Samito [QC-CA / MZ]
Samito is a Maputo-born, Montreal-based musician and the founder of FEZIHAUS™, a "label-inspired workroom" and civic effort dedicated to cultivating equitable creative ecosystems in the Canadian arts sector. Rooted in the belief that an inclusive arts sector requires more than representation, Samito envisions FEZIHAUS™ as a space where artists can explore, innovate, and secure fair ownership of their work while fostering meaningful industry change.
A McGill University music graduate, Samito’s artistry blends contemporary sounds with critical discourse, driving forward projects like CONVERSAS: Who’s Missing in This Room?—a series dissecting systemic inequities in access, technology, and monetization in the arts. His work extends beyond conversation, actively shaping new models of sustainability and artistic sovereignty. As a performer, Samito has graced stages from SXSW to Osheaga, collaborating with Scratchclart, Gaël Faye, Daniel Haaksman, L’Isle, and Philippe Cohen-Solal. His releases on Costume Records, Man Recordings, and Maison Kitsuné have earned accolades including Révélation Radio-Canada, Félix, and GAMIQ awards.
With FEZIHAUS™ evolving into a hub for collaboration, Samito remains committed to forging partnerships with individuals and institutions championing creativity and artists' well-being.
CONVERSAS: Who's Missing In This Room?
Year: 2024
Status: Prèmiere Publique / Public Premiere
Conversas: Who’s Missing In This Room?"" is a series of conversations initiated by the Montréal-based label-inspired workroom FEZIHAUS™. Supported by the Canada Council for the Arts’ Strategic Innovation Fund, this project launched in 2024 to explore critical issues surrounding resource imbalances in the arts sector, rooted in historical disparities shaped by colonial mindsets.
Amidst the current scrutiny and setbacks facing DEI investments, understanding equity through the lens of decolonization is paramount. Conversas highlights the resourcefulness of artists while advocating for alternative networks and ecosystems that foster meaningful change.
FEZIHAUS™ acknowledges the ongoing challenge of integrating equity with tangible business outcomes in the arts sector, moving beyond token diversity initiatives and surface-level funding distribution. This leadership gap requires urgent exploration. True equity work, deeply connected to social and cultural change, demands the empowerment of alternative networks and production ecosystems—equipping them with the knowledge to attract aligned partners, make informed business decisions to sustain artists' operational capacities.
Building on these insights, Conversas: Who’s Missing In This Room? serves as a platform for discussion. Through dialogues with artists and arts workers, this series seeks to develop pragmatic perspectives and alternative frameworks. It examines how systemic imbalances manifest, while exploring strategies to transcend them for a more sustainable future.
FEZIHAUS™ collaborated with InterAccess Toronto, Flumi in Barcelona, MUTEK and MUTEK ES. Together, we have conducted interviews and focus groups to illuminate the visions and challenges faced by artists of color within the arts ecosystem, sparking discussions on reevaluating equity within a decolonization framework.
Conversas: Who’s Missing In This Room?, curated by Amanda Gutierrez and Aziz Boughedir from LabARD in collaboration with Montréal’s Eastern Bloc, joins the 2025 SIGHT+SOUND festival under the theme Gestures of Care. This collaboration invites a diverse cohort from Montréal and beyond to engage in a public conversation on March 29, 2025, at 5:30 PM.
For more information about Conversas: Who’s Missing In This Room?, please contact: info@fezihaus.com
____
This project is made possible with the support of the Strategic Funds of the Canada Council for the Arts