Urbanvessel: Singing River visits Villaways
Like many other Toronto neighbourhoods, Villaways, a small TCH enclave nestled next to ravine, is undergoing “revitalization” – a multi-year process that will see significant social, demographic and physical changes to their home. While residents are faced with great uncertainty, the difficult challenge of relocating, the sorrow and hope of re-imagining their environment Art Starts is committed to supporting residents through every step of the transition. One part of the process is to connect in new and different ways to the environment. As part of the Platform A Bridging initiatives that aim to connect city-wide community arts practices, diverse audiences and larger art institutions, we invited Urbanvessel an incredible interdisciplinary arts collective to create a workshop for the Villaways community.
Urbanvessel’s aim is to forge new connections, reflect contemporary life and subvert social assumptions, and is currently developing a new piece called Singing River, a collaborative performance situated on Toronto’s Wonscotonach (Don River) – that runs right by Villaways. Urbanvessel artists weave together images, movement and sound, drawing the audience into an active and heightened relationship with water. Water ceremonies, stories and songs from First Nations and settler cultures intermingle to create a dialogue between communities, reconnecting us to the river. The kids of Villaways were able to create their own clay water dragons and planted them full of local riverine seeds. The workshop was followed by a parade to the water’s edge where the story wove its way into song. A powerful experience for all!
http://urbanvessel.wordpress.com/in-development/singing-river/
Glendower at Habari Africa Festival
As part of the Platform A Bridging initiatives that aim to connect city-wide community arts practices, diverse audiences and larger art institutions, members of the Glendower community travelled to the Harbourfront Center to participate in the incredibly vibrant and inspiring activities of the Habari Africa Festival this weekend.
We connected with Nadine McNulty, Artistic Director of the Batuki Music Society and programmer of the festival, a long time member of the Art Starts extended family, to welcome kids and youth who have participated in the Glendower camp: Knowledge, Power and Art an afrocentric learning and art making program. As the Harbourfront says, though it’s impossible to define what exactly is African culture, music, food, film, fashion and art, we revelled in exploring and engaging with the art, sounds and tastes of Africa. Pulga Muchochoma, an 
established dancer, choreographer and performer and one of Art Starts’ own micro-grant recipients hosted an hour intensive African dance workshop open to all. Glendower enjoyed the rest of the afternoon listening to music, sampling food at the World Cafe, trying their hand at Oware games and Adinkra printmaking – an unforgettable experience for all!
Platform A 