Arts could be more inclusive and these 3 women have ideas on how to make it happen

When it comes to the arts, there is still much work that needs to be done to make the industry more inclusive for women, people of colour and families.

That's according to Melissa Falconer, Larissa Koniuk and Nelu Handa, graduates of Wilfrid Laurier University in Waterloo, Ont., who took part in a panel discussion on Monday ahead of International Women's Day, which is on Tuesday.

They shared some of the uncertainties and barriers they've faced in their careers like finances, finding work and not knowing what path to follow in a broad industry.

"With art there is no standard or pre-laid out path that you have to follow," Falconer said. "I think, personally, it could be considered a good thing if you're up to the challenge because you can cater your career to what you want."

Falconer started as an economics student, but switched to a career in visual arts after she painted a portrait of her mother for Mother's Day. Demand for her work grew and she now sells pop-art portraits of celebrities, as well as apparel.

Creating inclusive spaces and empowering women

Handa champions for greater representation in acting and in comedy. She said she rediscovered her joy for comedy and acting when she joined an improvisation class after being let go from her job several years ago.

Now, for the past six years, she's giving women of colour a platform in comedy.

"[It's] letting women of colour know there is a space for them," she said.

"The show is a showcase for women of colour to do any kind of comedy. It ranges from people who [it's] their first time ever on stage to people who are practicing for their [Just For Laughs] show."

Koniuk, who is a singer, performer and one of the founders of Bicycle Opera, talked about the challenges new mothers face in performing arts and wants to create art and shows that are inclusive of the actors and their families.

"The performing arts especially don't make room for new moms. The rehearsal hours, the way things are done, it doesn't make room if you chose to breastfeed a newborn," she said. 

"One of the shows I'm starting to develop now is a show that is going to be inclusive of families."

As for Falconer, she hopes her work empowers people and more women in her community. She said she found inspiration to create her latest series of paintings called: Love Yourself, after seeing racist comments on a social media post where a model was advertising a brand of lipstick.

"I was shocked with all the racists comments saying that her lips were so big and her lips were so ugly," she said.

"I want people to take this painting and put it in their room and wake up every day and look at it. It looks like them, it represents them and it's telling them to love yourself and you're reminded of that everyday."