Project Overview
The Flaunt-it workshop at Flaunt It Studio in Jane-Finch was a storytelling and creative reflection session led by the Department of Imaginary Affairs (DIA) for staff and interns. Hosted in 2024, it invited BIPOC women and non-binary artists to collage their personal stories, fostering self-expression in a supportive space.
Project Description & Outcomes
This workshop built on JFC’s history of artist residencies and community arts at Corner Commons, including past Cultural Hotspot projects like the 2020-2021 residencies and 2022 Flaunt It x Corner Commons Festival. Participants engaged in collage-based storytelling to reflect on their identities and experiences, amplifying voices from equity-deserving groups in Jane-Finch—a Neighbourhood Improvement Area with high numbers of racialized, low-income, and newcomer residents. Outcomes included joyful creative connection, skill-building in narrative arts, and a model for ongoing workshops that empower local artists, mirroring successes like the 2024 DIA business owner installation at Flaunt-it Vendor Market where 5 BIPOC artists created custom illustrations from collected stories.
These workshops are tailored to the goals, projects and individuals that we work with. We work with organizations and communities to elevate and amplify the voices of BIPOC and marginalized groups. If you are interested in hosting a workshop for your team or group get in touch with us.
What we Practiced
The session practiced co-design and workshop facilitation, with participants creating collages to explore personal narratives in a group setting. It emphasized safe, inclusive methods for storytelling, drawing from DIA’s role in JFC projects like “We Are Lost and Found” (2023-2024), which used surveys and conversations for resident-led art. This hands-on approach honed skills in visual storytelling, reflection, and community dialogue, tailored to BIPOC artists’ goals.
What we Imagined
Participants envisioned futures where personal stories drive community strength, equity, and celebration—echoing the “Imagining Better Worlds” theme of amplifying Jane-Finch residents’ contributions through art and advocacy. The workshop sparked ideas for collaborative spaces that foster hope, professional growth for youth artists, and ongoing events like markets or residencies, addressing needs for arts access in under-resourced areas. It imagined art as a tool for empowerment, unity, and “better worlds” built collectively.
