On this episode of Tree Planters, we visit the inspiring reconciliation-art initiative Call To Action #83 Simcoe County, curated by retired educator and multi-mode artist Mary Lou Meiers. The project brings together Indigenous and non-Indigenous artists in Simcoe County to respond collaboratively to the Truth and Reconciliation Commission of Canada’s 83rd Call to Action – namely, “A strategy for Indigenous and non-Indigenous artists to undertake collaborative projects and produce works that contribute to the reconciliation process.”

We focus here on Phase 1 of 4 of the artworks, immersing ourselves in the stories, the process of dialogue, trust-building and truth-telling, and how art becomes a carrier for both memory and forward-looking hope. As Mary Lou explains, this work is about “going forward together in a good way, in harmony” (awi-niigaani-wiiji-mino-inawendiwin).

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