Building Bridges in Grassroots Arts

Join Wavelength Music Series for this animated discussion at Toronto Media Arts Centre regarding bridge-building for communities in the DIY/grassroots/underground space.

In an interconnected world increasingly dominated by a handful of powerful media and social media companies, what does it mean to be a grassroots or niche organization? Can you still have an impact and make a difference? Is bridge-building the key to how grassroots communities and organizations survive and thrive?

Wavelength’s guest curator Ian Steaman moderates a panel of cultural creatives, attempting to examine these questions and others. Join panelists Riaz Charania (Myseum of Toronto, Wavelength Board of Directors), Josephine Cruz (DJ Jayemkayem, ISO Radio), Max-Hol Mechanika Sosnowiec (Unit 2) and Chris Penrose (WatrVision Creative) for discussions on topics such as:

• How important is bridge-building? Is it a key part of your organization’s mission statement or core agenda?
• Where does bridge-building fit into the strategic growth and development agenda of your organization?
• What does forging ties, developing relationships, building allies or forming partnerships look like for your organizations in practical terms?
• What have been the challenges, successes, lessons learned from this process?
• How does this process look like moving ahead and what is the future for community, niche organizations that “go it alone” rather focus on bridge-building?

“This is an opportunity for frank discussion, speaking truth to power, sharing best practices amongst community organizations representing grassroots, niche, marginalized, underrepresented, underground and/or non-mainstream music and arts organizations,” says Jonny Dovercourt - Artistic Director of Wavelength Music.

Arrive early – there will be an opening performance by Heaven (Scarborough avant-pop).