Challenger City TO EP5: Going beyond 'Toronto the good' to discover a city's new cultural identity with Faisal and Tabassum Siddiqui

In this episode of "Challenger Cities," host Iain Montgomery sits down with two influential figures in Toronto's creative landscape: Tabassum Siddiqui, a freelance journalist and communications specialist, and Faisal Siddiqui, founder of the Creative Business Company. Together, they delve into the strengths, challenges, and future prospects of Toronto's vibrant arts and culture scene.

Key Topics:

• Toronto's Vibrant Arts Scene: Tabassum highlights how Toronto excels in hosting a plethora of cultural events at all cost levels, driven by its diversity. "This is what people flock to cities for," she notes.
• Threats to Creativity: The discussion touches on the closure of venues across the city, which act as vital incubators for the arts. "Venues have closed right across the city in a really, really major way in the last sort of 10 to 15 years," Tabassum points out.
• Digital vs. In-Person Experiences: Despite the rise of digital platforms, the pandemic underscored our craving for the energy of live events. "We crave coming together and there's nothing like live music in the sense of having all those people in a room," says Tabassum.
• Scaling Up Creativity: Faisal discusses the challenge of scaling up creative ventures in Toronto and expresses excitement about micro-retail spaces. "I think the Gerard Street example where you have developers working in conjunction with...a public and private model...gives the best chance for a lot of these companies to grow," he says.
• The High Cost of Living: A 2019 Toronto Arts Council report revealed that 70% of artists are considering leaving the city due to high living costs. "How do you sustain a creative city when your artists can't afford to live here?" Tabassum questions.
• Toronto’s Unique Story: Both guests suggest creating a Chief Creative or Culture Officer to craft and tell Toronto's unique story. Faisal provocatively suggests, "Don't give a fuck about Tim Hortons and hockey... be more than a Bennetton commercial mixed with a Tim Hortons one."
• A Call to Action: As the episode concludes, Faisal and Tabassum urge Torontonians to recognize that their story is far from finished. "Come up here and finish the story," Faisal invites.
• "Venues have closed right across the city in a really, really major way in the last sort of 10 to 15 years." - Tabassum Siddiqui
• "We crave coming together and there's nothing like live music in the sense of having all those people in a room." - Tabassum Siddiqui
• "I think the Gerard Street example where you have developers working in conjunction with... a public and private model... gives the best chance for a lot of these companies to grow." - Faisal Siddiqui
• "Toronto Arts Council and Foundation in 2019 put out a research report... 70% of the several thousand artists that they surveyed said they were considering leaving Toronto in the coming years. And why was that? Simply cost of living." - Tabassum Siddiqui
• "This is the place where who you were has no bearing on who you can be. That's ambitious, future-facing, and exciting." - Faisal Siddiqui
• "Why do people come to live in Toronto? For food and culture, not to live in a glass condo." - Faisal Siddiqui
• "We've come so far from 'Toronto the Good'... we're absolutely not that anymore." - Tabassum Siddiqui
• "Don't give a fuck about Tim Hortons and hockey... be more than a Bennetton commercial mixed with a Tim Hortons one." - Faisal Siddiqui
• "Come up here and finish the story." - Faisal Siddiqui
• "Toronto has to act now or the chance will be gone." - Faisal Siddiqui