Community Projects
During the past twenty years, Neruda Arts has been a champion to emerging, mid-career and professional artists, often mentoring and encouraging them in their pursuit of life in the arts
These are some of our projects that bring art, and artists, to the community.
Following two years of isolation, social distancing and uncertainty, it was with great pleasure and anticipation that we opened the doors of Neruda Arts Studio, our brand new space in St Jacobs, Ontario.
Imagine bringing music to smaller towns, that don't enjoy concerts and art happening in their own communities, or bringing music to shut-ins, youth and people who are financially challenged.
With a mobile stage, Neruda Arts can bring music, theatre, and dance to the community, especially outlying communities and those with little access to the arts.
We created a brand new audio/visual studio: Sound on Sound (SoS). To get things going, we invited local artists in music, theatre, visual art, puppetry and more, to be recorded and provided with a professional quality video of their work with which to further their musical careers. Our goals, in a small part were to highlight the careers of women in music in the Waterloo Region, with a focus on unrepresented women (BIPOC). It was our hope that participants will gain a platform to perform, an increase in audience members and the opportunity to be paid a fair wage.
This project is in support of victims of the violent state repression of the uprising in Chile that exploded in 2019. This giant arpillera was designed by Chilean artist Ian Pierce (Ekeko) and supported by various community organizations including Neruda Arts, La Vitrina KW and Quarry.
Arpillera, Harpillera
[ˌɑːpɪˈjɛərə]
An arpillera, which means burlap in Spanish, is a brightly colored patchwork picture made predominantly by groups of women (also known as arpilleristas)
Tejido generalmente de estopa, yute u otro tipo de fibra similar, que es basto, fuerte y áspero; se utiliza sobre todo para hacer sacos y cubrir bultos en almacenes o transportes.
Coordinated by several volunteers, including Gabriela Bravo, Isabel and Cecilia Cisterna, Alejandra Bravo, Ambar Hernandez, Carol Rawlings and Arlene Thomas, the “Arpillera fue Justice” involved 65 women from around the world and Canada. This project is standing and supporting victims of the violent state repression of the uprising in Chile that exploded in 2019. This giant arpillera was designed by Chilean artist Ian Pierce ( Ekeko) and supported by various community organizations including Neruda Arts, La Vitrina KW and Quarry.
[Arpilleras served to document and denounce oppression in a country where all normal channels of free expression were closed. To the women, making arpilleras was a way to share their sorrows and concerns. To present-day viewers, arpilleras are a testament to the women’s extraordinary strength and survival through tremendous suffering and loss.]
More than 100 volunteers and artists created Neruda Arts' new 150-foot mural for downtown Kitchener. The theme, A Mural About Belonging, is about recognizing Canada as a nation of immigrants living on Indigenous land. The mural explores Indigeuneity, multiculturalism and Canadian identity.
Aside from Kultrún, throughout the year Neruda presents smaller festivals, concerts, establishes panels, facilitates conversation regarding social issues, youth workshops, and creates interactive events with a focus on inclusion. Neruda Arts educates and introduces the community to a more all-embracing attitude regarding multiculturalism, issues of racism and exclusion.