (3rd party operation)
The centre’s Operations Manager in consultation with the board of
directors, and the youth advisory board will manage space at Nia.
Spaces have been specifically reserved for resident companies interested
in both office space and programming space. Nia aims to house up to
ten resident programs as well as reserve hotdesks for small start-up
entrepreneurial individuals and companies. Rates for space rental and
youth group subsidies will align with Nia’s business plan for space ensuring
access to individuals and groups most in need.
During the research and development stage Nia liaised with a number of
organizations interested in either programming or office space at the
centre. These organizations include: Axe Capoeira Toronto, Breaking the
Cycle, CMP Studios, Flemo City Radio, Muhtadi International Drumming
Festival, Stile Diva Inc., Microskills, JVS Toronto, and S.O.Y.A.T.
Nia will also feature a number of informal spaces such as a computer lab,
café and lounge area where youth will be employed and where all are
welcome. Nia’s multipurpose performance space will host theatre,
lectures, conferences, music concerts and other various presentations.
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P R O G R A M M I N G
Nia’s programming philosophy actively pursues holistic approaches to engagement and empowerment that address the social barriers that affect the participation of youth who access programming at Nia. Our approach to programming includes access and follow-up for counseling, health services, anger management, mediation, community services, and alternative education. All aspects of our programming will ensure hands-on introductions to professional skill development and entrepreneurship training, meaningful educational modules, as well as access to mentorship and opportunities for community engagement via exhibition and forums. Nia’s core programming from 2010-2012 will consist of the following:
MEdiaArts:ExperimentalDocumentaryMakingThisintensive6‐8monthprogramallowsyouthwithanexperienceinthecriminaljusticesystemtoexperimentwithmedia,withadeliberatepersonalreflectionfocus.Inthisprogramweareinterestedinexperimentingwiththe“ME”throughdocumentarymakingthataddresseshowimmediatesocialbarrierscanbeovercome.ThefinalproductsfromthisprogramwillbeshowcasedandtouredacrossdifferentTorontoneighbourhoodsviatheNiaArtsFestival.
Everyw(e)_here:MakingBlackCanadianHistoryVisibleisamixed‐artsprogramthatbringstogethertheatre,videoartsandpublicspace.Viaguerilla‐styleoutdoortheatre,thisprogrambringsBlackCanadianhistorytolifeviathedramatizationofthemes,suchasimmigrationandwar.Thegoalistodelimitthegeographicandhistoricalcontextinwhichyouthimaginethemselves.ThroughlivevideostreamingandsocialmediacampaignsyouthwillorganizeandpromotenewengagementswithCanadianhistoryastheyre‐mappingtheirsocialterrain.
Doc_U_ME_nt:CapturingBlackCommunitiesWithafocusonarchivingandcreatinglivingarchives,thisprogramprovidesanarenainwhichyouthareempoweredtodocumenttheirowncommunities’experiences.Ascreativehistorianstheseyouthusephotography,videoandsoundtocaptureandthediverseexperiencesofavarietyofblackcommunitiesacrossCanada.ThisprojectbeginsinTorontowithculturalexchangesextendingformHamiltontoHalifaxtoChatham.
Programming Vision:
“To ensure the holistic development of Toronto’s most underserved, marginalized and criminalized youth by providing
a balance between life skills development, cultural history, creative expression and the
development of employable skills through the arts.”
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P R O G R A M M I N G [ c o n ’ t ]
Nia’s programming will consist of year-round programming divided into
five streams. These are meant to engage the individual, the local
community, other arts organizations in Toronto as well as foreign artists and
arts centres. Through the streams of programming detailed below, Nia
hopes to achieve weekly average foot traffic of around 300 people.
1) Core Programming will consist of three (3) annual programs uniquely designed to address social barriers such as; over-policing, racism, cultural misrepresentation, bias education and devalued self-worth.
2) Partnership Programming Nia will work with existing programming in various field to enhance the experience of the youth by offering the Nia Experience model. Partnership programming, on or off-site, will consist of a maximum of five (5) programs a year.
3) Invited Programming Nia will outreach to guest Program Leaders that will introduce specialized programming particularly from a region outside of the Greater Toronto Area. These programs are meant to widen the breadth of Nia’s offerings by engaging diverse areas such as Afro-Francophone life or Afro-Latino culture.
4) Community Programming This stream will consist of specialized programming three times a month. Open to all ages and abilities, and free to attend, this programming may consist of film screening, community dining or a speaker’s series.
5) Resident Programming These programs will be led by the resident arts companies housed at Nia and their programming will range from theatre to poetry to graphic design. Resident programming will include a maximum of (10) programs administrated by resident companies at Nia
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P R O G R A M M I N G [ c o n ’ t ]
Partnership Programming will follow the Nia Experience Model in which
existing programs will receive cultural and historical grounding provide by
Nia staff. This model is designed to engage various kinds of programming
such as drumming, djing or song writing regardless of the location, length
or enrollment of the program.
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S U S T A I N A B I L I T Y
Nia’s resource sustainability strategy includes the institutionalization of
fundraising as early as 2010. Utilizing a reserve fund orientation, Nia will
strive to meet its yearly target with the help of all members of the
organization. Through public campaigns in local communities and
through online communities and social networking sites Nia will launch its
annual “What’s Your Nia?” fundraising drive.
Nia’s sustainability will come from a variety of sources ranging from private
donations, on-line traffic, government grants and space rental income.
Annual events such as the Black Arts conference, The Nia Gala and the
Nia Arts Festival Nia will engage various communities with gift-giving
opportunities that will support our annual target.
Nia’s partnerships will provide human capital and intellectual resources
that will reduce Nia’s overall staffing and development costs, allowing for
further investments in the Nia ‘self-determination’ reserve fund. Nia is
interested in working with Program Coordinators, Social Workers, Artists
and Educators in either a co-sponsorship partnership or a voluntary/
donation basis to both expand the quality of our programming as well as
ensure financial sustainability.
In the future, Nia will explore the possibility of mobilizing human capital in
the development of a consultancy wing in which Nia will work with both
local and international governments and a wide range of social
institutions to further the ways in which black arts contributes to the social
and emotional development of black youth.