The face of a growing multicultural community in and around Humboldt has stimulated a new cultural venture for 2012.
"Evenings of Cultural Mosaic" is a 10-week program at the Reid-Thompson Public Library that started January 9.
In the fall of 2011, a call was put out for a mosaic design drawing proposal, to be submitted from anyone currently residing in the region.
Rose Ward, head librarian at the city library spoke to the Journal about the project.
"Earlier in the year, the province's Immigration Services put out a call to community libraries for a project," said Ward. "We decided we would partner up with PIER-Humboldt Newcomer Gateways and Carlton Trail Regional College (CTRC), and we submitted an application."
The goal of the project, she explained, is to expand feelings of community connectedness and multiculturalism, which is why the library is partnering with the two associations that work extensively with newcomers to the area.
"We decided that what we had to do, and part of our project, was to create an evening of Mosaic Culture," Ward said. "Our plan is to have a series of evenings where newcomers and families, along with established residents, can get together for art and cultural activities."
Each week, the first part of the evening will consist of a 30- to 60-minute presentation by entertainers and local artists in a variety of mediums. Following this, those in attendance will work together on the creation of a mosaic art piece, the focal point of community connectedness.
From the drawing proposals submitted to the library in December, the final project was chosen by a jury of four that included Ward, Janine Hart of PIER-Humboldt Newcomer Gateways, Kara Loy of CTRC, and Humboldt resident Virginia Po, the facilitator for the 10-week program.
The art piece, designed by Humboldt glass artist Elaina Adams, is an all- glass mosaic featuring community, culture and interconnectedness. Adams entitled her piece "We are all rooted to Planet Earth."
Traditionally, a mosaic is made by using small pieces of different-coloured tiles - or in this case glass - that are then assembled in a special design to form a unique image. That's why it's very appropriate that individuals from different countries around the world will be working together on it.
"Evenings of Cultural Mosaics" has been made possible by a $10,000 Community Connections grant from the Ministry of Advanced Education, Employment and Immigration (Immigration Services).
