In Dancing Lessons, Jamaican-Canadian author Olive Senior gives us the story of G, a remarkable character whose story unfolds in the form of a series of meandering notebook entries.

The expansive white space of the Power Plant Gallery gives the show of new black and white photography a dramatic and theatrical kind of presence that adds to its impact.

For a novel set mainly in sombre circumstances, Half-Blood Blues is surprisingly buoyant. It’s deftly paced in incident and tone, moving from scenes of snappy dialogue, in which the band members squabble and banter humorously, to tense, atmospheric passages of description.

Warner’s first book, Viola Desmond Won’t Be Budged, is the perfect choice to share with children who are eager to learn Black history, but may have a difficult time finding age-appropriate, engaging and educational books about African-Canadian identity.

Veteran stage actress Felicia Boswell stars as an aspiring Black singer who does the unthinkable and falls for the sweet-talking, fast-moving white boy from the other side of town. “My character (also named Felicia) falls in love with a white DJ, which was forbidden back then and speaks to how things have changed,” she says.

Your work is your art, and your art is your work. You learn in one, you learn in the other. There’s no getting away from that.

Beal became known for his skills and interests, from carpentry to electronics to philosophy. He even farmed his own land. In researching the man — whose dark skin defied a birth certificate stating he was white — Griffith spoke to about 65 people. Some knew Beal as children.

New Era’s versatility in being able to switch between R&B, gospel, neo-soul and other genres gives it an edge. In 2011 alone, the band has played for artists including Carlos Morgan, Andreena Mill and Andrea Lewis. It also opened for R&B superstar Omarion at Hamilton’s Mardigras in July.

Growing up singing in her church has added to Jewels’ strong musical foundation but has not sealed her fate in regards to the genre in which she belongs. Her current politically-conscious single, Final Showdown, a combination of pop, soul and R&B, is a perfect example of the genre bending.

“There are many times when I’m the only person of colour in the cast. When you’re not, there’s a sense of camaraderie in some ways and a sense of competition in others.”