In this new article series, we will highlight some of the ads we are running for arts and community organizations in Canada. We’ll delve into who is behind the ad, what’s the inspiration of the content and how it is helping to raise awareness about an important need in our community, from inclusion and diversity to health and education.

First up in the series is Nia Centre for the Arts, which we were introduced to back in June when the death of George Floyd shone a global spotlight on the Black Lives Matter movement. As a media company, we have an important role to play in educating and informing Canadians on the issues of our time. When it comes to equality and diversity, our magazine brands do this in the stories they tell, amplifying the voices of the Black community and marginalized groups. We also wanted to give voice to more equity-focused charities, extending their reach through our magazine brands that reach a third of all Canadians.

We  introduced a new commitment to provide complimentary ad space to four Canadian charities that support equality, diversity and anti-racism. And we asked our associates for their suggestions on organizations that might benefit from our support.

Here is the ad for Nia Centre for the Arts, which ran in the October 19 issue of HELLO! Canada and is in the November issue of Toronto Life (on newsstands now).

Nia Centre for the Arts is committed to a Canadian first: the first professional, multi-disciplinary centre for Afro-diasporic art in the country.  The new home on Oakwood Avenue in Toronto will feature a 150-seat multi-purpose performance space, a digital media studio, a recording studio, an artist studio, gallery space and more. A place to create, learn and collaborate, it will give Toronontionas the opportunity to experience art and cultural events rooted in historical and modern traditions – from drumming to digital art installation, theatre production, and movie screenings. Nia celebrates Black history year-round and enables all Canadians to understand how our history and culture is shaped by the Afro-diaspora and how, together, we can build a more inclusive, culturally aware society.

We talked to Alicia Hall, Executive Director of Nia Centre for the Arts:

“As we see news about the #BlackLivesMatter movement fade, the support for Black art is pressing now more than ever,” says Alicia. “By building Canada’s first Black Arts Centre, Nia Centre will be able to bridge the gap for so many Black artists who lack access to space and resources. Help us build a space for our city to engage with art rooted in our Black traditions year-round.”

Construction began this month and is expected to be completed by October 2021. Here’s a look at the vision for the renovated space:

To learn more about Nia Centre for the Arts and how you can support a Canadian first and aspiring Black artists of all kinds, visit its website here.