Dalmation Blades by V Vallières.
This year, the Being Scene exhibition will be held at 32 Lisgar Street, opening Friday, March 7. At this exciting arts hub, there will be a display of over thirty juried artworks selected by Natalie King (Interdisciplinary Artist & Curator), Warren Harper (Curator & Researcher), and Alana Traficante (Executive Director, Gallery 44 Centre for Contemporary Photography).
The Being Scene annual Juried Exhibition serves as a platform to showcase the rich and varied talent within the Workman Arts community. We aim to continue brightening the city with our diverse and inclusive exhibition. This annual event is a celebration of creativity that contributes to and fosters a sense of belonging within the broader cultural landscape.
FEATURED ARTISTS
Stephanie Avery
Diana Bershadsky
Mei Chan-Long
Jenny Chen
Michele Anne-Marie Dickson
Paul Elliott
Kayla Free
Danielle Hyde
Ghazaraza
Gigi
Merle Harley
Andrew Johnston
Althea Knight
Serena McCarroll
Clare McIntyre
Rick Miller
Leslie Ordal
Sam Paboudjian
Marisha Pula
Marie Ruisseau
Sha
David Shuken
Ashley Snook
Alsa St Rose
Dinesh Subramanian
Casper Sutton-Fosman
Jan Swinburne
Shannon Taylor-Jones
V Vallieres
Raechel Wastesicoot
Georgia Whist
Paulina Wiszowata
Brandon Wulff
Being Scene Juried Exhibition 2025. Photography by Henry Chan.
MEET THE JURY
NATALIE KING
Natalie King is a queer interdisciplinary Anishinaabe (Algonquin) artist, facilitator and member of Timiskaming First Nation. King’s arts practice ranges from video, painting, sculpture and installation as well as community engagement, curation and arts administration. Click here to learn more about Natalie.
WARREN HARPER
Warren Harper is a curator and researcher currently based in Toronto, Canada. He holds a PhD from Goldsmiths, University of London, where his curatorial research project explored Essex’s role in Britain’s nuclear story. Warren was director then co-director at The Old Waterworks (TOW), an artist-led charity in Southend-on-Sea, Essex, UK, that provides studios, facilities, and research and development opportunities for artists. Click here to learn more about Warren.
ALANA TRAFICANTE
“The keys to my practice are remaining adaptable, motivated, and curious —listening, looking and thinking critically through every aspect of my work, be it the day-to-day minutia of the job, or the big picture, long-term outlook. I believe that all facets of this work have a creative component, even the administrative, behind-the-scenes, less glamourous parts.”
– Alana Traficante
Click here to learn more about Alana.
HISTORY OF BEING SCENE
Being Scene is an annual juried exhibition of recent artwork by Workman Arts members and individuals who have accessed the Centre for Addiction and Mental Health (CAMH) services in their lives.
Being Scene began over 20 years ago on the grounds of the Centre for Addiction and Mental Health (CAMH). Over the years, Being Scene has exhibited juried surveys of thousands of artworks by Workman Arts member artists as well as artists with lived experience who have received services from CAMH. Being Scene is an invaluable professionalization experience for artists, consistently reaching audiences of over 5,000, allowing for a greater understanding of diverse experiences. Artists have given shape to compelling ideas and narratives, covering a wide range of conceptual and material approaches. Being Scene has been shown in spaces such as The Gladstone Hotel, Toronto Media Arts Centre, various Artscape locations, and at CAMH.
For further information, interviews or images, please contact Tai Nguyen at tai_nguyen@workmanarts.com
To receive email updates about Being Scene’s annual exhibition launch sign up for the mailing list.
GALLERY HOURS
- MARCH 7 - APRIL 17, 2025
- WED TO SUN, 12 - 5 PM
- 32 Lisgar Street, 2nd Floor, Toronto
- (South side of Queen St W, enter doors facing Lisgar Park)
ACCESSIBILITY
PUBLIC PROGRAMMING
CROSS-POLLINATION: Series of Curatorial Research & Talks
- APRIL 13, 2025
- 2-4:30 PM
- 32 Lisgar Street, 2nd Floor, Toronto
PURCHASE ARTWORK
QUESTIONS ABOUT BEING SCENE OR HAVE QUESTIONS ABOUT ACCESSIBILITY? CONTACT:
FATMA HENDAWY
VISUAL ARTS MANAGER
fatma_hendawy@workmanarts.com
HOW WAS YOUR EXPERIENCE AT BEING SCENE?
Special thanks to our Being Scene supporters.
Interested in sponsorship? Click here to download our sponsorship package or contact Tai Nguyen, Communications Manager, for more information.