Poet Laureate, published writer and recording artist, and celebrated spoken word artist, Wakefield Brewster is one of Canada's most dynamic and powerful performing artists. Arts Commons is thrilled to be welcoming Wakefield Brewster as our 2023-24 TD Incubator Fellow, providing artistic guidance and curation for the interdisciplinary artist development program. Read on to learn about his vision for the 2023-24 season of the TD Incubator program.

One may visualize their person, a person, any person – as a puzzle.

We are born with a few pieces. We grow out of some and into others. We manifest more from within to fill the spaces. All these intrinsic pieces – those closest to us – are curated by connection, forged in a deeply personal foundry of familiarity.

The extrinsic parts of our puzzles come from farther regions: the orbits, the ellipses, the unknown. They are produced and procured in spaces, places, and people unexpected.

To finally complete one’s personal puzzle, one must look outside the box.

Such is the task and direction for the 2023-24 season of Arts Commons’ TD Incubator program: a journey defined by connection, collaboration, and creation – artists extending outwards in search of a piece to finally complete a border, illuminate an image, or fill a gap. The picture of this season will be shaped by artists practicing disciplines defined by difference and curiosity and risk. We seek expressions, forms, ideas, and intentions that are distinct enough that they may find their opposite, and strong enough to bend as they combine forces. There is some assembly required.

When this puzzle is truly complete some pieces may be damaged, may be broken, may be missing… and all these pieces – these gaps and frayed edges – will fit your puzzle perfectly.