For its February 2026 edition — WINTER 2026 | Black Arts in a Time Like Now — the festival centers the current realities of Black arts in the creative sector. This one-day mini-festival will both examine the landscape facing Black artists and arts organizations today and actively support those developing or envisioning projects seeking future funding. The winter session is designed to foster sustainable systems that strengthen and support thriving Black-led artistic practices and organizations.

Featuring:

1) PANEL DISCUSSION – The State of Black Arts in Canada | 1pm – 2:15pm

How are Black artists and  organizations coping, operating, and progressing in 2026? Panelists will explore the impacts of marginalization and underfunding, while also highlighting success stories and resilient practices within Black art-making communities in Ontario and across Canada. The discussion will foreground Black culture and cultural practices as essential sites of artistic and social value.

2) WORKSHOP  – Visioning Workshop for Black Creatives | 2:30pm – 4pm

This interactive workshop supports Black artists and organizations in developing and envisioning projects for future funding. Participants will work with experienced arts consultants in breakout sessions focused on strategy-building, funding pathways, sustainability, and fundraising.