For over 25 years, Jeff Churchill has been crafting extraordinary footwear that brings characters to life. His journey into shoemaking began almost by accident — after spending his teens immersed in theatre, a twist of fate led him to the world of shoes, where he’s been ever since. Two decades ago, Jeff returned home to Toronto and founded Jitterbug Boy Original Footwear. What began as a small operation focused on circus and theatre productions soon grew into something much bigger. As his reputation for precision and creativity spread, Jeff’s work caught the attention of the film and television industries — and the rest is history. Today, Jitterbug Boy is a go-to destination for productions around the world, creating custom footwear for everything from superhero blockbusters to award-winning period dramas to beloved indie films. His shoes have appeared on the biggest stars, in the biggest movies — Pretty good for a little workshop in Toronto.

Photo Credit: Krista Fogel

Catherine Chambers is a maker space studio owner and organizational learning facilitator. She specializes in constructivist learning methodologies that engage learning in such areas as innovation, entrepreneurship, and sustainability. She works in a range of industries and sectors, including education, healthcare, social services, and technology.

As Director and Senior Curator at the Bata Shoe Museum, Elizabeth applies her extensive cultural and art history background to guide the mission forward while exploring the multiple roles and meanings of footwear through innovative exhibitions. With over 20 exhibitions curated, Semmelhack has helped transform the Bata Shoe Museum into an internationally recognized center for footwear scholarship, revealing how shoes illuminate our understanding of diverse social, political, and cultural histories across time and geography.

Named by FASHION Magazine as one of the world’s “top five game-changing fashion curators”, Semmelhack’s perspective and expertise have been featured in major publications, broadcasts, and television shows across the globe. She has authored nearly 30 articles and chapters as well as numerous books and catalogs, including Out of the Box: The Rise of Sneaker Culture (2015), which has sold over 30,000 copies worldwide.

Karen Chaboyer is an Ojibwe kwe, a great-grandmother, a grandmother, and mother. She is also an author, a public speaker, and an educator. Karen is from Rainy River First Nation, a community in Northwestern Ontario, Treaty 3 Territory. Karen is a survivor of St. Margaret’s Indian Residential School, also known as the Fort Frances Indian Residential School where she attended for 9 years. Karen was born into a family of 11 siblings: 9 brothers and 2 sisters. She is the third youngest in her family. She is also a second generation survivor of Residential School. Karen has been presenting since 2006. Her audiences are mostly elementary/high schools, colleges, universities and organizations. Karen shares the effects Residential School had on her and how she lost her identity, her roots, her culture and language. Karen’s goal is to educate people on the impact Residential Schools had on her and Indigenous individuals, families and communities to this day.

Nishi Bassi, Curator and Exhibitions Project Manager at the Bata Shoe Museum, brings over 10 years of experience in the museum industry. Her educational background is in British history, and current research interests include fashion, consumer culture, and post-colonialism. She is also an EDI champion who strategically plans and advocates for change to ensure that accessibility remains a priority in all projects. Nishi has been with the Bata Shoe Museum since 2013, where she currently works as the Curator and Manager of Exhibitions. She also holds a volunteer position on the Board of Directors for ICOM Canada.

Musician and designer Tony Benattar founded his eponymous boot company in 1987 driven by his inability to find cowboy boots that matched his vision. From 1987 to 1993, he honed his craft in León, Mexico, collaborating with notable figures such as Vicente Fox, former President of Mexico, Yan Ferry, co-founder of Liberty Boot Co., and Mike Llama, grandson of legendary bootmaker Tony Llama. During this time, Tony developed his signature rock ‘n’ roll aesthetic while mastering traditional cowboy boot-making techniques that were rapidly disappearing.

In 1993 Yan and Tony founded the Liberty Boot Company and over the next 25 years the brand became synonymous with high quality and innovative design, adorning Hollywood stars, cowboy boot enthusiasts, and multiple generations of icons. Legends like Liz Taylor, Madonna, and Taylor Swift, as well as Tony’s rock ‘n’ roll heroes such as Bruce Springsteen, Steven Tyler, and Brian Setzer, proudly wore Liberty’s distinctive creations.

Flora Knight is a Canadian-born artisan celebrated for her distinctive, bespoke cowboy boots. Trained under master bootmakers Lisa Sorrell and Ray Dorwart in Oklahoma, Knight inherits a direct lineage from the original innovators of the American cowboy boot.

Her work is defined by vibrant, flowing designs and exacting craftsmanship, grounded in traditional techniques and a timeless aesthetic. From her Montréal atelier, Knight creates each pair entirely by hand using only the finest materials—an approach that stands in sharp contrast to the fast pace and declining quality of mass-produced fashion, resulting in a waitlist of approximately 18 months.

Every pair of Knight’s boots is made with care and intention, offering an heirloom-quality piece for those who value thoughtful, handcrafted design.

Date: Tuesday, October 7, 2025 – CANCELLED
Time: 7:00 pm – 9:30 pm (Doors open 6:30 pm)
Location: Bata Shoe Museum, 327 Bloor St. W.
Tickets: $15 General, $10 Senior (65+) / Student (with ID)

Join us for Immigrant Dreams, a powerful panel discussion exploring how children of immigrants are making their mark in the sneaker customization world. From turning passion into profit to navigating the challenges of the creative industry, this conversation highlights the resilience, artistry, and entrepreneurial spirit driving the next generation of sneaker artists and designers. Featuring Daniel Mossayebi, CEO of Inked Out Kicks, a leading sneaker customization brand pushing the boundaries of wearable art, Jasmin Pannu, award-winning multidisciplinary artist known for her bold, storytelling-driven designs, and Daniello Tetangco, founder of Daniello Toronto, a local clothing and lifestyle brand blending streetwear with cultural identity.

Whether you’re a sneaker enthusiast, aspiring entrepreneur, or someone who appreciates the power of cultural storytelling, this is a conversation you don’t want to miss.

Agenda
6:30 pm – Doors Open
7:00 pm – Panel Begins
8:00 pm – Panel Ends – Galleries Open
9:30 pm – Museum Closes

BUY YOUR TICKETS

Please check in with Visitor Services upon arrival. Ticket includes access to all exhibitions. Contact shan@batashoemuseum.ca with any questions. 

MEET THE SPEAKERS:

To ensure a safe and enjoyable experience for all visitors, please review our Terms & Conditions to learn more about Visitor & Accessibility Services, Ticketing, Returns & Exchanges, Privacy & Media, and more.

Date: Tuesday, December 2, 2025
Time: 7:00 pm – 9:30 pm (Doors open 6:30 pm)
Location: Bata Shoe Museum, 327 Bloor St. W.
Tickets: $15 General, $10 Senior (65+) / Student (with ID)

Calling all fashion enthusiasts! Join us for an exciting panel discussion exploring the iconic fashion of the 1930s to the 1970s in celebration of our upcoming fall exhibition André Perugia: A Design Legend Unveiled. Moderated by Julia Galvez of the Toronto Vintage Society, the panel features vintage shop owner Natasha Roberts of Spacevintage, journalist Nathalie Atkinson, and TV/film fashion expert and founding member of CAFTCAD Ian Drummond, this discussion will dive into the key styles and trends of these transformative decades and how these trends continue to influence fashion today.

Agenda
6:30 pm – Doors Open
7:00 pm – Event Begins
8:00/8:30 pm – Event Ends/Galleries Open
9:30 pm – Museum Closes

BUY YOUR TICKETS

MEET THE SPEAKERS:

Please review our Terms and Conditions in advance and check in with Visitor Services upon arrival. Questions? Email us info@batashoemuseum.ca anytime.

Date: Friday, August 8, 2025
Time: 7:00 pm to 9:00 pm (Doors open at 6:30 pm)
Location: Bata Shoe Museum
Tickets: Pay What You Can

REGISTER NOW

Join us for an inspiring panel discussion that will delve into the transformative roles women of colour play and shape in contemporary sneaker culture and basketball.

Presented in partnership with FC21CA, aka Full Court 21 Canada, size?, The Collective, and Canada Basketball, Ladies First: Give x Glow will explore the challenges, triumphs, and journeys of four trailblazing women, from seeking inclusion at existing tables to building their own.

Through candid conversation and shared experiences, panelists will illuminate how they’ve navigated male-dominated industries while carving out space for the next generation of leaders.

This powerful dialogue promises to inspire anyone seeking to break barriers and redefine what’s possible in sports, business, and culture while offering ideas for growth, building meaningful connections, and leading the way toward more inclusive and equitable spaces.

Have questions? Please start by reviewing our Terms and Conditions.

Agenda
6:30 pm – Doors Open
7:00 pm – Panel Begins
8:00 pm – Panel Ends, Galleries Open
9:00 pm – Museum Closes

ABOUT FULL COURT 21 CANADA:

FC21CA, aka Full Court 21 Canada, led by cultural content creator and educator Will Strickland, is a grassroots, community-based initiative embracing diversity, inclusion, the spirit of competition, the outdoors, fun, family and celebration.

In The World’s Most Unique Basketball Tournament, each combatant is doing their best to out think, outlast and outscore all that oppose him/her in scoring 21 points during a timed and referee-regulated game whose roots are bound in a person’s first playground experiences with basketball. This basketball tournament concept, originated in New York City by hip hop legend Bobbito Garcia, features multiple players and no teammates. Canada is one of many countries participating, having won the last five consecutive FC21 All World Finals.

MEET THE SPEAKERS:

Co-Presenter

 
Supported By:

Date: Tuesday, September 16
Time: 7:00 pm to 9:00 pm (Doors open at 6:30 pm)
Location: Bata Shoe Museum
Tickets: $15 General, $10 Senior (65+) and Students (with ID)

Join Alison Matthews David, co-curator of the critically acclaimed Exhibit A: Investigating Crime and Footwear, for a captivating journey into the intriguing intersection of fashion and forensic science.

As Sir Arthur Conan Doyle, the creator of Sherlock Holmes, understood, clothing tells a story—about who we are, where we’ve been, and what we’ve done. From stains, fibers, and footprints to modern DNA analysis, detectives have long relied on fashion as key evidence to solve mysteries.

This talk delves into the rise of early forensic investigation through the lens of fashion, featuring real historical cases where clothing played a pivotal role. Learn about the Paris Morgue’s missing persons, the chilling tale of a murderous Parisian tailor, and a California train heist unraveled by the clue of a left-handed lumberjack.

With a fascinating blend of crime, history, and fashion, Alison Matthews David will unravel the complex and often tangled “fabric of crime” in this enthralling presentation.

Please check in with Visitor Services upon arrival. Contact shan@batashoemuseum.ca with any questions.

BUY TICKETS

Agenda
6:30 pm – Doors Open
7:00 pm to 8:00 pm – Lecture
8:00 pm to 9:00 pm – Galleries Open
9:00 pm – Doors Close

ABOUT THE SPEAKER:

Dr. Alison Matthews David (she/her) is Professor in the Fashion Program in the School of Fashion, Toronto Metropolitan University (formerly Ryerson University). She has a PhD in Art History from Stanford University and has published extensively on nineteenth and early twentieth century dress and material culture. She is co-founding editor of the open access, multi-media journal Fashion Studies with Dr. Ben Barry. Her most recent research project, Fashion Victims, looked at how clothing physically harmed the health of its makers and wearers. It took the form of a book (2015) and co-curated exhibition (2014-18), as well as a co-authored book for young adults entitled Killer Style (2019). She is Principal Investigator of the federally funded project, The Fabric of Crime: Forensic Histories of Fashion, which investigates the histories of fashion and forensic investigation. Exhibit A: Investigating Crime and Footwear, the exhibition she co-curated with Elizabeth Semmelhack at the Bata Shoe Museum in Toronto, is on from 2024-Fall 2025.

To ensure a safe and enjoyable experience for all visitors, please review our Terms & Conditions to learn more about Visitor & Accessibility Services, Ticketing, Returns & Exchanges, Privacy & Media, and more.