Posted on

…and then the city…

Though we’re still very much in the middle of thinking about, beginning to write about, and generally talk about all of the amazing things that we learned as part of Save the City, these billboards are the last part of the project to be launched.

These two statements are among the many, many, many that we came up with after thinking through the experiences that we had and the people that we got to meet with Save the City, and maybe in particular, our final event, How to Save a City.

I think we wanted to suggest the end of one part of a conversation and the beginning of another. In terms of our own research, I think we’re ready to start looking at problems in different ways, as a kind of continuum of ideas, rather than points from which to react.

So, you can see these billboards in Windsor. The first, “…and then the city knew it wasn’t alone.” is at University and Church, visible when traveling west.

And the second, “…and then the city started to feel better.” is at Wyandotte and Parent, visible when traveling west.

More ahead, and in the meantime, SRSI.

Broken City Lab: Save the City is generously supported by the Ontario Arts Council.

Posted on

SRSI, Day 7: A Blooming Cactus & Making Potato Stamps

Another day went by quickly here on the 400 block of Pelissier. I met another member of the Department of Unusual Certainties through Skype, The Breakroom celebrated its last day, Leesa painted some chalkboard paint on a few walls for her project, we found a blooming cactus in Andrea’s space and made some potato stamps with Jefferson.

Continue reading “SRSI, Day 7: A Blooming Cactus & Making Potato Stamps”

Posted on

SRSI, Day 6: Arrival of Department of Unusual Certainties, Playing Badminton Games

We had a very productive day over here on Pelissier Street. Chris Pandolfi joined Simon Rabynuik to form the Department of Unusual Certainties and began setting up shop in 410. Jodi Green’s knitting machine was in motion for most of the day, and Andrea Carvalho arranged a game of Badminton on Eric Cheung’s interior sod.

Continue reading “SRSI, Day 6: Arrival of Department of Unusual Certainties, Playing Badminton Games”

Posted on

SRSI, Day 3: Quiet Sunday, but things were still happening

It was a bit of a quiet Sunday, but things were still happening down at SRSI. In particular, Julie and Jefferson were hard at work all day, preparing their project, “The Peoples Museum & Fabulations de Windsor.” Above, and in between visits from some neighbours and friends, Julie preps a large piece of paper for a stencil.

Continue reading “SRSI, Day 3: Quiet Sunday, but things were still happening”

Posted on

SRSI, Day 1: Cleaning up the Storefronts

Day 1 of the Storefront Residencies for Social Innovation: we get the keys and begin massive clean up. Vinyl is being cut, walls will be painted, carpets are vacuumed, windows are washed, but still things to do.

However, great things are ahead.

Josh and Michelle at the very start of the day, before the cleaning really began. Not sure how far they made it, though I’m confident we’ll be nearly finished tomorrow, as the first residency projects start up. Daragh Sankey was already with us today, putting in a huge effort clearing out the 410 Pelissier. Then we had some lunch at the Drunken Burrito — delicious, despite its name.

We’ll be back at it shortly after 9am Friday morning, where we’ll await the arrival of Jolie Inthavong, Eric Cheung, Andrea Carvalho, Julie René de Cotret & Jefferson Campbell-Cooper, and Sara French.

This project is generously supported by the City of Windsor: Cultural Affairs Office, Arts Council Windsor & Region, Windsor Pride, and the Ontario Arts Council.

Posted on

The Storefront Residencies for Social Innovation: Launching June 11, 2010

For 30 days, this project will call on over 25 different artists, writers, designers, restauranteurs, musicians, architects, archivists, and other interested parties to occupy a space in downtown Windsor for up to one month in June and July 2010 to attempt to intervene with the everyday realities of skyrocketing vacancy rates, failing economic strategies, and a place in need of new imagination.

We’ve been planning this for months, and we’re incredibly excited to see it finally launch this Friday, June 11, 2010.

Michelle will be posting constantly for the next month, and we’ll be noting the open and close times for each day soon. In the meantime,  feel free to download the entire schedule in PDF.

The Schedule: All projects take place in either 406, 410 or 424 Pelissier Street in downtown Windsor.

Participants

Dates

Project Description

Daragh Sankey
 (Toronto, ON)

June 10 – 13

June 17 – 20

June 25 – July 11

How To Make a Documentary: Live documentation of the residency in its entirety/video editing workshops.

Jolie Inthavong
 (Windsor, ON)

June 11 –17

The Breakroom: A Profit-Free Cafe and Lunch.

Eric Cheung
(Toronto, ON)

June 11 – 21

Creation of an interior urban green park.

Andrea Carvalho
 (Montreal, QC)

June 11 – 21

A series of actions and tactics challenging Windsor-specific Non-Places.

Julie René de Cotret & Jefferson Campbell-Cooper
(Guelph, ON)

June 11 – 23

The Peoples Museum & Fabulations de Windsor: Bilingual community-based story telling and story gathering.

Sara French
 (Vancouver, BC)

June 11 – July 8

Norman Eberstein: An interactive, live performance involving surveillance cameras and a security guard at work.

Nicole Grinstead
 (Montreal, QC)

June 13 – 19

Swap Shop.

Jodi Green
(Windsor, ON)

June 14 – 25

The Sweater Factory: process-based performance involving the unraveling and re-assembly of sweaters.

(Department of Unusual Certainties)
 (Toronto, ON)

June 15 – July 11

Storefront Success Stories: Based on admiration for the local shopkeeper, the project aims to create new connections, knowledge, and theories between Windsor’s different businesses, people, and sites of productivity.

Kero (Windsor, ON / Detroit, MI)

June 17 – 20

An interactive motion-sensored installation engaging outside pedestrians and interior viewers.

Leesa Bringas (Windsor, ON)

June 18 – 30

Collaborative letter-writing campaign to vacant homes on Indian Road.

Stephen Surlin (Windsor, ON

June 20 – 29

An experimenting / prototyping / recording research phase for the collecting of urban sounds through contact microphones.

Terre Chartrand, Garth Rennie, Zoey Heath, Phil Beaudoin
 (Windsor, ON & Kitchener / Waterloo, ON)

June 20 – 27

A visual exchange between Kitchener-Waterloo and Windsor: a ride down the highway dialog through photographic and sound experience.

Lea Bucknell
 (BC/London, ON)

June 22 – July 1

June 30, 7pm (opening)

Community-shaped, Interactive Interior garden space.

Thea Jones
(Montreal, QC)

June 23 – 26

Multimedia installation using process-based research of the Detroit-Windsor bridge and tunnel which cross the Detroit River.

Thom Provost
 (Windsor, ON)

June 24 – 30

Storefront projection installation using Google Street View stills of Windsor.

Denise St Marie
 (Toronto, ON)

June 25 – 27

Talk To Strangers: a text-based outdoor window installation.

Ayesha Drouillard & Nicolette Westfall
 (Windsor, ON)

June 27, 28, July 4, 5 (workshops), July 7-8 (show)

IMAGINATION LAB: walk-in art workshops for kids accompanied by their caregivers.

Merry Ellen Scully Mosna
(Windsor, ON)

June 28 – 29

Portraits, Pies and Peace: Sunday afternoon discussions, and sharing of homemade pie, plus some drawing and painting.

Logan Davis
(Windsor, ON)

June 28 – July 1

Interactive Light Board Window Installation.

Robin Fitzsimons
 (Toronto, ON)

June 28 – July 2

Donation-based in-store training to improve gambling skills – geared towards subverting the economy in Windsor.

Doodle Heads: Elizabeth Prosser & Nicolette Westfall
 (Windsor, ON)

June 29, 30 (workshops),

July 1-July 3 (show)

Graffiti Workshops and Showing.

Joshua Babcock
 (Windsor, ON)

June 29 – July 11

Invention and Solution Hub (ISH): ongoing brainstorming and mapping activity.

Brad Tinmouth
 (Toronto, ON)

June 30 – July 2

Pro-Click Factory: digital, interactive open-mic nights. An evening lecture and their techniques for cultivating the best YouTube videos.

Laura Paolini
 (Toronto, ON)

July 1 – 11

Bell Payphone Labs: PL1999 and GMBLL. Payphone intervention workshops.

And And Collective
(Waterloo, ON)

July 3 – 11

The Amalgamated City of W: Imagined merging of Windsor and Waterloo through campaign office meetings, consultations and presentations.

Lee Rodney
(Windsor, ON)

July 5 – 8

Border Bookmobile: A reading station.

Emily Colombo
(Sault Ste. Marie, ON)

July 5 – 10

Multiple public Interventions based on analysis of debt-accumulation, poverty, city-beautification, and community engagement.

This project is generously supported by the City of Windsor: Cultural Affairs Office, Arts Council Windsor & Region, Windsor Pride, and the Ontario Arts Council.