Abstract
How can arts-based methodologies offer unique insights into contemporary migration and settlement experiences? Informed by qualitative research and a literature review which analyzes identity theory, social construction theory, and Canadian art organizations which support newcomer artists, this paper explores the potential for the intersection of the arts in immigration and settlement assessment. An exploratory investigation of the theory of art as linked to migration is illuminated by the experiences of a group of artists who have gone through a significant migratory experience and share their reflections on being artists in Canada. This paper argues that analyzing art created by immigrant artists offers insight into the contemporary Canadian immigration experience which quantitative data is unable to capture. Learning about the barriers which immigrant artists face through using arts-based research includes the subject in the research, thereby empowering and validating their lived experiences as valuable epistemologies and ontologies. Findings reveal the impact of acculturation on the identities of and opportunities available to immigrant artists in Canada. Key Words: Immigrant Art; Immigration and Toronto; Place-making; Acculturation; Hybridity; Identity
Highlights
It is argued that the mosaic approach has greatly contributed to migrant social cohesion
This paper explores the role of the arts in settlement in two-folds: firstly, the barriers workingprofessional immigrant artists face when entering Toronto’s creative economy; as well as how art created by these immigrant artists can reveal unquantifiable but significant factors of the immigration experience for both immigrant artists and non-artists
While using an economic analysis to measure and analyze how successful immigrant settlement programs are is imperative for understanding the impact of need-based programs, it is unable to recognize the nuances of identity, barriers within the creative economy, and processes of acculturation
Summary
The City of Toronto is Canada’s largest and most diverse city racially, linguistically, and religiously, and is internationally known for the cultural makeup which contributes to its vibrant character. Immigrants make up a considerable percentage of Canada’s growing population; as a result, an economic lens is often used to analyze immigrant integration and settlement (Grant & Buckwold 2013) This MRP suggests that exploring intersections of art and migration can contribute to our understanding of social integration and settlement. As of 2016, over 20% of Canada’s population identify as immigrants, with an estimated 1.2 million people having arrived within 10 years or less (Statistics Canada 2017) This number is anticipated to continue growing as economic inequality and civil strife contribute to push-factors for migrants internationally seeking a new home, many of whom will settle in Toronto, the country’s largest newcomer destination city. This chapter outlines and defines language used in this paper
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