A home for our migrations will ground you within the sense of place that has transformed over time to which is rooted in Indigenous stories of place. With over 3 million people living in the City of Toronto with little knowledge of Indigenous contributions to its living history. This first podcast episode will explore concepts of home and history with artists Duke Redbird, Cheryl L’Hirondelle, Shelley Niro and Michael Belmore.

Unsettling place will unpack ideas of colonialism and slavery as the grounding foundation of the creation of cities with critical thinkers Dr. Ngarino Ellis, Dr. Jolene Rickard, Odario Williams, Natasha Henry, Public art can memorialize narratives and each city has its own histories of development and ways of knowing these contentious histories of space and place. 

Memory and belonging will explore the waves of people connecting to new homes and the creative interventions that allow for people to communicate their own sense of place. Telling their stories through their own perspectives and lived experiences. With artists Caroline Monnet, Yung Yemi (Adeyemi Adegbesan), Director X, Amrita Hepi, and Rah.

Transmissions will open up lines of communication and movements through tensions that appear when the status quo is overturned, and how such ruptures can be a catalyst for difficult dialogues and changing our community with the creation of culture-based knowledge for generations to come. Collaboration and allyship will be explored with arts leaders and artists Mark Stoddart, Noor Bhangu, Ashley McKenzie-Barnes, Ravi Jain and Liisa-Rávná Finbog.

Mark Making will map out street art, tagging, and architectural interventions that push against the structures that dominate our daily interactions with the cityscape. Artists through their practices transform public space and in doing so confront the tensions between the built environment, humans, and gentrification.  This episode will feature discussions with artists Philip Cote, eL Seed, Dr. Eduardo Aquino, Kaaterina Kerekere, Dr. Serena Keshavjee.

Across ice floes and oceans will connect us to water as a route to new places and relationships that are built within collaborative creative exchanges. The environment of experiencing the ebbs of flow of the ocean reminds us of the importance of communication and connection. Participating artists include Mana Moana (Rachael Rakena and Michael Bridgeman), Jerry Evans, Dr. Léuli Eshrāghi, and Maureen Gruben.    

Growth and transformation will delve into the rapid pace of change and growing infrastructure within urban spaces. The crisis of the built physical environment and the challenge of planning for a city that continues to grow and shift. This increase in people poses new opportunities for connection, and the creation of new narratives that are transforming the cityscape. Artists include Camille Turner, Joi Arcand, Whyishnave Suthagar and Haviah Mighty.

This episode will uncover the importance of decentering individualism and working towards collective actions that can create radical change in our institutions and structures through collaborations. Reflecting on new models of working we explore shared dialogues with curators and artists Krista Ulujuk Zawadski, Kablusiak, Dr. Heather Igloliorte, Asinnajaq, Randell Adjei and Michelle De Lyon.