Taiwo Afolabi
Contact Info
Research Interests
Research Interests
- Socially Engaged/Applied theatre
- Community engagement
- Performance
- Policing
- Research ethics
- Arts leadership
- Cultural policy
- Sustainability in the performing arts
- Decolonization
- Dramaturgy
Dr. Taiwo Afolabi (he/him) is a Nigerian-Canadian interdisciplinary artist-scholar with internationally recognized expertise in social theatre, cultural and creative industries, focusing on social justice, human rights, anti-racism education, art management, and leadership. As a researcher, executive, and entrepreneur, Dr. Afolabi’s interest lies in amplifying voices and experiences and re-centring governance models, policies, strategies, and systems on the margins through the lens of decolonization, equity, and anti-oppressive approaches.
His experience spans over a dozen countries across five continents, with a focus on transformational change and broad-minded thinking within the art and culture sector. His research has garnered over $5M in funding and in-kind support. His extensive research and practice have resulted in the editing or co-editing of six books, the publication of over 50 articles in various books and reputable journals, as well as artistic and creative outputs and initiatives such as Glocal Voices, Art Leadership Training Program (ALTP) and certificates and diploma programs in Art Management and Leadership. Professor Afolabi is the Founder and Director of the Centre for Socially Engaged Theatre (C-SET), holds the Canada Research Chair in Socially Engaged Theatre at the University of Regina and is a 3M National Teaching Fellow.
He is a Senior Research Associate at the University of Johannesburg, Research Fellow at the University of the Free State in Bloemfontein, South Africa, and the founding director of Theatre Emissary International (TEMi) and its social enterprise, Mobile Research Lab (MRL), in Nigeria, Canada and the United States of America. He is a member of the Royal Society of Canada’s College of New Scholars, Artists, and Scientists and a Fellow of the Royal Society for the Arts (RSA).
He served as the Vice-President of the Canadian Association for Theatre Research (2022-2024), co-editor of Journal of Art and Communities (JAAC) (2022-2024), and associate editor of Canadian Theatre Review (2023-2025). He is currently co-editor for Applied Theatre Research: Socially Engaged Performance (2025-) and the Trudeau Foundation Mentor (2024-2027).
Click to see Taiwo’s profile on: academia.edu, ORCID, Researchgate, and Google Scholar.