Imani Arts Biz Dot Com

Welcome to ImaniArtsBiz.com Please note this is a temporary site as our main website is under construction. But you can still book us for workshops, coaching or creative consulting contracts, and you can see what exciting events or projects we are currently engaged in. For Bookings Contact us at w_imani@hotmail.com

Artist Bio

Anne-Marie Woods aka Amani is an award winning multi-disciplinary artist, arts educator, producer, poet, playwright, director creative consultant and creativity coach. With roots in London, England and Trinidad; her life and career has always challenged boundaries and blended multiple genres or styles. In 2001, she held the honour of being the first African Canadian to have a featured play Waiting to Explode at the National Black Theatre Festival in North Carolina. Voted as one of 100 Black Women in Canada to Watch and the 2013 winner of the BBPA Harry Jerome Award for Excellence in Entertainment, she has performed and presented in all across Canada, in the UK, Trinidad West Indies, and the World-Famous Nuyorican Café in New York City. In 2016, her play described as a Theatrical Rhapsody, She Said/He Said was produced by Black Theatre Workshop (BTW) in Montreal where it had a very successful World Premiere at the MAI. In 2019 BTW also produced the World Premiere of her youth production on the history of African Nova Scotians, Scotian Journey. Her other youth production, The Three Friends that focuses on African Canadian History and race relations was produced as part of the Education Series at the Richmond Hill Centre for the Performing arts in 2017 and 2019. For the past few years she has also worked as an Educator for Outreach and Public Programming at the City of Toronto Archives, where she brings her passion for equity diversity and inclusion to the job.

In 2022 she was hired to create and teach Africentric Curriculum on Sheroes and Heroes of African descent who were significant to Black History in Canada. This virtual education course entitled Black History Shouldn’t Be a Mystery (a title that comes from a monologue in her play The Three Friends) was a huge hit with the Pre School and Middle School audience it was designed for. “Being booked to teach Black History all year is so rare for me in my line of work.” say Woods. But this program ended up being one of the highlights of 2022. The Heroes and Sheroes she developed the courses on were:

The Honourable Jean Augustine
Dr. Carter G. Woodson
Viola Desmond
Mathieu Da Costa
Portia White
The Honourable Lincoln Alexander

“I chose Historical and Herstorical figures that I learned about that made an impact on my life when I was younger.” says Woods

Most recently she received funding from Ontario Arts Council and Canada Council to further develop her new script ‘Why Black Women Whisper.’

Coming Soon

Mark your Calendars for SISTAHS IN DA BIZ 2022

On Sunday October 23rd from 3pm – 5:30pm (EST)… Get ready for the Virtual/Interactive Business In The Arts Experience that highlights Creatives of the African Diaspora who are Boss Ladies in their industry. This year’s event will feature one Sistah from the United States making moves in the Theatre, Film and TV Industry in Toronto. Another Sistah who left her full time job to create her own PR Marketing and Communications Agency and one incredible 18 year old Sistah who is taking the world of comedy by storm. All hosted by Anne-Marie Woods aka Amani the Managing Director of Imani Enterprises and facilitated by Marissa Trott a youth creative who is a playwright and arts administrator. Get ready to learn from each of the panelists and take part in an abridged workshop that features their talents. Come prepared to ask questions, engage an network.

Join Amani aka Anne-Marie Woods, Marissa Trott, Alicia Richardson, and two surprise guest panelists.

Cost: ~~Regular Rate – $50.00 Gen Admission~~ (Already Reduced)

Regular Rate: $40.00 for Gen Admission (Open to anyone interested in the Creative Industry and the Business Side of things)

~~Early Bird Tickets $30.00 (Already Reduced)~~

$25.00 for Early Bird General Admission Tickets (Sale Starts Sept. 23rd at 5pm and ends October 8th at 11pm)

$20.00 for Youth Tickets (ages 15 – 25) (Youth Tickets go on sale September 23rd at 5pm)

Tickets will Go on Sale HERE on September 23rd at 5pm

More Info coming Soon

Booked in Nova Scotia

Coming up on March 12th we will be sharing the VIRTUAL stage with some incredible performers for the Africa Festival of Arts and Culture Black History Then & Now Event. Show time is 6-8pm (Scotian Time – AST) OR 5-7pm (Toronto Time – EST) This event is FREE but you must register in advance via their Zoom Link to get a spot. I’m so excited to not only hear Amadou, one of my favourite African Drummers or El Jones a Sista Poet who always leaves you at the edge of your seat. But, I am also going to be performing some new spoken word pieces.