Time Traveller’s Culture Jam
Imagining Art of the Future
In this special SFU Public Square x VMF event, visitors from Vancouver’s future arts and culture scene traveled back through time to share their stories. Having lived through the challenging contexts of climate change and the evolution of equity and inclusion, these creative time travelers revealed the need for an inspirational and collectively imagined vision for the future of arts and culture.
In collaboration with these time-traveling storytellers, participants of the Time Travellers’ Culture Jam created speculative time capsules from the future, with activities led by the Vancouver Design Nerds. Together, we discussed, debated, and creatively imagined the future of arts and culture in Vancouver, uninhibited by what was and empowered by what could be.
Our time travelling story tellers <3
Tonye Aganaba
Tonye Aganaba is a multidisciplinary artist, musician, and arts facilitator residing on the unceded territories of the Squamish, Musqueam & Tsleil-Waututh First Nations.
Their new album ‘Something Comfortable’ is an intentional and devotional endeavour inspired by their battle with Multiple Sclerosis. The album serves as the score to ‘AfroScience’ an immersive performance and workshop series fusing live music, dance, visual art/digital media and storytelling to stimulate conversation and action around identity, addiction, healing, and expression. Tonye’s shows, workshops, and classes are connected and intimate experiences, and evoke a kind of vulnerability that we all hunger for.
Char Lono
Born in Manila, Philippines, and raised in Vancouver, Canada, Char Loro is a creative producer, curator and master of ceremonies for live music and street dance events, immersive art experiences, and video/photo production. She is very passionate about bringing people together to activate urban public spaces and creating accessible platforms for street dancers and music artists to share their artistry with the general public.
Char founded Shape Shifter Studio – creative production company that collaborates with artists of various mediums; transforming spaces, curating and designing live performances and interactive events, as well as producing creative dance videos.
As a community builder, Char aims to create as many opportunities possible for womxn, people of diversity + spectrum, and artists of street dance, street art and urban music – to be seen, heard and given equal access to thrive and grow.
Savannah Erasmus
Savannah Erasmus is an amazing plus brilliant Indigenous comedian from the Kikino Metis Settlement in Northern Alberta. She is a co-producer of the comedy + poetry show Millennial Line in Mount Pleasant. The show features diverse and queer forward lineups of local emerging artists. Her comedy has landed her on podcasts and APTN!
She is currently the volunteer coordinator for the Vancouver Mural Festival, where she combines her love of spreadsheets and community building. One day, she hopes to combine her love of storytelling and art, into a long lasting career in media and journalism.