Featured on today’s episode, Salisha interviews the founder of Artists in Residence, Olivia Daniels.

Olivia Daniels is a Canadian performer, director, educator, and theatre artist. She earned a BFA in Drama from New York University's Tisch School of the Arts, where she trained at Playwrights Horizons Theatre School and The New Studio on Broadway. She also holds a minor in Philosophy. After seven years of studying and working in NYC, Olivia recently returned to her hometown of Toronto where she currently resides while also managing a full online store.

Olivia starts with sharing her journey creating a theater company during the pandemic that was born out of a need that they saw for connection and community within the theater community. Where it started out as simply fun Zoom play readings doing what they love to do. They also share their love for what they do and not just sharing their stories about becoming a theater artist but also reflecting back on themselves which is something that is very integral to our very survival and happiness and mental health.

Olivia also cites her side business which is in SideBIz. This is her store of beads where she sells her pandemic hobbies making beaded mask chains. She dug out some old beads that she doesn’t like and styles them like chokers. She also shares that she learned this from her younger sister who is "super fashionable and cool."

Olivia finds that people should share their passions, have the interest to talk about themselves and make connections which she believes is what society is built on. It is not just for people reaching out and connecting with one another, it should come from a place of wonder, curiosity, and openness. You will find this with the right people who will then become friends, partners, and collaborators, bringing so much more joy to making things and starting things together rather than going at it alone.

So join Salisha and Olivia as they chat about Olivia’s way of supporting artists' mental health, well-being, and her online store of beads.