The Heritage Community Investment Program (HCIP) invests funds—provided by the City of Edmonton—into the stabilization, increased professionalism and innovation of heritage in Edmonton, for Edmontonians. The HCIP program offers four unique grant streams: Operational, Project, Project Accelerator, and Travel Grants to individuals and heritage organizations working to connect citizens to the stories of our city.
The Project Accelerator Grant and Travel Grant streams have four intake periods per year. Through these two grant streams, the EHC supports individuals and organizations undertaking small scale heritage projects that tell an Edmonton story in a unique or innovative way, and provides assistance for travel, education and research that shares an Edmonton story.
Catch up with the latest recipients below!
Project Accelerator – Summer Intake
“Quinn’s Camera: A Mother and Daughter Reclaim their Language”
Crystal Fraser
Grant Awarded: $7,000
In this short documentary, a Gwich’in mother and daughter duo reclaim their language by preparing to visit their ancestral fish camp, Diighe’tr’aajil, on the Mackenzie River. By learning words that relevant to her toddler, Crystal and Quinn explore their experiences of Treaty 6 as they think through what words might be meaningful at their northern camp. The story delves into the nuances of life in the Edmonton region for Indigenous peoples who are ‘from’ other regions, but will also explore how returning to their traditional territories – and then returning ‘home’ to Edmonton – allows them to contribute to the rich culture in our city.
“Champions of the Valley: The History of Edmonton Rhythmic Gymnastics”
Grant Awarded: $6,000
This project will see the creation of a documentary film that will showcase the history of Edmonton’s rhythmic gymnastics program – a club that is recognized nationally and internationally. The film will reflect on the Edmonton Rhythmic Sportive Gymnastics Association’s (ERSGA) most significant achievements through interviews with past and present members, gymnasts, and leaders. The film is significant for Edmontonians because it promotes a healthy, active lifestyle for youth and girls by raising their awareness about the sport and its long and successful history in Edmonton. It will be presented to the public for free at West Edmonton Mall and Southgate Centre.
“Your Story – My History”
Grant Awarded: $7,000
In collaboration with local writer Jocelyne Verret-Chiasson, Fédération des aînés franco-albertains (FAFA) will create an exhibition featuring portraits of ordinary people doing extraordinary things that write new chapters in the history of Francophones in Alberta. The project will highlight the journeys of people of different generations and backgrounds through stories that have been underrepresented in the Francophone community. The exhibition will be presented in both English and French and will travel to several Edmonton locations to reach as wide of an audience as possible.
“What Have You Heard About Us?”
Grant Awarded: $6,867
What Have You Heard About Us?,curated by ImagiNation Miscellany, will be exhibited at Millbourne Market Mall and Kingsway Garden Mall from August 21-September 3 and September 8-21, respectively. The exhibition features portraits and stories that explore stereotypes faced by over 30 participants from Edmonton’s cultural minority groups, including members from recent immigrant and Indigenous communities.
“The Grandma Archive”
Kalie Bredo
Grant Awarded: $8,959.93
A website will be created with the aim to promote and document the value and experiences of our maternal forbearers. Using meaningful objects, possessions, or artefacts as a conversation point, Edmontonians will be invited to submit the stories of their matriarchs to the Grandma Archive website. These stories can take any form (i.e. oral history, memoir, artistic works) with a focus on Edmonton-related subject matter. As a facilitator, Kalie Bredo will support citizen genealogy, encourage participation, and provide ideas and inspiration for documenting these important histories through multimedia platforms.
“WWPT Archives and Collection Digitization”
Grant Awarded: $4,640
In 2018/2019, Workshop West Playwrights’ Theatre (WWPT) will celebrate 40 years of creating daring, dynamic, and diverse theatre. A major focus will be archiving their many images and key documents for deposit into the University of Alberta fonds, as well as digitizing material. An Archives and Digitization Project Assistant will be hired from September-December 2018 to undertake this work. This project will allow acceleration to a major project planned for the winter – hiring a “Historian in Residence” to create public presentations of the archives both in-person and online. Ultimately, WWPT aims to tell their story and their importance to Edmonton’s history.
Travel – Summer Intake
Catherine Cole
Grant Awarded: $2,550
Travel and education funding to attend and present at the Past, Present, and Future of Namibian Heritage International Conferencein Windhoek, Namibia and to participate in a post-conference roundtable discussion. Travel will take place from August 24-30.
Marina Hulzenga
Grant Awarded: $2,230
Travel and education funding to participate in the 5th annual Indigenous Mapping Workshop presented in Montreal from August 14-28, where she has been invited to present her recent exhibition LIMINAL SPACE | AWASITIPAHASKAN.
Miranda Jimmy
Grant Awarded: $1,184.73
Travel and education funding to attend the National Council on Public History Annual Meeting and Conference in Las Vegas, Nevada from April 19-20 and to participate on a panel discussion titled “Sharing the Power: The Role of Public History in Reconciling Indigenous-Settler Narratives.”
For more information on the Heritage Community Investment Program please visit edmontonheritage.ca/grants.