This year at HOLD ON LET GO, we’re excited to be presenting 7 deviceful, experimental performances, by artists whose practices bound outside of convention — asking our audiences to take new looks at long-time subjects and conversations. The forms are startling and call attention to these narratives in intimate and revealing ways: saying difficult things we can’t speak directly through a sweet and delicious gift; unfolding layers of loss brought on by the pressures of constant progress; the power of transforming legacy in present day action; and talking with teens about three things we’re not supposed to talk about with our kids: sex, drugs and crime. This year’s program also shares family ritual, cultural customs and secrets.  

Works include Secret Ingredients by Keely O’Brien, Loss Machine by Kyle Loven, Raven Mother by Dancers of Damelahamid, Sex Drugs and Criminality by Mammalian Diving Reflex and a unique presentation of Zuppa’s web-based game, Archive of Missing Things. We also have two in development presentations of brand new works: it is for when you meet me by Anjela Magpantay and MY HOUSE by FakeKnot. 

As always, we’ll be hosting festival gatherings including artist talks, panel discussions and social mixers, while welcoming an international delegation from exciting festivals and venues around the world. This year’s program also features two culminating activities from TR’s Accelerator Lab International Fellowship program. HOLD ON LET GO’s Emerging Artist Series is curated again this year by artist Amanda Sum. 

Like most arts organizations, TR and 605 have been super intentional about what projects and programs we’re working on right now. We need to be, as we navigate the present moment. Our ideas have been all about building ecosystems, to help generate and sustain for our companies, but also for the artists we collaborate with and do our best to uplift. With HOLD ON LET GO, you’re looking at an art ecosystem in action, bringing experimental works that often (and increasingly so) get pushed to the edges, and placing them right in the centre. HOLD ON LET GO sees the intersection of many of our programs and activities that feed into each other, forming systems of support around important artistic work. Through continually building these structures, we see what’s possible — we gain a clearer understanding of what we can achieve — moving forward.

Thank you for joining us at HOLD ON LET GO 2025. 

Maiko, Josh & Lisa