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Making Room for Art: How Cities Can Help Artists Thrive

There’s something deeply appealing about an artist’s life, but financial uncertainty can make that path feel out of reach. A lack of affordable places to create and share work only adds to the challenge. So how can high-cost cities make more room for artists who bring creativity, connection, and vitality to their communities?

Montreal, QC Arts Festival Image by Theresa K. Howell

NEW: INTERVIEW with ARTIST Tracy Anne Northey

Lifting Up Arts and Culture

For many major cities, keeping artists in their cities is now recognized as a strategic move. Arts and culture are known to contribute to the local and national GDP, surpassing traditional economies. Plus, cities with cultural cachet attract global talent, tourism, and innovation-driven companies that prefer dynamic, creative environments. Note the ongoing increase in tourism to Paris and New York, despite the costs of visiting.  

Therefore, activating and creating affordable options like municipally subsidized spaces becomes essential for budding artists. Some global examples are: 59 Rivoli in Paris, France at €150 a month; Poblenou Urban District in Barcelona, Spain, which rents at €250 – €400/month depending on meterage; Smack Mellon is a free studio space for NYC artists in Dumbo, Brooklyn; 18th Street Arts Centre in Santa Monica, California (CA) subsidizes at $1-2 sq.ft. for 400-1000 sq.ft. day or live/work studios, plus a variety of other spaces like Third House Studios / 11:11 Projects in Van Nuys, CA; The Beaumont Studios in Vancouver, BC; and the Ateliers 3333 in Montreal, QC, which is an artist-owned building offering affordable studio space.

The Beaumont Studios, Vancouver, BC

These municipalities approach their support in different and unique ways. Meanwhile, a few cities have shown how citizens can see the gaps and take unique, innovative initiatives. In the end, these approaches come from a meaningful, holistic lens.

Taking the ‘Bite’ Out of the Big Apple

New York City has a long history in the arts. From the museums and galleries to its renowned Broadway shows. Globally, it is known to be in the top 5 cities for fashion and film. At the same time, this city’s demand for attention is echoed in its high cost of living. Currently, rental space in NYC can run anywhere from $7.15 to over $88 per square foot, depending on the space and location. So, as a new artist, finding a space to create becomes challenging, if not impossible.  

In 2020, Barbara Anderson, a NYC middle school teacher, enters the scene. Jogging along Columbus Avenue, a street in her Upper West Side neighborhood, she says, “I kept seeing stores one after another become vacant.” As an art enthusiast, she started to imagine how these empty spaces could be facilitating the many artists struggling to find a place to show and work. So, she and her daughter, Jackie Graham, started the nonprofit organization, Art on the Avenue NYC. The initial idea was to approach vacant store owners to see if they would be willing to donate the space to show art. As she says, “It sometimes takes a few calls to convince them.” But now, with its reputation and overall saturation, negotiating has become easier.


WE❤️NYC Presents: DO-ER Series – Barbara Anderson & Jackie Graham of Art on the Ave NYC pub. 2023

The organization has grown from a few places in the Upper West Side to almost 98 storefront spaces donated to showcase underrepresented artists. In 2025, Staten Island approached her for help. She points out that these spaces end up having lower incidences of vandalism and higher interest from potential purveyors.

The idea of recording an audio story for each featured piece surfaced. The story about the art piece is available with a scan code if the artist isn’t available. This has proven lucrative for artists, as many of the pieces sell to passersby based on these stories. The organization has put over $400,000 into the hands of new artists.

Art on the Ave -Fulton Center, New York, NY

Weathering it Out on the West Coast

Living here in Vancouver, I’ve seen the cost of facilitating the arts rise over the years. Many say the real jump occurred after 1986 when the World EXPO came to Vancouver. Suddenly, the city became a place to live for many around the world. It is one of the few Canadian cities with a mild climate, exhibiting a beautiful seaside landscape. These features are attractive to Canadian retirees and warm-climate newcomers. With this influx of interest and population on a condensed livable landmass, real estate prices have increased. Thus, reasonably priced studio space is rare.

Local artists here understand all too well how challenging it is to find affordable spaces to create. The average cost for renting in Vancouver is $3.50-5.00 sq. ft., which calculates to $1400 – 2000 for a 400 sq. ft. space per month. As many people know, it is the most expensive real estate in Canada now. Meanwhile, Vancouver has one of the highest concentrations of working artists per capita in Canada, says Hillside Strategies.

Outside the Box Entrepreneur

David Duprey, owner of Narrow Group, is an entrepreneur at heart, an artist in practice, and a ‘creative’ in everything he does. Coming back to Vancouver in 2004 after living 10 years in San Francisco, it was Duprey’s mission to bring life back into this “no fun city”. Vancouver’s government is known as one of those inflexible municipalities when it comes to supporting innovative ideas, unlike its southern neighbor. So, Duprey basically worked in the background and introduced hacks in order to meet the needs of struggling arts and culture communities.

Image courtesy of Narrow Group website

One of his most notorious undertakings was the City Center Artist Lodge, previously a motor hotel which was bought by Nicola Wealth Management in 2021. During this venture, Duprey reached out to the company knowing they had years of red tape before City Hall would grant them building permits. He asked if they wanted to lease it out to him. They agreed.  After getting the units rented, he lined up Vancouver Mural Arts Festival and called the city. They pushed back. However, he was determined to get artists into their “rooms”. He said, “I sent them a business license that just had three lines. It said: ‘I’m opening a motel. It’s gonna do daily, weekly, and monthly rentals. I have a priority for LGBTQ people and POC.’ And they sent me a business permit.”

In the end, the buyer was happy since they had the space continuing to generate income instead of sitting vacant, and the artists had a space to do their art at half the cost of other rentals around Vancouver. The City Centre Artist Lodge is a temporary space. However, Duprey says temporary spaces knock people out of complacency: “When you’ve got a deadline, it makes you burn a little brighter.” Recently, Duprey has initiated Artopia, the project that directly speaks to artists’ spaces.

City Centre Artist Lodge, Main Street, Vancouver, BC

Local Artist Helps Others Rise

Unfortunately, like Vancouver, Montreal has its own share of challenges. The Conseil Des Arts de Montréal is much more supportive of the arts and culture scene. However, the non-profit organization is ill-equipped to address rising living costs. Like Vancouver and Toronto, Montreal is home to many artists.

Montreal is known as one of Canada’s top cultural and festival hubs. Check the “See Changemakers” article from June 2026.  Since the municipal governments can’t keep up with the ever-growing need, a local artist took up the cause. Enter social media: as many watched prices rise, Rosi Maria Di Meglio decided to start a Facebook group in 2024. Being a recent graduate from Concordia at 50 years old, the artist “started working quietly, building spaces—places where artists can root themselves, work, and grow alongside one another.”

In 2021, after graduation, she moved at lightning speed, developing her budding career by taking up various residencies both nationally and internationally. Now, she works two days a week as an assistant director at Gallerie Lacerte art contemporain while being represented at the Corkin Gallery in Toronto.

Rosi Di Meglio, BFA 21, at her studio in Montreal’s Garment District

At the same time, she recognizes the importance of a supportive community as a first-generation Italian Canadian and mother of six. Once established as a working artist, it became second nature to help others rise. She says, “When I got established in my own studio, I decided to build something for emerging artists that was in line with what I needed when I was starting out.” Working out of a large studio space in Montreal’s garment district, she rents and mentors new artists in the additional atelier space.

Communities supporting Communities

My mother always told me, “Charity starts at home.” Although I rolled my eyes when I was younger, I now understand what she meant. As an advocate for arts and culture through this medium and in my personal life, I know that supporting the arts strengthens us all. So, what can we do to keep our artistic communities thriving?

  • Social Media: Like and comment on artists’ works. It helps to elevate numbers by bringing more attention to them
  • Visit local galleries, buy tickets to upcoming local theatre and musical events.
  • Find out more about artists during local art crawls and first Saturday events.
  • Join an arts and cultural community group
  • Get memberships to cultural and arts-based e-zines and galleries
  • Donate to arts and culture-based non-profit organizations

Stay tuned for See Changemakers upcoming interview.

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National Day of Truth and Reconciliation; Orange Shirt Day

During my studies at Vancouver Island University (V.I.U.) in 1997, I began learning the truth about the treatment of the Indigenous peoples of Canada. This was the first time I really read anything about the details of Canada’s Indian Act. In high school, the only Indigenous perspective was about the resistance movements of Metis Politician Louis Riel and his demise.

Knowledge Network Published Sept. 24th 2020

While researching a project my classmate and I were undertaking, I became horrified. One of my first initial finds was the outlawing of potlatches from 1885-1951. For me, this was unfathomable and outright arrogant. A couple of months earlier, my friend invited me to a potlatch up in Gold River. It was incredible to witness a whole community coming together to cook, feed, and celebrate each other with ceremonies and dances. This was just the beginning of my education on both sides. I had yet to unearth the deeper and more sinister aspects of our country’s history.

The Indian Act

Back in 1876, the Indian Act was passed in Canada’s legislature. The act became a formalized bill to make sweeping lifestyle changes to the Indigenous peoples of Canada. It was basically a way to colonize, assimilate, suppress, and silence the original inhabitants of this northern land we now call “Canada”. Some components of the Act were and are:

  • Controls Status: The government decides who gets legal status and the rights that come with it.
  • Manages Reserves: It controls the lands where First Nations groups live.
  • Changes Government: It replaced traditional Indigenous leaders with government-approved band councils

It has been acknowledged that the government’s encroachment on its First Peoples was a form of cultural genocide. One of the deepest wounds and most traumatizing effects of the colonization of Indigenous cultures was the forcible removal of children from their homes into residential schools. In the 1880’s the Canadian government officially funded and adopted “residential schools”. Then in 1920, the Indian Act made attendance at Indian Residential Schools compulsory for Treaty-status children between the ages of 7 and 15.

Where are the Children Exhibit

For over 150 years, Indigenous families across Canada/Turtle Island (Indigenous term for this land) were separated. Children would seldom be allowed to return home for the duration of those years, and some never came home. Thousands of children died in these schools due to disease, neglect, and abuse. The ones who didn’t return were often buried in unmarked graves. Over 150,000 children were affected. Finally, in 1996, the last federally funded residential school was closed. However, the trauma of this period still lives on in many families. It has been pointed out that it takes seven generations for traumas to be healed.

The TRC

To address the ongoing trauma and facilitate the healing of the residential school aftermath, the Truth and Reconciliation Commission (TRC) was inaugurated in 2008. From 2008 to 2015, the commission heard testimony from 6500 survivors and witnesses. It was concluded that the forced assimilation and separation of roughly 150,000 First Nations, Inuit, and Métis children amounted to cultural genocide. Once testimonies concluded in 2015, the records were transferred for safekeeping to the National Centre for Truth and Reconciliation (NCTR).

A comprehensive report by the TRC was released in December 2015. The report included Ten Principles for Reconciliation and 94 Calls to Action that speak to all sectors of Canadian society. Some of the sectors outlined are child welfare, education, health, and culture. Fortunately, 85% of the recommendations are completed or underway, though ongoing work remains. One of the Calls to Action is: ’all governments within Canada use the United Nations Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples (UNDRIP) as a guide for reconciliation.”

Legislative Assembly 2019 for UNDRIP

In 2019, British Columbia was one of the first governments to get on board by establishing the Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples Act. (DRIPA) However, the act is still going though it’s growing pains, and as of this year, 2026, there have been incremental movements forward. Following behind British Columbia’s move, the federal government and Northwest Territories ratified their acts in 2022.

In addition, another call to action was to create a special holiday called the “National Day for Truth and Reconciliation”. This is to honour residential school Survivors, their families, and their communities.

Orange Shirt Day

On September 30th, Canada recognizes and remembers the realities of its stark history with this land’s First Peoples. The day of remembrance coincides with the day in history when children were taken from their homes. In 2013, the TRC came to Williams Lake, BC, to hear testimonies. Phyllis Webstad’s story was one of those testimonies that deeply resonated.

Orange Shirt Society Website

She shared her story of how, at 6 years old in 1973, she entered the local residential school wearing the new orange T-shirt that her grandmother had bought her. They didn’t have much money, and Phyllis was excited to be going to her first day of school. Once she had entered the doors of the school, she was taken away and stripped of her clothing. The orange T-shirt was replaced with a uniform. She never saw the T-shirt again.

The story was a symbol of two things: “The orange shirt symbolized love, excitement, and belonging. When it was taken away, it represented how the system tried to strip away identity, culture, and the fundamental truth that Every Child Matters.”

Phyllis’ story spread rapidly, leading to a national movement, and “Orange Shirt Day” began. Shortly afterwards, Orange Shirt Day coalesced with the TRC’s #80 Call to Action, and now it is formally known as The National Day of Truth and Reconciliation. September 30th is “an opportunity to create meaningful discussion about the effects and legacy of the schools, a discussion for all Canadians to tune into and create bridges with each other for truth & reconciliation.”

How to Recognize the Day

Many people wear orange shirts from their closets or purchase them from select merchants to show allyship and understanding. Currently, in British Columbia, Northwest Territories, Prince Edward Island, and the Yukon, the day has become a statutory holiday. However, even in other parts of Canada, it is still acknowledged with localized events.

Ottawa, Canada, September 30th, 2025

Every year, Canada’s Broadcasting Corporation (CBC/Radio-Canada) partners with APTN (Aboriginal Peoples Television Network) to produce and broadcast Remembering the Children, a live national commemorative gathering from Parliament Hill in Ottawa. Also, CBC runs an ongoing investigative journalism project called Beyond 94, which tracks the implementation status of the TRC’s 94 Calls to Action. It was launched back in March 2018.

Recently, I had the privilege of interviewing Xwalacktun, a renowned West Coast Indigenous artist who resides on the Squamish Nation. He discussed one of his commissions for Orange Shirt Day back in 2022. We also talked about a previous interview where he discussed his personal experience. Watch it here:

Xwalacktun Interview September 20th, 2026

Stay tuned for the in-depth interview coming soon.

If you want to learn more about where to find local events for the National Day of Truth and Reconciliation – Orange Shirt Day, here is a LINK. Also, check APTN News for other updates. For now, “Huy chexw a” (hoi chxw a). Thank you for reading this article.  

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More Than Words: How Music Heals Us

Long before we understood the science behind it, we knew music could change us. It could soften grief, lift our spirits, steady our breathing, bring people together, and unlock memories we thought were gone. Music has always been more than sound; it is a language of the body, the brain, and the heart.

Daisy Chain Festival image, thanks to @nadjab3lla (Instagram)

LATEST INTERVIEW with NEBYU YOHANNES

In an article from the National Library of Medicine, Muriel T. Zataar, et al, said that “From pregnancy to old age, music can improve cognitive, emotional, physical, and social domains, making it a valuable tool for promoting health and treating disease.”

Listening and Playing Music; Looking at the Brain

Recently, I watched an incredible podcast interview, Know Thyself, with musician, instructor, and Yale University scientist, Dr. Mei Rui. She discussed how music is not just healing for the listener but for the musician as well.

In their clinical studies, they discovered that participants had a 34% decrease in pain and stress hormones when utilizing musical intervention methods. Rui says, “Music is a natural narcotic.”

It was also interesting to know that a musician’s chance of getting age-related cognitive impairments can be reduced by 64% due to this career choice. Similarly, playing music grows “the corpus callosum, a fiber tract connecting the two brain hemispheres…” At the same time, playing music engages every portion of the brain, unlike any other occupation, says Rui.

Music has also been associated with the reward processes in our brains by assisting the dopamine and opioid systems. Singing, playing, or listening to music in groups emits endorphins. This process brings feelings of collective well-being. Try reflecting on those moments at a concert or small gathering where everyone was singing together. Those feelings of inclusion and togetherness are the brain’s neural synchrony at work.

The Medicine in Music

Repeatedly, clinical settings are starting to include music in their healing therapies. I recall a neighbor, who was a musician, talking about the work she did at a senior’s home. She told me that going into work entailed gathering the seniors together to play, sing, and listen to music. Many of her stories spoke of moments when dementia patients would recall whole compositions along with long-forgotten memories.

The use of music in seniors’ homes is quite common now. Meanwhile, an Ontario music and art therapy blog outlines additional benefits to music therapy:

1. Stress and Anxiety Levels

Music therapy lowers stress and anxiety by reducing heart rate, slowing breathing, and decreasing cortisol levels. By mimicking the calm rhythm of an unhurried heartbeat, music creates an ambient environment for relaxation, which therapists employ through structured rhythm exercises to help individuals regulate breathing and manage anxiety or panic.

2. Communication and Social Skills

It provides a non-verbal outlet for individuals who struggle with communication, including those with autism, developmental delays, or communication disorders. By engaging in collaborative group activities like improvising and playing instruments, participants can interact and cooperate without the pressure of direct speech. These shared musical experiences assist with social development skills, such as listening, turn-taking, and helping to adapt certain behaviors within a supportive social environment.

3. Cognitive and Motor Function

Other musical therapies play a role in neurological rehabilitation by aiding both physical recovery and mental function. Through Rhythmic Auditory Stimulation (RAS), precise musical timing is used to help retrain gait or walking patterns in individuals recovering from stroke or brain trauma. Additionally, engaging with familiar songs stimulates broad areas of the brain, enhancing memory recall, attention span, and overall cognitive responsiveness, making it particularly beneficial for older adults, dementia patients, and those experiencing cognitive decline.

4. Pain Management and Comfort

While music therapy does not directly cure physical pain, it reduces the perception of discomfort by distracting from pain signals and triggering the release of mood-elevating endorphins through the body’s natural opioid system. Because of these benefits, hospitals increasingly use music therapy in palliative and recovery care to manage chronic pain, boost mood, and reduce reliance on analgesic medications.

5. An Emotional and Creative Outlet

Music therapy offers a safe, judgment-free environment for expressing difficult emotions such as sadness, anger, or trauma. These feelings may be hard to articulate through words alone. So, by engaging in creative activities like songwriting, writing lyrics, or playing instruments, individuals can freely process their feelings while gaining deeper self-awareness and emotional insight.

Image courtesy of https://www.kstherapyservices.ca/therapy-blog-articles/benefits-of-music-therapy

Rui also points out that the use of certain types of music during surgery can affect the patient both consciously and unconsciously.  Also, the heart is affected by music. For example, heart rate variability (HRV) being flexible is important for a person’s well-being. However, when computer- or AI-generated music plays, the HRV loses its flexibility, creating feelings of anxiety.

Why and How to Explore Music

This summer, I interviewed Nebyu Yohannes, a multi-instrumentalist and sessional instructor at the VSO. During the interview, he discussed how music becomes “meditative”. He goes on to describe his working life during COVID. The young artist came home after a day of deliveries and started “fingerpicking” on his guitar. It served a couple of purposes, one of which was relaxation. It reinforces the idea that music is not only calming for listeners but for musicians as well. Please stay tuned for his upcoming interview.

Image Courtesy of Nebyu Yohannes

So how can music be intentionally incorporated into our lives to find these therapeutic benefits? I really liked this short list from the McMaster Optimal Aging Portal:

  • Create a playlist of your favourite songs from different stages of your life
  • Sing along to music you enjoy either alone or in the company of others
  • Join a group, such as a choir or community music program
  • Listen mindfully, focusing on how the music makes you feel
  • Move to music, whether it’s walking, stretching, or dancing
  • Learn an instrument, whether young or old. “It is always a good time”, I was told.

Final words

Whether we are musicians or simply listeners, music offers us far more than entertainment. It can calm our nervous system, awaken memory, strengthen connection, support healing, and give voice to emotions we may not know how to express.

From a favourite playlist to a shared song, a choir, an instrument, or a quiet moment of listening, music invites us back into balance. So, keep singing, playing, moving, and listening because music may be one of the most accessible forms of medicine we have.

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Eyes on the World: Photojournalism and Documentary Photography

The article explores visual storytelling as it evolves in documentary photography and photojournalism. How do they navigate truth, ethics, and a new age in digital change?

LATEST INTERVIEW WITH GREG GIRARD

During my post-secondary years, I was intent on becoming a documentary videographer. I studied photography and anthropology while building a strong portfolio to help me apply to schools specializing in this field. To assist in my process, one of my mentors provided me a pathway to attain funding via a SSHRC grant to document our Thai field school.

Lotus Hotel, Vancouver 1982 by Greg Girard Gallery Photo by Theresa K. Howell

I won the grant and it was my first venture into creating photographic and video documentation as a potential career. My path took a bit of a left turn after my graduation, but this moment stuck. It became part of my foundations for this current career trajectory.

During my studies, I surrounded myself with leaders in the field of documentary photography such as Ansel Adams (Art), Annie Lebowitz (Fashion/Celebrity), Dorothea Lange (Great Depression), Edward Burtynsky (Environment), Henri Cartier-Bresson (Candid), Nan Goldin (LGBT Subculture), Wade Davis (Anthropological) and Steve McCurry (Culture) to name a few. But what does documentary photography mean, exactly? Also, how does it position itself up against photojournalism?

Alberta Oil Sands # 10, Fort McMurray, Alberta, Canada, 2007 By Edward Burtynsky

Documentary Photography

It is hard to discern the difference between documentary photography and photojournalism sometimes. The UK’s Tate Modern states that documentary photography is a style used to provide a straightforward, truthful, and objective representation of people, places, and events. Key elements include long-form narrative storytelling, social and historical awareness, and unposed real-life observation. Amine Hamouda’s tips on this type of photography help summarize the process needed for considering the fundamentals.

In documentary photography, the photographer wants to:

  1. Tell a story that revolves around a main theme
  2. Do thorough research on the subject
  3. Connect with the subjects involved. Connection = authenticity
  4. Seek unique perspectives (compositional qualities) ie. images using different angles, compositions, viewpoints, etc.
  5. Craft a narrative with the images

Ultimately, documentary photography should tell a story that evokes an emotion in the viewers. (Resource) So what about photojournalism?

Dorothea Lange, Migrant Mother (Florence Thompson), with FSA annotations, 1936. Image Courtesy of the Library of Congress.

Photojournalism

Photojournalism is defined as photographic images used for work-related purposes to report news stories. In most cases, they are taken quickly and without huge concern for compositional qualities. They are rarely manipulated after this fact due to time constraints. (resource) Since Reuters is an unbiased global news agency, this perspective gives a broader, balanced perspective of what the process might entail.

Guidelines for Photojournalists from Reuters Photographer, Damir Sagoli:

Anticipate – Know what you are walking into, be on the scene early, and know the parameters you are working within

Research – Have a thorough understanding of “where, when and why” which involves the cultural as well as the geographical information

Reach Out – get to know people you can count on for translation, transportation, and equipment back up plans

Prioritize – when working with a team decide what your strengths are and focus on those

Practice – know your equipment

Interact – much like all those great photojournalist films from the 20th century, your part of a team. Make sure to engage with the people you’re working with.

Be Invisible – I have often thought this was one of the strengths of a good photojournalist; they blend in.

Additional research results reveal that the difference between photojournalism and documentary photography is in the slight variations in process. For example, timing, postproduction and ethical guidelines vary slightly between the two. But in the end the line is still quite blurry as this video from Brody Kuhir points out.


Documentary Photography Simplified. Published by Brody Kuhar on Jun 8, 2023

Many photojournalists may have started as documentarians and visa versa. We will discuss this in our upcoming interview with Greg Girard. However, to get a better understanding of how things have changed let’s review some historical background on photography.

A Historical Summary of Photography

Imagery itself has changed from where it began in the 19th century with its exploration of monochrome processes such as daguerreotypes, collodion and calotype processes. By the end of that century, Kodak had introduced us to film and the box camera. As the 1900’s rolled around, photography shifted from monochromatic processes to a multichromatic focus moving into compact cameras and color.

Much like the previous century, the end of the 20th century closed out with the groundwork being laid for digital photography. The charge-coupled device or CCD was invented in Bell Labs. That invention began the initiation of images stored on semiconductors. These were later replaced by an active pixel sensor or APS which are used by cell phone cameras. Finally, in the 21st century, we see the explosion of digital imaging and manipulation through various devices and apps. Which has now led to the use of artificial intelligence and more finite photo alteration processes.

From the 20th-21st century, how these images are being captured changed as well. Citizen journalism starts to displace a specialized trade. A rapid shift occurs in how stories are related via social media platforms. Changes are occurring at light speed and even “real time” has changed its previous definition.  While global events reach audiences in seconds, the photographic profession faces deep challenges regarding trust, image manipulation, and economic viability.

Ethical Foundations

In our more recent past, both documentary photography and photojournalism were guarded and guided by a strict code of ethics. Within the last 30 years this has dramatically shifted. Ethically speaking, lines are being redrawn at a rapid rate much like the digital realm we live in.

From the National Press Photographers Association of the USA, here is an AI summary of the 10 core standards into a more concise five. These summarized standards are:

Accuracy and Truthfulness: Represent subjects accurately and in full context without altering, staging, or manipulating photo or sound content.

Non-Intervention: Do not influence or alter real-world events while photographing or recording.

Compassion and Respect: Treat all subjects with dignity, showing special care toward vulnerable individuals and victims of tragedy, while limiting intrusion into private grief.

Independence and Integrity: Maintain objectivity by refusing gifts, compensation, paid source arrangements, or favors that could influence coverage.

Professional Conduct: Avoid harassing behavior, refrain from sabotaging colleagues, and maintain high standards of professional behavior. (RESOURCE)

Ideal aspirational practices for visual (video & photographic) journalists emphasize defending public access to information. In addition, it is important to develop a broad and proactive perspective informed by current events seeking diverse or underrepresented viewpoints. Additionally, these aspirations call on photojournalists to safeguard their professional independence by avoiding compromising outside involvements, to remain humble and unobtrusive while capturing authentic photographic moments.

As can be read here, through various platforms and news agencies, it is understood these guidelines have shifted. Even though some photojournalists, news agencies, and media platforms still uphold these standards, many have been compromised by the higher forces governing them.

The Silver Lining

However, there have also been many who have reacted to this rapid change with a desire to address the Core Modern Challenges of:

  • Verification and AI: The rise of generative AI and easy digital editing forces news organizations to enforce strict ethical boundaries and verification checks. [1, 2]
  • Economic Pressures: The collapse of traditional print media business models has reduced staff positions, forcing more photojournalists into freelance precarity. [1, 2, 3]
  • Context vs. Impact: Critics argue that single, shocking crisis photos often lack necessary historical context, prompting a push for deeper, long-form visual documentation. [1]  (Summary taken from Google Gemini Ai)
Polygon Gallery by Theresa K. Howell

Currently, many of the previous specialized photographers are sharing their works via galleries, documentary film festivals, social media platforms and other media-based platforms. These times have proven both challenging but inspiring to see how adversity can create growth and change. What will this next growth spurt in the 21st century show us?

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Back to Montreal: Music, Memory, and Momentum

As you read in my most recent blog post, I recently visited Montreal’s International Jazz Festival. Fifteen years later, Montreal came back into my view. Its streets hummed with vitality and its familiar corners echoed changes I had also carried within me.

When I last visited, I was in a long-term common-law marriage to a Montreal-born Irish Italian. Funny enough, in all our time together, I never got a handle on the French language, even after visiting Quebec many times throughout the relationship. Now, after years of being on my own, I decided to make a concerted effort.

INTERVIEW WITH MEREDITH BATES in Montreal

Ch-Ch-Changes

Like myself, Montreal seemed to have rebuilt itself. It had a beautiful shiny new look. At the same time, parts of it were still undergoing massive change. For instance, the Musée d’Art Contemporain (MAC) was under construction and under wraps. The final unveiling would take place in 2028. As for the renewed parts, the Metro had been retrofitted with a new interior and exterior, new internal tech video screens, and additional lines. The Quartier des Spectacles, the Festival International de Jazz de Montréal location, had been more developed and organized. For instance, the children’s play area featured a large piano for children to play with their feet. Plus, there were various instrument and food stations. One change I didn’t quite embrace was the newer corporate sponsorship signage and banners littering buildings and thoroughfares. I understood “why,” but my art photographer’s eye rejected its presence on buildings featuring art-based imagery.

New buildings were aloft all around, and the thriving McGill business district was alive with a youthful verve of daytime techno music and corporate ladder climber meetups. Also, to my “faire de valise” surprise, the overall dress code had calmed from what I recall. I was prepped with all my Sunday best and soon realized I was overdressed. Could it have been my previous trip to Paris that impacted my decision-making? I cannot be sure, but I needed to rethink my current wardrobe choices.

Street Inter-views

Originally, I was going to take a break from “SeeChangemakers” while I was away. Over the last year and a half, I have been working away building the website up again. I hadn’t given myself any time to reflect or relax. However, I had a “eureka” moment before leaving. I decided to interview random spectators while I was visiting. It was a new approach for SeeChangemakers. At the same time, the stakes were lower, and I felt less pressure. So here are the interviews that were gathered.

Interview #3 Malika and Kaye

Malika and Kaye were a couple of “20 somethings” I ran across on Day 6 of the festival. They were there to see Willow, I believe. I really appreciated how honest and direct Malika was about her festival experience. When asked what stood out for her, she commented, “The people are ‘HOT’, both guys and girls.” After that, I was tasked with documenting well-dressed people at the festival.

Interview # 4 Julie

Julie was honestly one of my favorite interviews. I came across her at the Club Montreal Stage which was behind the TD Scene main stage. The musician playing was Samant and his style caught my attention due to his improvisational stage show approach. Looking amongst the audience members, I saw many people swaying and moving to the music. But as I looked out amongst the crowd, one woman stood out. She was around my age, and she wore a smile from ear to ear. As I glanced over, her eyes caught mine, and she mouthed some words to me. I said, “Pardon, tu peux repeter ca?” (Sorry, can you repeat that?) Knowing I wasn’t French, she repeated in English. “That’s my son!” she said, pointing towards the stage. I smiled more genuinely, knowing that feeling of being a proud mother. Then I asked her if she wanted to be interviewed. She blushed a bit but agreed.

The uniqueness to this interview wasn’t just her pride but all the family support too. I soon learned from our pre-interview conversation that her husband, his brother and wife, plus the grandparents were all there right at the front of the stage. Even though the music might fall into a rap/jazz/techno category, all of them were dancing and swaying to the music. It warmed my heart deeply.

Interview #2 Samuel

The second interview was the first one I did with random people in audiences and on site. Samuel was sitting next to me at the Upstairs Jazz Bar & Club as we watched ‘The Ostara Project’ performance. It was also my first venture into trying to use a French/English approach in Montreal. Of course, I was wobbly, but he definitely gave some great responses “en francais”. Samuel, a musician himself, plays upright bass, which he discusses in the interview.  What I appreciated outside his discussion on musical direction was his length of time attending the festival. He had been going for over 30 years.

Interview #5 Jade

On July 1st, Ibrahim Maalouf was playing at the MTelus Venue for the Jazz Festival. I bought tickets back in April when I made the decision to go to Montreal. It was exciting to see this artist in person, finally. I first heard about Maalouf after returning from Paris, France. He had been one of the main acts for Paris’ 2025/2026 New Year’s Eve celebrations, which I had watched. When I arrived at the venue, I went directly to refill my water bottle. Going to the counter, I started to make the request in French once again. Based on the questioning eye of the vendor, I knew I had missed a verb or noun somewhere. Feeling flustered, I reworded it and repeated the query. Again, that look of confusion.

So, a gentleman behind me came to my rescue. Jade, a local Lebanese Montrealer, asked what I wanted in English. I responded, in a refusal to be defeated, in two words in broken French, holding my water bottle up, “remplie l’eau”. He understood. So, he asked the vendor in French: “Bonjour. Pouvez-vous remplir nos bouteilles d’eau, s’il vous plaît ?” I thanked him but started talking to him in English now. Obviously, on that day, my French speaking wasn’t ready for long, sensible conversations. He told me about how he was looking forward to being able to move to Ibrahim Maalouf’s concert. I wasn’t sure what he meant. However, after the concert experience, it all made perfect sense. Once the show ended, I ran into Jade again, and we did an impromptu interview.

Final Reflections

After 10 days of running from stage to stage and exploring the city of art that I remember, I was rejuvenated. I left Montreal with the echo of music and the shimmer of festival lights still flickering in my mind. Now, I sit in quiet reflection, realizing both the city and I are still learning how to rebuild ourselves all over again.

All videos and images courtesy of Theresa K. Howell; thanks go out to all the people who were willing to be photographed and interviewed.

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Bienvenue à Montréal: Where Jazz Music Takes Centre Stage

Montréal’s decision to step away from FIFA World Cup hosting reflected something deeper: a fierce commitment to protecting its cultural rhythm, civic values, and the world-renowned jazz festival that has helped define the city.

On June 18th, 2026, Canada blew Qatar out of the water in Vancouver, BC, with a 6-0 win at the FIFA (Fédération Internationale de Football Association) games. The streets were literally red and white with fans cheering for Canada or Qatar. Both flags bear the same colours. Even though it was a lively event, not all Canadians agree with FIFA’s principles for hosting these games. Montreal was originally on the roster as one of the three cities to host the 2026 games. North America won the right to host back in 2021, but soon after, Montreal declined, citing economic issues.

Montréal Says Non

Recent investigative reports by Radio-Canada’s Enquête said it wasn’t only declining due to funding issues. A bigger picture revealed, a more insidious stranglehold that the governing body puts on all host countries and their receiving cities.* Montreal’s citizens, plus its thriving tourism and event industry, would pay a huge price for hosting the FIFA World Cup. Like all other host countries, event blackouts plus curtailed facility usage for almost two full years before the games were mandatory. For Montreal, what that amounted to was restricting the functionality of the F1’s Canadian Grand Prix and the International Jazz Festival. The 2021 Tourism Minister, Caroline Proulx, said, “All of these requirements were totally ridiculous.” So, she put a halt to their inclusion in the proposal.

*Read the specific details following the end of this article.

A Festival Worth Protecting

The Festival International de Jazz de Montréal has become one of the most renowned Jazz Festivals, pushing the Montreux Jazz Festival to second place. While it has been going since 1980, in 2004, the Guinness Book of World Records deemed it the largest Jazz Music Festival globally. Even though FIFA and the Montreal Jazz Fest feature the world as their stage, the festival has become an institution. Cancelling it to hold a one-off event like the FIFA World Cup couldn’t even be considered. In its 46-year history, there was only one time before that it was cancelled. That was back in 2020 during the COVID Pandemic. The festival shuttered its doors, as did most of the world. But it resumed in 2021, postponing until autumn when temperatures were safer for outdoor events.

The World’s Biggest Jazz Stage

Each year, the festival offers 650 concerts where 3000 artists from 30 different countries play over 10 days. For purveyors of the festival, two-thirds of those concerts are free. The event has grown in ideas, artists represented, and overall festival experience. The city closes off its Quartier Des Spectacles so pedestrians can roam freely while enjoying the music. This reputation and organization didn’t just take place overnight, though. It began with a highly motivated and experienced group of individuals.

How It All Began

Alain Simard, a Montreal-born businessman/producer/promoter, was booking renowned artists such as Chuck Berry, Dave Brubeck, Chick Corea, Bo Diddley, John Lee Hooker, and Muddy Waters while working with Productions Kosmos. In 1977, he branched off to join forces with André Ménard and Denyse McCann. They founded L’Équipe Spectra. Soon afterwards, with the help of funding from CBC’s Alain de Grosbois, the team brought together the first Montreal Jazz Festival on May 10th, 1980. That year, Gary Burton, Ray Charles, Chick Corea, and Vic Vogel were top bill with an attendance of 12,000. Now in 2025, the estimated numbers are over 1 million, possibly closer to 1.2 million. I wonder if they ever imagined this success.

My First Montréal Jazz Fest

For myself, I’ve travelled to Quebec often. However, 2011 was my first experience with the Montreal International Jazz Festival. Robert Plant, Prince, The B’52’s, and Diana Krall were the headliners for that year. Yet, it was the event that drew me, not the names.  For a large part of my adult life, I’ve participated in jazz festivals either as a visitor or a volunteer. From 2008 to 2010, I volunteered at Vancouver’s International Jazz Festival. I was usually stationed at David Lam Park or the Vancouver Art Gallery, where many of the free concerts were hosted. The event is always highly anticipated, and the lineup of artists is long. At the time, it seemed accessible and well organized.

Image by Theresa K. Howell

However, after going to Montreal’s event, I recognized how much more Vancouver’s Jazz Festival needed to grow and learn. Montreal’s festival seemed seamless in its organization and city-wide support. They offered discounted public transit, there were a plethora of volunteers, and their ecological and social initiatives were constantly evolving.  For example, in 2024, it was calculated that 85% of festival-goers used sustainable transport to arrive at the site. In addition, they feature a volunteer team called “La Brigade Verte” to educate concertgoers on sorting practices. I recall they did this with ease and a smile.

Eco-Friendly Festival Guide

This year will be my first time back since 2011, and I am excited to see how much things have changed. I am also looking forward to seeing and hearing the newer artists I’ve been listening to over the last few years. A few of my top picks are locals like Montreal’s Patrick Watson, while others are from global hot spots like Paris’ Ibraham Maalouf, London’s Kokoroko, and Los Angeles’ Kamasi Washington. However, the list of other possibilities is long, but so are summer days.

When Culture Wins

All in all, Montreal is still one of Canada’s most treasured cities for its culture, events and ability to stand by its values. It seems that standing on a platform that upholds the public’s interest as non-negotiable has become rare. But saying “non” is part of the vernacular for people steeped in the roots of France mixed with the Indigenous peoples of this land. One more reason, I said “oui” when considering my trip there.

Stay tuned for upcoming surprise interviews.

RESOURCES

FIFA’s history and evolution

Fun Facts about the Montreal Jazz Festival

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Miles Davis: Driven by Change, Defined by Innovation

On May 26, 2026, the jazz world celebrates what would have been Miles Davis’ 100th birthday. Though he passed at the age of 65, his influence continues to shape musicians and reform listeners. Davis transformed not only how the trumpet is played, but also how artists approach music itself. He had a unique ability to take existing ideas and reshape them into something entirely new. For him, there were no mistakes—only opportunities to reimagine sound.

Express Newspaper – Archive Photos/Getty Images

NEWEST: INTERVIEW with FEVEN KIDANE

NEW: INTERVIEW with ROBIN MANSANTI

The Birth of a New Sound

For me, “Kind of Blue” was one of my favorites as it was for millions of others. Rightfully so, the album led by Davis featured “saxophonists John Coltrane and Julian “Cannonball” Adderley, pianist Bill Evans, bassist Paul Chambers, and drummer Jimmy Cobb, with new band pianist Wynton Kelly”. It was improvisationally recorded in a New York studio in two days, then released on August 17th, 1959. A true piece of dynamite production by a tight team of creators. In 2019, it became the best-selling jazz album of all time.

Los Angeles Times photo illustration; photos by Michael Ochs Archives/Getty Images, David Redfern/Redferns

Miles Davis as Revisionist

Saxophonist Jimmy Heath reminisces in the 2022 Documentary “Round Miles”. saying, “Miles was a Gemini, so he constantly needed change.” Yes, Davis desired a unique type of growth. It wasn’t about tweaking his instruments’ sound or style as much as it was about reinventing them both. Some have said that Davis was like Picasso as an artist/musician. He went through a variety of stylistic shifts, starting with bebop to cool jazz, modal jazz, avant-garde jazz, electronic fusion, jazz rock, and even hip-hop.

A musician’s musician, he thrived on improvising and sculpting his sound within band collaborations. Surely, one of the reasons “Kind of Blue” was such a tight album. When playing with Davis, Heath heard him say “now that’s good fitim’s”. He coined this phrase, which meant “licks that fit on any chord”. To this point, “Kind of Blue” bridged into a new jazz sound called “modal jazz,” shifting away from bebop’s rapid chord progressions. The album was the first to root its sound based on scales (or modes) versus chord progressions. Davis, a true innovator, strived to do something new.

Paris and the Creative Expansion

In 1958, he took a trip to Paris. During his stay, he wrote the soundtrack for “Ascenseur pour L’echafaud” (Elevator to the Gallows). Given full artistic freedom by the director, Louis Malle, Davis decided to improvise the soundtrack with his band. Standing in front of the film as it played, he created the music. Since the film is a crime thriller, the tracks embody a sultry, dark moodiness. The whole experience gave Davis renewed vigor in his approach to making music. When he returned to New York, “Kind of Blue” was born.

A Turning Point

However, life for the musician was about to change. After the release of the 1959 album, Davis ended up in a brutal confrontation with the police. Davis was playing at NYC’s Birdland Club one evening. He went upstairs to have a cigarette. While outside smoking, an officer approached him and told him to put out his cigarette. Not complying, the officer started to beat Davis with his Billy stick. Other officers soon arrived on the scene. From a 1959 news article, a witness stated, “It was the most brutal thing they had seen.” It shook Davis to his core. His wife, Frances Taylor, said when she arrived, “he had the fears in him.” Bassist Marcus Miller, a 1980’s collaborator, said he still talked of it.

Miles Davis – Assaulted by Police (from The Miles Davis Story) Published on the Miles Davis YouTube channel

Despite this setback, Davis continued pushing musical boundaries. His collaboration with Gil Evans on Sketches of Spain further demonstrated his artistic vision. Throughout his career, he focused on restraint as much as expression, often emphasizing the importance of the space between the notes. As Davis famously said, “I always listen for what I can leave out.” A classic example of these openings is heard in the track “So What” from Kind of Blue. Trumpeter Melissa Aldana points out that Miles “set the tone for modern jazz by creating such a sense of space”.

Breaking Boundaries: The Birth of Jazz Fusion

Making room between the notes also gave room for his collaborators. Fellow musicians said Davis would open up space so they could walk in. His work often brought out the best in people. He had a knack for finding and guiding unknowns who later became leaders in their genres. In the late 60s and early 70s, he started working with Herbie Hancock, John McLaughlin, and Chick Corea. When asked to play an electronic keyboard during a studio recording, Hancock initially resisted. However, it was a request that later shaped Hancock’s career.

During this era, “Bitches Brew” was recorded in August 1969 and released in April 1970. This was the birth of Jazz Rock. While it appalled jazz purists, Davis’ motivation grew. It was the beginning of another stage for the musical genius. It was regarded as the “Big Bang of Jazz Rock”; the album soon became a touchstone for other genres of music, too. Similarly, most of the collaborating musicians became founding fathers in their fields. In the end, the release won a Grammy for best large jazz ensemble and gave Davis his first gold record.

Bitches Brew – Mati Klarwein – 1970

Years later, with the final releases of the experimental jazz rock period, Agharta (1975), Pangaea (1976), and Dark Magus (1977), he took a step back. Again, Davis became plagued by drug use. It was most likely brought on by a car accident and the era itself. In 1972, he broke both ankles and started using cocaine and pharmaceuticals to manage the pain. By 1975, he started to burn out. When he stepped back for the next five years, he sank even further down. This era was possibly one of the darkest periods of his life.

A Lasting Legacy

Once the 80’s rolled around, Davis felt stronger and ready to begin again. This time he worked with a leaner sense of playing. Still collaborating with his producer, Teo Macero, of the jazz-rock days, he released “The Man with the Horn”. It was a wobbly start, but he worked with a young bassist, Marcus Miller. Years later, Miller approached him with a demo arrangement named “Tutu.” The album with the same name was released in 1986. Outside of Davis’s trumpet, it was a clean, studio-based, layered album with overdubbed instruments.

Miller, fresh at album arrangements, felt intimidated to be directing Davis. After Davis’s insistence, the young musician started giving feedback. Miller points out that the title track layered past tracks of Davis’ sound, at the same time, naming it after Archbishop Desmond Tutu. It was a song of its time, a homage to the African diaspora. This production brought a new breath of life back into Davis, and his following album releases found him exploring once more.

Tutu Album composed and arranged by Marcus Miller

All in all, the innovations and contributions of Miles Davis not only redefined Jazz but also helped shape other genres of music. He was a musician who was born of change and thrived in it. He was an artist who had a desire for growth and a limitless drive to learn. In the end, the forever student became the master.

See Changemaker’s upcoming interviews pay homage to this master. We will be talking to two phenomenal young jazz trumpeters, Robin Mansanti (Paris, France) and Feven Kidane (Vancouver, Canada). They will tell us how Miles Davis has contributed to their genre as well as other topics.

REFERENCES:

Round Miles Documentary

Artists Who Changed Music: Miles Davis

The Guardian – 100 Years of Miles Davis

Unlimited Miles: Celebrating 100 Years of Miles Davis

5 Surprising Facts About Miles Davis’ Kind of Blue.’

“So What” – Song Analysis

Wikipedia on Miles Davis

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Sustainable Fashion in 2026: The Rise of Circular Textiles and Slow Fashion

What a UBC runway and new legislation in France tell us about fashion’s next era.

Brianna Klassen Design Image by Bellabroughphoto

Interview with Reggie Harrold, Indigenous Fashion Designer

Interview with Brianna Klassen (MEND) HERE

Back in June 2011, a fashion exhibit was taking place at the Montreal Biosphere. The biosphere is the only geodesic dome in Canada that Buckminster Fuller designed. It was created with attention to efficiency and efficacy in material design. All exhibits in and around the structure echoed the global pursuit of sustainability.

The student-based fashion exhibit inside used repurposed materials in its design. To introduce the space, a tall cylindrical tube containing shoes from landfills was displayed. It was a reminder of the current consumption habits adopted during the 20th century. Walking along the hall and into separate rooms, student designers had repurposed materials from cars to Ginseng tea cans. Even though the designs were creations of art versus function, they were still impressive. The ability of the creators to think beyond patterns and threads to engineer a piece of clothing inspired us.

Images by Theresa K. Howell

Slow Fashion: A Solution in the Making

Fast forward to February 2026, a similar show and exhibit donned the doorsteps of the University of British Columbia (UBC). The “Slow Fashion Show” and addendum exhibit at the Hatch Gallery was hosted by the University’s research department. The works were a collaboration of fibre-based artists, designers, and engineers within the Slow Fashion: Circular Textiles, Sustainable Fibre Research Cluster and beyond.

The slow fashion cluster program took shape in 2024 under the guidance of Germaine Koh, a 2023 Governor General’s Award winner in Visual and Media Arts. UBC has been taking a proactive stance on the environment for years. Starting in the mid-to-late 90’s, they were working towards the greening of the university. In 1998, it became Canada’s first campus to have a sustainability office. Then, in 2000, the SEEDS Sustainability program was initiated. Another first of its kind in Western Canada. SEEDS and non-academic partners are working with the Slow Fashion Research Cluster to come to long-term solutions for clothing design.

The University takes pride in its location on the traditional and unceded territories of the hən̓q̓əmin̓əm̓-speaking xʷməθkʷəy̓əm (Musqueam people). To celebrate and acknowledge this gift, the fashion show took place on campus at the Museum of Anthropology. During the show, the models walked amongst hundreds of viewers and mile-high totems down a red carpeted runway. The whole event produced a traditional Indigenous long house meets 21st-century multigendered and cultured vibe. It truly was a show that echoed the times we live in.

Video shot by SSodagirl on Instagram

Couture, Reimagined

Many of the designs were not only art but also function. The un-gendered ball gown made from repurposed hoodies was one of these pieces. Created by Brianna Klassen, she establishes that it exhibits a “Victorian-era” flair, utilizing contemporary materials. Klassen, one of the winning finalists in this category, was also featured in Victoria’s Eco Fashion Show 2024. See this in the 2nd video interview with Cyd Eva at SeeChangemakers.

In the ceremonial category, a traditional statement piece took the form of an Indigenous Jingle Dress with a matching headdress made from recycled drink coasters. Designer Reggie Harrold, UBC MFA alumna, utilized old beer coasters intermingled with jewels and ribbon. The materials were sourced from leftovers of her partner’s restaurant that had been sold. Another of Harrold’s designs was a sinew dress. Read more about it here.  

Images Courtesy of Reggie Harrold & aleah_kippan

In the coming couple of weeks, SeeChangemakers will be interviewing Brianna Klassen and Reggie Harrold about their perspectives on Slow Fashion.

During the show, there were so many incredible designs and approaches to what couture can look like from a slow fashion perspective. As Germain Koh mentioned when asked about “what this program is trying to accomplish?” She points out that…

“To try to arrive at a more sustainable version of fashion is simply to slow down all of those processes — slow down the processes of consumption, slow down the processes of production and make them more localized to the places where the clothing is actually used.”

Other Global Perspectives on Slow Fashion

Slow fashion, sustainable fashion, and ethical choices in fashion; these phrases all boil down to one thing: the consumption habits of fashion.

In June of 2025, France took a proactive legislative initiative to establish a Fast Fashion Bill. Within the Bill, penalties run from 5 Euros up to 100,000 Euros depending on the infraction. For example, for ultra-fast fashion production, a 5 Euro tax will be imposed on each item. This will be increased to 10 Euros in 2030. The taxes are reflective of the items’ “eco score,” which is based on environmental impacts like water use, carbon emissions, and recyclability.

This shake-up has not only affected external ultra fashion players like Shien and Temu but also social media influencers. Here is an outline of how Influencers will be affected:  

– Ads or sponsored posts for ultra-fast fashion brands are banned
– Fines up to €100,000 apply for any violations
– Influencer hauls and affiliate links to such brands are not allowed

The bill hasn’t been the first step taken by France on the Eco Fashion stage. It was one part of a focus on the guidelines outlined in the European Green Deal initiative from back in 2019. In 2020, Emmanuel Macron also signed a Fashion Pact with various other eco-fashion supporters. Read more about this in SeeChangemakers article from October 2020. Additionally, the article outlines some pre-COVID stats on the Environmental impacts of the Fashion industry. Plus, there is a wonderful interview with Stella McCartney, a fashion leader in the sustainable fashion world.

Stepping Forward to a Slow Fashion Movement

So much has changed in a short time. However, things need to keep moving faster for this to make a surmountable difference. In June 2025, a Forbes article points out that France has taken a huge legislative initiative, but the rest of the world needs to climb on board too. Otherwise, this all becomes a moot point in the end. Globally, industry and consumers will make the difference for the future, not only legislators.

Canadian Changemakers Advancing Circular Textiles

So, consumer education, clothing suppliers, and sellers become key figures for change. Organizations and companies can create ideas for revisiting perspectives about fashion. For instance, the Kasandy Foundation, started in 2020 by Jackee Kasandy, has seen huge growth. The social enterprise champions education, sustainable development, and the empowerment of women around the world. Kasandy, inspired by France’s FabBrick, is working with the City of Vancouver. Now, they are currently implementing a Zero Waste project through:

-100+ metric tons of waste diverted per year

-50+ sustainable jobs created in 3 years

-30+ partnerships with businesses and institutions

Another player, retail online supplier, Raga Weaves, sells slow fashion alternatives. Every person in the manufacturing process is considered, from the weaver to the seller. As their motto says: “Small in Numbers, Big in Impact”. The idea is to treat a garment as a unique piece, like the human who wears it. Made with due time and with care, each clothing item has a story. It is about quality, not quantity.

Finally, another key figure in the textile industry in Canada is Our Social Fabric. A company started by two women passionate about upcycling and putting unused fabric to use. Back in 2009, Leandre Melancon and Kim Cathers began selling waste textiles from the film industry.  Previously, the industry would have burned or thrown them into landfills. Seeing the possibilities for these deadstock materials, they “set up shop” in parking lots on weekends.

Now in 2025, Our Social Fabric has diverted over 48,000lbs. of fabric from landfills and supported a variety of community projects, plus volunteers. In addition, their Sew Fun(d) Scholarship awarded two sewing machines to young designers.

Final Words

These are a few industries that envision a new wave of thinking when addressing sustainable fashion. In less than twenty years, there has been a huge shift. More people are recognizing the need to see fashion in a new light. Whether it’s shopping for upcycled clothing, supplying quality products, or diverting waste, the industry and consumers are slowing down. But time decides what the next 15 years look like for this global trend. What will we see in front of our mirrors by then? Only time will tell.

Great Resources:

Our Social Fabric BLOG

Threads of Sustainability PODCAST

…and all the links throughout this article.

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A Brief History of Jazz in Vancouver

Every Christmas out comes a seasonal “jazz standards” lesson for my students. It was always a hit for them to learn a few classical Christmas songs sung by local jazz artists. As an English instructor, I had to find my moments, unlike music teachers. My favorite part was seeing the look on their faces. They were always amazed to learn that Michael Bublé was born and raised in Burnaby, BC. They also learned who Diana Krall was. Another BC native, who was born in Nanaimo, BC. For me, selfishly, it was an excuse to listen to a genre of music I love.

Michael Buble – Image by Myung J. Chun / Los Angeles Times

UPDATE: LATEST INTERVIEW with Tim Reinert of INFIDELS JAZZ

Those learning moments happen to all of us. I had my moment during a recent interview with Tim Reinert of Infidels Jazz. So, I decided to write a condensed version of Vancouver’s Jazz history. Vancouver’s jazz history began in the 1900’s, much like the rest of North America. Clubs like the Patricia Café (now known as Pat’s Pub) and the Pantages Theatre opened. Later venues like the Cellar and Harlem Nocturne evolved into vibrant post-war underground scenes. Some key figures included Jelly Roll Morton, Black club owner Ernie King, the iconic bandleader Dal Richards and Producer/Saxophonist Cory Weeds.

Cory Weeds with Quintet under his Label “Cellar Music”

The Roots (early 1900’s)

In 1917, alcohol prohibition began, and the Patricia Café opened. Jelly Roll Morton played at Pat’s (Patricia Cafe), a local spot that helped establish the genre in the city. Jelly Roll Morton came back and forth to Vancouver. Initially, he began with the Patricia Musicians but left abruptly, possibly due to conflict among the members. Morton was often known for his somewhat generous ego.

In 1921, Morton returned to Vancouver and pulled together a house band trio. The trio was located at Hotel Irving on the northeast corner of Hastings and Columbia. But as time passed, tensions between Canada and the USA were on the rise. Morton complained about the union restrictions on musicians.  Later, partway through the 1920’s, an outright boycott was put on American musicians coming to Canada. Fortunately, in 1940, Duke Ellington’s presence on the jazz scene brought an end to this.

Another notable district supporting the early jazz roots was Hogan’s Alley. It was part of a larger black community in Vancouver’s historic Strathcona neighbourhood in Vancouver East. Its origins are believed to date from 1915-1917 when a couple of railway lines were being built. The area was known for its culture. It included eateries like Vie’s Chicken and Steakhouse. Musicians such as Louis Armstrong and Ella Fitzgerald frequented it while visiting Vancouver. 

Post-War Golden Age (1950s-1960s)

The Cellar:  The famous underground club was formed by a group of musicians wanting a place to play. It was literally in a basement located on Main Street and East Broadway; thus, its moniker. One of its mandates was to nurture local talent and foster a “co-operative” jazz scene. This premier jazz club, a hot spot in Western Canada, was one of the only hosts to international artists. Member and guitarist, Jim Kilburn, was quoted as saying, “A partial list would include Ornette Coleman, Scott La Faro, Dave Pike and Don Cherry. Occasionally, we booked established stars like Barney Kessel, Charlie Mingus, and Harold Lang. But we’re encouraging a broader policy.” The original Cellar Jazz Club opened in 1955 and later closed in 1964.

Don Friedman, Ben Tucker, Billy Higgins, Don Cherry & Ornette Coleman at the Cellar (1957) Capilano University Archives

The Harlem Nocturne Cabaret was a nightclub located in the Strathcona neighbourhood. The cabaret was situated at 343 East Hastings and managed by Ernie King and Marcella Williams. During that era, it was Vancouver’s only Black-owned nightclub. Jazz artist and founder, Ernie King, would host renowned musicians. Meanwhile, his wife, Marcella “Choo Choo” Williams, showcased performances by her and other dancers.

Denied a liquor license, it operated as a bottle club, whereby people would need to bring their own alcohol. King would keep pop bottles behind the counter in case the police entered the premises. To no surprise, based on the era, this happened often. The club symbolizes the resilience and artistic prowess of Vancouver’s Black community, which paved the way for cultural expression. The club opened in 1957 and closed in 1967 after the decline in people going to jazz clubs.

https://globalnews.ca/video/11051371/the-legacy-of-ernie-king-and-harlem-nocturne/

Dal Richards, the King of Swing

Entering the height of his career trajectory,  Dal Richards came into his own in this era. He was one of those jazz musicians who was bigger than life. His musical career spanned 70+ years, beginning in the Big Band era. As time passed and the interest in jazz clubs waned, Richards adapted. He became a band leader for the Pacific National Exhibition Bandstand. The band played 79 consecutive New Year’s Eve concerts until his death on 31 December 2015.  He was a recipient of the Order of Canada, the Queen’s Golden Jubilee Medal, and a B.C Entertainment Hall of Fame inductee. Overall, he is still known as the longest-playing musician in Canada.

The Modern Era

Coastal Jazz & Blues Society was founded in 1985 and incorporated in 1986. The Vancouver-based, non-profit charitable organization dedicated itself to fostering jazz and blues in British Columbia. It is BC’s largest not-for-profit music presenter and producer of the annual Vancouver International Jazz Festival. Additionally, Coastal Jazz and Blues present local, national, and international artists throughout the year. They pride themselves on their long-standing commitment to music education. Two examples of this are the Sounds of Youth Stage and the Vancouver Youth Jazz Orchestra, featured annually. Interestingly, the debut of Vancouver’s International Jazz Festival took place during Expo ‘86.

History Revisited

After its closure and decades later, the Cellar reopened. Cory Weeds, a renowned jazz saxophonist and owner, revisited a new space and opened the “Cory Weeds’ Cellar Jazz Club”. Weeds located his club at West Broadway and Dunbar. This geographic area was closer to another jazz music hub, on the perimeters of UBC. Unfortunately, due to various complications, it sadly closed in 2013.

Reluctantly closing the Kitsilano site, Weeds rerooted himself in his new home as musical director at Frankie’s Italian Kitchen and Bar starting in 2015.. He realized that downtown Vancouver would be much more accessible for the classical jazz purveyors he hosted. Now, Frankie’s Jazz Club is one of the featured venues during Vancouver’s International Jazz Festival.

At the same time, the new club still features the Steinway B piano from the original Cellar Jazz Club. The atmosphere within emanates a vibrant and intimate, supper-come-jazz club. Frankie’s has been in business for over a decade and recently launched an After Dark series. Frankie’s After Dark shows are presented by Infidels Jazz, and start at 11 pm. SeeChangemakers interviewed Tim Reinert of Infidels Jazz this last week. Reinert stated that this was part of Infidels Jazz’s beginnings in officially promoting up-and-coming artists to the scene.

From the Past to the Future

During the interview, we discussed one of Infidels Jazz’s current projects which brings us back to Hogan’s Alley. Infidels Jazz is promoting an up-and-coming Musical Theatre production, “Meet me at Vie’s”. It’s so exciting to hear the history of this Vancouver community back into the current conversation. Hogan’s Alley and Vie’s have become an integral part of Vancouver’s Jazz history, as cited earlier. Krystal Dos Santos, an incredible singer, songwriter, performer, film/TV actor, and playwright, wrote the musical.

Fellow colleagues, Dawn Pemberton, Chris Davies, and herself will be the featured performers. Dos Santos approached Reinert asking him to be on the production team. About Santos, he says, “she’s an artist that is so easy to work with… It’s hard not to get excited about music when working with her.” The musical runs from April 23rd to May 2nd at the Olympic Village Stage at BMO Theatre Centre.

Final thoughts…

As Santos’ colleague Pemberton outlines in her promotional article about the production;

“This is not just a history lesson.
It’s a celebration. A revival. A remembering.”

In the end, Vancouver is rich with talent both musically and artistically. Even though it is a young city and has been coined as a “No Fun City,” times are a-changing. Recalling the past allows the future to be rewritten. It has always been the people who take action that decide this.

Stay tuned for the SeeChangemakers Interview with Infidels Jazz, Tim Reinert. Also, check the SeeChangemakers recent Blog Post on a brief historical view of WOMEN IN JAZZ.

FURTHER RESOURCES:


Journeys to the Bandstand; Thirty Jazz Lives in Vancouver by Chris Wong

Past Tense: Vancouver’s Histories

Capilano University curates the Vancouver Jazz Archive, holding over 400 items documenting the local scene.

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Painting the Sound: Women’s Voices in Jazz

Jazz music is one of those genres that permeates the skin and reaches into one’s soul. How does one describe the feelings that arise from listening to this music, let alone try to paint it?

Photo SilkScreen and Acrylic Painting by Theresa K. Howell

During my undergraduate studies, I recall wanting to “paint music”. This was what I had told my professor when he asked what my 3rd year project would be. He looked at me with an empathetic eye, knowing I wasn’t the first to want to master this artistic endeavor. In the end, some of my most treasured pieces to date came from this project. They were my series on Jazz Music.

A Very Short HiStory

Jazz music was born in the early 19th century in New Orleans. It emerged from “a rich blend of African American, Creole, and European influences”. Its predecessors were derived from Ragtime, Blues, and Brass Band traditions. Many storytelling spirituals come from the blues and ragtime traditions of the African American diaspora. These spirituals have given Jazz its musical heart. Another reason I chose Jazz over the other genres was its lightness in lyrics and instrumentals.

One point is true, though: Jazz, like the Blues, was a genre of music of the oppressed. It became the voice for the voiceless. Examples of this still resonate with Billy Holiday’s “Strange Fruit”, symbolizing the death and degradation of African/American slaves.

In the 1920’s and 30’s, the world was recovering from the First World War. It was also the height of the American Depression. Jazz became a way for people to elevate themselves out of the darkness. Coming from the intimate private dance clubs, the genre was adopted into the posh elegance of high culture speakeasies. Everyone wanted to taste the spirit of Jazz during prohibition, no matter the cost.

A Great Day in Harlem by ART KANE

HerStory in Jazz

On August 18, 1920, the 19th Amendment was ratified. It granted women the right to vote and moved the scale on women’s appearance in Jazz music. Women were being seen as part of the musical scene that North Americans desired. It’s not that they weren’t there; it was that they were now being acknowledged. Suddenly, women such as Lil Hardin Armstrong and Corie “Lovie” Austin, both pianists, singers, composers, arrangers, and bandleaders, were being seen for their contributions.

As time moved forward, the needle did not move much for the number of women in Jazz. However, the impact of some women made a huge impression on the whole genre. For example, in this Golden Era of Jazz, one woman in particular rose to the top. Mary Lou Williams, known as the “mother of Jazz”, started her career early. She became a full-time working Jazz musician at the age of 15 in 1925. Her piano playing was said to have “kept the bills paid and the racists at bay.” One of her major contributions was her astute mentorship. She guided innovators like Charlie Parker, Dizzy Gillespie, and Thelonious Monk.

Numbers Matter

Over the decades, many women have left their mark on the Jazz scene. Singers like Ella Fitzgerald were known for her extraordinary vocal range and perfect pitch. Meanwhile, Billie Holiday captivated the audience with her deeply personal interpretations of the genre’s vocalizations. Then there is Sarah Vaughn, crowned “the divine one,” who combines the aspects of the previous two singers. This helps her to rise to her namesake.

Behind these voices were the instrumentalists, arrangers, and composers. One such pianist and composer was Alice Coltrane, who “created cosmic soundscapes that expanded jazz’s spiritual and sonic boundaries.” Then, there was Carly Bley, an avant-garde composer, band leader, and label owner. She freely crossed genre boundaries to create new and innovative Jazz sounds. Meanwhile, Toshiko Akiyoshi is a multiple Grammy-nominated pianist and composer. Toshiko has made her mark as one of the few women who have mastered large ensemble writing.

Leadership in the 21st Century

In the current era women in jazz are elevating the genre to whole new levels. For instance, Esperanza Spalding is a bassist, vocalist, and composer. She melds “jazz, soul, classical, Brazilian, and experimental elements into distinctive artistic statements.” She won the Grammy for best new artist back in 2011. One of her current projects outside of teaching and mentoring at Berklee College of Music is the Songwriter’s Apothecary Lab. The lab promotes the composition of musical collaborations designed to offer enhanced therapeutic benefit to listeners/participants.

Photo Illustration A163Gamma-Rapho via Getty Images and Angela Hsieh NPR

Meanwhile, here on the West Coast of Canada, Jodi Proznik, bassist, composer, educator, and label owner, achieved a significant milestone. She became a recipient of the Lieutenant Governor’s Arts and Music Award in 2022. This was in recognition of her contribution to music education in British Columbia. Currently, her life is filled with teaching and playing with the Vancouver Symphony Orchestra (VSO) School of Music.

Sister’s in Jazz Day

To mark International Women’s Day, Jodi is part of an all-day workshop at Argyle Secondary in North Vancouver, BC. She will be joined by other female musicians from the award-winning all-women jazz group, “The Ostara Project”. The annual event is called the “Sisters in Jazz Day”. It is a day to celebrate women in music through education. The underlying theme focuses on rhythm, improvisation, and composition. The event also highlights stories of women who have shaped the jazz tradition.

Image from VSO School of Music

SeeChangemakers had the privilege of interviewing Jodi Proznik back in July 2025. She talked in detail about her life as a musician and educator. She also talked about The Ostara Project and other aspects of her life. Check it out here.

Ostara-Project_by Mateus-Studios

All in all, Jazz as a musical genre has evolved much like the rest of society. In less than 200 years, women in this musical genre have gone from a whisper to a roar. I look forward to seeing what the next couple of decades will provide. I wonder how I will imagine painting this next picture. Let’s see.