Diane Gistal is a cultural producer and independent curator of Haitian-French descent, recognized for her dedication to promoting Afro-descendant and African artistic creation. As the founder and director of Nigra Iuventa, she works to amplify the practices of visual artists from these communities. With expertise in diversity, equity, and inclusion, as well as extensive experience in cultural project management, Diane is a committed leader in Quebec’s cultural sector.Her career has led her to collaborate with prestigious institutions such as the Montreal Museum of Fine Arts, the Phi Foundation, the Goethe-Institut, The Power Plant Contemporary Art Gallery, Le Livart, and the UNESCO Chair DCMET. Her curatorial practice—at the crossroads of visual arts, literature, and the humanities—delves into the literary, visual, and cinematic representations of the Black Atlantic.

DFresh Banger is a gold- and platinum-certified Canadian-Cameroonian producer, DJ and songwriter. He is known for his innovative fusion of AI technology and music. Since 2020, he has been using artificial intelligence for sampling, production and dynamic DJ sets, marrying futuristic techniques with his signature sound inspired by Afro rhythms.

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Born Daniel Sandé in Cameroon and raised in North America, DFresh Banger has been rocked by rap, R&B and reggae, as well as the driving rhythms of ndombolo and makossa. His career took off under the guidance of multi-platinum producer Koudjo (Booba, Jul, Soprano, Naza), and he enjoyed early success with the Parisian group 1995, achieving gold certification for their album Paris Sud Minute.

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Today, DFresh Banger makes its international debut with the Afro-pop single Far Away, in collaboration with Nigerian revelation Singah (known for the hits Teyamo and Mon Amour, accumulating over 35 million listens). This sunny, hybrid track highlights his talent for fusing AI-enhanced productions with sounds from the four corners of the globe.

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With a track record of success and a vision firmly focused on the future of music technology, DFresh Banger redefines modern production-one beat at a time.

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Sylvine, better known as The Artiiist, of Central African origin, was born in France and has now been living in Canada for 12 years. From an early age, art has always played a central role in her life: singing, dancing and then painting. This passion has gradually turned into a real career: she is the founder of Smard Art.

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It was during the COVID-19 pandemic that Sylvine launched her artistic enterprise: Smard Art. Her talent and vision quickly attracted attention, propelling her work onto the international scene. This dazzling success has enabled her to make a living from her art and develop her business internationally, although she still harbors even greater ambitions.

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Through her work, she celebrates the identity, culture and beauty of black people, themes that are close to her heart. Combining traditional and digital art, she draws her inspiration from realism, which she considers a form of expression of great intensity, while exploring mixed media techniques and abstraction.

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Despite this recognition, she remains driven by the desire to push her own boundaries and reach an even wider audience.

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