Join us for a mystical night of story telling and folk tales. From the Caribbean to Ireland, to India and beyond, be transported to a place of wonderment through a magical night of discovery.
Performing artists from Durham Storytellers, Dianne Chandler, Kesha Christie, Enid De Coe, and Brenda Beck, will weave stories of magic that entice the imagination of childlike wonder and thrill.
Durham Storytellers is an enthusiastic group that aims to keep oral storytelling alive, promote an awareness of storytelling and illustrate how stories fit in today’s society. They convey each story without books or notes, and are considered part of the performing arts. Members are from all walks of life and at various stages in their storytelling journey. They strive to inspire others to want to share and tell their stories.
Experience a mesmerizing Moko Jumbie performance by award-winning Miss Coco Murray, accompanied by live West African drum and percussion. Coco Moko Jumbie pays homage to a traditional masquerade figure that serves as a spirit and protector of the village in Western/Central African regions. This resilient stilt dance tradition is a symbol of emancipation as a traditional Carnival character, celebrating contemporary Caribbean culture.
Collette “Coco” Murray is an award-winning Afro-diasporic dance artist-scholar, cultural arts programmer, educator, and arts consultant with over 25 years of experience in the Canadian arts sector. Her work centers on West African, Caribbean folk, carnival arts, and stilt-dance traditions. As a passionate advocate for equity in the arts, Coco blends performance, education, and community engagement to promote anti-racist dance pedagogy and culturally responsive programming. She’s currently pursuing a PhD in Dance Studies at York University.
Enjoy a casual exhibition tour of We are ten thousand hands that plant seeds with Seemil Chaudry, Community Engagement Assistant, South Asian Visual Art Centre. Seemil will guide participants through the exhibition, sharing stories and behind-the-scenes insights on the artworks on display.
Installation of We are ten thousand hands that plant seeds at The Robert McLaughlin Gallery, 2025. Photos by Toni Hafkenscheid.
Nini’s Ice Cream Truck will be serving up sweet treats. Cool off with ice cream or shaved ice in a variety of tasty flavours that are sure to satisfy the tastebuds.
RMG Fridays are free community events that bring together various art forms. Designed for all ages they feature a variety of live music, performances, exhibition tours, and highlight community partners, artists and local businesses.
Dwelling Stains II, 2023. 16″ x 20″. Henna & Ink on Wood.
Guest artist Judith Grace Vijaysenan will be joining us. Visit the studio to learn about her art practice. Try your hand at henna art on wood and take home your finished product. No experience required!
Judith Grace Vijayasenan is an Indian-born, Toronto-based visual artist. Her medium styles incorporate oils, acrylics, ink and henna on Wood. Judith likes to base her pieces on memory, land, and small connections that she has to her past and present land (India and Canada).
She is graduated in June 2023 with a BFA in Drawing and Painting and minoring in Social Science from OCAD University. Judith’s work has been exhibited in Ada Slaight Gallery: Gathering Divergence (2022), OCAD University’s GRADEX 103 (2023) and The Clarke Center for the Arts in “Marinating in our Surrealistic Land” (2024) group exhibition.
The RMG reserves the right to cancel this event due to circumstances beyond RMG’s control or not reasonably anticipated, including but not limited, to weather, or inability of facility to host Event.
