Eye on the Esplanade: Experiences, stories and memories
By medicinehatnews on July 13, 2023.
“We are story. All of us. What comes to matter then is the creation of the best possible story we can while we’re here; you, me, us, together. When we can do that and we take the time to share those stories with each other, we get bigger inside, we see each other, we recognize our kinship – we change the world, one story at a time…” – Richard Wagamese, Indian Horse At the Esplanade Arts and Heritage Centre we spend our days both preserving stories, and creating stories. We store the stories of our community in our Collections of artefacts, art, oral histories and documents. All of this can be accessed through our online database, or better yet, a visit to our Galleries and Archives. In terms of creating stories, it is actually you who are creating the stories through experiences, we just help. Every time you attend an experience at the Esplanade you are creating a new memory or new story for you and your family. Maybe it is seeing that musician you have always wanted to see, attending high tea at the Ewart Duggan House, dropping your kids off at summer art camp, visiting an art exhibition, or maybe it was passing through the portals of the Deep Dark. These experiences and stories become part of our collective memories and inevitably build and enrich our community. The city has created a new opportunity to assist residents in creating even more new experiences, stories and memories, The Arts, Culture and Heritage Microgrant is available to assist residents in creating projects and events that are barrier-free to all, such as music recitals, theatre acts and art shows. The maximum you can apply for is $500 and there is no deadline for applications. What could you apply for? Projects and events that are co-created with others, such as community art projects, band concerts or heritage tours. Projects and events that honour Indigenous culture. Projects that advance arts in the community such as multicultural festivals or art exhibits. Projects that animate the community, such as street parties, outdoor movie nights or murals. Anyone in our community can now facilitate the creation of the stories that Richard Wagamese tells us can change the world. Visit the City of Medicine Hat’s website for more details. I was fortunate enough to attend an experience that maybe did not change the world, but did change my perspective of the world. Sharing Stories at the Saamis Tepee was led by Brenda Mercer earlier this summer. Sitting in a sharing circle under the world’s largest tepee making a medicine pouch while Brenda told stories about Indigenous ways of life and knowing was a powerful experience. I left the circle feeling a little bit bigger inside with a renewed kinship with our community and the land where we live, work and play. My experience of sharing stories with 20 others in the circle reaffirmed for me that all our stories are important and should be shared. We, at the Esplanade Arts and Heritage Centre are fortunate to play a small part in sharing these stories with our community. Visit collections.esplanade.ca to search the Collections. Visit medicinehat.ca/microgrant for information about Arts, Culture, and Heritage Microgrant Aaron Nelson is the Manager of Cultural Experiences and Events for the Esplanade Arts & Heritage Centre 13-12
