Our team at young & free press is thrilled to help introduce a spectacular new mural by artist Meaghan Claire Kehoe inside the London International Airport. Both the origins of the image and the purpose of the artwork are significant.
All in London
Five Reasons to Check Out 'Controlled Damage' at the Grand Theatre
On November 8, 1946, Viola Desmond went to a movie at the Roseland Theatre in New Glasgow, Nova Scotia. She sat on the main floor – the whites-only section – unaware that she had purchased a ticket for the balcony, where Black audience members were expected to sit. Although she offered to pay the extra cost for a seat on the main floor, she was removed from the theatre, held in jail & charged. This incident of racial discrimination helped to ignite the civil rights movement in Canada. More than seven decades later, in November 2018, the new ten-dollar bill design featuring Desmond went into circulation across Canada, acknowledging the Halifax-based business owner who altered the social history of the country.
'Grand Ghosts' at the Grand Theatre
Hey London! There are lots of reasons to check out the new play Grand Ghosts running until November 5th at the Grand Theatre on Richmond Street. Members of our team at young & free attended the play on opening night, October 21st. Afterwards, we came up with our top five reasons to attend the show.
Covent Garden Market and TVDSB Collaborate on New Outdoor "ARt" Project!
Professional mural artists are set to work with local Thames Valley District School Board (TVDSB) students to paint a series of picnic tables for Covent Garden Market in downtown London! Over the next six weeks, London-based artists Evond Blake (MEDIAH) and Hawlii Pichette will paint one table each, and guide elementary and secondary school students to paint six others. The tables will be returned and placed outdoors at the Market this spring. As an innovative twist, London-based EXAR Studios has been engaged to build an augmented reality (AR) experience for the setting, bringing to life elements of the picnic table-top designs in their AR app Engage ARt!
The Art of the Possible: Bringing Film Production to London
Recently the City of London decided to establish a ‘film office’ with the goal of attracting film and television productions to the community. The commitment is significant — $300,000 a year for three years.
This is the Time to Involve Youth
How can youth be involved in rebuilding our communities during and after the pandemic? The younger generation will feel the impact of any changes made for the longest amount of time, and should be included in current decision-making. Many Members of Parliament and Members of Provincial Parliament offer opportunities for youth to participate in Youth Councils, but many are currently paused due to the pandemic. In what may be one of the most important times for youth to be heard, there are few, if any, opportunities that give a platform for adolescents to voice their ideas and opinions on rebuilding Ontario post-pandemic.
TVDSB and 'young & free' to Deliver Innovative Experiences for Local Students
Our team at young & free press is thrilled to announce a new collaboration with the Thames Valley District School Board. From January to June 2021, we will be designing unique, challenging, and memorable learning experiences that will engage elementary and secondary school students directly in real-life projects. The pandemic is limiting how much students can connect right now with local businesses and organizations. We view this as an opportunity to try a new approach that puts students front and centre!
Addressing Homelessness in London & St. Thomas
Walking around London and St. Thomas, homelessness is obvious. In London, there are many people living and sleeping rough along Dundas Street downtown and in Old East Village, or in tents by railway tracks and elsewhere. Business owners and residents in St. Thomas have noticed more people congregating and sleeping downtown, particularly around the post office, next door to where the City set up a drop-in centre for the homeless or near-homeless. The issue has been made worse by the pandemic, and this winter is going to prove challenging.
Hanging On to the Performing Arts in a Pandemic
The performing arts are enjoyed by all, although some may not realize the full importance of television, music, film, theatre and dance. Many adolescents find their niche in the performing arts community and develop a genuine sense of belonging. This may be one of the most important reasons why the arts need to be maintained and kept accessible during the pandemic and beyond.
Political Communications During COVID-19
Will people become harder to govern the longer the pandemic continues? If so, is this a reflection of the lack of in-person interaction between our elected leaders and the general public? Government by virtual meetings and social media may be convenient, but have we lost a vital part of any good political communications strategy?
Murals in Market Lane! Welcome to the Forest City Playground
Three artists – Stephanie Boutari, Hawlii Pichette, and Meaghan Claire Kehoe – have been given the challenge of painting murals on the exterior wall of the WIL Employment Connections building in Market Lane in downtown London. The murals will emphasize the Carolinian Forest zone and ask viewers to consider the role of human beings in shaping the culture of our cities within the wider ecosystem.
How Teenagers are Learning About Government Through the Pandemic
Throughout the COVID-19 pandemic, we have witnessed in a heightened way the essential role of government. Who do we turn to for leadership when there is a crisis? For teenagers, this may have been the first time that we had to think of this through a real-life lens.
Get Ready to ‘Engage’ with London, St. Thomas & Port Stanley!
Our team at young & free press is very excited to help introduce a new augmented reality app designed specifically to engage residents and visitors in London, St. Thomas and Port Stanley. Developed by EXAR Studios in London, the app – called ‘Engage’ – will guide users on unique adventures through each community with stops along the way to experience attractions just by looking through the camera of a smart phone. Murals will come to life, billboards and other cultural objects will move, and local history will become a stimulating visual reality!
Grants Now Available for Emerging Filmmakers through the Forest City Film Festival
Our team at young & free press is thrilled to announce that funding has been provided to the Forest City Film Festival to offer three grants of $8,000 each to emerging filmmakers in southwestern Ontario! Filmmakers have the chance to make short documentaries about three projects supported by the Estate of Donna Vera Evans Bushell in Elgin County & St. Thomas, including the construction of the new “Evans Sisters’ Stage” at Springwater Forest, the launch of the “Art, Trees & Trails” project by the St. Thomas Elgin Public Art Centre, and the development of the “Track to the Future” mural project through Railway City Tourism.
Five Ways to Attract Teenagers to Downtown London
Downtown London has some great arts and culture venues and many captivating businesses, parks, and landmarks. There are excellent festivals, events and concerts that happen downtown, which help drive residents and visitors to support businesses in the area. Teenagers can help to influence this activity and the overall culture. With youth having such an impact on society, I wanted to share some ideas of how we can attract more teenagers to downtown London.
Photos from the Black Lives Matter Protest in Downtown London
On Saturday, June 6, 2020, approximately 10,000 people attended the Black Lives Matter protest in downtown London. The event, which was organized by a group of young Black women from London, started in Victoria Park and included a march around the downtown area.
Food for Thought: How the Pandemic is Changing Our Relationship with What We Eat
During the pandemic, I have definitely noticed through speaking with my extended family and on social media that many people are stretching out their food supply as much as possible. This leads me to this question: when things return to normal, will the same standard apply?
How Should We Design Parks for a Pandemic?
Throughout the COVID-19 pandemic, parks and green-spaces have provided people the opportunity to seek some fresh air and a change of scenery. Our daily routines have changed drastically. With little information on when the pandemic will end, our need for parks and green-spaces will continue to grow. This raises the question: how could parks be better-designed to be adaptable and sustainable, even during a pandemic?
Work-in-Progress: Online Learning During COVID-19
Online schooling has been in place for a little less than a month now. When the announcement that we would be beginning online classes first came out, I was a bit worried. I’ve never taken an online class before, so I was unsure of how this would fit into my life.
Ten Things That We Love (and Really Miss Right Now) in Downtown London
Many of our favourite moments have happened in downtown London. Lovely nights at local restaurants. Discovering new shops. Random experiences at festivals and events. Thought-provoking and inspiring shows at galleries, concert halls, and theatres. We have really had a great time in the City! More than anything right now, though, we miss the people that we have met along the way, the familiar faces in the restaurants, cafés, and shops.