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

The VIRTUAL Public Reading of ‘Why Black Women Whisper is almost here!

Imani Enterprises Presents… the ‘Why Black Women Whisper’ Virtual Public Reading

When? Sunday, December 4th at 6pm (EST)

What is needed? You will need to Register as there are limited spots available and you will also need a laptop, tablet, or desktop to view.

Estimated Show Time with Q & A approx. 2 and a 1/2 hours

You will be off camera so COME AS YOU ARE! (Bonnets welcome)😊😊😊

Cost: $10.00

Rated: PG 13 as well as for Adults and Elders

CLICK HERE TO GET YOUR TIX <—- Look Tickets are right here

Virtual Reading Cast:

d’Taborah Johnson

Shelley Hamilton

Dominique Brownes

Konima Parkinson-Jones

Gabrielle Cohen

Amani (Anne-Marie Woods)

About Anne-Marie Woods and ‘Why Black Women Whisper’

If you are close to playwright, poet, and creative consultant Anne-Marie Woods or Amani as many know her… you know that she’s been working on this new script for years and that plays take quit a bit of work to get from the page to the stage. Well the time is finally here to virtually find out where this piece is now.

Why Black Women Whisper is a Script in Development and thanks to funding from both Canada Council for the Arts and Ontario Arts Council, Anne-Marie has been able to hold a series of development workshops in 2022. There have been various iterations of this script to date and various actors/poets/performers that have taken part. So, here’s what you should know… A reading is very different from a full production. It’s a chance for you the audience to be invited into the work in progress of a new piece of theatre. A Dramaturg is who supports the work that the playwright is doing.

Anne-Marie is currently working with Dramaturg – Alison Sealy-Smith and Assistant Music Coordinator – Rudi Quammie Williams. She also worked with two Youth Production Assistants on this version of the script – Sydnie Paris and Marissa Trott. The actors who were part of the Development Workshops Part 1 were: Shelley Hamilton, Imani Monetta James, Samantha Walkes, Manouchka Elinor and Kelisha Daley. We also had an invited guest artist, Mahlika The Moonrise Poet who did a spoken word workshop with the cast.

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 and network.

Join Host, Amani aka Anne-Marie Woods alongside Youth Cohost and Facilitator, Marissa Trott with guest panelists/presenters… Alicia Richardson, Precious Iz and Natassia Morris for presentations, live performances, poignant advice and an abridged workshop.

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

Regular Rate: $40.00 for Gen Admission (Open to anyone interested in the Creative Industry, BIPOC, Artpreneurs and Entrepreneurs)

~~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 and Registration take place HERE Advance Registration and Payment Required, there is a limited amount of spots and no Drop Ins.

I am a very proud Nova Scotia Talent Trust Alumna. I received a scholarship from then in 1996 and have been a supportive Creative of their initiatives for many years. They have featured Sistahs In Da Biz on their Blog Post read it here

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.