Please see below the project summaries for heritage work funded in 2023 via the HCIP (Heritage Community Investment Program) Project Accelerator stream, which provides funding up to $10,000 to individuals and organizations undertaking small-scale heritage projects that tell Edmonton stories.
Alberta Council for the Ukrainian Arts – Fashion Show Project
Textiles communicate memory and reveal the historical, cultural, and personal moments that bring communities together. Curated and produced in partnership with Ukrainian Resource and Development Centre (URDC) at MacEwan University, the Threads That Connect fashion show (Fall 2024 at MacEwan University) will highlight the unique contemporary Ukrainian textile art forms and textile designers who incorporate traditional cultural aspects into everyday wear.
Backroads Productions – Making Kayfabe
This broadcast-length (44-minute) documentary of Edmonton’s rich, diverse, and thriving indie wrestling culturewill reveal the surprising identities of Albertans moonlighting as larger-than-life characters and the transformation of documentarian Omar Mouallem from respected journalist into the villain “Fake Nooz”. The doc is to stream on CBC Gem and air on CBC TV. This grant funds post-production and licensing Cadence Weapon’s viral song “Connor McDavid,” which pays tribute to local landmarks and sports history.
John Humphrey Centre for Peace and Human Rights – Inspiring Change: Learning Activism from Older Generations
Edmonton is North America’s first Human Rights City and has a rich history of activism dating back to the 1960s. This project will document the stories and wisdom of twenty-five activists who advocated for issues from nuclear disarmament to Indigenous rights and environmentalism, resulting in digital education tools, lesson plans, and an online platform to share these stories, fostering civic engagement and providing valuable insights for current and future generations.
The Mah Society of Edmonton– Journey of the Horse
The exhibit will feature the history of the surname “Mah”, the areas of Toishan, China where the Mahs came from, and the timeline of the 100-year history of the Society itself. At one time Edmonton was the city with the biggest population of people with the surname “Mah”. The Chinese meaning of Mah is “horse” and therefore, Edmonton was nicknamed the “corral” within the Chinese community. The society was established to support the boys and young men who came to Canada and eventually Edmonton from various Mah villages of Toishan.Anna Ouedrago – Edmonton Black History Project
This project presents Edmonton’s rich and diverse heritage from the memories and records of the older Black generation through the computer keyboards, cameras, and paint brushes of the younger generation. Young artists are paired with someone from the older generation and invited to produce works to share their experiences and stories. The stories, visual arts, and short videos will be shared in public spaces, online, through Africarnival and Diversity Magazine platforms, and other media in Edmonton to educate the public about Edmonton’s Black heritage.
Rainbow Story Hub – Spotlighting Queer Community Leaders and Events
Highlighting the stories of sixteen (16) of Edmonton’s leaders within the 2SLGBTQ+ community and the pivotal events they were part of. The grant supports a contract Researcher(s) and Writer(s) to help produce the content and aid those who choose to write their story on their own.
Fahad Suleiman – Caribbean in the Prairies
This documentary explores the history of Caribbean culture and the heritage of ‘Carnival’ in Edmonton. It highlights how the Caribbean community has established and sustained a vibrant tradition supporting the second largest Carnival event in Canada.
A complete listing of 2023 HCIP recipients is available here. Contact grants@edmontonheritage.ca with any questions.