Creative Care : Episode 2 :: The Arts as a Way of Life with Adela Kwok and Guy Rodgers

In this episode, film maker Adela Kwok and long-time arts activist Guy Rodgers join Louise Campbell in a discussion on mental health and wellbeing from their perspectives as artists in different stages of their careers from emerging through to mid-career and established.

To find out more about organizations and films referred to in this podcast, see:
What we choose to remember (full length feature documentary): https://whatwechoosetoremember.ca/eng
https://www.y4yquebec.org

Adela Kwok is an emerging Chinese-Canadian filmmaker born and raised in a suburb north of Toronto. Her interests lie strongly in eco-cinema, exploring how feelings of dystopia and climate anxiety are experienced in the context of everyday life. Adela aims to create films that explore humanity's relationship with the natural environment and the ways in which culture and development mold this connection. She is drawn especially to diasporic stories, examining how tradition, trauma and language is informed by its environment. While she is currently working in the non-profit world, she hopes to continue to pursue a path in filmmaking. Her last film, "Sprint" (2022) was screened at Defy Film Festival and Toronto Art House Film Festival. Her new short film, Anja (2024), is beginning its festival circuit and will be released sometime this year. To learn more about Adela, see her website at: https://adelakwok.com/

A long-time arts activist, Guy Rex Rodgers was co-founder of the Quebec Drama Federation (QDF) and the Quebec Writers’ Federation (QWF), was a member of the founding board of le Conseil des arts et des lettres du Québec (CALQ), and was founding Executive Director of the English-Language Arts Network (ELAN) in 2004. Since leaving ELAN in 2020 Guy has produced and directed eight documentary films about Anglos in Quebec in collaboration with MAtv, the National Film Board of Canada and CBC. For the past year he has toured the feature length documentary What We Choose to Remember to more than 25 communities around Quebec. Guy also writes a monthly column about culture, politics and history for The Montrealer magazine.

Acknowledgements

Hosted by Louise Campbell, this podcast was recorded at ELAN’s Community Digital Arts Hub, with mixing by Tyler Rauman and editing by Ariel Piermont. Music featured on this podcast was composed, performed and produced by Louise Campbell. To listen to the complete works, click here: https://redshiftmusicsociety.bandcamp.com/album/sources.

The Creative Care podcast is funded by the Government of Quebec’s Secrétariat aux relations avec les Québécois d'expression anglaise, and managed by the Community Health & Social Services Network (CHSSN). The views expressed herein are based on the experience and professional training of each guest, and supported by information on mental health and wellbeing that were current at the time of recording in March 2024. These views do not necessarily represent the views of ELAN or CHSSN.

Creative Care : Episode 2 :: The Arts as a Way of Life with Adela Kwok and Guy Rodgers

Creative Care : Episode 3 :: Understanding and Avoiding Burnout with Emmanuelle Meunier

Artists’ lives and careers can be rewarding and challenging, as ever changing schedules, interests and working conditions can attest to. This episode addresses burnout, prevention and self-care with art therapist Emmanuelle Meunier. 

Emmanuelle Meunier is a creative journaling artist and trained art therapist. She loves working with various individuals and ethnicities and has a niche working with youth from 5 to 17 years old. She researched the topic of self care and burnout prevention while in graduate school (Concordia University) and is passionate about sharing her results with artists and the general public.

For more information on some the issues discussed in this episode, see:

Article about the myth of the tortured artist:
https://www.independent.co.uk/voices/world-mental-health-day-tortured-artist-dangerous-myth-pain-art-depression-suicide-a8576971.html

National library of medecine'article about protective factors to burnout:
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC7301947/

Creative journaling:
https://journalcreatif.com/en/

For more information on Emmanuelle:
https://artistedesavie.ca/
Where to find Emmanuelle’s podcast:
https://jesuisart-therapeute.baladocanada.ca/

Acknowledgements

Hosted by Louise Campbell, this podcast was recorded at ELAN’s Community Digital Arts Hub, with mixing by Tyler Rauman and editing by Ariel Piermont. Music featured on this podcast was composed, performed and produced by Louise Campbell. To listen to the complete works, click here: https://redshiftmusicsociety.bandcamp.com/album/sources.

The Creative Care podcast is funded by the Government of Quebec’s Secrétariat aux relations avec les Québécois d'expression anglaise, and managed by the Community Health & Social Services Network (CHSSN). The views expressed herein are based on the experience and professional training of each guest, and supported by information on mental health and wellbeing that were current at the time of recording in March 2024. These views do not necessarily represent the views of ELAN or CHSSN.

Creative Care : Episode 3 :: Understanding and Avoiding Burnout with Emmanuelle Meunier

Creative Care : Episode 4 :: Artists and the Mind-Body Connection with Ariana Pedrosa

This episode addresses the mind-body connection and its various applications for artists with Ariana Pedrosa, musician and Alexander Technique teacher. 

Ariana Pedrosa is fascinated by the study of mind/body. With a background in music as a classical bassoonist, Ariana is also a pedagogue and movement researcher. It is through the Alexander Technique she works with artists to optimize performance by developing skilful body awareness.

To find out more about Ariana and the Alexander Technique, see:
arianapedrosa.com 
techniquealexandermontreal.ca/en/

Acknowledgements

Hosted by Louise Campbell, this podcast was recorded at ELAN’s Community Digital Arts Hub, with mixing by Tyler Rauman and editing by Ariel Piermont. Music featured on this podcast was composed, performed and produced by Louise Campbell. To listen to the complete works, see here.

The Creative Care podcast is funded by the Government of Quebec’s Secrétariat aux relations avec les Québécois d'expression anglaise, and managed by the Community Health & Social Services Network (CHSSN). The views expressed herein are based on the experience and professional training of each guest, and supported by information on mental health and wellbeing that were current at the time of recording in March 2024. These views do not necessarily represent the views of ELAN or CHSSN.

Creative Care : Episode 4 :: Artists and the Mind-Body Connection with Ariana Pedrosa

Creative Care : Episode 5 :: Building Resilient Communities with Andy MacDonald

This episode addresses the importance of community building as a protective factor against isolation and risk of addiction with guitarist and music therapist Andy MacDonald. Music featured in this episode was composed by Andy MacDonald.

​​Andy MacDonald is an improvising musician, composer and a Certified Music Therapist. As a healthcare professional, Andy has experience in mental health, geriatrics, and addictions services. His mission is rooted in helping individuals, families, and communities unlock their full health and well-being potential through music-based activities, including improvisation, songwriting, and mindful listening.

For more information on Andy, and to listen to his music, see:
andy-macdonald.ca/
andymacdonaldmusic.ca/
andymacdonald.bandcamp.com/

Acknowledgements

Hosted by Louise Campbell, this podcast was recorded at ELAN’s Community Digital Arts Hub, with mixing by Tyler Rauman and editing by Ariel Piermont. Music featured on this podcast was composed, performed and produced by Louise Campbell. To listen to the complete works, click here: https://redshiftmusicsociety.bandcamp.com/album/sources.

The Creative Care podcast is funded by the Government of Quebec’s Secrétariat aux relations avec les Québécois d'expression anglaise, and managed by the Community Health & Social Services Network (CHSSN). The views expressed herein are based on the experience and professional training of each guest, and supported by information on mental health and wellbeing that were current at the time of recording in March 2024. These views do not necessarily represent the views of ELAN or CHSSN.

Creative Care : Episode 5 :: Building Resilient Communities with Andy MacDonald

Arts And Youth Mental Health : Episode 1 :: Youth Mental Health, Trauma and Trauma-informed Practice

Working with youth as a Teaching Artist comes with privileges and responsibilities. This episode addresses the basics of youth mental health, trauma and trauma-informed practice as it relates to the role of being of Teaching Artist with host Louise Campbell and guest social worker Alyssa Kuzmarov.

Alyssa Kuzmarov, social worker and filmmaker, is passionate about making film accessible to people rarely represented in the media. Alyssa, along with Jean-Michel Sauri through their production company Productions Oracle, has produced and directed over 40 film projects with schools, community organizations and youth and families of all backgrounds, including RESILIENCE (2021), a docu-fiction based on the real life experiences of youth in the Youth Protection System and youth under the jurisdiction of the Young Offender’s Act. For more information, see www.productions-oracle@gmail.com.

Louise Campbell is a Montreal-based musician whose professional hats range from composer-performer and participatory arts facilitator to cultural mediator and Teaching Artist. Regardless of the hat she is wearing, Louise seeks to interrogate and renew the ways in which we make music and art by creating new works with everyone, regardless of age, ability, level of prior experience, or training. Louise works extensively as a Teaching Artist with ELAN ArtistsInspire and Culture in Schools, and as a cultural mediator with arts organizations such as Innovations en concert, Bradyworks, Orchestre Symphonique de Montréal, and the Opéra de Montréal.

Acknowledgements

Hosted by Louise Campbell, this podcast was recorded at ELAN’s Community Digital Arts Hub, with mixing and editing by Tyler Rauman. Music featured on this podcast was produced by Kuzmo, a youth involved in the creation of the soundtrack for the film RESILIENCE.

The Arts and Youth Mental Health podcast is funded by the Community Health & Social Services Network (CHSSN), the Secretariat à la jeunesse and the Lucie and André Chagnon Foundation. The views expressed herein are based on the experience and professional training of the guests, and supported by information on mental health and wellbeing that were current at the time of recording in June 2024. These views do not necessarily represent the views of ELAN or the funders.

Arts And Youth Mental Health : Episode 1 :: Youth Mental Health, Trauma and Trauma-informed Practice

Arts And Youth Mental Health : Episode 2 :: Classroom management, behaviour and universal themes

Teaching Artists working with youth frequently deal with behaviours that can be challenging to deal with. This episode addresses the classroom management, needs and universal themes featuring concrete examples coming from the teaching artist practices of host Louise Campbell and guest social worker Alyssa Kuzmarov.

Alyssa Kuzmarov, social worker and filmmaker, is passionate about making film accessible to people rarely represented in the media. Alyssa, along with Jean-Michel Sauri through their production company Productions Oracle, has produced and directed over 40 film projects with schools, community organizations and youth and families of all backgrounds, including RESILIENCE (2021), a docu-fiction based on the real life experiences of youth in the Youth Protection System and youth under the jurisdiction of the Young Offender’s Act. For more information, see www.productions-oracle@gmail.com.

Louise Campbell is a Montreal-based musician whose professional hats range from composer-performer and participatory arts facilitator to cultural mediator and Teaching Artist. Regardless of the hat she is wearing, Louise seeks to interrogate and renew the ways in which we make music and art by creating new works with everyone, regardless of age, ability, level of prior experience, or training. Louise works extensively as a Teaching Artist with ELAN ArtistsInspire and Culture in Schools, and as a cultural mediator with arts organizations such as Innovations en concert, Bradyworks, Orchestre Symphonique de Montréal, and the Opéra de Montréal.

Acknowledgements

Hosted by Louise Campbell, this podcast was recorded at ELAN’s Community Digital Arts Hub, with mixing and editing by Tyler Rauman. Music featured on this podcast was produced by Kuzmo, a youth involved in the creation of the soundtrack for the film RESILIENCE.

The Arts and Youth Mental Health podcast is funded by the Community Health & Social Services Network (CHSSN), the Secretariat à la jeunesse and the Lucie and André Chagnon Foundation. The views expressed herein are based on the experience and professional training of the guests, and supported by information on mental health and wellbeing that were current at the time of recording in June 2024. These views do not necessarily represent the views of ELAN or the funders.

Arts And Youth Mental Health : Episode 2:: Classroom management, behaviour and universal themes

Arts And Youth Mental Health : Episode 3 :: Feelings, empathy and self-care for Teaching Artists

Making art with youth can bring up a lot of emotions, both on the parts of the youth and of the Teaching Artist. This episode addresses how emotions can manifest for youth in an art-making process, fostering empathy as a Teaching Artist, and the importance of self-care when working with youth. Practical examples are given from the teaching artist practices of host Louise Campbell and guest social worker Alyssa Kuzmarov.

Alyssa Kuzmarov, social worker and filmmaker, is passionate about making film accessible to people rarely represented in the media. Alyssa, along with Jean-Michel Sauri through their production company Productions Oracle, has produced and directed over 40 film projects with schools, community organizations and youth and families of all backgrounds, including RESILIENCE (2021), a docu-fiction based on the real life experiences of youth in the Youth Protection System and youth under the jurisdiction of the Young Offender’s Act. For more information, see www.productions-oracle@gmail.com.

Louise Campbell is a Montreal-based musician whose professional hats range from composer-performer and participatory arts facilitator to cultural mediator and Teaching Artist. Regardless of the hat she is wearing, Louise seeks to interrogate and renew the ways in which we make music and art by creating new works with everyone, regardless of age, ability, level of prior experience, or training. Louise works extensively as a Teaching Artist with ELAN ArtistsInspire and Culture in Schools, and as a cultural mediator with arts organizations such as Innovations en concert, Bradyworks, Orchestre Symphonique de Montréal, and the Opéra de Montréal.

Acknowledgements

Hosted by Louise Campbell, this podcast was recorded at ELAN’s Community Digital Arts Hub, with mixing and editing by Tyler Rauman. Music featured on this podcast was produced by Kuzmo, a youth involved in the creation of the soundtrack for the film RESILIENCE.

The Arts and Youth Mental Health podcast is funded by the Community Health & Social Services Network (CHSSN), the Secretariat à la jeunesse and the Lucie and André Chagnon Foundation. The views expressed herein are based on the experience and professional training of the guests, and supported by information on mental health and wellbeing that were current at the time of recording in June 2024. These views do not necessarily represent the views of ELAN or the funders.

Arts And Youth Mental Health : Episode 3 :: Feelings, empathy and self-care for Teaching Artists

Arts And Older Adult Podcast : Episode 1 :: Aging, Older Adults And The Arts with Erica Botner

This podcast is a review of the many issues that affect adults in their older years, including myths and realities of aging, various types of aging, including cognitive, biological aging, social and emotional aging, some do’s and don’ts when it comes to working with older adults, and the role and benefits of creative expression in our later years. Albeit a huge topic, the discussion between host and teaching artist Louise Campbell and guest Erica Botner,  a program manager for seniors at the Community Health and Social Services Network, also known as CHSSN, and a lecturer on this topic at Concordia University.

Erica Botner is the Program Manager for Seniors at the Community Health and Social Services Network. She is also a Lecturer at Concordia University in Applied Human Science where she teaches courses in human relations, therapeutic recreation and aging. She has more than 20 years of experience working with seniors and caregivers in community and clinical settings and in planning, implementing and evaluating large-scale provincial programs.

Louise Campbell is a Montreal-based musician whose professional hats range from composer-performer and participatory arts facilitator to cultural mediator and Teaching Artist. Regardless of the hat she is wearing, Louise seeks to interrogate and renew the ways in which we make music and art by creating new works with everyone, regardless of age, ability, level of prior experience, or training. Louise works extensively as a Teaching Artist with ELAN ArtistsInspire and Culture in Schools, and as a cultural mediator with arts organizations such as Innovations en concert, Bradyworks, Orchestre Symphonique de Montréal, and the Opéra de Montréal.

Acknowledgements

Hosted by Louise Campbell, this podcast was recorded at ELAN’s Community Digital Arts Hub, with mixing and editing by Tyler Rauman. Music featured on this podcast was performed by the Jabbour Family Band featuring Rowan Jabbour on piano, Oscar Jabbour on fiddle, and Guillaume Jabbour on guitar and accordion. The pieces were recorded live in their Lower Laurentians home. The two pieces are Hommage  à Philippe Bruneau by Guy Loyer, and La Turlutte à Antonio Bazinet by Antonio Bazinet. Art featured on this podcast is by Kiran Ambwani.

This podcast was recorded at ELAN’s Community Digital Arts Hub, with mixing by the Tyler Rauman. Music featured on this podcast was composed, performed and produced by . This recording was made possible with the financial support of the Secrétariat aux relations avec les Québecois d’expression anglaise. The views expressed herein do not necessarily represent the views of ELAN or our funder.

Arts and Older Adults : Episode 1 :: Aging, Older Adults And The Arts With Erica Botner

Arts And Older Adult Podcast : Episode 3 :: Intergenerational Listening at Avoca Bridge

In this episode, musician and sound artist Guillaume Jabbour and lifelong learner Barbara Radford-Alfonso join host Louise Campbell in a discussion on the variety of forms arts with older adults can take, from the perspective of a teaching artist and an older adult who seeks out arts programming. A specific topic of discussion is Guillaume's intergenerational audio project on Avoca Bridge in which Barb participated.

To find out more about organizations and films referred to in this podcast, see:
EngAge: 
Concordia’s ACT Lab: https://actlab.ca/
Avoca Bridge Stories Podcast: https://soundcloud.com/guillaumejabbour/sets/les-recits-du-pont-davoca-avoca-bridge-stories/ 
Storymap of the hamlet of Avoca, Municipal Regional County of Argenteuil: https://storymaps.arcgis.com/stories/1d49af892cbb4873823f8bc892642e04

Guillaume Jabbour (he/him) centers his practice around sound, research-creation and community engagement. He recently completed a master’s degree in media Studies and is continuing as a doctoral fellow in Communication Studies at Concordia University in Montreal, QC. Guillaume’s research explores soundwalking and deep listening practices as means of fostering intergenerational and community connections. As a musician and community sound artist, he performs and facilitates workshops with older adults and youth, exploring the beauty and power of sound. Guillaume lives with his wife, fellow community Artist and photographer Tanis Saucier, and two teenage children in Gore, QC.

Barbara Radford Alfonso is a lifelong learner, with a passion for audiobooks, sometimes two at once, ancestry research, and photography, her creative hobby. A breast cancer survivor, mom of twin daughters, and grand mom of two delightful granddaughters, Barbara lives in the Lower Laurentians with her husband of 52 years.

Louise Campbell is a Montreal-based musician whose professional hats range from composer-performer and participatory arts facilitator to cultural mediator and Teaching Artist. Regardless of the hat she is wearing, Louise seeks to interrogate and renew the ways in which we make music and art by creating new works with everyone, regardless of age, ability, level of prior experience, or training. Louise works extensively as a Teaching Artist with ELAN ArtistsInspire and Culture in Schools, and as a cultural mediator with arts organizations such as Innovations en concert, Bradyworks, Orchestre Symphonique de Montréal, and the Opéra de Montréal.

Acknowledgements

Hosted by Louise Campbell, this podcast was recorded at ELAN’s Community Digital Arts Hub, with mixing and editing by Tyler Rauman. Music featured on this podcast was performed by the Jabbour Family Band featuring Rowan Jabbour on piano, Oscar Jabbour on fiddle, and Guillaume Jabbour on guitar and accordion. The pieces were recorded live in their Lower Laurentians home. The two pieces are Hommage à Philippe Bruneau by Guy Loyer, and La Turlutte à Antonio Bazinet by Antonio Bazinet. Art featured on this episode is by Tanis Saucier.

This podcast was recorded at ELAN’s Community Digital Arts Hub, with mixing by the Tyler Rauman. Music featured on this podcast was composed, performed and produced by . This recording was made possible with the financial support of the Secrétariat aux relations avec les Québecois d’expression anglaise. The views expressed herein do not necessarily represent the views of ELAN or our funder.

New tracks tagged #English language arts network