At a one-day gathering in St. John’s on September 20, 2026, Black artists talked about their place in Newfoundland and Labrador’s arts scene. Rooted and Reaching was organized by the Twiga Collective, a group founded by Lisah Nsanzugwanko to support Black theatre creatives in the city and across the province.
Rachel Gilbert and Elijah Martel of the Anti-Racism Coalition of Newfoundland and Labrador led a workshop on racism in arts and culture, from funding to the stories that get told. Writer and playwright Alexandria Goldface speaks about putting words to her own experiences, and argues that Canada’s immigration system should recognize artists.
Newcomers make up a large part of the collective. In 2026, Twiga took part in a co-operative incubator program, and it plans to build training programs for theatre roles. Founding member Wesley Aubyn describes the support the collective needs next.
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