What is DIS?
DIS is a theatre criticism hub and training program for BIPOC artists and writers.
DIS is currently in its first year of operation, bringing together 10 cultural workers to disrupt, disturb and discuss English language theatre and performing arts in Montreal.
Aimed at filling the absence of meaningful theatre criticism in Montreal’s English theatre scene, we will train our voices to critically engage with the theatre that happens in our city, from our perspective and experience as racialized artists and writers.
DIS is exclusively for Indigenous people, Black people, people of color, immigrants, and otherwise racialized artists and writers. Priority is with women* and gender-diverse individuals.
2026 Cohort
Ankush Lamba
Contributor
Azin Mohammadi
Contributor
Banafsheh Hassani بنفشه حسنی
Contributor
Dana Prather
Contributor
Danielle Douez
Contributor
Demetria Ekiridzo
Contributor
Nikita Chigoho
Contributor
noor
Contributor
Contributor
Contributor
Contributor
Contributor
Contributor
Contributor
Contributor
Contributor
Project Facilitator
Banafsheh
Hassani
بنفشه حسنی
·any / all
An Iranian theatremaker and co-founder of TSLT. Banafsheh writes plays, performs, and facilitates creative writing workshops at Quebec Writers’ Federation’s Writers in the Community program.
DIS is an initiative born of their research as a graduate student on political theatre by immigrant women of color in Canada.
Funding & Support
In 2026 DIS is funded by Quebec Public Interest Research Group at Concordia University (QPIRG Concordia) and the Concordia Council on Student Life (CCSL), and housed at The Performing Arts Research Cluster.