Our Story
Photo Credit: Moonlodge by Margo Kane, directed by Corey Payette, Actor: PJ Prudat, Produced by Urban Ink and presented at the Talking Stick Festival, Lighting by Itai Erdal, Production Design by Marshall McMahen. Photo by Corey Payette.
For over 24 years, Urban Ink has been a catalyst for change, amplifying Indigenous and diverse voices through groundbreaking storytelling, performance, and media.
OUR MISSION
Urban Ink creates art to uplift Indigenous and diverse voices through transformative storytelling that inspires dialogue, empathy, and positive social change.
SOCIETAL VISION
To create an equitable world where all peoples are present in our circle, feeling respected, valued, and understood through the stories we share.
OUR VALUES
Community: We create relationships rooted in inclusivity, diversity, and reciprocity.
Integrity: We strive to be humble, accountable, and truthful, and encourage care and respect in our circle.
Bravery: We honour the courageous creators, change makers and storytellers who bravely share their voices and ground us in stories of who we have always been and who we could become.
OUR LAND ACKNOWLEDGEMENT
We acknowledge and pay our respects to the territory that we travel through and share our stories on. To the Traditional Owners, Elders, Ancestors, and Young Leaders of these territories: We acknowledge, with full respect, the strength of Indigenous Peoples (First Nations, Métis, and Inuit) and communities who are continuing to practice culture, connecting and reconnecting to land; and we acknowledge the power and excellence of Indigenous peoples and communities fighting to protect and look after Land, Community, Language and Lore, in the face of ongoing colonial interruptions and cultural genocide. In particular we acknowledge and pay our respects to the sovereign peoples of the xʷməθkʷəy̓əm (Musqueam), Skwxwú7mesh (Squamish), and səl’ilwətaɁɬ (Tsleil-Waututh) on whose unceded land Urban Ink is based.
Always was, always will be, sacred Indigenous land.
For over 24 years, Urban Ink has been a catalyst for change, amplifying Indigenous and diverse voices through groundbreaking storytelling, performance, and media. Founded in 2001 by Marie Clements, Urban Ink began as an Indigenous and multi-cultural theatre company, committed to producing works that challenged the status quo and pushed the boundaries of Canadian theatre. Marie’s tenure saw the creation of over a dozen new works, including Burning Vision (2002 Governor General Award Nomination), which toured nationally and was featured at The Festival of the Americas (2003) in Montreal and the inaugural Magnetic North Festival in Ottawa (2003). Her final production with Urban Ink, Copper Thunderbird (2007), graced the stage of Canada’s National Arts Centre, setting a high standard for Indigenous performance.
In 2007, Diane Roberts took the helm as Artistic Director, ushering in a new era of growth and international collaboration. Over her seven-year leadership, Urban Ink deepened its roots in community-based work, partnering with rural Indigenous communities and expanding its reach to the Caribbean. Notable productions during this period included Sal Capone: The Lamentable Tragedy of by Omari Newton, developed in association with Black Theatre Workshop in Montreal, which toured from 2013 to 2018, including a run at the National Arts Centre.
In 2014, Corey Payette became Artistic Director, further expanding Urban Ink’s national and international presence. Corey’s leadership brought new energy and vision, directing the first revival of Margo Kane’s Moonlodge since 2000, presenting Freedom Singer by Khari Wendell McClelland, Andrew Kushnir, and Jodie Martinson, and writing and directing Children of God, which toured extensively across Canada, including performances at The Cultch, National Arts Centre, Citadel Theatre, and more. In 2018, Corey co-created Les Filles du Roi with Julie McIsaac, a production that won four Jessie Awards, and collaborated with Caravan Farm Theatre on Sedna, alongside Reneltta Arluk and Marshall McMahen. That same year, Urban Ink co-founded TRANSFORM: A Cabaret Festival with The Cultch, a celebration of Indigenous and diverse artists that continues to thrive.
As the world faced the challenges of the pandemic, Urban Ink adapted by deepening our Indigenized practices and expanding our digital presence. We produced multiple digital editions of the Transform Festival from 2020-2023 and marked a new chapter in our ability to connect with audiences globally. We have continued this momentum with the production of our documentary feature film Stories That Transform Us, showcasing the resilience and creativity of our community. In 2023, we released 2 digital productions Guide My Way: A Concert Film and Les Filles du Roi which has been featured in film festivals around the world and won multiple international and local film awards including 2 Leo Awards in 2024. We also produced two world premieres Starwalker, a new musical by Corey Payette and Homecoming by Kamila Sediego.
Our 2024-2025 season marked a new expansion with the return of the Transform Festival in person at the Vancouver Playhouse, the return of a national tour of Children of God, and the upcoming release of our new musical feature film adaptation of Starwalker.
Urban Ink supports Indigenous and diverse artists from the seed of an idea to full productions showcased worldwide through theatre, national tours, feature films, digital works, and festivals. We are committed to long-term relationships with artists, providing a home for storytellers to develop their voices over years of collaboration. Our programming highlights stories that create unity, inspire social change, share cultural knowledge, and encourage collective healing.
Our work transcends the stage, fostering relationships and community through feasting, cultural knowledge exchange with Elders, workshops, facilitated conversations, and installations. Whether on a rural reserve or the mainstage at the National Arts Centre, we aim to open hearts and minds to new perspectives and experiences.
At Urban Ink, we recognize that diverse leadership at all levels is the root of our success. We celebrate the complexities of our mixed identities and welcome all peoples into our circle. As we look to the future, we remain dedicated to fostering an inclusive, empathetic society where Indigenous and diverse voices lead the way.
Our history has been showcased as part of the documentary Stories that Transform Us.