IVAN TOUKO: DREAMING OF A GROOVE

Edmonton might seem like it’s sleeping, but when Ivan Touko walks its streets, he is dreaming of a groove. He sees untapped energy in the quiet corners, the potential for connection in every crowd, and the drums that live beneath the city’s surface. It’s this vision—this feeling—that drives both his work and the way he moves through the world.

Ivan, a 2023 Top 40 Under 40 by Edify Magazine, is a creative force grounded in community. As the founder of La Connexional, a social enterprise rooted in the vibrancy of the African diaspora and Latin cultures, Ivan has been crafting spaces and films/stories that invite people to gather, dance, and be seen. From the splash-filled Pour me Water Festival at West Edmonton Mall’s World Waterpark to the inspiring Creative Citizen Awards at the Art Gallery of Alberta, and passing by StoryHive and the Edmonton Community Foundation-backed Rise of Afrobeats in the Prairies documentaries, his experiences are helping to create cultural moments and history for Edmonton communities.

“Since 2017, La Connexional has grown into a platform for creative consulting, social innovation, and collaborative event productions. But at its heart, the company has always been about something simple: building community.”

That’s why Ivan is so deeply drawn to public art. Murals, installations, and street-level creativity play a key role in how he and many others experience the city. For someone like Ivan—who lives and breathes culture—art in public spaces is more than visual decoration. It’s a signal. A gathering place. A story told in colour that says, “You belong here.”

“When I see public art in unexpected places, it reminds me that this city makes space for creativity—for people like me,” Ivan says. “It tells me there’s room to grow, to express, to be seen.”

These same ideas come to life in a new video launching today, which follows Ivan through Edmonton as he finds inspiration in everyday places. The voiceover hums like poetry:

“The city is grooving. Sometimes, it looks like it’s sleeping…But inside, someone’s dreaming. They’re dreaming about how to make their mark. They’re dreaming about how to inspire and connect others. They’re dreaming of their favourite food. They’re dreaming of a groove.”

As the footage flows—from downtown crosswalks to quiet park corners—viewers witness the side of Edmonton that often goes unsaid: its pulse. The slow burn of ambition. The soft strength of shared purpose. The understated cool.

Whether he's hosting dance events that get bodies moving or creating space for big ideas and cultural celebration, Ivan brings that quiet fire to everything he touches. And he’s not doing it for the spotlight. He’s doing it for the kid who sees someone like them leading a room. For the new Canadian wondering where they belong. For the community that’s hungry for a little more soul.

Edmonton may not always shout. But people like Ivan Touko remind us that it doesn’t have to. It grooves. It dreams. And it connects.

To learn more about EMF visit: https://www.edmontonmuralfest.com