What does it mean to create art that challenges margins placed upon us? What about art that distorts the modus operandi? What happens when we push through and against these margins?
With the end of Postmarginal’s Edmonton 2.0 events held from May 21st to 24th at the University of Alberta and MacEwan University, our ever-growing network of mycelia has had a lot to absorb as we discussed the collective’s goals for the arts world (and beyond). Importantly, we recalled our beliefs in art as nurturing relationships and our aim towards reciprocity. So, in keeping with those beliefs, we’d like to invite you to recap with us all that happened throughout 2.0 and what new buds have sprouted since then.
Throughout the four days of PME 2.0 in 2024, we had the chance to host practice workshops, roundtables, presentations and special events based on the success of our previous Edmonton retreat in 2021. Joined by over 50 Edmonton-based theatre and performing artists working with or within marginalities (including directors, producers, academics, and more), the retreat took a leap into the approaches and ethics of inclusive performing arts creation and production, leading to several challenging and rich discussions that continue leading us towards new avenues.
Connected to the questions posed at the start of this article, this then led us to our first cabaret show at Mile Zero Dance co-hosted by Chris Dodd and Josh Languedoc. Following several performances spread throughout the evening, conversation continued to be central to their work: what is postmarginality as a concept and what does it mean to work towards a “postmarginal” arts space? A foundational element of our work, this collective question combined itself with PME 2.0 to nurture a new set of upcoming projects.
Under the stewardship of Dodd, Mũkonzi Mũsyokii, Tatiana Duque and Shyanne Duquette and in partnership with the University of Alberta’s Department of Drama, Mile Zero Dance and the Edmonton Arts Council, two new productions and a workshop are at the forefront of our minds for season 2025-26:
– The In/comprehensibles, an exploration of multilingual storytelling and creation led by Postmarginal Montreal’s Art Babayants in February 2026 with the goal of curating community through art while posing a challenge to our industry’s current ideas of dominant languages and the questions of legibility and legitimacy in areas of intercultural dialogue;
– A workshop in July 2025, Casting Across Differences, focused on staging through ethical, mindful, and creatively curious methods. Facilitated by Mũkonzi Mũsyoki, Peter Farbridge and Amanda Bergen with Shyanne Duquette, Nathaniel Tesfaye and Aidan Collins, the workshop will offer new groundwork and pathways to the ethical conundrums of producing and staging works across cultural origins with a detailed report in the works.
– and a second cabaret at Mile Zero Dance in January 2026 with hosts Chris Dodd and Josh Languedoc will creatively explore hybridity of practices between artists of differing backgrounds and disciplines. Stay tuned for a call for proposals coming in early October.
Since the success of our first and second retreats, we know and feel the sense of energy and excitement that these outcomes from different underrepresented communities can bring to Edmonton; something that’s been long-awaited by many as the necessity to represent evolving communities in Canada becomes even more crucial day by day. As we continue organizing ourselves for these upcoming works, we look forward to having our Postmarginal community with us to continue exploring and growing our mycorrhizal network.
If you’re interested in tapping into the frequency of our network or participating in a specific project, you can email us at info@edmonton.postmarginal.ca for more information.
