Portraits, Patterns, Possibilities: A Black Canadian Trilogy

Culchahworks Arts Collective marks three significant Black Canadian historical milestones:

• the 225^th anniversary of the passage of the Emancipation Act of 1793 – the first legislation to limit and ultimately abolish slavery to be passed in the entire British empire. Black slave woman Chloe Cooley was the catalyst for the introduction of this legislation
• the 195^th birthday and 125^th death anniversary of Mary Ann Shadd, the first Black woman publisher in North America, and the first woman publisher in Canada. Shadd was also a pioneer in the desegregation of schools
• the 60^th anniversary of Willie O’Ree breaking the NHL colour barrier

Culchahworks’ Founder and Artistic Director Andrew Craig creates a hybrid live action/video presentation that paints a portrait of each character, observes how the patterns of struggles they experienced continue to this day, and envisions a brighter future for all of us.

The presentation will be video-recorded live, and the public is invited to be part of the “studio audience”. Admission is free to the public (donated accepted), and refreshments will be served prior to the taping. Come and commemorate these important Black Canadian figures, and be part of the making of a brand-new artistic creation!