Gathering Divergence Multi-Arts Festival & Conference
Moulding The Future:
Rethinking Strategies for the Arts Sector Now
May 10 – May 13, 2022
Via Zoom and Small World Music Centre (Toronto)
This year, Gathering Divergence Multi-Arts Festival & Conference Spring 2022 | Moulding The Future: Rethinking Strategies for the Arts Sector Now will address emergent ways of rethinking the sector as we emerge out of the pandemic, focusing on the responsibility of the sector to strategize, implement supportive systems that benefit IBPOC artists / organizations and the Arts Sector at large.
Organizational Development and Pivoting
Tuesday, May at 10am
Panelists: Christina Loewen, Jacoba Knaapen, Sehar Bhojani and Jennifer Brown
Moderator: Parul Pandya
There is no doubt that the racial reckoning is re-centring our focus on the need for understanding the need for social justice. Covid 19 has impacted the Arts sector and in turn the organizations within the creative economy. In acknowledging, strategizing and implementing equitable change systems, Arts organizations are being prompted to focus on resources geared towards organizational development, sustainability with a particular focus on how the pandemic forced organizations to “pivot” into the next generation of the arts across Canada and the world.
Sehar Bhojani is an actor and producer based in Hamilton. She is a graduate of the National Theatre School of Canada’s acting program. As an actor, she has appeared in various commercials, television shows such as The Handmaid’s Tale (Hulu) and Coroner (CBC), and films Punchline (short) and feature film SLAXX.. As a producer, Sehar has worked with a number of Canadian Theatre companies and is currently Associate Artistic Director of Theatre Direct.
Christina Loewen (she/her), Executive Director, Association for Opera in Canada
Jennifer Brown, Chief Executive Officer
Jacoba Knaapen is the Executive Director at the Toronto Alliance for the Performing Arts (TAPA), an arts service organization that represents 107 professional theatre, dance and opera companies in Toronto. As a champion for the performing arts, Jacoba has worked in Toronto’s cultural sector for over four decades. She is the founder of hipTIX and the citySPECIAL, two popular TAPA programs that help to reach youth, new Canadians and marginalized communities. At TAPA she is also the long-time Producer of the Dora Mavor Moore Awards, Canada’s largest and oldest theatre award show and recently led the DORAS to become the first professional theatre award show in Canada to present gender-neutral awards. 
Parul Pandya has been skillfully working in non-profit in various roles through the past decade, including as a community builder, consultant, programmer and producer. After managing in community granting for the largest government funder in Canada, she seamlessly transferred her knowledge, passion and skills to open her own consulting practice. Community Impact Non-Profit Consulting strategically enables community engagement and equitable innovation. She has had the honour to work with such clients as StreetART Toronto, North York Arts, WorkinCulture and many other local service organizations. Parul is a highly in- demand teacher and facilitator, delivering over 30 trainings around anti- oppression, equity and community-engaged arts education.
Her attraction to advocacy emerged with her work as a Queer South Asian freelance writer/poet, over a decade ago. She strongly believes representation matters and it’s important to share stories. She has a deep passion for ethics and social justice, which she teaches at Centennial College. She feels fulfilled when using community arts as a tool for community engagement and colourful expression.
Her approach to exchange is a high-engagement approach, encouraging participation through self-reflection, empathy, creativity and common understanding. She is also lending her expertise to the Digital ASO, a Canada- wide initiative to foster intentional culture collaboration and co-creation in the digital world, as the National Alliance Equity Manager through 2021.
Registration: Tickets: $15 a day or PWYC
Day 1: Tuesday, May 10 via Zoom | 9:30 am – 2:00 pm
Day 2: Thursday, May 12 via Zoom | 12:30 pm – 5:00 pm
Day 3: Friday, May 13 in-person and live stream via Zoom | 11:00am-5:30 pm
Location: Small World Music Centre
Artscape Youngplace, 180 Shaw St, Toronto, ON M6J 2W5
Pleas note we have a limited number of Pay What You Can (PWYC) tickets to enable price accessibility for low income individuals to attend.
Covid protocols: People attending the event in Small World Music Centre need proof of vaccination or negative test within 24 hrs before the event. Masks are recommended in Artscape common areas. No food or drink in common areas and hallway.
Register online: https://the-gathering-divergence-spring-2022.eventbrite.ca
If you have any questions email: info@cpamo.org
Cultural Pluralism in the Arts Movement Ontario (CPAMO) 