DISCOVER BLACK TORONTO

By Dwight Brown, Travel and Food Writer

Dialogue supports, documents and showcases Black artists’ contributions.

African Drums & Art Crafts -- Art hub provides classes for kids to professionals. Exhibits African carvings, masks, jewelry and clothes.

Nia Centre for the Arts – Helps young people hone artistic talents. Hosts writers’ circles, printmaking classes, music and spoken word events.

Union Station – Feb 6 – May 31 -- Six Black CTA artists show their stuff in “I Am Still Here: Black Joy is Resistance” exhibit at the Union Train Station. Royal Ontario Museum -- The Shreyas and Mina Ajmera Gallery of Africa, The Americas, and Asia-Pacific. 1,400 historic artifacts—many from Africa.

Picture Black life in motion at star-studded film festivals.

Directors, actors and producers come to Toronto to premiere their films to audiences who love movies. Ryan Coogler, Ava Duvernay, Tyler Perry, Gina Prince-Bythewood…

CaribbeanTales International Film Festival – Sep 2023 – Come celebrate the talents of filmmakers of Caribbean and African heritage.

ReelWorld Film Festival – Nov 1 – 7 -- Black, Indigenous, Asian, South Asian and POC films. Fest founder TV’s Y&R actor Tonya Lee Williams.

Toronto Black Film Festival –Excellent Black films every February. Feel the rhythm of Black life at music festivals and concerts.

Drake and The Weeknd were born and raised in Toronto, so you know that music runs deep here. Festivals and concerts feature homegrown artists and international stars. Listen, commune and feel their spirit.

Toronto Jazz Festival – Jun 23 – Jul 2 – Herbie Hancock and Ashanti. Beaches Jazz Festival – Jul 6 – Jul 30 –Free fest, multiple venues.

History – This downtown music venue features: Ella Mai Jun 1; Reggaefest Jun 10; Sean Paul Jul 2.

Explore the African heritage side of Toronto, CA. Tour and eat around. Go to festivals, concerts and sporting events.

Visit Toronto and you’ll encounter one of the most multicultural/ multiracial cities in the world along with a thriving Black community of 400K+ African heritage people.

People who can trace their roots back to the Caribbean or African Americans who fled to Canada from the U.S. during slavery in the 1800s or immigration from Africa—the motherland (Somalia, Ethiopia, Ghana, Nigeria…).

And when African heritage artists, athletes and travelers from around the globe come to Toronto to perform, play and vacation—the city lights up even more.

Dine in Black-owned restaurants and Afrocentric eateries.

Feast on Jamaican, Caribbean and African diaspora dishes. Eat your way around the city—especially during Toronto Black Restaurant Week - July 7 – July 16. Or get it to go: Miss Likklemore’s -- Feast on Likkle Patties (braised oxtail), Escovitch Style Madai Snapper, Grilled Tofu Curry and other haute Caribbean-inspired dishes.

Rasta Pasta – Dreadlock Lasagna, Callaloo Dumplings and Trenchtown Goat are Jamaican/Italian fusion offerings by Chefs Magnus Patterson and

Afrobeat Kitchen – Wonderful West African grub. Drink Zobo (Nigerian hibiscus beverage), eat Party Jollof (paella style dish with crayfish) and Kelewe Testones.

Sugar Kane Caribbean and Cajun Cuisine – Uncle Ben’s Saltfish Cakes, Creole Jambalaya and Salted Caramel Bread Pudding make diners happy every day.

Veggie D’Light – Chef Peter adds Caribbean flavors to plant-based cuisine. Try Vegan Roti, VD’L Lasagna (Quinoa pasta) and Savory Pizza Cake. Takeout only.

The Heartbreak Chef – Dine on Chef Jerome Robinson’s tasty comfort food. The Big Ass Chicken Sandwich, Cajun Tater Tots and Deep-Fried Brussels are best.

Cup of Té Café – Founder Taylor Lindsay-Noel serves and ships premium teas.

Mary’s Brigarderio – A Black-woman led handcrafted chocolate creations oasis.

Tour museums/galleries that reflect African heritage culture.

See paintings, photos, crafts and artifacts of Black life from Canada and Africa curated displayed in Black galleries, national museums and traveling exhibitions.

BAND Gallery and Cultural

Centre -- Black Artists’ Network in

Toronto International Film Festival – Sep 7 – 17 -- Finest international cinema and black-directed movies. CEO is Barbados-born Cameron Bailey.

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The Collective Opens Its May Exhibition At Cypress Art Studio

The Community Artists’ Collective opens its May exhibition, “Now Collaboration,” at the Province 8 Art Studio, 17037 FM Road 529 in Cypress on Saturday, May 13, from 2 to 5 p.m.

Artists Jo El Mercer and Ezra Hezekiah will showcase their artwork at the venue through June 10. Hezekiah is the owner of the art gallery, which also serves as an event space and a working studio.

Mercer, who has previously exhibited at The Collective, works with acrylics and mixed media, and

Hezekiah is a visual artist originally from Central America who specializes in a variety of media. Several workshops will take place at The Collective and at Province 8 studio during the exhibition.

Province 8 is open Tuesday through Saturday from 11 a.m. until 7 p.m. and Sunday from 11 a.m. until 4 p.m. and can be reached at 713248-9747.

For more information about the exhibit contact The Collective at 713-523-1616 or visit www.thecollective.org.

For more information, plea or contact Brandi Ledet | bled