Artist of the Month: March 2026
Multi-disciplinary Artist and Arts Administrator, Arts Educator
Based in Calgary, Alberta
Artist Bio
Dominic Fayenuwo is a Calgary-based multidisciplinary artist, scholar, arts producer and administrator with an extensive international practice spanning Nigeria and Canada. He is the founder and Artistic Director of Black Onyx Playhouse, where he develops multidisciplinary work across stage and screen. His practice centres on performance, visual storytelling, and cultural exchange. In 2024, Dominic received an Arts Leadership Grant from the National Arts Centre, which supported his professional development at the Citadel Theatre, Edmonton. He also received the Executive Arts Leadership Award (2024–2025) from the Rozsa Foundation, enabling him to work at the Werklund Centre, strengthening his experience in institutional arts leadership and cultural administration. His work combines producing and directing, filmmaking, and arts management. He creates productions, leads creative teams, and builds partnerships that support both artists and audiences. His expertise focuses on developing sustainable creative platforms and projects that can grow over time and reach diverse communities locally and internationally.
You work as a multidisciplinary artist, arts educator, and administrator. How do those roles intersect in your day-to-day work, and why is it important for you to hold all three?
As an artist, I remain grounded in the realities of making work. As an educator, my research and teaching help train the next generation of artists with both creative and critical tools, which then informs my role as an administrator who works to create the structures, opportunities, and environments that allow artists and art students to thrive. Holding all three roles is not separate from who I am; it defines my practice. Each role strengthens the other and allows me to support artistic excellence while building sustainable platforms for others to succeed. My guiding promise has always been to serve as a bridge between access to resources, expertise, and positive experience for the artists, students, and organisations I work with. In my day-to-day work, that bridge connects practice, teaching, and leadership. My background as a performing artist trained in the Total African Theatre tradition gives me a holistic framework for navigating this triangular world, where creative process, pedagogy, and institutional systems constantly inform one another.
A strong thread in your work is cultural exchange and representation. Where does that focus come from, and how does it show up in the projects you choose to take on?
I come from a country that houses more than 250 ethnic groups, each with its own language and cultural identity, so i guess i am used to seeing the world through this multipolar lens. Even my own ethnic group (Yoruba) has about 25 distinct dialects. I am generally drawn to projects that are multidisciplinary and multicultural in nature, as they provide the opportunity to experience something new, something I haven't experienced before, and immense joy in the opportunity to share that experience with the rest of the world.
You’ve spent much of the last few years building platforms and supporting other artists. What draws you to that kind of behind-the-scenes leadership?
I am motivated by a sense of responsibility to extend the same access and support that made my own journey possible. I did not arrive where I am in isolation; I benefited from platforms, mentors, and institutions that invested in my growth. Building and supporting structures for other artists is, in many ways, a continuation of that grace. It is a way of ensuring that others have the platforms they need to thrive, so we can all thrive together.
You’ve balanced artistic practice with training, professional development, and institutional work. How has that shaped your long-term vision for your career?
Honestly, it has helped me to see the bigger picture. Early on, I thought making strong work was enough, but I have since learned that lasting impact in the arts requires structural understanding, like how governance, funding systems, cultural policy, and intentional audience development shape what gets seen and what gets sustained. That insight has changed my long-term vision. I don’t just want to create projects; I want to help shape the environments that make those projects possible and sustainable. I aim to operate at the intersection of scholarship, creative production, and executive leadership. The goal is impact that lasts beyond a single production.
What are you actively working toward right now, and what kinds of opportunities or collaborations would you like to see come your way next?
Right now, I am actively programming for Black Onyx Playhouse, which is a new initiative that aims to promote the Total African Theatre performance traditions and all artistry that functions within it. The team and I are currently executing a couple of our flagship programs, like (Echoes Across the Flames), which is taxing enough, but we are also facilitating outreach for pan-African artistry, which is something the community should watch out for.
What advice would you give to other newcomer or emerging artists who are trying to find their footing in Alberta’s arts community?
Trust yourself, that is, be grounded in your artistry, but also trust the learning process. Build the right community and networks, and also, please and please, join ICAI.
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