Friar's Music Museum
Opening: Friday March 21, 2025 at Friar’s Music Museum
Location: Friar’s Music Museum (Inside Shoppers Drug Mart, 283 Yonge St, 2nd floor)
About THE EXHIBITION
Toronto’s vibrant music scene has been built by scores of remarkable women whose contributions have often been overlooked or undervalued. Shaking the Foundations: Women Trailblazers in Toronto Music is a groundbreaking new exhibit at Friar’s Music Museum, opening on March 21 2025, that will honour and highlight many of these influential artists.
Shaking the Foundations is a Downtown Yonge BIA initiative, presented in partnership with Toronto Music Experience and curated by longtime music writer Mary Dickie. As the first-ever exhibition to spotlight the creative and cultural impact of Toronto women in music, it highlights the artists whose unique attitudes, traditions, and histories have shaped the city’s musical landscape across virtually every style and genre.
Featured ARTISTS
Legends, Icons, and Innovators
Discover the women who redefined Toronto’s music scene. Shaking the Foundations will pay tribute to iconic artists such as:
Carole Pope,
whose bold performances with Rough Trade influenced punk, glam, and new wave.
Kiran Ahluwalia,
the two-time Juno Award winner blending Indian music with Mali blues, rock, and jazz.
Jane Bunnett,
the award-winning flute and saxophone player who helped introduce Afro-Cuban jazz to North American audiences.
Jackie Shane,
the transgender soul singer who exhilarated Toronto audiences in the 1960s.
Maureen Forrester,
the internationally renowned opera singer, teacher and Canada Council chair.
Jully Black,
the singer and actor known as the Queen of Canadian R&B.
RAW Taiko,
the Asian-Canadian group who drum for social change.
Lorraine Segato,
who blended global rhythms with social activism in The Parachute Club.
Salome Bey,
Canada’s “First Lady of the Blues,” who mentored generations of Black performers and created an acclaimed theatrical show on the history of Black music.
Lori Yates,
one of Canada’s first folk music stars and a country-rock visionary.
What to Expect
An Immersive Experience
The exhibit will also highlight influential artists like feminist post-punk band Fifth Column, hip-hop pioneers The Sorority, international electro-pop sensation Peaches, Filipino-Canadian gong-pop group Pantayo, DJ and dance music artist Cozmic Cat, Indigenous composer and cellist Cris Derksen and country-rock singer Lori Yates. Other featured artists include Norma Beecroft, SATE, Ohbijou, Jane Siberry, Gayle Young, Yamantaka Sonic Titan and more.
Visit the Exhibit
Plan Your Visit
📍 Location: Friar’s Music Museum (Inside Shoppers Drug Mart, 283 Yonge St, 2nd floor)
🗓️ Opening Date: March 21st, 2025
💲 Admission: Free Admission
PRESENTED BY
