After the unfortunate postponement of a live performance this fall by the RISE Edutainment community’s specially assembled choir, we invite them instead for an online conversation about all things RISE-related and how to build community in the midst of a pandemic.

Reaching Intelligent Souls Everywhere (RISE) is a flourishing community led by youth, composed of artists, activists, free-thinkers and revolutionaries. Together, they create safe and welcoming platforms for self-expression and healing through the performance arts. Located primarily on the east-side of Scarborough, RISE reaches and draws youth from all corners of the GTA and beyond. RISE believes in the power of youth voice to advocate, express and build community.

This program is part of the partner series, AGO Live: Hello From The Other Side where we welcome partners from across the city to use the AGO as a site for their programs in an effort to revitalize the arts in our city.

In 7th year of operation, RISE continues to grow exponentially each week. The consistency has made a big impact on thousands of youth and the community-arts sector across the city. To date; they organized just over 400 events, including our 46 Monday nights each year, gathering over 28,000 recorded attendants. Their first collaboration with the AGO was in 2016, when RISE poets brought an incredible spoken word program across four Friday Nights at the gallery. RISE Founder Randell Adjei was part of a Basquiat panel the year before, and in 2019, they co-presented an incredible choir at the AGO’s new All Hours program. Join RISE as the choir reconvenes at the AGO once again.