Aimé Césaire theorised poetic knowledge as “born in the great silence of scientific knowledge.”

Ashon T. Crawley, “dancing in one spot, number 2” (2017)

An experimental multidisciplinary research and arts co-working hub, archival nexus, and creative studio.

The Collaboratory for Black Poiēsis (CBP) is an experimental multidisciplinary research and arts co-working hub, archival nexus, and creative studio foregrounding global traditions of Black study, Afro-diasporic technologies, and African Indigenous and Black aesthetic practices. Established by Prof. SA Smythe in 2022, the CBP gathers transnational cultural workers, educators, researchers, artists, organisers, students, and community members who think collaboratively and respond creatively in loving concern for the genre-defying performance of Black life.

Our work is organized around four thematic pillars:

Sciences of Black Belonging | Geographies of Black Liberation 

Grammars of Black Gender | Architectures of Black Possibility

The Winter 2026 issue of CBP's Journal, Sankofa Currents, is out now!

Interested in collaborating with us?

Our multidisciplinary hub for black study and black aesthetic practice welcomes proposals for programs, gatherings, or projects by and for Afro-diasporic, Black Indigenous, African researchers, students, communities, independent culture workers and all our relations.

We welcome proposals for a wide range of events, including but not limited to:

Workshops | Critical Literacy Trainings | Teach-Ins
Roundtables | Lectures | Readings
Performances | Exhibitions | Study Sessions
Mutual Aid Initiatives

Questions?

Contact us at blackpoiesis@utoronto.ca with the subject line: Collab – Proposal