ILLUMINATE – Hart House Producers’ Circle Featuring Haviah Mighty
Sept 9, 2026 | 6-9 PM | Music Room – 7 Hart House Circle, Toronto, ON | All Ages | Accessible Venue | Ticket Info
In celebration of the 2026 Polaris Festival, presented by SiriusXM Canada, Polaris presents Hart House Producers’ Circle Featuring Haviah Mighty, an intimate evening of conversation, creativity, and community with a talented individual who has been carving out spaces that boldly defy gendered expectations for women in hip hop, Haviah Mighty. Who in 2019, saw her breakout success album ‘13th Floor’, an inaugural work chronicling the deep-seeded traumas of her ancestors, win the Polaris Music Prize, making her the first Hip-Hop artist and the first Black woman to win.
The 2026 Polaris Festival is a month-long celebration of Canadian music as art, bringing together concerts, salons, listening sessions, conversations, artist development initiatives, and the Polaris Concert & Award Ceremony at Massey Hall. Through the Festival, Polaris creates space for audiences to listen differently, gather around important Canadian albums, and explore how music shapes culture, identity, memory, and belonging.
Born in Toronto, Haviah has spent a lifetime developing her skills as a songwriter, vocalist, producer and performer, culminating in a style of profound introspection and authenticity. Her dynamic combinations of rap & song, whether lyrical, celebratory or incisive socio-political critique, transcend any traditional expectation of genre. This special event offers a curated listening experience featuring selected tracks from Haviah’s rich discography, offering insight into his evolution as an artist and producer. The evening is less about performance and more about process; it’s a dialogue between artist and audience. Haviah will join the Hart House Producers’ Circle for an intimate conversation on his creative process, musical influences, and the journey of building a career from the ground up.
As part of our commitment to fostering emerging talent, we’re also opening the floor to attendees who wish to share their own original music. Whether you’re a bedroom producer, seasoned beatmaker, or just getting started, you’ll have the opportunity to play your track live for the audience, and for Haviah herself.
Come ready to listen, learn, and connect. This is more than a showcase; it’s a celebration of community, creativity, and the power of Hip-Hop to build bridges between generations of artists.
Featured Contributors
Haviah Mighty
Haviah didn’t need an alias when she decided to dedicate her career to music. Also her real surname, Mighty could not better describe Haviah’s craft of provocative challenges and uncompromising truths.Born in Toronto, she has spent a lifetime developing her skills as a songwriter, vocalist, producer and performer, culminating in a style of profound introspection and authenticity. Her dynamic combinations of rap & song, whether lyrical, celebratory or incisive socio-political critique, transcend any traditional expectation of genre. 2019 saw Haviah earn break-out success with her album ‘13th Floor’, an inaugural work chronicling the deep-seeded traumas of her ancestors – making her the first Hip-Hop artist and the first black woman to win the Polaris Music Prize, celebrating the “Best Canadian Album Of The Year” – but Mighty didn’t stop there! She released a JUNO Award Winning mixtape, ‘Stock Exchange’ (Nov 2022) making history once again as the first woman to ever win within the rap category. In 2022, Haviah was the only Canadian nominee of the BET Hip-Hop Awards, and in 2023, she released ‘Crying Crystals,’ a project where she turns her story inward to her challenges in love and connection – this project also received a Juno nomination, alongside her sister Omega Mighty’s ‘Rush Dem,’ which she features on. In 2024, her single ‘Double The Fun’ was nominated!
Vic Adamo, Moderator
Vic Adamo is a Toronto-based artist, producer, multi-instrumentalist, educator, and cultural programmer whose work sits at the intersection of Hip-Hop, community-building, and creative expression. Drawing from his Balkan roots and a deep appreciation for Hip-Hop, indie, and alternative music, Adamo creates thoughtful, genre-blurring work that explores identity, resilience, and human connection. Recent releases include the singles “Ancestry (feat. senses.)” and “Press On”, as well as The Circle, Vol. 1, a collaborative project that reflects his commitment to independent artistry and community-driven music making.
As a Program Coordinator at Hart House, University of Toronto, Adamo develops and curates programs that bring artists, students, and communities together through dialogue, learning, and creative exchange. A co-lead on Hart House Hip-Hop Education, his initiatives include the “Hart House Producers’ Circle”, “Hip-Hop at 50: We Do it for the Culture”, and “Hip-Hop Diaspora 2.0”, creating spaces where emerging and established artists can connect, share knowledge, and grow their craft.
Passionate about arts education and cultural development, Adamo’s work is guided by a belief that creativity thrives in environments rooted in collaboration, curiosity, and community. Through both his artistic practice and cultural leadership, he continues to champion independent voices and foster meaningful connections through music.
Hart House
Since it first opened its doors in 1919, Hart House has sought to function as a place where students—as well as faculty, staff, alumni and members of the broader community—find welcome and unique ways to connect with each other and the broader world through engagement with the arts, dialogue and wellness. Hart House Hip Hop Education (est. 2019) supports learning through the lens of Hip-Hop culture, fostering creativity, social justice, and community engagement. Through workshops, performances, and dialogues, it empowers students and artists to explore identity, equity, and expression, bridging academic and cultural spaces between the University of Toronto and the wider community.
About Polaris Music Prize
Polaris Music Prize is a Canadian charitable arts organization honouring music as art. Through its Album, Song, and Heritage Prizes, Polaris amplifies Canadian artists based on artistic merit — not genre, sales, or algorithmic popularity.
The 2026 Polaris Festival is presented by SiriusXM Canada and made possible through the support of Experience Ontario, Ontario Creates, the City of Toronto’s Cultural Festivals Funding Program, FACTOR, the Government of Canada, Canada’s private radio broadcasters, and the Festival’s many community and venue partners.
Accessibility Info
This venue is accessible by wheelchair or similar mobility devices. This includes access to washrooms and all aspects of programming/events.
Hart House continues to make every effort to facilitate the inclusion of campus and community members with disabilities into all aspects of our facilities and services.
Patrons may gain access to the Music Room by (7 Hart House Circle, Toronto) by using the 10 steps via the main entrance, or the ramped, accessible entrances located off Tower Road (located south of Hoskin Avenue), and Queen’s Park Circle (18 Queen’s Park Crescent West).
Accessibility information, including Wheeltrans drop-off and pickup and ramped entrances, can be found here: https://harthouse.ca/theatre/visitor-info. Universal washrooms can be found on the Main Floor and the Basement Level.
Contact marco.adamovic@utoronto.ca for accessibility questions and info.
