About
Cultured Creative Studio is an artistic studio based in Toronto, dedicated to celebrating culture, identity, and storytelling with the aim of fostering curiosity and cross-cultural exchange.
The studio was founded by Nahom Assefa to close the gap he kept seeing where generic work are offered to organizations without a proper approach to telling cultural stories, often falling into cultural appropriation and stereotyping.
Cultured Creative Studio closes the gap by applying anti-racist methods and DEI approach stemming from curatorial and anthropological background to tell the important cultural stories that deserve to come to light in their most beautiful and honest way.
Our Process
Understand and honor culture/subculture as a way of life, beliefs, values, and traditions passed down through generations, and bringing fresh perspectives.
Research, integrate and learn your cultural story from an insider's view. Show its essence through work that creates belonging for your community and curiosity for newcomers.
Deliver illustrations, animations, branding, and graphic design for exhibitions, festivals, non-profit organizations, and musicians.
Make sure the work help you grow to bring establish loyalty with current and new audiences, attracting funding, and trust.
About Founder
Nahom Assefa is an artist, designer, creative writer, and curator whose practice explores cross-cultural storytelling, belongingness, and identity through visual and community-based work.
Originally from Ethiopia and now based in Toronto, Nahom's work has gained recognition through his work in Halifax and Toronto, including 2025/2026 Dalhousie Art Gallery Intern Curator, 2025 Atlantic International Film Festival Ambassador, 2025 Howl Experience Grant recipient, 2025 NOISEmaker at Nocturne Festival, artist at the 2026 OFFF Barcelona, and recipient of the 2025 NSCC Student IMPACT Award Winner.
Currently runs as a board member at Creative Community Impact Association and co-runs Project Hope with Student's Commission Canada. He also is a participant at Toronto Arts Foundation’s ArtWorkTO: Newcomer Artist Program, and other programs at Communicating the Arts, RGD Canada, and DesignTO.