The video recordings from The Gathering Divergence Multi – Arts Festival and Conference | What Have We Learnt: Approaches, Lessons and Future Strategies towards Anti Black Racism, Equity, Diversity, Inclusivity and Digital Support in the Arts on May 20, 2021 are now available:
Festival Planning / COVID19 Implications: IBPOC / Equity Seeking Artists / Arts Programming Perspective https://youtu.be/juQUs4V5xZo
Gathering Divergence Multi-Arts Festival & Conference Spring 2021
May 19 – 21, 2021 via Zoom
The Gathering Divergence Multi – Arts Festival and Conference | What Have We Learnt: Approaches, Lessons and Future Strategies towards Anti Black Racism, Equity, Diversity, Inclusivity and Digital Support in the Arts is envisioned as a space to gather, diverge with diversity and intersect on the many aspects of the performing arts and the Arts sector. The festival and conference invites participants from across the world and the Canadian arts sector investigating intersections of artistic / organizational practices grounded in EDIP (Equity, Diversity, Inclusivity towards Pluralism) Divergence is a critical manifestation in critical thinking. We encourage attendees to think together.
DAY 1: Rethinking the Arts Ecology Through Sectoral Change and Support for IBPOC Creatives
Morning Session:
Taking the Reins: Organizations Doing The Work in Developing Policies for Conflict Mitigation / Crisis towards Change. This session involves a panel and workshop involving speakers from organizations CPAMO has been working with in their efforts to embed anti-racism, equity and pluralism values and practices. The panel will include representatives from Workman Arts, Luminato, Fall for Dance North, National Ballet of Canada, Socan and others. Responding frantically to a conflict can further complicate the nature of conflicts themselves sometimes influencing a desired outcome. Often artists and arts organizations arrive in conflict and in many cases it leads to further harm of artists, organization and ultimately the sector. The panel will be followed by breakout workshops featuring CPAMO’s staff engaging participants in exploring the methodologies of working to bring about comprehensive anti-racism, equity, pluralism changes to arts organizations governance, practices, programming and Human Resources.
Afternoon Session:
Mass Culture – State of Emergence: Artists Influencing Equitable and Diverse Cultural Policy and Funding Models for a Sustainably Diverse Arts Sector What does it mean to transform the arts ecology for Canada’s diverse future? Could IBPOC artists be at the centre of reflexive program guidelines leading to funding models that are specific to their needs? There are many things involved in thinking about sustainability of an artist or arts organization. CPAMO is pleased to partner with Mass Culture as we engage in a conversation with artists, arts workers and the sector to unpack what can be involved in the transformation of the Arts sector. The first in a series of discussion and exploratory interactive instigating into the potential of a sustainable diverse arts ecology that equitably supports IBPOC creatives.
DAY 2: Post Covid IBPOC Programming Implications and Financial Wellbeing in the Arts
Morning Sessions:
Festival Planning / COVID19 and Programming implications on IBPOC / Equity Seeking Artists / Arts Organizations There is no doubt that COVID-19 has significantly impacted the performing arts sector across Ontario. Arts festivals have also been severely impacted . How is this impact further influencing festival planning, programmers and the sector. In this session we will speak to the impact of the pandemic, new considerations for festival programming and the potential impact of these programming on IBPOC / Equity seeking artists and arts organizations and what festival programming and curators should be thinking about when addressing Anti-black and other aspects of marginalization of IBPOC Arts Workers.
Afternoon Session:
Strategies Towards Achieving Financial Health in the Arts Ever thought of saving for a Rainy Day, thinking about the future, thinking about growing funds for grants? Financial precarity impacts the Arts. What does the financial health of artists, organizations, and the sector look like? How even in precarity can artists begin to think about retirement, investments and their financial wellbeing. How could an arts organization act as a supportive entity? The workshop will be both informative and explorative with a purpose to begin discussions about considering, solidifying Financial Well Being within the sector. Desired outcomes include how artists / arts organizations feel supported in thinking about what their financial health will look like. Understanding that it’s possible to Invest with a little money” through key strategies like (Investment Accounts, Advisors, Trading Accounts, Mylo and Wealthsimple)
DAY 3: Understanding Digital Impact and Anti-Black Racism in the Arts
Morning Sessions:
Digital Session CPAMO has been conducting research, focus groups, workshops, surveys and in partnership with Tangled Arts, ArtsPond, Culture Brew, the National Ballet of Canada and Canadian Opera Company in addressing Digital Literacy and Education for IBPOC Artists and Arts Organizations. The Digital Report session will be led by our Digital Consultants highlighting both the findings and exploration of interesting ways to think about engaging with and implementing strategies across digital platforms. (ASL will be provided for this session)
Living in the Skin, I am In: Experiential Learnings, Approaches and Considerations towards Anti-Black Racism in the Arts Publication Launch The Publication continues the conversation on anti-black racism in the arts, it’s impact on black artist’s use of digital technology and the implications of one’s artistic / organizational practices. The featuring articles previously published or written along with articles from invited contributors working in all performing arts disciplines including visual arts, digital / media arts and arts administration. Offering resources, toolkits and an annotated bibliography readers will find value in the international, national and local scope of its contents.
Afternoon Session:
And…The Beat Goes On: One Desired Outcome, Multiple Ways of Addressing Anti-Black Racism in the Arts. Following This session will feature panelists Ian Andre (music), Ella Cooper (film) and others who will talk about current efforts to pushing the agenda on anti-black racism in the arts. At this session, CPAMO will also release its report entitled “Anti-Black Racism in the Arts: A Discussion Document’ which was presented in December to the Toronto Mayor’s Roundtable on Anti-Black Racism in the Arts. CPAMO will also discuss its upcoming education/training/organizational change project on this topic.
Accessibility: all sessions will be via Zoom. We will have Otter.ai live transcribed available for all panels (except the breakrooms section). ASL will be provided for the Digital Session on May 21. Please let us know if you have any questions or accessibility needs.
The Gathering Divergence is in partnership with CanAsian Dance Festival, Mass Culture and ArtofFestivals.
CPAMO is supported by the Canada Council for the Arts, Canadian Heritage, Ontario Arts Council, Toronto Arts Council, English Testing Canada, Barrett and Welsh, LeSageArts Management, and Randolph College for the Performing Arts.
Cultural Pluralism in the Arts Movement Ontario (CPAMO) 
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