Experience poetry come to life on the walls of the Aga Khan Museum through a live projection on the building’s façade. Read short poetic works, on various topics and themes, from poets across the Muslim world and from local poets who will compose bespoke works live within the Museum’s walls during the evening of Nuit Blanche. 

Tara Moneka is a Black Iraqi artist and singer whose music bridges cultures and traditions. Born in Baghdad and raised in a Sufi family, she was drawn to music from an early age, exploring the rich sounds of Afro-Sufi, Arabic, and Swahili influences. Her style blends Jazz, R&B, Soul, Funk, Blues, Maqam, and Afrobeat, creating a sound that feels both familiar and refreshingly new. Singing in multiple languages — including Arabic, English, Urdu, Spanish, Turkish, and Swahili — Tara embraces the diversity of music as a universal language. Her journey began at 13 when she first gained recognition on The Voice (Middle East) and collaborated with The Iraqi Children’s Culture House, experiences that shaped her path as an artist. As the lead of Dijlah, an all-women band named after the Tigris River, Tara uses her music to highlight women’s rights and empowerment. Over the years, she has had the privilege of working with respected institutions such as the Aga Khan Museum, Koerner Hall, Uma Nota Culture, and The Opera House. Tara’s music is more than sound — it’s an experience. A bridge between past and future, East and West, her performances are a journey of connection, transformation, and defiance against cultural boundaries. Wherever she sings, she ignites a revolution of rhythm and resilience.

Ensemble Topaz is a Toronto-based integrated dance-music ensemble dedicated to the traditions of Central Asia and South Asia, including regions of Afghanistan, Tajikistan, Uzbekistan, Iran, and India. They have performed widely across Canada, and their work has been supported by the Toronto Arts Council and the Ontario Arts Council. The ensemble’s Artistic Director, Paromita Kar, is the first to complete a PhD in Dance Studies in Canada. 

Photo by: Kirit Mistry

Kalakaar Collective was founded by four international students from different regions of India who met in Canada and quickly bonded over a shared love of music. What began as late-night jam sessions and long conversations gradually evolved into something much larger. A family was formed, united by creativity, culture, and passion. From this connection, Kalakaar Collective came to life. The name combines two words: “Kala,” meaning art, and “Akaar,” meaning to shape, together representing the act of shaping art into meaningful moments.

Over time, the collective has grown and performed at more than 300 shows across Canada. From soulful Sufi to contemporary Qawwali, each performance brings depth and diversity to the stage, creating unforgettable experiences that celebrate community, culture, and connection.

Experience the soulful sounds of Sufiana Kalam, a Montreal-based ensemble bringing centuries-old devotional traditions to life. Featuring both adults and youth, the group recites Qaseedahs, Kalams in Farsi and Urdu, and mystical poetry from Rumi, accompanied by the rich tones of the Rubab and the rhythmic beat of the Daf. Their performance is a celebration of spirituality, poetry, and music, weaving together intergenerational voices and traditional instruments to create an atmosphere of reflection and connection. Don’t miss this chance to immerse yourself in a journey of Sufi melodies and timeless words.

Toronto Council Fire Native Cultural Centre is an autonomous, vibrant cultural agency that involves and serves the Indigenous community with confidence for and commitment to their well-being. Visit councilfire.ca to learn more.

In a tradition where vocals and dance often take centre stage, sisters Suchismita and Debopriya Chatterjee have carved out their own legacy with the bamboo flute. Disciples of Padma Vibhushan Pandit Hariprasad Chaurasia, their journey is one of devotion, discipline, and bold individuality.

Born to musicologists Krishna and Robin Chatterjee, their upbringing was rich with sound and scholarship. Early training under Pandit Bholanath Prasanna laid their classical foundation, but it was under Chaurasia Ji’s guidance that their artistry evolved into a spiritual path.

They broadened their perspective at the World Music Conservatory in Rotterdam, training in Western classical music, while remaining deeply rooted in Indian traditions.

Now mentors themselves, the Flute Sisters continue to shape the future of Indian classical music — keeping tradition alive, relevant, and resonant for generations to come.

Harshad Kanetkar started learning Tabla at the age of five. He is equally adept and versatile in the art of performing solo as well as accompanying vocals, instrumental and dance. He has been appreciated by renowned legend musicians for his crispness and clarity of his technique and a magnificent command on rhythm and stamina which are the classic hallmarks of his style.

He has accompanied many stalwart artists in various prestigious music conferences and festivals. He has traveled and performed extensively all over the world in 17+ countries. He has worked in the Classical music field of both Hindustani and Carnatic styles and as well as in Western music world.

Harshad has received many accolades and honours including the prestigious National Award of Scholarship from the Government of India.

Recently he has been selected on the judging panel of the Recording Academy which is famous for “The Grammy Awards.”

Andrew Kay is an acclaimed musician and composer from Toronto, Canada, writing and performing music ranging from Indo-Jazz, World Music, and Indian Classical Raga Music to Contemporary Jazz and Improvised Music. He is among one of the first musicians in the world to perform Indian Classical music on the Alto Saxophone after spending more than a decade living and studying in the traditional Guru-Shishya parampara system with his Guru in Kolkata, India. He has also pioneered a unique set of tuned Himalayan Singing Bowls that he performs with, as well as using tuning forks, various woodwinds, and hand percussion. He is a seasoned performer with dozens of feature concerts around the globe with world-renowned maestros and is the co-leader of many successful creative musical projects. 

Ganga Rudraiah alias publicganja is a VJ and sound-image bricoleur based in Toronto. Her video art practice foregrounds extreme editing and live improvisation as subversive techniques for resurrecting and reimaging visual histories of the Global South. She is also a PhD candidate and sessional lecturer at the University of Toronto’s Cinema Studies Institute.

Afraaz Adam Mulji is a multi-instrumentalist and composer with a deep passion for blending musical traditions from around the world. With a polymathic approach, he explores the quantum and mathematical nature of music, drawing inspiration from figures like Bach, al-Farabi, Scriabin, and Ramanujan. He takes a scientific approach to art, recognizing the inherent physical and metaphysical nature of sound & its application in broad contexts, including sound healing and mental health. He has also performed for diplomatic and royal delegations, and continues to contribute to global conversations on cultural exchange and artistic erudition.

The Harana Trio is a group of three young Filipino Canadian Jazz musicians whose mission is to revive the beautiful traditional courtship/serenade music of the Philippines. Comprised of pianist/vocalist Gio De Los Santos, guitarist JB Ombing and bandurria player Matthew Tenedero, their modern knowledge of arranging and deep love for the folk romanticism of their native land moves them to make the beloved kundiman tunes of yesterday accessible to a variety of audiences.

Dancemakers is a publicly-funded, professional dance company based in Toronto Canada that shares a range of dance traditions with the public. Dancemakers considers the context of how dance is presented.

Dancemakers supports independent dance Curators through innovative and customized presentation opportunities by providing flexible and adaptable platforms, various dance practices can be shared with diverse audiences and honouring the uniqueness of each dance project by continuously re-imagining how dance curators, choreographers and artists create and present programming in contemporary contexts with various communities and audiences in mind.

Shoe Dreams is a project that saw four tap dancers come together with shoe makers and other designers to create their Dream shoe. These shoes push the boundaries of style, culture, technology and sound innovation. This performance pairs these artists in the shoes they have designed, with Musicians who have created their own instruments. Curated by dance artist Rumi Jeraj, this performance asks the question: how can our tools for performance affect what we make?