My Story Posts Project

My Story - Story Posts Project is an art and education project focused on truth and reconciliation. The project reaches out to marginalized Indigenous peoples, particularly homeless street people, incarcerated persons, youth-in-care and aging out-of-care asking them to tell their through art along with an artist statement that helps describes their work and it's relationship to truth and reconciliation, Indigenous teachings and lived experience. All artwork will be reviewed by a jury  and exhibited in quarterly public exhibitions at the Edge Gallery an Urban Art Centre.  The second phase of the project involves digitizing and imprinted selected works of art on "Story Posts" (see sample attached) which will travel throughout Manitoba and be displayed in highly visible, high traffic locations including schools, shopping centres, public and private office buildings. The Third Phase is focused on  developing our website and digital media platforms to showcases the Story Posts, allowing participants to share their story and artwork and help educate Canadians and indeed the world.

Our project welcomes all people, Indigenous and non-Indigenous peoples, all
genders, all ages, all abilities, to explore Truth and Reconciliation through art and storytelling. However, priority will be given to those who have been or are
involved in the justice system, in care or aging out of care, and those who are
homeless. This will include residential school survivors, 60's scoop victims and
those suffering with intergenerational trauma, men, women and children and will focus on cultural recovery. The project will also include schools and community organizations throughout Manitoba.

There are really two communities directly involved, those creating art and telling their stories and secondly and equally important that audience that viewing the art, read the stories and exploring our website. From school children to the business community, from visitors and tourists traveling Manitoba to people around the world searching the internet.

This project is intended to reach out to Manitobans and people around the world teaching them about Canadian Indigenous history, culture and the important role that art and storytelling plays in the truth and reconciliation process.

The social return to the community are manyfold. For sponsors, the social return includes exposure, education, community involvement, and urban renewal. For community partners the social returns include strengthening their networks, sharing of assets, and helping to heal the nation.

Finally for the public and participating, Story Post Project’s social return are education, a platform to tell/see/experience their stories, and most importantly, to understand and heal. Education and healing are the project’s main mission and therefore main social return.

Goals
- The artists will retain the rights and ownership of the original art
- To offer a means of communication or voice to marginalized individuals by
providing individuals an opportunity to tell their stories as it relates to their lived experiences
- To use traditional Indigenous practices of art and storytelling as a means to
engage, educate and strengthen community and build networks through the use of art and story telling
- To put into practice the TRC Calls To Action to educate about Canada’s colonial. history and the lived experience of Indigenous people and the use of art in the healing process.

Mission
Story Posts Project's mission is to address this trauma and help the healing process through art and storytelling. By building upon Indigenous cultural and oral traditions of storytelling, painting, and carving, We hope that these public displays and events will educate and challenge the cultural understanding of Canada’s past and the current reality and lead towards reconciliation and solidarity.

The Red Road Lodge located at 631 Main St, is a registered charity and a
community leader in providing safe, secure housing for marginalized and at-risk individuals, many who are products of the 60's scoop, traumatized by the
residential school experience. Our 50 room former hotel is a dry, recovery based facility providing hope, help and homes to our primarily Indigenous clientele. We incorporate art, art based activities and storytelling as part of the healing and recovery process.

The Edge Gallery is an Urban Art Centre located at 611 Main Street. The venue
provides new and emerging artists the opportunity to develop and present their creations in a professional and arts friendly gallery environment. The gallery is suitable for both visual and performance art, artists talks and educational workshops. The gallery also serves as a classroom and teaching space for youth, emerging artists, therapeutic programming, and rental space for community partners. The Edge staff provides programming both on-site and off-site including a regular two afternoons a week schedule in Studio 631 at the Red Road Lodge.