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About Us

Inspiring Social Action Through Music Education

Sistema Toronto provides musical and intellectual opportunities to children in Toronto's underserved communities, with the goal of inspiring transformative social action. We build stronger communities by supporting children from marginalized neighbourhoods overcoming poverty, empowering them to grow and thrive as engaged citizens and future leaders.

Sistema Toronto is first and foremost a social development program, using ensemble-based music education to transform the lives of children. Sistema Toronto students work together for 10 hours of weekly instruction. They learn strings (violin, viola, cello, or double bass), percussion, choir and Music & Movement while developing important life skills like problem solving, empathy, and self-advocacy.

Land Acknowledgement

We acknowledge the land our program is held on is the traditional territory of many nations including the Mississaugas of the Credit, the Anishnabeg, the Chippewa, the Haudenosaunee and the Wendat peoples and is now home to many diverse First Nations, Inuit and Métis peoples. We also acknowledge that Toronto (T’karonto) is covered by Treaty 13 with the Mississaugas of the Credit, and the Williams Treaties signed with multiple Mississaugas and Chippewa bands.

Allyship Statement

Sistema Toronto is an equity driven organization dedicated to anti-oppressive practices. We are committed to promoting diversity and inclusion as a core value in our work. We actively acknowledge our privilege and power, and aim to do our work with integrity and transparency. We recognize all types of diversity including but not limited to ethnicity, race, gender, sexual orientation, age, body size and shape, class, citizenship status, religion and abilities. As an organization, we welcome the ways this diversity will deepen our shared understanding of each other and of the world around us, and aim to celebrate these differences as unique aspects of our humanity.

Safe Space Statement

Sistema Toronto is also committed to providing a safe space for our staff, students and communities: a space free of fear, bullying, and harassment of any kind. A space where we accept and uplift each other. We want to respect our differences and aim to always treat each other with kindness. We believe that everyone deserves to be listened to respectfully, and we commit to make space for our students and staff to speak. If we are subjected to or witness bullying and harassment, we will speak out knowing that our voices will be heard and we will be taken seriously. Together we will maintain a safe space at Sistema Toronto.