‘We make choices by not making choices
And we live with unbearable consequences
We hear alarm bells, but do not respond
We cling to uncertainty like a sad song
We act as if unaware and innocent We are cognitively dissonant’ …
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e70 one step at a time is a monologue that I recorded on September 28th, 2021, in one take, while walking in the forest in Duhamel Québec where I talk recite a poem that I wrote earlier that day about making choices and moving forward one step at a time in ‘radical listening’ mode, which is the theme of season 3 of #conscientpodcast.
‘It’s 4 56 am on Tuesday, rather than Wednesday, September 29th. I’m about to do something I’ve never done before, a soundwalk in the dark. I wanted to share with you this experience of walking in the dark and see what happens.’
e69 soundwalk in the dark is a monologue that I recorded on September 29th, 2021, from 4.56am to 5.25am, in one take, while walking around our cottage in Duhamel Québec in the dark. I talk about soundwalking, listening, reconciliation, John Cage, dancing, etc., including quotes from #conscientpodcast season 2: ‘do not listen to this episode’ and e22 westerkamp. Note: I miscalculated the time that the sun would rise and ended up walking in the dark for the entire time !
‘I think the transformation of knowledge is really important. What we can do from our generation to the next is try and help prepare them for the impacts of climate change, but it doesn’t have to be all doom and gloom…’
– andrew davies
e68 andrew davies and no. 9 gardens is a #conscientpodcast conversation that I recorded on September 26th 2021, in one take, while in a yurt with Andrew Davies, Director of No 9 Gardens, near Kingston, Ontario. We talked about the art and environment, reconciliation, yurts, education, passing on knowledge and the joys of farming and art making.
‘I’ve been thinking about decolonization and reconciliation and other issues in our relations with indigenous communities. I was reading the ‘wanna be an ally’ poem the other day that really affected me positively but also emotionally and I wanted to read it to you.’
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e67 wanna be an ally is a reading of the poem ‘wanna be an ally’ from Towards Braiding by Elwood Jimmy and Vanessa Andreotti written in collaboration with Sharon Stein and published by the Musagetes Foundation. Used with authors’ permission.
‘I’m interested in doing episodes that are in the moment, unedited moments of thinking out loud and not thinking too much because the rest of my body is working at soaking in this space.’
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e66 stillness is a monologue that I recorded on September 14th, 2021, in one take, while sitting still in a kayak in a shallow bay on the Preston River, in Duhamel Québec where I talk about stillness, not-thinking and what I am hearing and feeling at that moment. This recording includes quotes from an unpublished episode of simplesoundscapes from 2016 and #conscientpodcast e19 reality.
‘What I’m looking for, ultimately, is an anchoring point: where are we at and what can we do to ensure the continuation of life?’
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e65 drifting into season 3 is a monologue that I recorded on September 13th 2021, in one take, while drifting in a kayak on the Preston River, Duhamel Québec, that explains what season 3 of the #conscientpodcast (on the theme of ‘radical listening’) is about, including quotes from e21 (Dr Todd Dufresne), e23 (Anjali Appadurai) and a zen teaching.
‘Welcome back to the History of 2021 in Canada seminar. We’re going to conclude our case study today of the 2nd season of the conscient podcast.’
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episode 64 is part 2 of a bilingual speculative fiction radio play set in an undergraduate university history seminar course about the arts scene in 2021 in Canada that launches season 3 of the #conscientpodcast.
L’épisode 64 a case study (partie 2) est une création radiophonique spéculative, bilingue, en deux parties qui se déroule dans le cadre d’un cours de séminaire universitaire de premier cycle sur la scène artistique en 2021 au Canada et qui lance la saison 3 du #baladoconscient.
‘Welcome to the History of 2021 in Canada seminar. We’re going to do a case study today of the second season of the conscient podcast.’
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episode 63 is part 1 of a bilingual speculative fiction radio play set in an undergraduate university history seminar course about the arts scene in 2021 in Canada that launches season 3 of the #conscientpodcast.
L’épisode 63 (partie 1) est une création radiophonique spéculative bilingue qui se déroule dans le cadre d’un cours de séminaire universitaire de premier cycle sur la scène artistique en 2021 au Canada et qui lance la saison 3 du #baladoconscient.
‘I think capitalism is over, but the problem is we have nothing to replace it with. Here’s when we need artists, and others, to tell us what kind of vision they have for a future that is different than that: a future of play and meaningful work would be one future that I think is not just utopic, but very possible. ‘
– dr. todd dufresne
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41, 1m excerpts from season 2 of #conscientpodcast
41 extraits de 1m de la saison 2 de #baladoconscient
‘We need greater capacity within the art sector for research to action : tools, understanding, training and connections to truly impact policy. ‘
– robin sokoloski
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My #conscientpodcast conversation with arts leader Robin Sokoloski about cultural research, arts policy, climate emergency, community-engaged arts, creative solution making and how to create equitable and inclusive organizational structures
‘L’art peut aider les humains à évoluer. Cette action a toujours été là. Il suffit de la relancer encore et encore et encore.’
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Ma conversation #baladoconscient avec la chercheure en pratique des arts, Dr. Danielle Boutet sur la conscience écologique, la réalité, l’activisme, le deuil, l’art comme mode de vie, l’innovation et la spiritualité
‘SCALE (Sectoral Climate Arts Leadership for the Emergency) is a national round table for the arts and culture sector to mobilize around the climate emergency. A few months ago, you and I, and a few others were all having the same realization that while there was a lot of important work and projects happening at the intersection of arts and sustainability in Canada, there lacked some kind of structure to bring this work together, to align activities, to develop a national strategy, and to deeply, deeply question the role of arts and culture in the climate emergency and activate the leadership of the sector in terms of the mobilization that needs to happen in wider society. SCALE is really trying to become that gathering place that will engender that high level collaboration, which hopefully will create those positive tipping points.’
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My #conscientpodcast conversation with arts and climate organiser Judi Pearl about theatre, climate emergency, collaboration, arts leadership, intersection of arts and sustainability and the newly formed Sectoral Climate Arts Leadership for the Emergency (SCALE)
‘The arts give us a shared sense of this moment and its gravity, but also what’s possible and how quickly that tipping point could be reached.’
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My #conscientpodcast conversation with Stephen Huddart about dematerialization, nature, culture, capital, supporting grassroots activity, innovation and how the arts can show us what is possible
‘Ouvrir des consciences, le rêve dans l’esprit des autres et insuffler des graines de possibles d’un avenir.’
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Ma conversation #baladoconscient avec l’artiste Annie Roy sur l’art socialement engagé, le deuil, les politiques culturelles, l’apport de l’art, ouvrir des consciences et la place de l’art dans nos vies
‘Il y a des exemples dans l’histoire quand l’humanité s’est rassemblée pour surmonter des injustices. Il faut s’inspirer de ça.’
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Ma conversation #baladoconscient avec l’activiste Anthony Garoufalis-Auger sur les sacrifices à venir, les stratégies politiques, les coalitions, le point de vue des jeunes et le rôle de l’art et de la culture dans l’urgence climatique
My book ‘We All Go Back to the Land’ explores our Original Agreement to nurture, protect, honour and respect the Earth Mother and work collectively towards healing her.
Reality is deeply subjective but also socially constructed : as a filmmaker I try to explore reality to untangle and figure out in what ways are we being deluded.
De plus en plus, je vois et, surtout, je ressens maintenant dans mes os « l’état des choses telles qu’elles existent réellement », sans filtres sociaux ou histoires sur des activités non durables pour me bloquer le chemin vers cette compréhension ressentie.
I now see, and more importantly, I now feel in my bones, ‘the state of things as they actually exist’, without social filters or unsustainable stories blocking the way.
my conversation with change agent, disruptor, artist, counselor, sparkplug and community architect Em Piro on art and sustainability (episode 10 of 10 in CCL USA Series)
my conversation with writer, artist, and climate resilience planner Lauren de la Parra about art, environment and climate action (episode 9 of 10 in CCL USA Series)
my conversation with municipal arts funder and museums educator Matthew Chasansky about art, climate change and government support (episode 8 of 10 in CCL USA Series)
my conversation with ecoarts activist, art-science connector and founding director of EcoArts Connections (EAC), Marda Kirn about art, scientists and sustainablists (episode 7 of 10 in CCL USA Series)
my conversation with theatre and performance artist, consultant, and cultural organizer Rebecca Mwase on expanding consciousness (episode 3 of 10 in CCL USA Series)
