Discussion on Albanian Art Collective's Manifesto at University of Toronto Humanities Institute

The Jackman Humanities Institute at the University of Toronto will present a panel discussion on September 18, 2025, focusing on the MANIFESTO initiative from the DebatikCenter of Contemporary Art. This collective, known as D.C.C.A., brings together diverse creative professionals including visual artists, filmmakers, curators, poets, hacker-activists, and academics. Between 2022 and 2025, the group developed three interdisciplinary projects that reconceptualize artistic practice and collaborative models. Featured speakers will include Armando Lulaj, a prominent Albanian artist, and Raino Isto, an art historian and curator who serves as editor-in-chief of ARTMargins Online. Their conversation will explore how current art practices can foster trust in contexts marked by neoliberal policies, digital monitoring, displacement of populations, and increasing populist movements. The event is scheduled from 3:00 PM to 5:00 PM at SS2098 Sidney Smith Hall, located at 100 St George Street in Toronto. A related program titled 'Albanian Trilogy: A Series of Devious Stratagems (2011–15)' will occur on September 19, 2025, from 5:30 PM to 7:30 PM at Innis 222 in Innis College on 2 Sussex Avenue in Toronto. These gatherings aim to provide insight into the intersection of artistic expression, political engagement, and community building within contemporary global challenges.