Bridging Heritage and Innovation: Canadian Afrofuturism Takes Center Stage at the Inaugural Cosmic Northside Conference
OTTAWA, ON, Sept. 11, 2024 /CNW/ - From October 18-20, 2024, the Cosmic Northside - Afrofuturistic Canadian Art Conference (ACAC) will take place in Ottawa, celebrating Afrofuturism's rich legacy in Canada. This bilingual event will feature live music, exhibitions, and interactive activities exploring the intersections of artificial intelligence (AI), Sci-Fi fantasy, and Pan-Africanism. Attendees will engage with innovative S.T.E.A.M. (Science, Technology, Engineering, Art, Mathematics/Metaphysics) practices, envisioning a future centered on land sovereignty, solidarity, and equity.
The event is organized by ASTROSANKOFA Arts Initiatives (ASAI) in partnership with the National Gallery of Canada, planned by Hors Pair Social, and supported by the Black Speculative Arts Movement and the Ottawa Black Arts Kollectiv. Funded by the Government of Canada's Department of Culture and Heritage and the Canada Council for the Arts, ACAC will showcase discussions, workshops, digital art displays, performances, and an interactive robot, emphasizing creative expression and intersectionality.
Quentin VerCetty, Director of ASAI, describes the conference as "a new moon for the Canadian art scene," celebrating Black representation, innovation, and the growth of Afrofuturism in Canada's art legacy.
Highlights:
Day 1: The Lift Off Gala at the National Gallery of Canada will feature a land acknowledgment by Claudette Commanda, addresses from conference partners, and the unveiling of the AFROBOT. Visual presentations by artists like Nalo Hopkinson, Camille Turner, and Kapwani Kiwanga will be accompanied by performances from Lateef Martin and DJ JAYEL.
Day 2: The Orbit will feature presentations by Ytasha Womack, Dr. Reynaldo Anderson, and AFROTRONIX, alongside roundtable discussions with artists such as Skawennati and Malcolm Emillio Yarde. A Black-owned craft market will also be on display.
Day 3: Hyperspace Jump After Party at Club SAW will be headlined by AFROTRONIX, with performances by DJ Velvet and Esie Mensah's Black Stars Collective.
Jonathan Shaughnessy, Director of Curatorial Initiatives at the National Gallery of Canada, stated, "The Gallery is thrilled to support our partners in bringing this important dialogue on Afrofuturism to Ottawa… we look forward to amplifying their thoughts and ideas, as well as those of other creative practitioners within the Black Canadian community."
Full programming and tickets are available on Eventbrite: cosmicnorthside2024.eventbrite.com.
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SOURCE AstroSankofa Arts Initiatives
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Publicist: Kingsley Swim, The Framework | [email protected] | 1-905-243-8291; Pénélope Carreau, Public Relations, National Gallery of Canada, [email protected]
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