Noor Khan

Based in Scarborough, born in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia with South Asian roots, Noor Khan is a community-engaged artist and art manager. She uses the mediums of still & motion picture, graphics, as well as written word to support artists, organizations, and brands within and around her community. Her personal artwork commemorates erased pasts and envisions ethical futures. With a background of research in Critical Development, English & Media Studies and training in project management & anti-oppression, Noor’s work is grounded in community development and looks towards art as a form of reflection and resolution of personal and communal challenges. After graduating from UTSC, Noor transformed her creative writing skills into screenplay, and began grant writing for herself and other marginalized artists. Her love of poetry and song-writing has inspired her to work with recording artists on visuals for their tracks and albums, such as Parkdale-based writer-rapper Sean Leon.

She has been recognized for her first documentary video installation EAST, which premiered at the Reel Asian Film Festival in 2018.  ‘EAST': A Relationship is primarily a short film about how an individual's relationship with people shaped her relationship with the land. The logo reads, 'EAST' alif / ya / seen / tah, in Arabic Kufic script. EAST, is where she comes from, the Middle East and South Asia, and it is also her location in relation to Toronto, i.e. Scarborough. Her relationship to EAST, both locations, have impacted her social standing, and social community. Through voice-over, she communicates the crisis of having been robbed of a homeland, while also settling and being complicit of the destruction of the home of Indigenous peoples. Noor received a grant for Equity, Diversity in the Arts from the University of Toronto, and CUE, for her work in community arts. She was also a 2018 fellow for YouthFX program NeXtDoc. Noor has lots in store for the next two years, catch a sight of her work on her socials- @bynoorkhan, and her web portfolio- www.noorkhan.co.