Our 6th Toronto ‘Arts For All Essentials’ – a 6-day intensive workshop, took place from February 20 to 26, with 24 participants, plus 10 Jumblies and associate artists and guest facilitators. Activities moved from Davenport Perth to Cedar Ridge to Parkdale Activity Recreation Centre. Here are some things people said about it:

“I’d do this again in a heartbeat”

“This workshop recharged my creative batteries.”

“Arts For All Essentials is an immersion of heart.”

“This week has been revolutionary.”

“Arts For All Essentials taught me how to embrace new skills & the way I can collaborate with other artists.”

“I came into the workshop in a frustrated state of min, and I left feeling equipped & inspired, with many of my fears and anxieties dissolved.”

“I met so many incredible people interested in this field!”

“There was a great mix of structure and flexibility.”

“We were able to touch on oral history research, hands on application, group work, project development, evaluation, funding and more—a comprehensive intensive primer for developing community arts.”

This workshop will be offered again in Toronto in the winter of 2013. E-mail to be put on mailing list if interested and click here to read more about it.

photo by Gerry Reucker

Eight Scarborough young people and 3 Jumblies artists just returned from 3 days at Nipissing First Nation with Aanmitaagzi Storytellers. They joined youth and children from Nipissing to take part in dance and theatre workshops, traditional crafts and outdoor activities. For some, recently arrived in Canada, it was a first trip up North. For all it was a wonderful and amazing time. Huge thanks to Penny Couchie and Sid Bobb for their collaboration and hospitality and to Linda Albright of the Arts Network for Children and Youth for a generous infusion of funds that made the trip possible. We all look eagerly forward  to other opportunities to continue the creative relationship between the people, places and projects of Jumblies and Aanmitaagzi.

Photos by Sadi: (left) Dillon Cox in the snow, (right) dance workshop with Penny Couchie, (below centre) Beth Helmers, Maria Ortega, Mika Howard, Kaitlynn, Nimikii Couchie, Sadi Karabage, Binaishee Couchie, Esther Maloney, Munzir Rahman, Sid Bobb. Other Scarborough & Jumblies folk taking part but not featured here were Sonja Rainey, Melinda Kroone and Chelsea Ranger.

We are proud to announce the publication of Out Of Place, Issue 2: our second collection of essays by artists associated with our Jumblies Studio activities and events. This issue contains writings by by Mindy Stricke (about her work with new mothers and photography on the Greetings From Motherland project),Leah Houston (about community arts and feminism), Lisa Marie DiLiberto (about working in clown and humour), Chris Wilson (about his experience as a musician in community-based theatre), and Ruth Howard (about a Jumblies research project with Nightswimming Theatre). Photos by Mindy Stricke and Katherine Fleitas are featured, and layout is by up-and-coming young film-maker and Jumblies board member, Yonah Lewis.

You can now order a copy from our website Boutique  for $12 including postage. Soon there will also be  printable pdf copy on-line for $5. Issue #1 can also be purchased from the same place.

If you can’t make the Like An Old  Tale video screenings on March 5th or May 7th, there is a third opportunity, hosted by Arts4All:

Monday March 19th, Davenport Perth Neighbourhood & Community Health Centre, 1900 Davenport Road, arrive at 2:00pm, screening from 2:30 – 4:30pm.

Free of charge, donations always welcomed! Contact us for more info. or to let us know you’re coming or just show up and we’ll be glad to see you there.