Welcome to Pratibha Arts

Pratibha Arts serves to enhance and advance the cultural fabric of Ontario and Canada through the production, education and performance of arts, often featuring influences from South Asian cultures, which are reflective of this significant demographic in Canada. Under the Artistic leadership of Bageshree Vaze, the organization’s vision is to promote artistic excellence as well as nurture future generations of artists in Ontario and reflect the current 'faces' of Toronto and Canada. ‘Pratibha’ means ‘creative intelligence’ in Sanskrit. Pratibha Arts’ activities enhance the collective artistic intelligence of Canadians, but also explore new avenues and models for intelligently supporting creativity.

According to its articles of incorporation, the organization promotes the Arts by achieving the following objectives:

1. Educate and increase the public’s understanding and appreciation of the Arts by providing performances of an artistic nature in public places by arranging and delivering educational seminars on topics relating to such artist performances.
2. Provide instructional seminars on topics relating to the performing and visual arts.
3. Produce performing arts festivals for the purposes of illustrating, educating and advancing the public’s understanding and appreciation of performing arts.
4. Ensure the continuation of the Arts by educating and developing artists through training and participation in performances, festivals, and related workshops.

Bageshree Vaze is an Indo-Canadian dance artist, musician and writer -- for full bio please visit bageshree.com.

Laura Philipps is a second-generation Canadian of German ancestry. She is a producer and production manager of dance, theatre and outdoor multimedia works. Laura is a producing intern funded by the Metcalf Foundation. Visit lauraphilipps.com for more.

Carolyn Poplak (President)

Meeta Bajaj (Treasurer)

Ritu Kumar (Secretary)

Jay Banerjee

Shivani Joshi

Bibhu Mohanty (Ex-Officio)

Pratibha Arts was incorporated in the province of Ontario in 2011, and acquired federal charitable status in 2015. The organization was founded to create, produce and present multidisciplinary, high-quality works influenced by South Asian classical arts, but as a reflection of the Canadian cultural milieu. While many of its productions feature what are considered 'traditional' aesthetics, and are identified as 'culturally-diverse,' Pratibha Arts' impetus is to propagate these aesthetics as part of current, contemporary Canadian culture. 

Under the artistic direction of Bageshree Vaze, Pratibha Arts is based in the downtown area of Toronto, but has partnered with many other organizations such as Harbourfront Centre (for its Spectrum series in 2012, 2013 and Sadhana series in 2016), and Sampradaya Dance Creations (2017). Its work has been presented by DanceWorks, the Oakville Centre for the Performing Arts, and the Canada Dance Festival. It has run a Dancer training initiative since 2013 and promotes the professional development of emerging dance and music artists through this program, as well as the 'Sadhana' professional development series for emerging South Asian artists.

In 2018, Pratibha Arts spearheaded the Diversity Dance Initiative, a shared platform for culturally-diverse dance companies to grow and develop audiences in downtown Toronto and Ontario.

pratibhaarts@yahoo.com