This was an interdisciplinary art project that engaged participants and audiences from core neighbourhoods in dialogue regarding notions of site, circumstance, and voice in relation to the history of the geographical space now known as the City of Regina. Dewdney Avenue was the starting and focal point of the project because it had geographical and socio-economic significance as a major east-west artery in the City of Regina. The local detachment of the RCMP and national training centre, Government House, and a significant portion of North Central residence are all on or near Dewdney Avenue. Hemmed in by the CN and CP railways and major roadway arteries, the community of North Central has become geographically, economically, and socially isolated from the rest of Regina.
The Dewdney Avenue Project had five streams of programming: video, audio, visual, voice, and interdisciplinary works through the vision of four artists to unpack and draw attention to local stories and histories. Under the artistic direction of Elwood Jimmy, the artists included: Terrance Houle (video), Cheryl L’Hirondelle (audio), Edward Poitras (multi-disciplinary), and Traci Foster (voice). Cheryl collected interviews, thoughts and stories shared about the North Central. As an audio component, these recordings were then broadcast through pirate radio on a low watt radio transmitter in collaboration with Scott Collegiate. The community stories were heard throughout the community on May 30th.
Traci worked with disabled and non-disabled participants from the South Saskatchewan Independent Living Centre. Through workshops, which took place at Albert Scott Community Centre, participants used their bodies to express their voice stories and emotions. The students worked with Traci on performance, storytelling and mask making. Terrance Houle worked with the historic stories of North Central Regina and created small miniature stories out of train models. He then photographed and videotaped these stories. The images were used within a citywide bus and transit shelter project.
Finally, Edward Poitras took to the streets of North Central for his component of the project. Working with the ideas of those missing from the community and the ideas and feelings that resonate with the community residents, Edward created video, photo-based, installation and web-based work. He particularly focused on the history of those who have gone missing and the lack of information on these residents: the hidden stories of the community.
