Ayse Barut

WORK HISTORY

EDUCATION

ABOUT AYSE BARUT

Ayse Barut (pronounced Eye-Sheh) is a Toronto-based cultural and digital strategist and a music programmer/curator with a passion for amplifying stories that matter. She is the Programming Coordinator at TO Live, where she contributes to the artistic planning and operational flow of three of Toronto’s major civic performance venues: Meridian Hall (previously the Sony Centre), St. Lawrence Centre for the Arts, and Meridian Arts Centre and also co-curates and co-produces the Sound break series. Alongside this work, Ayse is the Project Manager at Street Voices, a Black-led award-winning nonprofit media platform empowering marginalized youth through storytelling, and she also contributes as a music writer for Sidedoor Magazine. In parallel, Ayse works independently as a freelance cultural and digital strategist, collaborating with artists, nonprofits, and creative organizations on branding, content strategy, audience development, and campaign planning.Her past roles include leading marketing at Wavelength Music, developing digital strategy at THE MOM3NT Network, and supporting organizations such as Northside Hip Hop Archive, Toronto Blues Society, Roy Thomson Hall, NXNE, and more. She previously served on the Anti-Racism and Equity Committee at Music Managers Forum Canada, and in 2025, she was selected as a JUNO Awards jury member for Rap Album/EP of the Year. Ayse also mentors students through the University of Toronto Scarborough’s Arts, Culture and Media department mentorship program, supporting emerging creatives as they navigate careers in the arts, media, and music industries.Academically, Ayse holds a specialist degree in Arts Management and a minor in Music & Culture from the University of Toronto, completed the NYU x Billboard Music Industry Essentials program, and was a scholar-in-residence at the Jackman Humanities Institute, where she focused on global hip-hop archives and co-authored a peer-reviewed article on COVID-19’s impact on Canadian DJs with Dr. Mark V. Campbell. She was also selected for the Girl Connected mentorship program in the Artist Marketing stream, a leading mentorship initiative for women in music.Specializing in artist marketing, content strategy, publicity, and event production, Ayse brings a versatile skill set to every project she takes on, both independently and within institutional and community-based settings. She also DJs in her free time and believes supporting artists can create space, shift narratives, and build lasting change.