MISSION
Red Pepper Spectacle Arts is a non-profit, community arts organization that co-creates and facilitates multidisciplinary collaborative arts engagement cross-culturally and primarily serves First Nations/Metis/Inuit Communities. Red Pepper works in partnership with social service agencies, community health and educational institutions, municipalities, band councils, neighbourhood residencies and other arts partners, to provide arts programming towards social justice, equity in cultural arts production, representation and arts access. Our services are collaborative and for each project we endeavour to create an environment and opportunities where all skill levels and learning styles are respected to achieve creative success within a wide variety of artistic media.
MANDATE
- To demonstrate the transformative power of the arts to unite and educate our community
- Provide a safe, inclusive and creative environment where all people share in the promotion of artistic accomplishment, social awareness, and positive transformation;
- Commitment to alliance-building and solidarity supporting community-centred, self-determination and consensual decision-making in all aspects of collaborative artistic activity and relationship-building projects;
- Development of collaborative projects between Indigenous and non-Indigenous artists to produce works contributing to the Canada's Truth and Reconciliation Commission - Calls to Action Dec 2015;
- Sustain a community arts studio of skill and resource sharing, equitable access, employment training and exchange initiatives that supports leadership emergence, economic advancement and professional development opportunities in the organization;
- Support transference of intergenerational knowledge through participatory, multi-faceted art activities for the diverse communities of Toronto and Northern Ontario;
- Support Indigenous-led projects that honours Indigenous sovereignty by learning histories, heritages, languages and land-based values in our relationship as Treaty people, building intercultural understanding and mutual respect;
- Support community leadership and self-sufficiency through development of socially active arts and cultural practices to address the legacy of settler colonialism and its many forms of oppression;
- Contribute to community health and well-being with mutually mandated social service agencies and organizations with whom we partner to innovate models of care;
- Engage in skills-based training in intercultural competencies, conflict resolution, human rights, and anti-racist community-controlled healing and reconciliation projects.
VISION and VALUES
Red Pepper believes its artistic vision is evolutionary and is informed by the community’s vision, through collective generosity of spirit in creative collaboration. Each project is unique and is shared in reciprocity, from initial conception and formation of each endeavour. Our relationships have been formed over many years of wide-ranging, multi-disciplinary communal activity, relationship building, networking, and resource sharing. We provide high quality arts programming, committed to the community’s vision while always being aware of and responsive to the individual. We provide methods, materials and supportive skill-sharing enhancing individual expression within a communal context.
Respect for each of our own inherent creative abilities and gifts and encouraging their emergence is a driving motive. When engaged within the communal context, our individual selves are connected to a synergistic dynamic of mutuality and empowerment, and challenges the notion that only a select few of us are gifted or solely in possession of genius. We believe in the inherent creative ability within each of us to generate exceptional creative power, and its realization in the collective whole.
Red Pepper recognizes that the creative communal act is a source of spiritual connection, a sacred recognition of our interconnectedness that invites participatory involvement and evokes a passion of experience and remembrance. It is a meeting place of reflection, re-imagining possibilities, initiating agency, and encouraging hope. We strive to be inclusive of diverse perspectives and locations and accommodate the complexity therein. We have witnessed the rise of community arts as a social movement and reflect on its continued growth as a testament of our inherent collective will to participate in needed positive change and creative transformative involvement.
ACTIVITY PROFILE
Red Pepper Spectacle Arts was co-founded in 2002, and led by co-founder and Artistic Director Gabriella Caruso. Based in a 1000 square foot, storefront studio in Kensington Market, Red Pepper provides an active community-arts facility with diverse production capabilities. We design and facilitate small and large scale engagements in a wide variety of media including drawing and painting, story creation, mask making, puppetry, mosaic, sculpture, ceramics, printmaking, magazine creation and publishing, digital media design and technology, photography, recording and music creation, video creation and production, textiles, theatre design and community-wide multidisciplinary festivals.
With a team of artistic associates and social service partners, our activities feature technical and material resource sharing, arts programming, communal design practices, production management and realization of emergent artistic vision and expression. We are fortunate to have had the opportunity to work with vast numbers of participants, across the GTA and in Northern Ontario in our practice that seek individual expression, collaborative endeavours and community celebrations, and to have established a creative home for a growing number of emerging/ established artists and organizational partners.
Numerous individuals and organizations have developed techniques, methods and ideologies with the guidance and ongoing support of experienced Red Pepper practitioners. Our long- standing artistic relationship within Indigenous communities has supported community arts practices and employment opportunities in Toronto and Northern Ontario Reserves. Northern projects include short and long term residencies in theatre production design and community arts practices and facilitation with Debajehmujig Theatre Group, Wikwemikong; Nibinamik/”Under the Big Sky” school and community puppetry, shadow puppetry, mask and costume workshops and collaborative processional celebrations; Wasauksing and Shawanaga First Nation/”One Summer” giant puppetry workshops, storytelling and processional events; Peterborough/Ode’min Giizis Festival - giant puppetry, festival workshops and processions; Moose Cree First Nation/”Gathering of Our People” children and youth arts camp for lanterns, masks, giant puppets for procession and shadow puppet performances.
Red Pepper Spectacle Arts are the producers of the Annual Kensington Market Winter Solstice, now approaching it’s 32nd year. Prior to Red Pepper’s founding, the late and great Ida Carnevali, Artistic Director of Kensington Carnival and Producer of the Festival of Lights (original title) in Kensington Market, passed the torch to Gabriella Caruso after years of apprenticeship with her. Red Pepper’s inception in 2002, is attributed to the opportunity to provide leadership and growth for this popular, grass-roots celebration for the past 19 years. The event comprises an outdoor parade and processional performance, street and rooftop theatrical animation and fire finale stage to observe and celebrate the return to light on the longest night of the year.
Community workshops in lantern creation, masking and puppetry, street installations, processional imagery and fire arts hosted by Red Pepper and the Kensington Community months prior, have steadily built annual community participation and support from our partnering organizations, Kensington merchants and residents and the City of Toronto. Preparatory activities engage over 500 and draw up to 10,000 to the parade eve on December 21st. Red Pepper works with a community advisory committee composed of Kensington organizations and individuals to steer and secure a sustainable funding base and community stewardship for this festival that grows. Red Pepper continues to develop various funding streams and revenue generating activities.
Red Pepper has project based and/or ongoing programming relationships with the Native Men’s Residence and Sagatay, Aboriginal Legal Services of Toronto, Toronto Council Fire Native Cultural Centre, the Native Canadian Centre Toronto, Native Child And Family Services Toronto, Kapapamahchakwew - Wandering Spirit School/TDSB the Aboriginal Learning Centre/TDSB, the Native Women's Resource Centre/Sisters in Spirit Vigil for Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women; Anishnawbe Health, Workman Arts /The Centre for Addiction and Mental Health, UNIFOR - Private Sector Union/World Pride Toronto, Ontario Aboriginal HIV/ AIDS Strategy/Pride Toronto, The Works - Harm Reduction/City of Toronto Public Health, Public Service Alliance of Canada, Sisters of the Soil/University of Toronto, Alexandra Park Community Centre/TCHC, Moss Park/TCHC, the Women’s Residence/City of Toronto, Artbeat Program/ Unison Community Services, Toronto Rape Crisis Centre/Multicultural Women Against Rape, the Woman’s Residence, St Stephen’s Community House, Scadding Court Community Centre, the Kensington BIA/Pedestrian Sundays, the Kensington Market Action Committee, Friends of Kensington Market, Kensington Resident Associations, the Kensington Community School, Ryerson Public School and with the community at large by facilitating arts programming within their agencies, at community events and cultural celebrations and at our studio.
We have partnered and continue to collaborate with local arts organizations including Centre For Indigenous Theatre, African Drums And Arts Crafts, Dia de los Muertos Collective, Hong Luck Kung Fu Association, Toronto Storytelling Festival, Nuit Rose/Toronto Pride, Gaa Dibatjimaat Ngashi, the Tecumseh Arts Collective, the Association for Native Development in the Performing and Visual Arts, ArtStarts, Native Women in the Arts, Setsune Indigenous Fashion Incubator, Fort York/On Common Ground and Indigenous Arts Festivals, Maadaadizi/Summer Journeys/PanAmPath, ImagineNative Film + Media Arts Festival, Planet IndigenUS - Harbourfront Centre, Todmorden Mills Heritage Site, Prologue to the Performing Arts/Dare to Create/Sheppard Public School/ TDSB, Kahawi Dance Theatre, New Model Circus Army, Tocani, The Aztec Dancers, Richard Underhill’s Kensington Horns, Samba Squad, Maracatu Mar Aberto, Shadowland Theatre, the Kapisanan Philippine Centre, Project Random, Regent Park Focus, Harbourfront Centre and Luminato/Tributaries Indigenous Opening.
Since its inception, Red Pepper has demonstrated a long-standing commitment to community- controlled culture and revitalization, that is maintained in an ethos of mutual respect, professional integrity and resilience. Red Pepper continues to advance the original mission and mandate because of our interactive continuity in relationship with allied organizations and individuals who share in our values of community health and restorative justice through the arts. Red Pepper’s arts-based facilitation is adept at offering diverse artistic ways that are socially and culturally responsive. Communitarian and oriented to social justice, collaborative methods are adaptive to participant needs demonstrating commitment to community. RP’s history is rooted in principles of respect and reciprocity evoking connections between authentic personal experience, political activism, professional ethics and cultural revitalization.
ARTISTIC DIRECTOR & ASSOCIATE ARTISTS
Red Pepper maintains a roster of associate artists who work with us throughout the year on our projects. They are experienced in a wide variety of art disciplines and cultural practices, working with us as either production staff or performers, depending on the unique needs of each project produced by our studio.
Red Pepper maintains a roster of associate artists who work with us throughout the year on our projects. They are experienced in a wide variety of art disciplines and cultural practices, working with us as either production staff or performers, depending on the unique needs of each project produced by our studio.
JESUS MORA
FACILITATOR / VISUAL ARTIST
Jesus has studied drawing and painting in both Mexico and Canada. Over the past decade, he has participated in several art projects, exhibitions, workshops, residencies and festivals with his paintings, photography, video, sculpture and performance. In addition to Red Pepper, he has collaborated with Art Starts, SAVAC, Art City, Urban Arts and LACAP among others.
FACILITATOR / VISUAL ARTIST
Jesus has studied drawing and painting in both Mexico and Canada. Over the past decade, he has participated in several art projects, exhibitions, workshops, residencies and festivals with his paintings, photography, video, sculpture and performance. In addition to Red Pepper, he has collaborated with Art Starts, SAVAC, Art City, Urban Arts and LACAP among others.
GISELLE NAVAROLI
FACILITATOR / VISUAL ARTIST
Giselle was born and raised in Havana, Cuba, completed the Elementary School of Ballet, and has a degree in clowning from the National Circus School, and a BFA from the University of Cuba. Giselle came to Canada in 2000 to the World Stage Festival and now resides in Toronto as a performer, children's advocate and painter.
FACILITATOR / VISUAL ARTIST
Giselle was born and raised in Havana, Cuba, completed the Elementary School of Ballet, and has a degree in clowning from the National Circus School, and a BFA from the University of Cuba. Giselle came to Canada in 2000 to the World Stage Festival and now resides in Toronto as a performer, children's advocate and painter.
BEN HERMANN
TECHNICAL MANAGER / VISUAL ARTIST
Ben is a multi-talented musician, composer and carpenter/woodworker. Ben has worked with Red Pepper since 2012 as technical manager for the Kensington Market Winter Solstice Festival, as well as assisting with production and workshop delivery throughout the year.
TECHNICAL MANAGER / VISUAL ARTIST
Ben is a multi-talented musician, composer and carpenter/woodworker. Ben has worked with Red Pepper since 2012 as technical manager for the Kensington Market Winter Solstice Festival, as well as assisting with production and workshop delivery throughout the year.
SONJA CLARKE
ADMINISTRATION / VISUAL ARTIST
Sonja is an interdisciplinary artist who has been involved in Toronto’s community arts through Red Pepper since 2015 when she began as an intern, and later became an associate artist and administrator. She has designed and led many workshops, including lanterns and mosaics: Gathering of the Clans Mosaic, the Chester Lee Community Garden Mosaic, the Aboriginal Legal Services Christian Morrisseau Mosaic, and others, such as Native Men’s Residence Tikinaagan Project. Sonja has been an integral part of Red Pepper’s festival work, such as the Kensington Winter Solstice Parade, and the Indigenous Arts Festival and Nuit Rose.
ADMINISTRATION / VISUAL ARTIST
Sonja is an interdisciplinary artist who has been involved in Toronto’s community arts through Red Pepper since 2015 when she began as an intern, and later became an associate artist and administrator. She has designed and led many workshops, including lanterns and mosaics: Gathering of the Clans Mosaic, the Chester Lee Community Garden Mosaic, the Aboriginal Legal Services Christian Morrisseau Mosaic, and others, such as Native Men’s Residence Tikinaagan Project. Sonja has been an integral part of Red Pepper’s festival work, such as the Kensington Winter Solstice Parade, and the Indigenous Arts Festival and Nuit Rose.
ANA RAQUEL
FACILITATOR / VISUAL ARTIST
Ana Raquel is a Toronto-based multidisciplinary artist, of Latin American descent; art educator and mother. She is a graduate of the Ontario College of Art and Design, with a major in Photography.
Her artistic approach and work has revolved mostly around the multiple forms of life and how they manifest themselves through her womanhood and Latin American heritage. The choice of media for Ana Raquel, responds to the subject matter she wants to depict, therefore, her explorations throughout her artistic career have allowed her to experiment with collage, transfers, photography, public interventions, textiles and drawing and painting.
FACILITATOR / VISUAL ARTIST
Ana Raquel is a Toronto-based multidisciplinary artist, of Latin American descent; art educator and mother. She is a graduate of the Ontario College of Art and Design, with a major in Photography.
Her artistic approach and work has revolved mostly around the multiple forms of life and how they manifest themselves through her womanhood and Latin American heritage. The choice of media for Ana Raquel, responds to the subject matter she wants to depict, therefore, her explorations throughout her artistic career have allowed her to experiment with collage, transfers, photography, public interventions, textiles and drawing and painting.
CAMILO GIRALDO
PRODUCTION / VISUAL ARTIST
Camilo Giraldo is a Toronto based artist/musician born in Columbia, specializing in Afro Columbian percussion, instrument making, community arts and installations. Camilo’s work is inspired by the relationship between art, music and ancient traditions from around the world. He has participated in hundreds of events through North and South America that includes Blue Skies Music Festival, Mariposa Folk Festival, Cultura World Music Festival, and Mosaiq Multicultural Festival. At Red Pepper Spectacle Arts, Camilo is an associate artist designing and facilitating for various projects in mosaic art, costume and set design for theatre and puppetry and productions for the annual Kensington Market Winter Solstice.
PRODUCTION / VISUAL ARTIST
Camilo Giraldo is a Toronto based artist/musician born in Columbia, specializing in Afro Columbian percussion, instrument making, community arts and installations. Camilo’s work is inspired by the relationship between art, music and ancient traditions from around the world. He has participated in hundreds of events through North and South America that includes Blue Skies Music Festival, Mariposa Folk Festival, Cultura World Music Festival, and Mosaiq Multicultural Festival. At Red Pepper Spectacle Arts, Camilo is an associate artist designing and facilitating for various projects in mosaic art, costume and set design for theatre and puppetry and productions for the annual Kensington Market Winter Solstice.
MARTA ORELLANA
INTERN GRANT WRITER / VISUAL ARTIST
Marta is a Toronto based artist, yoga instructor and community worker. As a Mayan woman, Marta dedicates her time to strengthening Indigenous communities working with various organizations in a social work setting through supportive roles, such as arts facilitator, yoga instructor and support worker. As an artist, Marta focuses her photography and fashion design as a platform to highlight and empower Indigenous peoples through a vibrant lens. Making art with Red Pepper has opened up the possibility of working directly with children and peoples of all ages in the native community of Toronto.
INTERN GRANT WRITER / VISUAL ARTIST
Marta is a Toronto based artist, yoga instructor and community worker. As a Mayan woman, Marta dedicates her time to strengthening Indigenous communities working with various organizations in a social work setting through supportive roles, such as arts facilitator, yoga instructor and support worker. As an artist, Marta focuses her photography and fashion design as a platform to highlight and empower Indigenous peoples through a vibrant lens. Making art with Red Pepper has opened up the possibility of working directly with children and peoples of all ages in the native community of Toronto.
GABRIELLA CARUSO
ARTISTIC DIRECTOR
Gabriella is a theatre designer for set, mask, costume and props. She also designs and creates large scale puppets, shadow puppets, printmaking projects, and public mosaic art installations. She has been creating and collaborating in multi-disciplinary community arts projects, theatre creation, and arts activism, having participated in the development of some of the earliest accessible public arts programming in the city of Toronto including at the Harbourfront Centre, ArtsStarts, and in Kensington Market.
ARTISTIC DIRECTOR
Gabriella is a theatre designer for set, mask, costume and props. She also designs and creates large scale puppets, shadow puppets, printmaking projects, and public mosaic art installations. She has been creating and collaborating in multi-disciplinary community arts projects, theatre creation, and arts activism, having participated in the development of some of the earliest accessible public arts programming in the city of Toronto including at the Harbourfront Centre, ArtsStarts, and in Kensington Market.
ALBERTO CRUZ
GRAPHIC ARTIST / DESIGNER
Our beloved Friend and Artist Brother, Alberto Cruz, has transitioned into the spirit world. Alberto worked at Red Pepper since 2017, after meeting him in the Dia De Los Muertos Collective. Graphic Artist and Digital Designer, Videographer and Editor, Photographer, Animator, Painter, Writer, Musician, Dancer, Loving Warrior, Co-Conspirator….soul crafting across multi hearts with galactic curiosity. Heavy in our hearts yet buoyed in spirit by your extraordinary courage, integrity and teaching. We mourn and offer our loving condolences to the beautiful Cruz Family, Partner Marilyn Cordero and extended community. ❤️Crying tears of connection and grateful for your ever-present love and creativity. Gratitud eterna para ti Alberto. El amor que generaste y compartiste en circulo y volando en el cielo. Siempre estoy agradecido por tu espiritu inspirado y visionario que vive en nuestras mania, corazones, y mentes. Nos venous.
GRAPHIC ARTIST / DESIGNER
Our beloved Friend and Artist Brother, Alberto Cruz, has transitioned into the spirit world. Alberto worked at Red Pepper since 2017, after meeting him in the Dia De Los Muertos Collective. Graphic Artist and Digital Designer, Videographer and Editor, Photographer, Animator, Painter, Writer, Musician, Dancer, Loving Warrior, Co-Conspirator….soul crafting across multi hearts with galactic curiosity. Heavy in our hearts yet buoyed in spirit by your extraordinary courage, integrity and teaching. We mourn and offer our loving condolences to the beautiful Cruz Family, Partner Marilyn Cordero and extended community. ❤️Crying tears of connection and grateful for your ever-present love and creativity. Gratitud eterna para ti Alberto. El amor que generaste y compartiste en circulo y volando en el cielo. Siempre estoy agradecido por tu espiritu inspirado y visionario que vive en nuestras mania, corazones, y mentes. Nos venous.
BOARD OF DIRECTORS
BOARD MEMBERS
Sage Paul Cardinal
Brian Norton
Maria Abbruzzese
BOARD MEMBERS
Sage Paul Cardinal
Brian Norton
Maria Abbruzzese
