Photo by K. Fleitas

RUTH HOWARD

Ruth Howard is the founding Artistic Director of Jumblies Theatre. With Jumblies, she has created and lead a series of multi-year residencies resulting in large-scale performances: "Like An Old Tale" in Scarborough (2011), "Oy Di Velt Vet Vern Yinger" with Camp Naivelt (2008) and the 2009 Mayworks Festival,  “Bridge of One Hair” in Central Etobicoke (2007), “Once A Shoreline” at Davenport Perth Neighbourhood Centre (2004), and "I'm Tapingi Too!" at Lawrence Heights (2001). As an independent artist, she produced South Riverdale’s “Twisted Metal and Mermaids Tears” in 2000 and other participatory projects that combine visual imagery, performance, music, movement, oral history and community arts practice. Ruth is a graduate of Eastbourne College of Art and Design, the National Theatre School of Canada and the University of Toronto, has several decades of professional experience as a set and costume designer, is one of the pioneers of the Community Play form in Canada, and has teaching credentials at many universities, colleges and schools. She has won several awards and distinctions for her work, including a 2005 Toronto Community Foundation “Vital People” Award, a 2007 Dora Nomination for costume design, and, in 2012, an Ontario Arts Council Chalmers Fellowship, the Canadian Urban Institute’s “City Soul” Award and the Dora George Luscombe Award for Mentorship in Theatre. In 2013, as well as leading Jumblies Toronto-based and national initiatives, she is collaborating on projects with Aanmitaagzi Storymakers,(Nipissing First Nations) the Whitewater Gallery (North Bay) and Vancouver Moving Theatre.