From Where We Speak

From Where We Speak was the central component of the education and outreach initiative of urban ink’s new works laboratory for Aboriginal and diverse cultural work that encircles the core company, mentors, interns and students at The Galiano Island Community School, and also local, national and international artists, and partners them with other communities in other rural or urban islands of thought.

We were very pleased to partner with Kuper Island School year to create a fully developed year-long program involving multi-level mentorships, intergenerational exchange, ancestral exploration, intercultural weaving, and mythic storytelling.

Los Angeles based actor/writer director Thomas Kellogg launced the program with an intensive playmaking workshop involving professional and community artists and inter-island highschool students utilizing his innovative Mentor Artists Playwrights Program (MAPP). Working with the MAPP program mentors and junior mentors urban ink director Diane Roberts followed up with an introduction to the personal legacy process that encourages ancestral exploration based on archival research and intergenerational interviews. Multidisciplinary guest artists supported the work by offering workshops to enhance participants playmaking process.

Crossover themes including earth, space, ancestors and islands, were explored documented and ultimately presented using web based technology and live performance.

Production History
Galiano Island Community Hall November 1st & 2nd, 2008
Heart of the City Festival, Vancouver November 7th& 8th