Discovering Scarborough’s True Self Through the Arts
From a strong sense of community to the amalgamation of immigrant cultures, this is Scarborough’s identity.
The fog of stereotypes often diverts our eyes from seeing the underrepresented beauty of Scarborough’s community; one enriched with migration histories and filled with people who create opportunities for others to grow. Scarborough possesses a deep story unlike any other. This story is especially reflected in their art scene, where we can discover and learn what makes Scarborough, Scarborough.
Scarborough has layers. One is seen through the media with the glitz and glamour exuded by Scarborough stars like The Weeknd. Another layer is plagued by stereotypes, often seen as a crime-ridden suburb with few things to do compared to Toronto’s downtown core. Despite this, Scarborough possesses a unique identity that shines through these layers.
There is a rich history of the arts that tries to unpack and represent a level-headed view of Scarborough. A great example is sitting on the front step of the University of Toronto Scarborough (UTSC). The Scarborough Sign is a life-sized installation with individual letters that spell out SCARBOROUGH. This sign travels across neighbourhoods around the city to display community art projects by local artists and residents. Each letter is painted with different art mediums and styles, showcasing the diverse identities that make up Scarborough’s community and culture.
Photo Courtesy of Scarborough Arts
The Misrepresentation & The Glamour
One of the first things I heard about Scarborough was that it is the ‘ghetto of Toronto.’ People often associate this part of the city with crime and dullness, where even the Google algorithm unexpectedly shows a photo of a demolished house as the first image that comes up when searching Scarborough back in 2019. Although Mayor John Tory had Google quickly rectify this mishap, it summarizes how people view Scarborough compared to the buzz of downtown Toronto.
The negative connotations stem from the way the media views migrant populations. Myuri Srikugan, a fifth-year student at UTSC and Scarberian (read: a Scarborough local), noted that people view Scarborough’s predominantly racialized community in a bad light. People outside of Scarborough often generalize the suburbs with drugs, crime, and worn-down houses. There is a history of gun and gang violence in the suburbs alongside low-income communities. Moreover, the police have created an atmosphere of fear associated with migrant populations. In the larger scheme, this issue stems from the common case in other countries where migrant communities have been stereotyped and associated with higher crime rates. Unfortunately, people have bought into this sketchy generalization.
“It’s gotten worse in the last couple of years,” recalls Alyssa Brubacher, a fifth-year Theatre and Performance major at UTSC. As a Scarberian herself, she notes that one of the roots of this problem is the over-policing of racialized groups and the under-serving of city counsellors. This results in local artists often being excluded from the opportunities to share their works and unable to show another side of the suburbs: the true Scarborough.
With the help of celebrities, Scarborough is emerging in a more positive light that tries to undo the borough’s crime-riddled stereotype. The first fun fact I learned about Scarborough is that it’s The Weeknd’s hometown and that he features Scarborough in his art. He famously shot parts of his music video for ‘Secrets’ in UTSC’s own Humanities Wing. He’s also known for his continuous support of his hometown. During the COVID-19 pandemic, he donated $500,000 to the Scarborough Health Network (SHN) to support frontline workers. The Weeknd undeniably puts Scarborough on the map through his music.
More recently, American rapper, J. Cole, made an unexpected return to professional basketball with the Scarborough Shooting Stars in May 2022. His presence put Scarborough on the media’s radar among basketball fans and rap fans alike. Scarborough’s glamour shone brighter when Drake supported his fellow rapper and wore the Shooting Stars’ merch. Thanks to these big influential names, Scarborough is starting to be recognized as a community with growing, creative talent. And local artists are feeling the recognition.
The Shooting Stars home opener // Photo Courtesy of Sportsnet
The Arts, the People, the Community
Despite the reputation the media have given Scarborough, local artists are proud to call this suburban pocket their hometown. Artists intend to portray the city in a more realistic and positive manner. The book Scarborough, by Catherine Hernandez, shows a side of the city that the audience wouldn’t know without diving into the stories of the community. Recently adapted to a screenplay in 2021, Hernandez expresses the multitude of voices and identities of Scarborough through the characters’ struggles with the weight of poverty and crime. Unlike the imposed stereotypes, Scarborough welcomes the audience to experience an unfiltered and empathetic glimpse into the unique experiences of the Scarborough community: “a neighbourhood that refuses to be undone.”
With a population exceeding 600,000, it is unfathomable to discover that this eastern suburb of Toronto comprises diasporas from different cultures. A history of immigration is deeply rooted in Scarborough’s identity, which results in pockets of cultures coexisting as neighbours. Srikugan highlights the uniqueness of the cultural dynamic in Scarborough, where multiple cultures live together while maintaining their genuine identities. “That’s not normal. It’s special,” Srikugan added.
This unique Scarborough identity is reflected in the language of Toronto slang. In fact, most of the Patois-rooted slang originated from the clashing of cultures in the core of Scarborough. A multidisciplinary art project called “Scarborough Slang,” involved a graffiti mural of slang words from the eastern suburbs and taught the audience how to use them. Local artists, Omar Hopkinson and Joseph Adinkrah, collaborated to strengthen Scarborough’s identity as a unique, cultural land. Scarborough's endless connections between cultures and diasporas create limitless opportunities for the community to express themselves creatively.
When I first arrived in Scarborough in September 2021, I needed art materials. As an artist who illustrates and paints as my pastime, I actively sought opportunities to keep my creative practice alive. It didn’t take long for me to come across Scarborough Arts, a non-profit organization that offers inclusive and community-driven arts programming and services. Shortly after, I joined their virtual crochet workshops, however, I didn’t have any experience or equipment. Thankfully, they had mailed every attendee a crochet kit to introduce us to the art and provide us with the necessary tools.
There were working adults who wanted to find a new pastime. There were individuals who looked to revive their crochet knowledge passed down by their grandparents. There were people looking to be a part of a community. I looked, and for six weeks, I learned how to make a tiny blanket and a pair of limbs that was supposed to form a doll, before school diverted my attention and time. Regardless, I am impressed by how easily I found and joined a community for an art form I had never thought of trying before and felt welcome despite not being from here.
“After being brushed off the conversation and excluded from the city, Scarborough is more than happy to welcome others to the table,” Brubacher mentioned. I’ve realized there is an emphasis on the community when talking about Scarborough, which is evident in our own UTSC backyard.
ARTSIDEOUT (ASO) is UTSC’s annual one-day multidisciplinary art festival that welcomes anyone interested in the arts to showcase their work to the community. Ashley Heng, the Director of Operations for this year’s festival, highlights ASO’s role in giving people from various backgrounds a chance to let their “art side out” without any consequences. As a fourth-year international student from Singapore, Heng mentions, “ASO is the first place where I found an arts community on campus, even more specific to arts management.” The communities of Scarborough do not shy away from giving opportunities to people to grow and discover themselves.
ARTSIDE OUT // Photo Courtesy of the University of Toronto Scarborough
In return, people from outside of Scarborough are discovering its true identity through its art scene. Srikugan, whose documentary was recently featured in a collaborative project between Scarborough Arts and Tamil Archive project, mentions, “I want to capture and show the people in Scarborough in a beautified manner.” She illustrates a piece of Scarborough’s beauty in her documentary, “Colourism: Abhirami,” where she explores the discrimination towards dark skin through an interview with Scarborough local, trans-Tamil non-binary, Abhirami. In her conversations with Abhirami, Srikugan notes how the land of Scarborough evoked emotions within her and how it became more than a place: it’s a connection.
Being a Scarberian itself is a connection. People from different areas of the world have different cultures and identities, but Scarborough seems to connect them all. Immigration is a complex phenomenon. Individuals and families leave their homes to seek a new home and life in a foreign land for various reasons. Despite the cultural clashes, Srikugan explains how Scarborough creates an environment for migrants to ‘recreate life and find joy in another land.’
“You can’t have Scarborough art without migrant communities,” Brubacher added.
With the increased exposure that Scarborough artists are getting from other areas in Toronto, people are turning their heads and noticing the great potential of talent from the suburbs. There’s much more to learn about Scarborough than what’s on the surface, and delving into its art scene is an immersive and exciting way to discover the suburbs. However, with more lucrative opportunities emerging, Scarborough's tight-knit community and unique culture are at risk.
The Gentrification
Scarborough is no exception in the current inflation crisis. To add to its current troubles, businesses and investors are buying Scarborough lands to build high-rise condominiums for people congested in the core of Toronto. The unequal economic and political dynamic drives local Scarborough businesses out of their homes to make way for these new projects. Scarborough is facing gentrification.
One area that is at the forefront of gentrification is the Malvern area, located in the northeast pocket of Scarborough. The neighbourhood’s central piece, Malvern Town Centre, has recently been proposed to be replaced with residences and retail by the real estate company, Davpart. Although real estate and mall owners believe that Malvern residents will be pleased with the decision, the residents are not.
A youth community group, 42 Voices, asks the younger Malvern population to speak their voices on the matter. People have expressed hesitance towards the mall’s replacement plan and stood by the mall’s crucial cultural role in the community. One resident noted that as gentrification sets in the neighbourhood, the voices of the Malvern community, predominantly immigrant and racialized, are rarely heard.
42 Voices // Photo Courtesy of Toronto.com
Across the suburbs, gentrification leads to skyrocketing living costs. Housing and rent prices have generally increased due to high-interest rates. On top of the looming inflation issues affecting other cities, Scarborough’s projects to provide affordable housing is at risk. Even before the COVID-19 pandemic, apartment rental prices have dramatically risen. For instance, apartments around Scarborough Town Centre (STC) have increased by 31% from last year. According to a real estate company, Properly, Scarborough real estate prices have increased by an additional 25% in May 2021. With housing demands constantly growing, real estate prices will continue to rise.
City officials are rearranging neighbourhoods with economic growth in mind. Neighbourhoods are being redistributed to nearby districts, such as Victoria Park to North York. “Scarborough has such a tangible culture. Dividing and separating these cultural pockets make no sense,” Brubacher emphasizes. Through the arts, Scarborough has risen from the fog of misrepresentation to express its true identity made up of unique stories from around the world. The dilemma between prioritizing economic growth and preserving cultural identity comes into the conversation regarding what the future of Scarborough will look like.
With the glamour and misrepresentation the east end has gone through, Scarborough is all and none of these things at the same. It is unique in its own characteristics as a community. Despite the economic and power motives circling Scarborough, Srikugan underlines that “we’re a force that can’t be removed.”
Special thanks to Ashley Heng, Myuri Srikugan, and Alyssa Brubacher, who taught me so much about Scarborough and allowed me to reflect on what this city has meant to me in the last year and a half.
