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Photo Credit: Stefania Galluccio @mystoo
1255 - 8/4/2022 7:58:15 AM  

GAC Awards First Pay It Forward Grant To The Re: Project
 

Released For Publication - July 26th, 2022   

New creative project will encourage mindful art-making and community building in collaboration with local Youth

The Re: Project responds to current individual and communal needs in the Guelph community emerging from the pandemic. The Re: Project is grounded in Reconnecting, Releasing, Replenishing, Reanimating, and Rejoicing through a multi-faceted experience. This experience aims to provide youth outlets to foster their creativity, learn new skills, and connect with the community, while deepening their relationship to their environment.

The Guelph Arts Council’s Pay it Forward Arts Fund is the gift of artist Barbara Salsberg Mathews and her husband, Bruce Mathews.

It is designed to encourage artists to rise to the challenge and pay it forward by using their talents to benefit others and the Guelph community.

“We’re excited about the potential of the Re: Project to draw upon local artists and businesses to help some youth in need. This is a great way to pay it forward. ” - Barbara Saslberg Matthews

Barbara, Bruce, GAC staff, and the award jury were pleased with the quality and quantity of applicants for this new award, with so many incredible projects that give back, and chose to fund The Re: project by local emerging artists Maeve Hind and Alexa Collette, who work collectively as Outlet - an initiative/collective dedicated to fostering mindful art-making and creating community connections through shared experiences.

Over the course of 8 weeks in Spring 2023, youth from Wyndham House Supportive Housing will take part in four community engaged activities led by local individuals and businesses: Forest Walking, Pottery, Movement, and Mural Workshops and Painting. Participants will be encouraged to cultivate their strengths, with the weekly community engagements intended to create a sense of belonging, for participants to become excited by new opportunities, find new outlets, and increase individual and communal well-being.

“When an individual's well-being is nurtured, communal well-being is strengthened. Many businesses in the arts and culture sector suffered significant decreases in revenue during the pandemic. The Re: Project supports local businesses, providing opportunities to share their skills and resources”

GAC Executive Director Damian Weston is excited about the new award and the projects it will generate.

“The Pay It Forward Art Fund & the Re: Project have the ability to become powerful voices by placing the arts as a connective tissue between artists, business and the community - and each becoming stranger through that connection.” - Damian Weston

Watch for updates on these projects on GAC social media and at guelpharts.ca.



About Guelph Arts Council: Since 1975, Guelph Arts Council has been dedicated to supporting, stimulating, and promoting arts and culture in Guelph. Guelph Arts Council is funded in part by The Guelph Community Foundation and City of Guelph. We also acknowledge the support of the Ontario Arts Council, an agency of the Government of Ontario.



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