By Kate Legakis
The Aron Theatre in Campbellford hopes to raise the profile of Indigenous artists and perspectives in Northumberland County.
It is searching for applicants for its new Indigenous Program Committee.
Hayden King, an Indigenous author, activist, and Executive Director at the Yellowhead Institute, is chairing the committee. The committee is searching for Indigenous applicants from the Williams Treaty or Haudenosaunee areas who are passionate about Indigenous art and culture. The commitment for this role is for a year, and the role of members is largely self-defined in the effort to use the Aron Theatre to support Indigenous voices.
“I think that right now, there’s a revitalization of Indigenous creativity,” said King. “This opportunity couldn’t come at a better time.”
Heidi Schaeffer, the Leader of Community Engagement Initiatives at the Aron Theatre, said the goal of forming this committee is to focus on equity and inclusion. The theatre is taking meaningful action around reconciliation, she said.
An honourarium of between $50 and $100 per meeting will be awarded to members to assist with travel costs, said King. This funding comes from the Aron Theatre Co-op and fundraising.
To apply to join the Indigenous Program Committee, go to arontheatre.com under About Us. There, one will find a description of Heidi Schaeffer and Hayden King. Schaeffer asks applicants to send a resume and brief statement of interest to her email address, heidi@act-consulting.ca. The approximate application deadline is August 31st, and we are hoping to start meetings in September.
These meetings will take place at the Aron Theatre in Campbellford. However, Schaeffer said that video calls are an option for those who cannot attend in person.
The Aron Theatre is a community-run space that shows films regularly and has performance space for live shows and educational sessions. The volunteer-led theatre is funded by community members. It regularly hosts unique programming such as comedic performances, musical performances, and informative talks.
Schaeffer said the Aron Theatre board realized a lack of Indigenous programming at the theatre and in Northumberland County.
Hayden King is currently living in Trent Hills. He was contacted to help begin initiatives incorporating Indigenous perspectives into Aron Theatre programming.
The Aron Theatre wants to hear from a diverse range of local Indigenous voices to deepen the relationship between the Indigenous community and theatre, performance, and education in Northumberland County. Their search is currently active, and both Scheaffer and King are enthusiastic to hear the input of applicants in their effort to give an opportunity to Indigenous perspectives.
“The hope is, with this Program Committee, that we’ll expand offerings of Indigenous education, performance, and film; something that doesn’t currently exist at the Aron,” King said. “For me, it’s really important to see people that look and sound like me and my kids in depictions of everyday life.”
