Teacher & Arts Educator
Weyni Mengesha is a committed educator, mentor of new talent, and a producer of youth arts initiatives. She has led the Directors' Lab 2018 at Rumble Theatre as Master Director. Directors’ Lab is an integral component of Rumble’s Mentorship Program, designed to catalyze relationships between emerging and established artists and facilitate young artists’ transition to a professional career.
Mengesha was the co-director of the acclaimed A.M.Y. Project, training young women in performance arts since it's inaugural showcase in 2005 until 2011. She remains on their advisory committee. She also co-founded Sound the Horn in 2004 and was artistic director of the organization for seven years. STH provided artistic training for hundreds of young Ethiopian and Eritrean artists living in Canada. STH was also responsible for curating and producing an annual showcase called the Selam Youth Festival, which featured artists from across North America in music, dance, theatre and visual arts. She continues to be a guest teacher for artistic training programs across North America, including The National Theatre School of Canada, Canadian Film Centre (CFC) and Soulpepper Theatre.
Rumble Theatre Directors' Lab (2018)
The Lab is a workshop for emerging directors who want to get rigorous with the foundations of their craft. Over five days, the participants discussed principles of directing, examined and analyzed a text, rehearsed scenes with professional actors, and reflected on the processes. They also learned more about the designer-director relationship during sessions with some veteran Vancouver designers.
The A.M.Y. Project (2005 - 2011)
The AMY Project builds the leadership, confidence, and unique voice of young women in Toronto by providing them with performance training, connections to artistic mentors, experience working in a professional theatre, and support towards the early growth of their careers.
Sound The Horn and the Selam Youth Festival
(2004 - 2011)
SOUND THE HORN was a festival dedicated to educating and empowering Ethiopian and Eritrean youth through the arts. Starting in 2004, we had been activating a new generation of young leaders through our annual Selam Youth Festival, Sound the Horn Leadership Program, and in 2010 the first ever Selam Visual Arts Festival.
In the first five years the Selam Youth Festival grew from an evening of performance to a three-day event and committed to staying current and relevant to youth by mentoring and training the next generation of young leaders to curate, produce and perform in the festivals and annual events.
