Red Pepper Spectacle Arts

Prior to Red Pepper's founding, the late and great Ida Carnevali, Artistic Director of Kensington Carnival and Producer of the Festival of Lights (original title) in Kensington Market, passed the torch to Gabriella Caruso after years of apprenticeship with her. Red Pepper's inception in 2002, is attributed to the opportunity to provide leadership a... nd growth for this popular, grass-roots celebration for the past 19 years. The event comprises an outdoor parade and processional performance, street and rooftop theatrical animation and fire finale stage to observe and celebrate the return to light on the longest night of the year. Community workshops in lantern creation, masking and puppetry, street installations, processional imagery and fire arts hosted by Red Pepper and the Kensington Community months prior, have steadily built annual community participation and support from our partnering organizations, Kensington merchants and residents and the City of Toronto. Preparatory activities engage over 500 and draw up to 10,000 to the parade eve on December 21st. Red Pepper works with a community advisory committee composed of Kensington organizations and individuals to steer and secure a sustainable funding base and community stewardship for this festival that grows. Red Pepper continues to develop various funding streams and revenue generating activities. Since its inception, Red Pepper has demonstrated a long-standing commitment to community- controlled culture and revitalization, that is maintained in an ethos of mutual respect, professional integrity and resilience. Red Pepper continues to advance the original mission and mandate because of our interactive continuity in relationship with allied organizations and individuals who share in our values of community health and restorative justice through the arts. Red Pepper's arts-based facilitation is adept at offering diverse artistic ways that are socially and culturally responsive. Communitarian and oriented to social justice, collaborative methods are adaptive ...Read More