Meet five creatives making art happen in the GTA

Beyond The Core is a digital series that highlights five people doing creative things outside of downtown Toronto. This series follows Roshanie, a DJ from Brampton, Guyson Kuruneri a photographer from Guelph, Golboo Amani, a performance artist in Markham, Sharada, a community activator and artist working in Mississauga, and Haviah Mighty, a Polaris Prize-nominated artist from Brampton.

See their perspectives on being creative in the GTA below.

Haviah Mighty
Brampton, ON

Haviah Mighty is a rapper from Brampton. Her latest album,13th Floor, was shortlisted for the Polaris Prize. She talks about how Brampton has influenced her creative process, and what gives the city such a unique sound.

Roshanie 
Brampton, ON

Roshanie is a DJ and founder of Solidarity in Sound, an initiative that aims to support women and non-binary people in the music industry. Her advice to other creatives is to maintain "a mindset of abundance" when it comes to exploring opportunities to develop their artistry outside of downtown Toronto.

Guyson Kuruneri
Guelph, ON

Guyson is a photographer and creative based in Guelph. After meeting Roshanie at university, he was encouraged to pursue photography and other creative endeavours. He credits the ability to develop his craft outside of the Toronto with giving him a unique perspective.

Sharada Eswar
Mississauga, ON 

Sharada is the community activator at the Art Gallery of Missisissauga. In this role, she created the Border Crossings project, which stemmed from her own experience moving to Canada. The project connects artists and residents through a series of art-making workshops that encourage people to share their stories of crossing borders.

Golboo Amani
Markham, ON

Golboo Amani is a performance artist and educator, currently working as the Community Artists in Residence at the Varley Art Gallery in Markham. She discusses how her Public Reading work encourages people to see art as accessible and inviting outside of gallery spaces.