The DWNTWNWRLD Show

You walk past Toronto’s history every day. Who decides which stories get remembered and whose voices get left out?Corrinne Chong, Senior Curator of Programs and Exhibitions, and Davin Henson, Director of Digital Programs at Museum of Toronto, join Kay Blair on The DWNTWNWRLD Show to explore the people, decisions and communities behind the city’s living history.We get into shared authority, oral history, how exhibition stories are chosen, and the work of preserving Toronto’s culture online. Through The T.O. You Don’t Know and Untold Toronto, the conversation explores community memory, Black Toronto artists, accessibility and what it means to see yourself reflected in a museum.Corrinne shares the human story behind Honest Ed’s iconic signs, while Davin connects Caribana to his own family history. They also discuss the Victory Theatre, memories of Hudson’s Bay, and why the stories attached to a place can outlast the building itself.TIMESTAMPS00:00 Toronto’s history hiding in plain sight00:33 Welcome to The DWNTWNWRLD Show01:27 Meet Corrinne Chong and Davin Henson01:40 Who decides which Toronto stories get remembered?02:26 Sharing authority with communities05:27 How the Museum chooses the city’s stories06:40 Oral history, objects and community trust09:16 Untold Toronto and Black Toronto artists12:04 From Myseum to Museum of Toronto14:28 Honest Ed’s and the people behind the signs17:08 Caribana and Davin’s family connection19:14 Seeing yourself in Toronto’s history20:20 Hudson’s Bay and memories of downtown21:37 The Victory Theatre and hidden city history23:12 What should Toronto remember in 100 years?24:22 Preserving Toronto’s digital culture25:17 A place for connection and belonging26:54 Accessibility and multisensory exhibitions29:30 Closing conversationWhat Toronto place, object or tradition holds a story more people should know? Tell us in the comments.LISTEN, FOLLOW & EXPLORE DWNTWNWRLDhttps://linktr.ee/dwntwnwrldFollow DWNTWNWRLD for honest conversations about culture, community, and the people doing the work. If this episode speaks to you, send it to someone who needs it.Hosted by Kay BlairGuests: Corrinne Chong and Davin Henson, Museum of TorontoCorrinne Chong — Senior Curator of Programs and ExhibitionsDavin Henson — Director of Digital ProgramsCONNECT ON INSTAGRAM@thedwntwnwrldshow@dwntwnwrld@museumoftorontoEXPLORE THE MUSEUM’S WORKMuseum of Torontohttps://museumoftoronto.com/Don’t Waste No Time With Negativity.Sponsored by:Canadian Music Centre - CMC OntarioCentre de Musique Canadienne#MuseumOfToronto #TheDWNTWNWRLDShow #TorontoHistory

You hear the finished record. What did it take to back the artists, build an independent label, and protect the music for the next generation?Music executive, producer and Order of Canada recipient Jim West joins Kay Blair on The DWNTWNWRLD Show to explore the decisions behind more than 40 years in Canadian music. As the founder of Justin Time Records and Wild West Artist Management, Jim has helped bring artists and their recordings to audiences around the world.We get into ownership of master recordings, funding independent music, artist relationships, and why Jim made some records even when he knew they would lose money. He also shares stories about Oliver Jones, Diana Krall and Oscar Peterson, alongside his perspective on preserving original tapes, the future of festival funding, and the business knowledge every independent artist needs.TIMESTAMPS00:00 The music worth preserving00:23 Welcome to The DWNTWNWRLD Show01:58 Turning studio tension into a great record03:05 What makes music last?07:17 Oliver Jones and the beginning of Justin Time12:53 Canada’s changing music press16:43 Funding independent recordings20:27 Making music when profit is unlikely23:36 Oliver Jones: legacy and international touring29:46 Artist ownership and master recordings33:50 Protecting the original tapes35:47 Recording Diana Krall37:26 Preserving a legacy41:06 Catalogue investment and independence42:36 The future of festival funding52:31 Trust and artist relationships54:25 An unforgettable Oscar Peterson studio moment56:12 Wild West Artist Management1:02:41 Jim’s advice for independent artists1:04:59 Closing conversationWhat would you still create if it never made a cent? Tell us in the comments.LISTEN, FOLLOW & EXPLORE DWNTWNWRLDhttps://linktr.ee/dwntwnwrldFollow DWNTWNWRLD for honest conversations about culture, community, and the people doing the work. If this episode speaks to you, send it to someone who needs it.Hosted by Kay BlairGuest: Jim West, C.M., Member of the Order of CanadaFounder of Justin Time Records and Wild West Artist ManagementCONNECT ON INSTAGRAM@thedwntwnwrldshow@dwntwnwrldEXPLORE JIM’S WORKWild West Artist Managementhttps://wildwestartistmanagement.com/Don’t Waste No Time With Negativity.Sponsored by:Canadian Music Centre - CMC OntarioCentre de Musique Canadienne#JimWest #TheDWNTWNWRLDShow #MusicBusiness

You see the finished image. What did it take to get into the room and build a career that could keep him there?

Photographer and filmmaker Mohtohsoh joins Kay Blair on The DWNTWNWRLD Show to explore the decisions behind his work, from Toronto to Paris and New York.

We get into rejection, relationships, fashion week, investing in yourself before the work is guaranteed, and the business systems that keep a creative career moving. Mohtohsoh also shares his approach to cameras, skin tones, documenting culture, and starting with the tools you already have.

IN THIS CONVERSATION
• Music, Toronto and his creative beginnings
• Paris, access and being overlooked
• Taking a chance on New York Fashion Week
• Rates, invoices and sustaining a creative business
• His camera, process and approach to skin tones
• Documenting fashion and building an archive
• Advice for creatives who are waiting to start

What’s one step you can take before the invitation arrives? Tell us in the comments.

Subscribe to The DWNTWNWRLD Show for more conversations with the people creating and shaping culture.

WATCH THE FULL EPISODE ON YOUTUBE

https://youtu.be/FTmsWOM0RpY

Hosted by Kay Blair
Guest: Mohamed Zalloufi, professionally known as Mohtohsoh

CONNECT ON INSTAGRAM

@thedwntwnwrldshow @mohtohsoh
@dwntwnwrld

Don’t Waste No Time With Negativity.

Sponsored by:

Canadian Music Centre - CMC Ontario

Centre de Musique Canadienne

#Mohtohsoh #TheDWNTWNWRLDShow #CreativeBusiness

Who supports the person who keeps showing up for everyone else?

Honey Jam founder Ebonnie Rowe joins Kay Blair to talk about the moment she nearly walked away from the work she loved, the promises that never became support, and the standards she refuses to lower.

For more than 30 years, Ebonnie has created opportunities and community for women in music. In this candid conversation, she shares what that commitment has cost her, what kept her going, and why helping others should never mean abandoning yourself.

We get into:
• The exhaustion behind the moment she almost quit
• Empty promises in the music industry and how to recognise real support
• Why talent and attention alone cannot sustain a career
• Protecting your boundaries without apologizing for your standards
• Building with what you have, even when resources are limited
• Receiving the Order of Canada and sharing that recognition with her family
• The mentorship and sisterhood at the heart of Honey Jam

For artists, community builders, and anyone who has ever wondered how much more they can give, this is a conversation about knowing your worth and finding a reason to keep going.

What’s one standard you’re no longer willing to lower? Join the conversation on Instagram.

WATCH THE FULL EPISODE ON YOUTUBE
https://youtu.be/nTfl-zlJ4b4

CONNECT ON INSTAGRAM
Kay Blair / DWNTWNWRLD: https://www.instagram.com/dwntwnwrld/
Honey Jam: https://www.instagram.com/thehoneyjam/

LISTEN, FOLLOW & EXPLORE DWNTWNWRLD
https://linktr.ee/dwntwnwrld

Follow DWNTWNWRLD for honest conversations about culture, community, and the people doing the work. If this episode speaks to you, send it to someone who needs it.

And remember: Don't Waste No Time With Negativity.

Host: Kay Blair
Guest: Ebonnie Rowe, Founder of Honey Jam

Sponsored by:
Canadian Music Centre - CMC Ontario
Centre de Musique Canadienne