Canadian Artists Network: Black Artists in Action : Canadian Artists Network: Black Artists in Action (CAN:BAIA) was a national, multi-disciplinary organization representing black artists in Canada. In 1988 a group of artists, including Ayanna Black, Glace W. Lawrence, Marva Jackson, Vernon Eccles, Adrienne Shadd, David Zapparoli, Cameron Bailey, Hazel Da Breo, Charles Gray, Karen Tyrell, Chloe Onari, Janice Brangman, Erroll Nazareth and Yasmin Newson, came together with a vision to provide information, advocacy and education for African Canadian artists in all disciplines. In the fall of 1990, CAN:BAIA was incorporated as a non-profit organization, with a board of directors and executive committee drawn from representatives across the country. Funding was sought from Canada Council, the Department of Canadian Heritage, the Ontario Ministry of Culture, Citizenship and Recreation, and the Toronto Arts Council, as well as other agencies. Its membership grew to include professional artists, cultural workers, curators, art educators and art enthusiasts.
Early CAN:BAIA projects included literary readings and visual arts exhibitions. In 1992, CAN:BAIA co-ordinated its first major undertaking, a six-day international, multi-disciplinary conference and festival, Celafi '92, held at Toronto's Harbourfront with the theme 'Celebrating African Identity: Strategies of Empowerment, Affirmation and Discovery'. Among the artists involved were writers Austin Clarke, Cecil Foster and Lawrence Hill. The success of Celafi '92, which included a tribute to the international filmmaker Ousmane Sembene, led five years later to Celafi '97, whose theme was 'Celebrating African Identity: Entering the Millennium', which again provided an opportunity for African Canadian artists and their work to receive national and international exposure. Celafi '97 events included a production of a play by George Elliott Clarke.
The 'First Light: Celebrating African Canadian Cinema' festival was held in 1994 and provided a venue for works by African Canadian film and video makers. In 1994-1995, CAN:BAIA developed a series of skills development workshops, managed by Marva Ollivierre, which offered information and training in marketing to artists across the country. This led to the annual event 'Pelekeana', directed by Len Henry and set in Toronto and Vancouver, featuring art exhibitions, performances and panel discussions, including such artists as filmmakers Clement Virgo, Clifton Joseph and Selina Williams. Another annual event was 'Dance Immersion', directed by Vivine Scarlett and showcasing African Canadian dance artists at Toronto's Harbourfront.
In 1996, CAN:BAIA initiated a National Black Artists' Resource Centre and Slide Registry, to record the work of African Canadian artists. Following the ambitious Celafi '97, however, CAN:BAIA found itself in financial crisis as public funding dwindled - and in 1999 CAN:BAIA ceased operations.