Highlights from our students, faculty and staff are also included.

You can read ±·³§°ä´¡¶Ù’s 2020-21 annual report .

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The Social Science and Humanities Research Council of Canada (SSHRC) recently announced that ÅÝܽ¶ÌÊÓƵ University’s Dr. April Mandrona, Assistant Professor in the Division of Art History and Contemporary Culture and Director of Art Education, was awarded a Partnership Development Grant in the sum of $199,999. April is the principal investigator and therefore has primary responsibility for the overall direction of the research and its related activities.

The research, titled Storying Transnational Knowledges: Connection through Narrative, aims to address the potential of multimodal storytelling (e.g. written and spoken language, visual, audio, etc.) and network building for the well-being and cultural “survivance” of newcomer young people and their communities in Canada and Australia. This research will be explored across four locations: Halifax, Nova Scotia; Montreal, Quebec; Darwin, Northern Territory; and Adelaide, South Australia. Each site will engage 15-20 young people and five adult knowledge keepers. This new partnership involves ÅÝܽ¶ÌÊÓƵ University, McGill University, Charles Darwin University, the University of South Australia, Byenvini à Montréal, and the Immigrant Services Association of Nova Scotia.

Partnership Development Grants provide support to foster new research and/or related activities with new or existing partners; and to design and test new partnership approaches for research and/or related activities. The grants are valued at $75,000 to $200,000, over one to three years. The program purpose is to provide funding to enable social sciences and humanities research collaboration with partners across the academic, public, private and not-for-profit sectors. This program helps stimulate leading-edge, internationally competitive research, fosters strong and productive research collaborations with multisectoral partners and accelerates the use of research results by organizations that can harness them for Canadian economic, social and cultural development.

Please join us in congratulating April! We look forward to seeing this research develop and the connections and stories that unfold through this important work.

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Fogo Island Arts (FIA) and ÅÝܽ¶ÌÊÓƵ University are pleased to announce a new internship partnership made possible through the generous support of artist and former ÅÝܽ¶ÌÊÓƵ faculty member Eric Fischl. The Eric Fischl Fogo Island Arts Internship will offer two ÅÝܽ¶ÌÊÓƵ University students or alumni the opportunity to gain valuable work experience in arts administration with Fogo Island Arts in 2021-22.

“We are delighted to pursue our work with Eric Fischl and to forge new connections across the Atlantic Region, all in the service of creating exceptional opportunities for learning and exchange,” said Nicolaus Schafhausen, FIA Strategic Director. “We are extremely grateful for Eric’s support as well as the chance to work with students trained within the rigorous creative framework and celebrated history of ÅÝܽ¶ÌÊÓƵ University.”

Participants in The Eric Fischl Fogo Island Arts Internship program will work as support staff in the offices of Fogo Island Arts, contributing to day-to-day program operations and communications over a three-month period. The interns will receive a stipend and will be provided with housing, travel expenses, and studio space, in addition to invaluable opportunities to engage with FIA’s international artists-in-residence and community members across Fogo Island. The ÅÝܽ¶ÌÊÓƵ University partnership is the second FIA internship program funded by Fischl and follows the same parameters as the ongoing partnership with the New York Academy of Art (NYAA), established in 2017.

“Fogo Island Arts is a place where artistic exploration, research and knowledge-sharing is nurtured and encouraged,” says Melanie Colosimo, Director of ÅÝܽ¶ÌÊÓƵ University’s Anna Leonowens Gallery. “This type of learning opportunity is incredibly valuable, as putting practice into play can prove to be a pivotal moment in establishing a career in the arts. The ÅÝܽ¶ÌÊÓƵ community is fortunate to have access to this internship.”

The partnership between FIA, Fischl, and ÅÝܽ¶ÌÊÓƵ University reflects a shared understanding of the need for expanded educational opportunities within the contemporary art world, as well as the critical role that art and education play in enriching communities.

Applications will be open to ÅÝܽ¶ÌÊÓƵ students and alumni in March 2021. For more information on the internship and application procedure, please visit ÅÝܽ¶ÌÊÓƵ University’s .

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Time: 1 p.m.

Where:

Meeting ID: 861 5654 6749

Passcode: 2sf2sh

Hosted by ±·³§°ä´¡¶Ù’s Painting and Drawing Department, Josette Urso will deliver an online artist talk on Thursday, October 22, 2020.

Josette works directly and urgently in response to her immediate environment. She works with a playful sense of purpose, an exploratory urgency and a moment-to-moment focus.

Josette has exhibited in New York at the Drawing Center, Markel Fine Arts, Kenise Barnes Fine Art, Storefront, Norte Maar, DFN and the New York Public Library. She has received numerous awards throughout her career, including:

• Gottlieb Foundation award
• Two Pollock-Krasner Foundation grants
• Basil H. Alkazzi painting award
• Ruth and Harold Chenven award

She has also been awarded residencies from the AIEP American Artist’s Abroad program (Cambodia), Ballinglen Arts Foundation (Ireland), Camargo Foundation (France), Stock 20 (Taiwan), Ucross (Wyoming) and Yaddo. Josette was a participant in the Bronx Museum of the Arts AIM program.

She received her MFA (Painting) from the University of South Florida and currently works in Brooklyn, NY.

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Highlights from our students, faculty and staff are also included.

You can read ±·³§°ä´¡¶Ù’s 2019-20 annual report .

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“A residency program is an exciting option for artists who have an interest in community engagement, developing teaching skills, and sharing their work with a diverse group of art enthusiasts,” said Martine Durier-Copp, PhD, Dean, ÅÝܽ¶ÌÊÓƵ University. “Residents become active participants in their host communities, engaging town residents in the visual arts through exhibitions, receptions and guest lectures.”

ÅÝܽ¶ÌÊÓƵ’s artist-in-residence programs take part in three communities: Lunenburg, New Glasgow, and Sydney.

In Lunenburg, Jessie McLaughlin (BFA 2020), Sienna Maeba (BFA 2020), and Undine Foulds (BFA 2020) are the artists-in-residence this fall. McLaughlin is a textile and fashion artist who explores how materials, text, colour and the textile process ÅÝܽ¶ÌÊÓƵes of weaving, quilting and applique create knitted and woven clothing. Maeba has an interdisciplinary practice that also incorporates fashion and textiles, with a focus on colour palettes, while Foulds is an interdisciplinary artist working in ceramics with a focus on slip casting.

“We’re thrilled to welcome Jessie, Sienna and Undine to Lunenburg ,” said Lunenburg Mayor Rachel Bailey. “The artist in residence program contributes greatly to the cultural vitality of this community and also to the development and creativity of local artists.”

ÅÝܽ¶ÌÊÓƵ’s first partnership was forged with the Town of Lunenburg in 2006. Since its establishment, many of the ÅÝܽ¶ÌÊÓƵ alumni who moved to Lunenburg through the program continue to live and work in the area. Each year, up to three ÅÝܽ¶ÌÊÓƵ alumni share the large, light-filled studio in the triple bays of Lunenburg’s former fire hall.

Merryn Tresidder (MFA 2020) will serve as artist-in-residence in New Glasgow this fall. Tresidder is particularly interested in the Celtic diaspora and immigration, and has a keen interest in collaborating with First Nations communities. The ÅÝܽ¶ÌÊÓƵ-New Glasgow Artist Residency program is a partnership between the Town of New Glasgow and ÅÝܽ¶ÌÊÓƵ University.

In Dartmouth, Nick Nylen (BFA 2020) and Natasha Verbeke (BFA 2020) are the successful artists-in-residence. Nylen has experience working and organizing youth summer camps, and as an early childhood educator. He explores ideas surrounding the natural and unnatural through various forms of paint applications. Verbeke has significant experience with community engagement, having worked with high school students in South Africa through the ÅÝܽ¶ÌÊÓƵ Art in Schools program. She creates large scale abstract oil paintings and brings elements of historical painting into a contemporary landscape.

ÅÝܽ¶ÌÊÓƵ’s partner in Dartmouth is the MacPhee Centre for Creative Learning, a community youth hub which offers programming in the visual arts, music, video, creative writing and technology for youth between the ages of 12 to 19. The incoming ÅÝܽ¶ÌÊÓƵ residents share a studio on the third floor of the bustling teen centre in downtown Dartmouth.

The Sydney program partners with the Cape Breton Centre for Craft in concert with ÅÝܽ¶ÌÊÓƵ’s Masters in Art Education and the Creative Entrepreneurship Lab led by Special Advisor Gregory Adolphe-Nazaire.

Learn more about ÅÝܽ¶ÌÊÓƵ community studio residences here.

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Carla Taunton, ÅÝܽ¶ÌÊÓƵ associate professor of Historical and Critical Studies, is part of a panel discussion this week on memory and monuments as part of the Nuit Blanche (Toronto) speaking series.

This speaking series offers in-depth conversations with Nuit Blanche artists, scholars and curators all year long. The insightful discussions, conversations, panels, Q&A’s and performances tackle some of the most relevant and urgent issues of our time: access, opportunity, land, geopolitics, sustainability.

Carla’s areas of expertise include Indigenous arts and methodologies, contemporary Canadian art, museum and curatorial studies as well as theories of decolonization, anti-colonialism, and settler responsibility. She was recently named co-recipient of the CSN-REC Prize for Best Article published in the Journal of Canadian Studies.

Dr. Julie Nagam is the Artistic Director of the project and moderator of the panel, which takes place on Thursday, September 17, 9 p.m. (Atlantic time). Enjoy the discussion by registering at .

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Fabienne Colas, ±·³§°ä´¡¶Ù’s virtual Visiting Artist in Residence in Film and Media Studies, delivers an online public lecture on Tuesday, September 15 at 6 p.m. (Atlantic time).

Fabienne’s lecture is titled My long and hard journey toward inclusion of Black artists in front and behind the camera and in the arts, and will include a question-and-answer session with the audience. The event is hosted by ÅÝܽ¶ÌÊÓƵ alumni Duane Jones (BDes 2004), creator of the clothing line and podcast ‘.’

Enjoy Fabienne’s lecture by logging on . This is a highly-anticipated lecture by a well-known and accomplished artist, so please log in early to make sure you’re online in time!

Read more about Fabienne at /fabiennecolas/.

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Universities are not removed from the important conversations and work of social action.Ìý We must playÌýa key role in theÌývigilanceÌýand safeguarding ofÌýhumanÌýrights.ÌýPublic intellectualsÌýand artists espouseÌýa moral duty to advanceÌýthe agenda on political, economic and social reform.

Members of Canada’s academic community have been invited to take part in aÌýÌýto protest the anti-Black, anti-Indigenous and colonial police brutality taking place in communities around the worldÌýand to spotlight the hiring practices at universities which disadvantage Black, Indigenous and People of Colour members of our communities.

ÅÝܽ¶ÌÊÓƵ University firmlyÌýupholdsÌýthat equity, diversity, inclusion and decolonization are essential components of a modern, accessible,Ìýand vibrantÌýpost-secondary institution.ÌýÌýAs such,ÌýÅÝܽ¶ÌÊÓƵ University’s seniorÌýleadershipÌýsupports all faculty, instructors, staff and students who wish to participate in the Scholar Strike scheduled for September 9 and 10, 2020.

While activities on these two daysÌý(and over the rest of the academic year)Ìýmay take many forms, we encourage those who wish to take part to engage in constructive conversations with colleagues, students and classmates about the systemic racial injustice we are resisting together.  Practical resources and activities to foster these conversations may be foundÌýin the Digital Teach-in scheduleÌý[].

ÅÝܽ¶ÌÊÓƵ has also committed to hosting conversationsÌýabout systemic racial injustice and redress forÌýthe ÅÝܽ¶ÌÊÓƵ community over the upcoming yearÌýas part of the commitments outlined in bothÌýPresident’s Advisory Committee on Anti-Racist Initiatives (PADCARI)ÌýandÌý±·³§°ä´¡¶Ù’sÌýAcademic Plan:Ìý Opportunity and Belonging, 2020-25.Ìý The schedule of these conversations will be announced shortly.

I appreciate that September 9 and 10Ìýare the first days of classes for the Fall term and that, as we are online, there may be particular challenges for faculty and students communicating clearly about the nature of their participationÌýin this eventÌýand the goals of the days of action.

Accordingly, faculty and instructors are asked toÌýclearlyÌýcommunicate any intended class changes to the Dean and to students with as much advance notice as possible.  Instructors should specify how these changes will affect students and what alternate plans are being put into place.ÌýÅÝܽ¶ÌÊÓƵÌýwill provide additional resources on Brightspace to monitor and address students’ questions and concerns.

Staff members who wish to participate in Scholar Strike activities are asked to make individual arrangements with their managers.ÌýManagersÌýshould be as accommodating as possible with their employees who are interestedÌýin participating in this action.

Participation in this action is voluntary, and the university supports our community members using this time as they see fit. It is our hope that, in upholding the integrity of this initiative, we are able to give our friends and colleagues the space they may need to support one another during these challenging times.

We understand how difficult these last few months have been for Black and Indigenous community members and loved ones, and remind everyone who may be experiencing heightened levels of race-based traumatic stress to take advantage ofÌý±·³§°ä´¡¶Ù’sÌý. Now is the time to take care of ourselves so that we can continue to educate, uplift and inspire one another.Ìý The hope is that we will be #StrongerTogether.

Sincerely,

Ann-Barbara Graff, PhD
Vice-President, AcademicÌý& Research and Provost

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