Toronto Arts — The FOLD Podcast

THE DEPANNEUR: A Catchup on CommUNITY, Cuisine, Culture and a Cookbook!

What an honour to be in The Fold and close out the CommUNITY Catchup series with Len Senater, Owner + Founder of Toronto's The Depanneur, and Photographer, Food Stylist and Chef, Ksenija Hotic, who has been involved with The Dep for 7 years. Len and Ksenija joined me for the final convo of 2020 to discuss bringing people together through food, how small businesses can be a mode of activism, food security and support systems, and how compassion, empathy and dialogue really make for a great recipe.

SAMBARANTHONY: a CommUNITY Catchup on thriving with the arts

Rhandy Adolphe, Founder and lead Photographer of SambaRanthony, is an incredible purveyor of the arts and multimedia creative I met at a podcast program last year. In addition to being an incredible photographer that captures many subjects and themes in an array of settings, Rhandy has his own podcast and media platform, Lupinore, which showcases Canadian lifestyle and social movements through art and music, and in discussion via the Just Facts Podcast where Rhandy and his partner, Yene, dive into happenings and roots of Toronto’s arts scene through candid, engaging conversations. As well as a branding team member of Toronto-based LOUD.army collective. Rhandy does SO much for his community and beyond, so I brought him into The Fold to discuss what has been keeping him inspired + creative and how he has been adapting his platform model in a meaningful way.

NABEEL PERVAIZ: (high)lighting the commUNITY from his lens

In this episode of The Fold Podcast, Toronto-based Photographer and CommUNITY cultivator Nabeel Pervaiz unfolds to share insight about his life and career to date, the inspiration that drives his work, being rooted in many communities, and the inherent values and intention he has to shape them with conscious compassion and fresh ideas.

DJ SPIN SO NICE | RECORDS WITH MY DAUGHTERS: A Song For George Floyd

Friend of #TheFold (Episode 18!), Joe G, aka DJ Spin So Nice and Founder of Records With My Daughters, connected for a Friday edition of CommUNITY Catchup to send us into the weekend through song. We discussed his new mix, A Song For George Floyd, and the powerful array of tracks selected, keeping your spirits elevated through family and community, in addition to other resources and ways we can engage. Visit Sonic Fold's Anti-Racism Resources page here. Listen to A Song For George Floyd here.

SUPERDRAMAGO!: A CommUNITY Catchup on Artistry, Change, Compassion and Action

SUPERDRAMAGO! shares perspective, resources and insight after the JUSTICE FOR REGIS RALLY, as well as supportive tools, including his latest track, When You Smile. He waxes poetic on the power of community, his collaborations with local artists and collectives, his experience as an essential frontline worker and how that has impacted him at this time, and how he is carrying a torch powered by resilience, mastery and triumph, passed through family lineage, shaping the incredible person he is today.

MAKE ROOM: A CommUNITY Catchup on foundation-raising for the arts

On April 27, Trevor Twells, Founder of Toronto-based non-profit, Make Room, joined Ola for a #CommUNITYCatchup to discuss his incredible organization breaking barriers to support emerging artists and how he has pivoted his physical gallery space practice to a digital space through a fundraiser exhibition called the #SupportCollection.

SABRE: A CommUNITY Catchup about choosing love over fear, and sharing this through song.

On April 14, Ola's dear pal, Toronto-via-San Diego artist and creatrix, Sabre, joined the CommUNITY Catchup on Instagram Live. They discussed the approach of choosing love over fear 24/7, how this acts as a foundation in her work, a recent online collab for IsoLab, created by award-winning producer, Rainer, and sharing insight with other artists on how they can share their art and explore opportunities to build and create with others in a meaningful way.

ANTIKKA CAFE & RECORDS: Siblings supporting community

It sounds like community at Antikka Cafe & Records in Toronto’s Queen West neighbourhood. Owners Raz and Shaunt Tchakmak are brothers in business who now share their bond with the people around them. Whether local regulars to traveling visitors, all are welcome in their cafe and record shop hybrid that celebrates music and art in a unique, inclusive way. For this episode in The Space mini-series, we discuss the concept around community spaces, the challenges and rewards in running + supporting local businesses, the power of music, family bonding and what Antikka has in the works this year, including a fresh new spot called The Oud and the Fuzz – it’s going to be big.

JOSEPH GALIWANGO (RECORDS WITH MY DAUGHTERS): all in the family

The Fold Podcast heads into a new direction this month as we kick off our mini-series covering music communities with Joseph Galiwango (aka DJ Spin So Nice), Founder/DJ/Dad of Records With My Daughters, who shows us how #ThePlatform can change the way we share art and culture within families to inspire greater connection.

RACHEL ROMU: Striding into an accessible scene

In this episode, we acknowledge International Day of Persons With Disabilities. My dear friend, and artist/activist/writer/model/musician + more, Rachel Romu, delivers insight on their experiences with disability, accessibility (in various forms) within the arts and creative industries and the spaces they have found inclusion and community in along the way.

MAKE ROOM | THE SPACE PROJECT : unfolding in the frame

Make Room is a Toronto-based non-profit is holding space for artists, helping them to grow, removing labels and breaking barriers to creativity. In this episode, Ola gets into The Fold with founder, Trevor Twells, to discuss the project’s evolution, his diverse career background, Toronto’s indie art community and how we can foster collaboration with a wider lens.