Homepage - Nia Centre for the Arts

Nia Centre for the
Arts

We are a Toronto-based not-for-profit organization that supports, showcases and promotes an appreciation of arts from across the African Diaspora.

Our space at 524 Oakwood Ave is Canada’s first professional Black arts centre. The Nia Centre is a space built with purpose and dedicated to Black artists and young creatives. Designed to serve a wide array of multi and interdisciplinary arts, the Centre provides the community with a multi-purpose performance theatre, event space, a digital media lab, exhibition space and a dedicated youth hub.

At Nia Centre for the Arts, we recognize the importance of making arts spaces accessible for everyone. We are committed to providing members of the public with an inclusive and diverse cultural space that is welcoming and responsive to community needs.

Want to know more about accessibility at Nia Centre? Visit the Our Space page.

Where Art Makes Culture


What We Do

We create spaces for Black Art by supporting professional and emerging artists to learn, grow and show their art.

MULTIDISCIPLINARY
For Artists

We provide opportunities for Afro-diasporic artists to gain new skills, hone their artistic practices, and push their creative limits.

MULTIDISCIPLINARY
For Youth

We provide young people the opportunity to explore a wide range of creative pathways and expand their artistic abilities. We are an approved vendor with TDSB and provide culturally-relevant school workshops.

MULTIDISCIPLINARY
For Community

We produce and present exhibitions both at the Centre and across Toronto. We showcase work from Afro-diasporic artists across a range of disciplines and mediums – showcasing work provokes, challenges, and inspires our community.

What's On

There’s always something you can be a part of. Check out our upcoming events & opportunities below:

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A Black Art Fair: Call For Submissions

May 20 - 11, 2025

Submit your artwork for a chance to exhibit at A Black Art Fair 2025!

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NiaFlix: Kiki (2016)

June 19, 2025
7:00PM - 10:00PM
524 Oakwood Ave, Toronto, ON M6E 2X1

Don't miss this special Pride screening of this electric ballroom documentary!

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The Power of Black Portraiture with Gordon Shadrach

June 25, 2025
7:00PM - 9:00PM
524 Oakwood Ave, Toronto, ON M6E 2X1

Join us for this talk on the value of Black portraiture—how to win a $25K prize

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Impact on our Community

What gets measured gets done. Here’s a summary of what we did in the last year:

158
Artists

were served through 33 programs, workshops and artist talks

2167
Youth

attended programming specifically aimed at their academic, social and artistic development

245
Mentees

were matched with 83 established professional artists through our Mentorship program

1730
Students

participated in programs built in collaboration with various schools across the GTA

40
Community Events

showcasing Black Canadian artists and hosting local Black businesses at the Nia Centre

Learn More About Us

Our Supporters

As a charity, we’re grateful for the support of our donors and supporters which enable the work we do.

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Copyright © 2025 Nia Centre for the Arts All Right Reserved.