Peterborough, ON – The Electric City Culture Council (EC3) announces the completion of Art Loves Pride 2021, a series of three commissioned works by local 2SLGBTQ+ artists presented on Instagram as part of Peterborough Pride. This year’s commissions feature works by three trans/nonbinary and BIPOC artists, Sahira Q, Carlo José Quinones, and Ále Suárez.

EC3 has organized Art Loves Pride as part of Peterborough Pride since 2018, to celebrate the close interconnections between art and queerness and to showcase some of the City’s outstanding 2SLGBTQ+ artists and their work. Typically taking the form of a float in the Pride Parade and activities around Pride in the Park, Art Loves Pride has moved to Instagram during the COVID-19 pandemic.

This online version of Art Loves Pride provides an opportunity for EC3 to support and promote some of the city’s talented 2SLGBTQ+ artists, to provide a platform for them at a time when many venues for performance are closed off, and to provide audiences with free access to great new art works.

Art Loves Pride 2021 includes three projects that are available on EC3’s Instagram page (https://www.instagram.com/ec3ptbo/) and are archived on EC3’s website (https://www.ecthree.org/program/art-loves-pride-2021/). Audiences can access them any time, at no cost.

Sahira Q, a quirky yet lovable drag queen and “Peterborough’s punk princess,” presents a music video lip-sync performance of “Magnets” by Disclosure ft. Lorde as an anthem reclaiming pride and self-worth.

Spoken word poet and visual artist Carlo José Quinones offers “Open letter to Aries (born March 21-April 19),” a poem about slowing down and taking time, accompanied by a self-portrait photo collage.

Musician and expressive arts therapist Ále Suárez performs a cover of “Una Vez Mas” by Ximena Sariñana, a jazzy guitar song with Spanish lyrics, reflecting Ále’s personal story as a diasporic child who fuses different cultures within themselves.

If you would like to interview any of these three artists, please contact EC3 Program Coordinator Gabe Pollock (ec3.research@gmail.com).

The Electric City Culture Council (EC3) is a not-for-profit service organization supporting the arts and culture community in Peterborough and the surrounding region. EC3 provides strategic leadership, research, resources and connections that build and strengthen the sector.

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For Further Information Contact:
Su Ditta
Executive Director, EC3
705 749 9101
electriccitycc@gmail.com
www.ecthree.org

Read “EC3: Peterborough artists awarded Bierk Art Bursary Fund,” by EC3 Staff, published in The Peterborough Examiner as part of EC3’s Arts in the Examiner series.

EC3 and Peterborough Poet Laureate Release New Videos to Mark the Occasion, Plus Other Resources

Hello Everyone,

Tomorrow, September 30, marks the first-ever National Day for Truth and Reconciliation. The day honours the lost children and survivors of residential schools, their families and communities, and marks the tragic and painful legacy of colonialism and the ongoing process of reconciliation

Last week, EC3 and the City of Peterborough announced Sarah Lewis as the first-ever Peterborough Poet Laureate. Earlier this week, Sarah performed for the first time as Poet Laureate, at Monday night’s City Council meeting.

Sarah Lewis performs at City Council this past Monday.

Today, to commemorate the National Day for Truth and Reconciliation, EC3 has commissioned Sarah to create videos of the two pieces she performed at City Council. “Warrior Cry” and “Take Them Home” speak to the painful legacy that colonialism and residential schools have had on this country, and the strength and indefatigable resiliency of Indigenous peoples.

Watch the videos here:

More Resources

Local performing arts presenter Public Energy has released an excellent list of suggestions for more ways you can mark the National Day for Truth and Reconciliation:

• Nogojiwanong Friendship Centre, Niijkiwendidaa and Lovesick Native Women’s Association are holding a Sacred Fire from 12 pm to 3 pm tomorrow, September 30. There will be two readings of Phyillis Webstad’s book, The Orange Shirt Story, at 12:30 pm and 2:30 pm. Space is limited to 20 people including staff at a time, so they ask that you limit your time and reserve a space with Rebekah, wellness@nogofc.ca.
• Join the Memory, Truth and Justice event at Confederation Park (across from City Hall). This event takes place every Thursday from 4:00pm to 5:00pm. While walking in a circle, each person gathered will read, one-by-one, the actions recommended by the Truth and Reconciliation Commission, the names of the missing and murdered women and girls in Canada, and, as they become known, the names of those buried at residential schools. They continue each week where they left off the previous week. When they are done, after many weeks, they will begin again.
• Read and contemplate the [94 calls to action of The Truth and Reconciliation Commission.
• Donate to Indigenous charities (This link includes local organizations, Nogojiwanong Friendship Centre and the Niijkiwendidaa Anishnaabekwewag Services Circle).
• Listen to and watch the CBC’s special programming to mark the National Day for Truth and Reconciliation.

Please stay well and let us know how we can help.
TRACK THE IMPACT.

As always, keep checking the EC3 Facebook page, @ECThreePtbo on Twitter, @ec3ptbo on Instagram, and the COVID-19 Updates page on EC3’s website, where we are providing daily updates on programs and services available for ACH workers and organizations.

Be safe, stay healthy, and please don’t hesitate to reach out.

Su Ditta and the EC3 Board and staff

Contact
Su Ditta
Executive Director
Electric City Culture Council (EC3)
electriccitycc@gmail.com
www.ecthree.org
705 749 9101

“Peterborough: Sarah Lewis, the city’s first Poet Laureate,” Global News Morning.

“New Peterborough poet laureate makes first presentation to city council” by Joelle Kovach, Peterborough Examiner.

“Peterborough’s new poet laureate to speak to council Monday” by Joelle Kovach, Peterborough Examiner.

“Curve Lake’s Sarah Lewis named as Peterborough’s first poet laureate,” Peterborough Examiner.

EC3’s Annual Pride Project Returns to Instagram

Happy Peterborough Pride!

The city’s annual 2SLGBTQ+ celebration is on now, from September 17 to 26, and along with that comes the return of EC3’s annual Pride project, Art Loves Pride.

This year, Art Loves Pride includes a series of commissions from local queer artists, shared through EC3’s Instagram account, @ec3ptbo. You can head there now to find a brand-new drag performance by the inimitable Sahira Q, to the tune of “Magnets” by Disclosure ft. Lorde. In the next couple weeks we will have great new works by musician Ále Suárez and poet and visual artist Carlo José Quinones.

In a normal year, Art Loves Pride would include a float in the Pride Parade and activities around Pride in the Park, but for the COVID era, we’ve had to adapt. The online version of Art Loves Pride provides an opportunity for EC3 to support and promote some of the city’s talented 2SLGBTQ+ artists, and to provide a platform for them at a time when many venues for performance are closed off. No matter the form, Art Loves Pride is a celebration of art, queerness, and the close connections between them.

We also encourage everyone to check out the full schedule of Peterborough Pride events, including film screenings, meet and greets, and a virtual edition of Pride in the Park.

And for more Art Loves Pride, check out last year’s EC3 Instagram projects on our website.

Thank You!!

Thank you to Peterborough Pride for your support of Art Loves Pride!

Please stay well and let us know how we can help.
TRACK THE IMPACT.

As always, keep checking the EC3 Facebook page, @ECThreePtbo on Twitter, @ec3ptbo on Instagram, and the COVID-19 Updates page on EC3’s website, where we are providing daily updates on programs and services available for ACH workers and organizations.

Be safe, stay healthy, and please don’t hesitate to reach out.

Su Ditta and the EC3 Board and staff

Contact
Su Ditta
Executive Director
Electric City Culture Council (EC3)
electriccitycc@gmail.com
www.ecthree.org
705 749 9101

Peterborough, ON – The Electric City Culture Council (EC3) and The City of Peterborough are pleased and honoured to announce that spoken word artist Sarah Lewis has been selected as Peterborough’s first Poet Laureate. Mayor Diane Therrien will introduce Ms. Lewis at the City Council meeting on September 23 at 6:00 pm. You can watch the a livestream of the meeting HERE.

Sarah Lewis will serve as Poet Laureate from September 2021 to April 2022 and will create and present four new works for various civic occasions, as well as undertaking a program of special events and activities to promote literacy, poetry, local arts, culture and civic identity.

The Peterborough Poet Laureate is an honourary position established to recognize the excellence and outstanding achievements of local professional poets (both print/page and spoken word) and to enhance our civic identity.

The Peterborough Poet Laureate acts as an advocate for poetry and spoken word art, for the arts in general, and for the City of Peterborough and its residents. She will compose works to be presented at Peterborough City Council meetings and other City of Peterborough events and occasions. The Poet Laureate will receive an honourarium of $2,000.00 and an additional $500.00 from EC3, provided by an anonymous donor.

Sarah Lewis (she/her) is an Anishnaabe Kwe (Ojibwe/Cree), spoken word artist from Curve Lake First Nation, Ontario, who has lived in the City of Peterborough. She is a proud member of the 2019 Peterborough Poetry Slam Team, as well as a national semi-finalist at the 2019 Canadian Festival of Spoken Word. Sarah has performed her works at approximately 15 slam poetry competitions and dozens of community events, has had her work published in the Edmonton Indigenous Artists Anthology and will be featured shortly on CBC’s Arts YouTube channel.

She is a mother, social justice activist, performer, community organizer, dreamer, and curious spirit in pursuit of answers about the universe. Her poetry highlights the struggles and more importantly, the resiliency within Indigenous communities. Sarah holds a Bachelor’s Degree in Social Work from Trent University.

The Poet Laureate was selected in a competitive process by a Peer Assessment/Selection Committee including well-recognized writers, academics, poets, songwriters and spoken word artists Jon Hedderwick, Gordon Johnson, Lillian Allen, Andrew Ihamaki and Nick Ferrio. The selection was reviewed and endorsed by the City’s Arts, Culture and Heritage Advisory Committee (ACHAC). This was a two-step process; three shortlisted candidates in the competition participated in an interview and presented their work to the Committee. Outstanding finalists also included accomplished artists Justin Million and Ziysah von Bieberstein.

The Selection Committee was deeply impressed by the beauty of Sarah Lewis’ language, the remarkable ‘architecture’ of her work, the creativity and finesse of her presentation, and the all-embracing concepts she brings to bear on ideas about community, citizenship, history and identity.

The City of Peterborough is responsible for the Poet Laureate Pilot Program, which is administered by the Electric City Culture Council (EC3) under the guidance of the City of Peterborough’s Arts, Culture and Heritage Advisory Committee (ACHAC).

The Electric City Culture Council (EC3) is a not-for-profit service organization supporting the arts and culture community in Peterborough and the surrounding region. EC3 provides strategic leadership, research, resources and connections that build and strengthen the sector.

“Through poetry, a Poet Laureate inspires us and encourages us to reflect on our lives and the life of our community. Thank you to Electric City Culture Council for working with the City to create this exciting new pilot program. The arts community is a key part of the cultural, social and economic vibrancy of Peterborough. Our first Poet Laureate is arriving at a milestone in the history of our community as we look forward to emerging from the COVID-19 pandemic when we will build back better together.” — City of Peterborough Mayor Diane Therrien

Media
Sarah Lewis photo

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For Further Information Contact:
Su Ditta
Executive Director, EC3
705 749 9101
electriccitycc@gmail.com
www.ecthree.org

“Spoken word artist Sarah Lewis is Nogojiwanong-Peterborough’s first poet laureate,” Kawartha Now.