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Arts Inside: Past Workshops

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2023-2024 Workshops

Turn up the volume, because it's time to SOUND OFF, SOUND IN! Led by Ian Kekeku, in this exciting workshop participants uncover the value of their story and explore ways to use their voices as a catalyst for change and self-expression.

Artist Facilitator

Featured Photo for September 20, 2023 - Sound off, Sound in with Ian Keteku 

Ian Keteku (he/him) is a writer, performer ​and multimedia artist. He has written and directed projects for the National Film Board of Canada, CBC, PBS and Sesame Street. An award-winning poet, Keteku is the 2010 World Poetry Slam Champion. His work has been translated into French, Slovak, Russian, Danish, Arabic, ASL and others. Ian Keteku uses his voice to inspire messages of peace, action, and critical thought. With a heritage in Ghana, Ian's work follows in the lineage of ancient African storytellers by paying homage to the past and revisiting themes and lessons from previous generations.

Jimish Thakkar leads an interactive and playful workshop designed to help participants connect with their emotions and learn how to use them authentically on stage. Take a journey through THE EMOTION PLAYGROUND by exploring basic human emotions such as joy, sadness, anger, fear, and surprise through a series of fun and engaging exercises. Learn how to tap into your own emotional experiences to create truthful and compelling performances. This is your chance to have fun while take your acting skills to the next level!

Artist Facilitator

Featured Photo for November 22, 2023 - The Emotion Playground with Jimish Thakkar 

Jimish Thakkar is the Actor, Director & Drama Educ​ator of The Hive Performing Arts, an eclectic Brampton-based not-for-profit performing arts company offering cross-disciplinary workshops on Drama, Communication, & Theatre Productions. With a Speech & Drama Associate Degree in Performance from Trinity College of London, Jimish's teaching involves a combination of classical techniques and practical skills learnt over the span of 20 years as a community theatre actor & director. Jimish's directorial work includes Wait Until Dark, 12 Angry Jurors, Stories of Manto, Sherlock, The Miracle Worker, The Farnsworth Invention, and Yasmina Reza's Art. Identified by UAE's Masala Magazine as one of the HOT 100 Personality of the year 2017, Jimish's achievements include winning the best director award for directing The Miracle Worker and winning the best actor award for his role as Karsten Bernick in Henrik Ibsen's Pillars of Society. Jimish has acted in productions like Shakespeare's Othello, Georges Feydeau's Sauce For The Goose, Sharad Joshi's Andhon Ke Hathi, Molière's The Would-Be Gentleman, Jean Anouilh's Ring Round The Moon, Agatha Christie's Mousetrap & Peter Shaffer's Black Comedy.

Let song make you feel ALIVE! In this introductory Hand Drumming and Singing Circle, Juno-Award winner Brenda MacIntyre will impart Indigenous teachings on how to find your voice. Taking place 2 days before the New Moon, this workshop will have participants co-creating and singing a hand drum song; learning to sing a New Moon song; all while learning how to use your breath and voice to empower yourself. No musical experience necesssary, just the willingness to experience the power and connection of singing as one voice in a circle.

Not required, but all hand drums and shakers are welcome. No musical experience necessary. Have water with you to drink.

Artist Facilitator

Featured Photo for February 7, 2024 - Sing Yourself Alive with Brenda MacIntyre 

Brenda MacIntyre, also known by her Indigenous name Medicine Song Woman, is a JUNO-winning artist, healer and keynote speaker based in London Ontario. Nominated for the 2021 Ontario Arts Council Indigenous Arts Award, the mixed-blood Cree woman entrepreneur has appeared on CBC Radio & TV, Global, CTV, CityNews, Breakfast Television and a front page headline in the Toronto Star.

For over 20 years, Bre​nda has used her goose bump-giving voice, hand drumming, and unique Medicine Song Healing Technique to help women to find their voice. Through her signature Picking Up the Pieces13 Moon Program, Brenda teaches women mindfulness embodiment practices for mental health. She helps women living with trauma, grief, and chronic pain to embody mindfulness, find their voice, and reclaim their identity and sense of belonging.

Who gets to tell your story? Join author and artist MARKUS HARWOOD-JONES (he/they) in a discussion of creative writing, self-authorship, and the power of personal story. The workshop includes a presentation on LGBTQ2S+ representation in media and Markus's own journey as a queer and transgender storyteller. Touching on the benefits/limitations of 'pain-centred' narratives, this conversation touches on what it means to own our personal struggles while also celebrating moments of joy. The workshop concludes with an interactive zine-making activity where participants will share what 'genre' their life story might be and craft a short booklet that fits with that theme.

Artist Facilitator

Featured Photo for March 6, 2024 - Writing Possibility: Zine-making and Storytelling as Survival with Markus Harwood-Jones 

Markus Harwood-Jones (he/they) is a proudly queer and trans space-case. He specializes in writing young-adult fiction, romance novels, and he co-produced the film Mosaic: A Documentary and Dialogue. He lives in downtown Toronto with his husband, their platonic co-parent, and their extra-cute kiddo. Markus can be found on TikTok and Instagram under the handle MarkusBones.

Sit with other writers and like-minded people, in a songwriter's circle where you will learn to put your thoughts to paper to create your own lyrics. People who have an original song will have a chance to share it and receive feedback from each other in a safe space. Bring your instruments if you have them. There will be instruments available for playing and exploring.

Artist Facilitator

Featured Photo for May 1, 2024 - Songwriter Circle and Inspiration: Write or Play with Pamela Levi 

Pam Levi is a First Nations singer/s​ongwriter from Elsipogtog First Nation, now based in Brampton, who has written many songs in which some of those songs she independently recorded 3 albums, 2 being about First Nations politics and 1 Christmas album. She has collaborated with many artists and spends lots of her time as in her family's recording studio as an audio engineer and recording artist for other artists. She has done musical productions and has done tours which led to a spot on The Candy Show which is aired on APTN. She has performed alongside the Barra McNeil's, Jesse Cox, Hubert Francis, and many others. She's hosted songwriters' circles with David Myles, Naomi Shobha, Lucie Idlout and Dave West. Pam shares her love of writing with her whole musical family and looks at music as self-therapy because for her, music is medicine.

We bear witness to many injustices globally and in our own communities - now it's your turn to SPEAK UP and SPEAK OUT! Led by Jennifer Alicia (she/they), a queer, mixed Mi'kmaw and settler (German/Irish/Scottish) multidisciplinary artist, in this workshop students will learn how their voices can be a tool for change. Through writing exercises, students will be encouraged to voice the inequities they witness and might experience in their daily lives. Tailored to fit the specific needs of the group, they will then create a poetic piece that addresses their concerns in a healthy way with an opportunity to share at the end of the workshop.

Artist Facilitator

Featured Photo for June 5, 2024 - Speak Up, Speak Out with Jennifer Alicia Murrin 

Jennifer Alicia (she/they) is a qu​eer, mixed Mi'kmaw and settler (German/Irish/Scottish) multidisciplinary artist originally from Elmastukwek, Ktaqmkuk (Bay of Islands, Newfoundland), now residing in Toronto. She is a two-time national poetry slam champion and her work has been featured in Canthius Magazine, NOW Magazine, and CBC. They recently presented an excerpt of their play To Go Home at the Weesageechak Begins To Dance 35 Festival. Jennifer Alicia co-edited an Indigenous poetry anthology titled The Condor and the Eagle Meet, which was released in May 2022 through Kegedonce Press. Find out more about her work at: www.jenniferalicia.com.

Contact Cultural Services

Brampton City Hall
2 Wellington St W
Brampton, ON
L6Y 4R2