JAYU

JAYU is a Canadian charity that shares human rights stories through the arts and engaging dialogue. JAYU (JAYU Festival Inc.)

is a registered charity that shares human rights stories through the arts and engaging dialogue. We are located in downtown Toronto at 401 Richmond St W., suite 354.

08/24/2026

Time to go art-hopping 🐇

Curious about the art spaces around you and how artists and curators bring them to life, but not sure where to start? Join us for a fun, friendly art hop exploring Toronto’s local arts community, led by iAM mentor / steffitung!

🗓️ Saturday, August 29
⏰ 2:30 PM – 5:00 PM

📍 In Person, meeting at The JAYU Studio
We’ll visit a mix of public art, galleries, and creative spaces, taking in art together while looking at these spaces through a curatorial lens.

After the art hop, we’ll gather over coffee, tea, and snacks for an open, cozy conversation about curation. Steffi will share her experiences with curating, and together we’ll unpack questions like: What exactly is curation? Why do we curate? How does an artist-curator relationship begin? And how do we decide what makes a space right for an exhibition?

Designed for art enthusiasts, the curatorially curious, artists, curators, and creative minds alike, this art hop offers an easy and welcoming way to explore the local arts community, connect with others, and see the art around us from a new perspective.

Note: The galleries we’ll be visiting are all within walking distance of 401 Richmond Street West. For those with accessibility requirements, transit tickets will be provided.

Sign up at www.jayu.ca/register 🔗

08/14/2026

It's giving open mic energy 🎙️

🗓️ September 14, 21 & 28
⏰ 6:30 PM – 9:00 PM
📍 The JAYU Studio

Bring your poems to be workshopped and prepped for performance! With Toronto's Youth Poet Laureate Shahaddah Jack , you'll learn the fundamentals of performing spoken word poetry on a mic in a way that is compelling and true to your voice.

Each participant will work on their existing poetry 1:1 with Shahaddah to refine their performance. Come work on your volume, pauses, rhythm, banter and overall stage presence with us while keeping your authentic voice.

Refine your performance in a supportive space and leave ready to take the stage. Register at www.jayu.ca/register

08/05/2026

Now Hiring: Community Access Event Manager 📣

Love bringing people together through arts, community, and meaningful experiences? JAYU is looking for a part-time Community Access Event Manager to lead our Community Access Program (CAP), a subsidized venue rental initiative that helps artists, organizers, and community leaders access affordable space in downtown Toronto.

This grant-funded contract role is ideal for someone looking for a flexible, hybrid opportunity (10–15 hours/week) while making a meaningful impact in Toronto's arts community.

In this role, you'll:
🟡 Manage our Community Access Program and venue bookings
🟢 Support and mentor a team of Venue Supervisors
🔵 Help shape an accessible, welcoming community space for artists and changemakers

We're looking for someone with experience in event coordination, team management, strong administrative skills, and a passion for community-building.

📩 Visit www.jayu.ca/capmanager for the full job description and instructions on how to apply

08/01/2026

The Artist’s Guide to Tax Szn is back 📊✨

🗓️ August 6, 13 & 20
📍 The JAYU Studio

In the Artist’s Guide to Tax Szn workshop series, led by CPA Jennifer Wan, we will reflect on our previous tax-filing experiences and prepare ourselves for the upcoming 2027 tax season. The series will consist of 3 parts, starting with Bookkeeping, followed by Budgeting, and concluding with a drop-in session for Q&A and co-working.

🧾 Session 1: Bookkeeping - August 6
This interactive and learning session will help self-employed artists create a tailored bookkeeping system to manage and organize their self-employed income and expenses. Learning basic bookkeeping skills will also help artists organize their tax preparation documents and have your questions answered in real time.

🧮 Session 2: Budgeting - August 13
This interactive workshop will allow you to understand the difference between Cashflow versus Budgeting to help plan your finances for the year.

How to understand and manage the timing/fluctuations in your cash flow as self-employed artists. In addition we will look at how to prepare and adjust a basic yearly budget for both your personal and self-employed expected income and expenses.

💬 Session 3: Q&A Drop-In - August 20
Open drop-in session to give artists an opportunity to ask questions and work on their bookkeeping systems, tax returns, budgets etc. This will also allow artists to network and share experiences with their peers on their financial literacy journey.

💡Each session builds on the last, but you’re welcome to attend what works for you!

🔗 Visit www.jayu.ca/register for more information

07/29/2026

Storytelling through design ✍🏼
🗓️ Saturdays, August 8 – October 3
⏰ 12:00 PM – 2:00 PM
📍 The JAYU Studio

Ever wondered what goes into creating eye-catching posters, zines, and printed designs? Our iAM Graphic Design program is back with some big upgrades! Over the course of 8-weeks guided by iAM Mentor Justus Buenaflor, you’ll learn the fundamentals of graphic design using Adobe Creative Suite while bringing your own creative ideas to life.

Experiment with layouts, typography, colour, and print techniques as you design and produce a one-of-a-kind layered zine using different paper stocks and printing styles. Along the way, you’ll discover how designs change from screen to print and build hands-on skills that every designer should know.

By the end of the program, you’ll have a professionally bound zine and a whole new creative skill set to show for it.

🔗 Register now at the link in our bio or at www.jayu.ca/register

07/14/2026

Because investing in your craft is only part of the journey, learning how to value it is what helps it grow 🌱

🗓️ Monday, July 27
⏰ 6:30 PM – 7:30 PM
📍 Virtual via Zoom

In this interactive workshop, we’ll explore the connection between identity, mindset, and financial growth, and how the beliefs and behaviours we carry shape our decisions: the way we price our work, pursue opportunities, and build sustainable creative careers.
Led by Shantae of Cobella Financial ™, participants will examine how their experiences, assumptions, and self-perceptions influence the way they value their work, set prices, pursue opportunities, and navigate their creative careers.

Register at www.jayu.ca/register or at the link in our bio 🔗

07/06/2026

We’re recruiting Board of Directors 📣

JAYU is an award-winning charity using the power of art to centre human rights conversations, create economic opportunity, and champion equity-deserving youth across the GTA.

Everything we've built has been possible because of people who believe in our work and show up with generosity, care, and bold ideas. As we continue writing JAYU's next chapter, we're looking for Board members who want to be part of the story.

If you have a passion for:
✅ Human rights, equity, and social justice
✅ Supporting racialized and equity-deserving communities
✅ Strengthening arts, culture, and youth empowerment in the GTA
✅ Governing with integrity, vision, and community at the centre

We want to hear from you!

🔗 Learn more at www.jayu.ca/boardmember
🗓️ Deadline to apply July 31st, 2026

06/26/2026

It’s Summer Break at JAYU 🌟

We’re taking a little pause to rest and get ready for a busy season ahead! At JAYU, we deeply believe that caring for our community begins with caring for our team. By prioritizing staff wellness, we’re actively practicing the values of community care that are at the centre of the work we do.

As part of this commitment, we’ll be taking a short break and pausing our services from June 26 to July 5. We’re so grateful for your continued support and understanding and we can’t wait to reconnect once we’re back!

Closure Dates: June 26 – July 5
For any urgent inquiries please contact [email protected] with subject line URGENT

06/17/2026

Office yapper reporting for duty 😀

06/15/2026

Join us for The Art of Mobilization, a workshop for equity-deserving artists, collectives, community organizers, resource mobilizers, and fundraisers working in community-based radical arts and social change initiatives 🌏

🗓️ Wednesday, July 15
⏰ 6:30pm – 9:30pm
📍 JAYU Studio

Led by Nevine Sedki we’ll explore how to navigate systemic challenges in traditional funding, mobilize values aligned resources and build collective power for grassroots communities.

You’ll gain practical tools to cultivate values-aligned partnerships, attract mission-driven support, and develop sustainable strategies that center equity and community care.

Grounded in building collective wisdom and creative practice, this workshop invites you to move beyond transactional fundraising and toward resource mobilization that prioritizes community sovereignty, reciprocity, and solidarity—all in service of imagining and building just futures through radical arts.

Register at the link in our bio or at www.jayu.ca/register

Address

401 Richmond Street W Suite 380
Toronto, ON
M5V3A8

Telephone

+14167123477

Website

http://jayu.ca/

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