JAYU Festival of the Arts to Celebrate 5 Days of Youth-Led Creative Expression
Toronto, ON — November 19. 2025 — The JAYU Festival of the Arts is back for five days of youth-led creativity, showcasing poetry, art, workshops, and film screenings from December 10 – 14. This festival celebrates equity-deserving youth artists who use their voices and visions to tell stories grounded in human rights, equity, and social justice while offering audiences a front-row seat to bold ideas and real stories.
Attendees can expect spoken word poetry performances that challenge and inspire, an art exhibition that weaves personal and community stories, hands-on workshops to spark new skills and collaborations, and film screenings paired with artist talks that foster dialogue and connection. Every moment of the festival is designed to elevate the work of emerging artists and highlight the power of youth creativity in action.
“The JAYU Festival of the Arts is a space where young artists can take risks, share their stories, and connect with their communities through art,” said Nicole Dance, Manager of Fund Development. “We’re thrilled to celebrate the next generation of creators and deeply thankful to our funders for making this possible.”
JFA 2025 is made possible thanks to the generous support of the Government of Canada through the Department of Canadian Heritage’s Canadian Arts Presentation Fund and the Multiculturalism and Anti-Racism Program Events Stream. Programs like iAM x Verse & Visual Expressions are supported by the Ontario Arts Council and the Government of Ontario, while exhibitions, workshops, and community programs are brought to life with support from the Canada Council for the Arts, TD Bank (iAM Core Lead Sponsor), and partners including Toronto Arts Council with funding from the City of Toronto, RBC, TELUS Friendly Future Foundation, Co-operators, Canada Life, The Daniels Corporation, Charles H Ivey Foundation, Sony Electronics Inc, Kiwanis Club of Toronto, and St. George’s Society of Toronto. Thanks to these supporters, JAYU keeps art, storytelling, and community at the heart of everything it does.
For a full schedule of events and tickets, visit www.jayu.ca/festival
About JAYU
JAYU is a non-profit arts organization dedicated to amplifying the voices of equity-deserving youth in the GTA. Through year-round programs and annual festivals, JAYU supports emerging artists with mentorship, professional development, and platforms to showcase their creativity, build community, and inspire social change.
About Canada Council for the Arts
The Canada Council for the Arts contributes to the vibrancy of a creative and diverse arts and literary scene and supports its presence across Canada and around the world. The Council is Canada’s public arts funder, with a mandate to “foster and promote the study and enjoyment of, and the production of works in, the arts.” The Council’s grants, services, initiatives, prizes, and payments support Canadian artists, authors, and arts groups and organizations. This support allows them to pursue artistic expression, create works of art, and promote and disseminate the arts and literature. Through its arts funding, communications, research, and promotion activities, the Council fosters ever-growing engagement of Canadians and international audiences in the arts. The Council’s Public Lending Right (PLR) program makes annual payments to creators whose works are held in Canadian public libraries. The Council’s Art Bank operates art rental programs and helps further public engagement with contemporary arts through exhibition and outreach activities. The Council is responsible for the Canadian Commission for UNESCO, which promotes the values and programs of UNESCO to contribute to a future of peace, reconciliation, equity, and sustainable development.
Media Contact
Sursattie Raghunandan
Marketing & Communications Manager
sursattie@jayu.ca | www.jayu.ca | @jayucanada
