Awesome Ottawa is giving two awards for December, one to Amanda Palmer and the Mechanicsville Community Association to support community gatherings for mental health, and one to Toni van Eeden to support a series of sensory-immersive live music shows using interconnected wireless headphones.
“Mechanicsville is a small neighbourhood of about 2,500 people,” explains Amanda, “and in the last six months we have had several neighbours die by suicide.”
“We know this because it occurred in a public way, or because they had previously been an active volunteer in the community.”
“As a result,” says Amanda, “many neighbours have been wondering what can be done in the future, and what they may have been able to do, should they have recognized the signs, or known what to do with the signs they did recognize.”
Roy Atkinson, Holly Cartwright, Amanda Palmer, and Gabrielle Dorr. Photo provided.
“What we have identified,” she continues, “is both the need to increase community connections and relationships, and to create more access points to knowledge and resources around mental health and suicide in our community.”
“We intend to hold a ‘Neighbour Night: Take a Mental Health Break!’ gathering on Jan. 23 to do just that. We plan to offer a community meal to enable people to show up, and to get to know one another. During dinner, we will have a community conversation to allow for deeper connection and to better understand needs and opportunities around mental health. The second hour will include guest speakers who will share information about what can be done in these contexts, as well as share what resources are available.”
“Additionally, we plan to have a community grief tree as a ritual to allow people to make a communal expression of grief for those who are no longer with us, or for those who are struggling,” says Amanda.
The Mechanicsville Community Association is a group of volunteers interested in promoting and protecting the interests of Mechanicsville residents.
Toni van Eeden/Inside Voice. Photo provided.
“Inside Voice,” explains Toni, “will be a series of sensory-immersive live music shows that mean to move us into more sustainable ways of relating to ourselves and the natural world. Taking the tools of the Silent Disco–interconnected wireless headphones–and applying mycelial thinking to it, these shows will be designed with nervous system regulation and aftercare in mind.”
“Each pair of headphones has its own volume control,” Toni continues, “and allows for people to be standing or sitting many feet apart from each other and from the performer without sacrificing the quality of the show. This means we can essentially perform anywhere without worrying about bylaw-enforced noise restrictions or choosing venues with proper sound equipment. Being more creative with our choice of space also means being able to be more immuno-friendly, sensory friendly, and contextual to the content of the show.”
Besides themself–under the moniker PARTYGIRL–the project will also include Bleu Pâle (DJ moniker of visual and tattoo artist Coblou), Ardea (ambient dub techno), and Taymaz Valley (poet and beat-maker).
“Inside Voice shows will be about inviting audiences to become introspective and self-reflective, and to experience something that will transform us and grow our capacity to strive for sustainable togetherness,” says Toni.
Toni is a multi-disciplinary artist whose work deals mainly with themes of grief, the hidden self, and the sensory body. They have worked in the local arts scene for over a decade, with a focus on education and consultation in entrepreneurship and event organizing.
Awesome Ottawa is part of a global movement of self-organizing chapters forwarding the interest of awesome in the universe, $1,000 at a time. At each chapter, ten or so “trustees” each contribute $100 monthly and review short applications received online to decide on the recipient of the pooled funds—usually a local project, but occasionally a particularly awesome one far away from home. Globally, more than $6 million has already been awarded–$185,000 by Awesome Ottawa.
For more information, visit awesomeottawa.ca.
