Canada prides and brands itself as an inclusive and progressive country made of immigrants. As the first nation to adopt a multiculturalism policy with the objective of assisting cultural groups to overcome barriers to integrate into Canadian society, Canada continues to promote its global identity as a multicultural nation where races harmoniously co-exist. However, the Canadian landscape has been shaped by its imperialist history – from ties to the transatlantic slave trade, through settler colonialism, to modern-day systemic racism. The colonial systems not only privilege one race over the other but laid the foundation for the continued dispossession of the rights and properties of Indigenous and other marginalized groups.

Further, the global pandemic, the murder of US citizen George Floyd and the unmarked graves uncovered in recent months have catalyzed one of the most significant, immense, drastic, and unprecedented turns in human history. Many disciplines are asking critical and ethical questions about race, identity, representation, and systemic change. The same is true for Canadian theatre. In the Canadian prairies, the theatre sector has been severely impacted. Apart from the uniqueness of the locations in this region (Alberta, Manitoba, and Saskatchewan), there is a need to create space for collective deliberation, partnership and collaborations with other theatres and artists in their region. Particularly many newcomer artists (who are racially diverse artists) and theatre companies who are not affiliated with the Professional Association of Canadian Theatres (PACT) find it challenging to identify and collaborate with mainstream theatre companies. For instance, there is no diversity or proper representation in the leadership of many of the theatre companies. Regardless of where these artists or the companies find themselves, they are faced with many challenges, from funding shortages to outdated governance models, racism, sexism, ageism, ableism, and many other forms of bias, either conscious or unconscious. In the context of the prairies, the case is not different, the enabling environment that can advance the arts of many racially diverse artists is unavailable. With recent calling out of lack of representation and diversity of major theatre companies in the province from the community members, there is a need to re-imagine leadership and management within the performing arts on the prairies. Specifically, the need to create opportunities for newcomer artists and artists who identify as Black, Indigenous and People of Colour (BIPOC) is significantly important to the ecosystem of the theatre sector of the province. Thus, this research initiative is aimed at exploring ways in which the theatre sector can be reimagined and rebuilt.

The research will engage racially diverse and newcomer artists, other Equity seeking communities, and theatre companies to first understand the particular challenges faced by racially diverse and newcomer artists in Alberta, Manitoba and Saskatchewan with the goal to create sustainable initiatives to address the issues identified. Critical to this research are the following research questions: In what ways can different parts within the ecosystem of the theatre sector come together to address the systemic issues facing racially diverse and newcomer artists on the Canadian prairies? What tools can be developed to solve the puzzle the global pandemic and social movements such as Black Lives Matter, #MeToo, and Anti-Asian Hate have exposed us to? How can racially diverse and newcomer artists be empowered to take on leadership positions within the sector? What is the future of the prairie theatre sector, and how can we envision a future together?

Finally, I (Taiwo Afolabi) am interested in undertaking this research due to my identity as a Black person theatre practitioner, an immigrant to Canada, and a scholar in Canada who seeks equity within the theatre sector, my experience as the former Manager of Community and Artistic Connections at the Belfry Theatre and my ongoing Arts Leadership Training Program initiatives in British Columbia and Saskatchewan. The research seeks to bring a paradigm shift within the theatre sector by laying a foundation for community-based thinking on issues within the theatre sector and in the process create advocacy tools for addressing social justice, equity, diversity and inclusion in the prairie theatre sector.