STAGE LEFT IS THIS UNDERGROUND ARMY OF COOL PEOPLE WHO WORK HARD TO MAKE CALGARY SAFE FOR US OTHERS.
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Spirit Synott
Geoff McMurchy
Image Theatre workshop
The Hate Show
Image Theatre Training
Creative Justice Intensive
As I Am
ActiveArts Drama Class
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CURRENT NEWS
2020 Year in Review We remain ridiculously disappointed that the principals of equity, for the most vulnerable of the vulnerable, have been dropped like a hot potato amid the worst public crisis (so far) in recent memory; ironically, we've noted that public health crises have most often emerged throughout history during times of greatest social inequality. So. We're not providing a public summary of our 2020 activities, as too many of us haven't even made it to the "recovery" stage yet. We're not willing to exploit this very real struggle, for the far too many of us who are back on the margins again, for the benefit of this company's public profile. We're still deeply immersed in the struggle for basic human needs, as so many of our collaborators have to navigate the added inequities from the bottom up. We especially won't be sharing any of the "we promise to do better, at long last" virtue signalling that we're seeing too much of now. We will, however, keep reminding our colleagues that Stage Left's team of arts-based activists has been "building back better" since 1999... We'll also keep reminding you all of the *many* proven, positive impacts of our social justice praxis of "systemic equity, for all protected classes of people". updated February 2021 Covid-19 Closure Now that we've put in thousands of hours on the front lines on supporting marginal artists to secure Covid-19 relief and gain access to needed care networks, on organizing collective austerity resistance, and on successfully advocating for the application of systemic equity in arts sector Covid-19 relief, we're taking time to turn our attention inward. We'll be closed to the public until June 15, as we need a concentrated period of time to undertake the course corrections that are now necessary due to Covid-19 impacts on our own staff and operations, and therefore our continued programming and long-term sustainability. updated June 2020 Covid-19 Response We've deployed our care networks into on-the-ground supports for diverse artists with impairment(s) who need urgent access to public health information, continuing care and/ or relief programs. We've deployed our activist networks into collective resistance to the brutal costs of austerity on the most vulnerable populations among us all. We've sent out over 5,000 messages of solidarity to those on the front-lines; delivered groceries to over 100 stranded artists, driven another 75 to needed medical care, and provided direct resources to struggling collectives. We've been able to defer or course-correct most of our programming. Nothing has been cancelled - yet; except for our consulting contracts (with much regret). updated April 2020 Stage Left Impact We're very happy to welcome Sara Meurling and Troy Emery Twigg to our core 2020 team. Sara and Troy are both working on our Closet Freaks and Full Spectrum programming. Sara is also continuing her successful work focused on the company's longer-term sustainability. Together, our whole team is working on making systemic changes – through models of solidarity. NASO Sector Impact Through DDMAAC, Stage Left's is engaging in solidarity with the Canadian Dance Assembly by collaborating to further our Full Spectrum Arts Equity programming; and also with CAPACOA and Mass Culture to cultivate sector-wide, bottom-up organizing models. Solidarity Impact Through DDMAAC, Stage Left is taking systems-change work back to the basics, with our informal solidarity services – where we hold others up in the struggle to bring about equitable change; because there are an equal number tearing us all down. updated February 2020 |
