Common Weal undertook the role of Creative Consultant in this partnership with Thomson School. To increase student exposure to a professional artist and Arts Education the project enabled students to understand and value the Arts as well as enhance their knowledge of fundamental treaty concepts, utilizing the resource “We Are All Treaty People”. In 2009, all grade 7 students were tested province wide on their knowledge of the six core treaty teachings; the average score across Saskatchewan was 48.5 percent. The project’s intent was to improve upon this score with the implementation of the project.

Common Weal is proud to assist and partner with Sheatre in April 2011 with Far From the Heart, a touring interactive theatre project featuring a dating violence prevention play and educational forum that engages and educates youth audiences on this sensitive subject, and related issues. The program will utilize the performing arts, interactive discussions, an educational guide, teacher training, and in-class activities to send the message and to assist in the delivery of the core curriculum in the areas of sexuality, health and violence prevention.

Sheatre, producer of Far From the Heart, celebrates its 25th anniversary this year. Far From the Heart, developed by youth from rural and small urban communities in Ontario, has had two successful tours there. 

The play, created with teens who have experienced this issue, presents problematic scenarios that end in a dilemma to deliberately stimulate audience members into action.  The actors do not offer solutions. The audience views the short play once, seeing the problems. Some scenes are then repeated.  This second time through any spectator can stop the action and replace the oppressed character – someone who is made to think, feel or do something other than what they want to – to try to effect a positive change.  The spectator becomes the participant whose purpose is to offer alternative behaviour choices and create a more positive outcome.

The facilitators emcee the performances; their key role is to lead short lively discussions after audience interventions; did the idea work or not… and why?  Will it solve anything?  We explore relationships that lead to conflict, violence and oppression. And we learn about many different ways of preventing and/or dealing with a situation.  We’ll discover alternate choices.

As a result, people are given the opportunity to critically observe and analyze behaviours, gain knowledge needed in everyday life to resolve conflicts, negotiate relationships and avoid risk, and thereby gain problem-solving skills. Participants and spectators gain a deeper understanding of the dynamics and relationships within the issue.

Sheatre is producer of Far From the Heart, and the proposed tour will be in Saskatchewan in September of 2011. Sheatre celebrates its 25th anniversary this year. Far From the Heart, developed by youth from rural and small urban communities in Ontario, has had two successful tours there.

In conjunction with International Community Arts Day, Common Weal Community Arts Inc presented a one-day installation, '1% Home Sweet Home' in Victoria Park, Regina.  The project was a commentary on the serious issues of housing and homelessness, faced by numerous Regina residents.

Regina currently has a vacancy rate of 1% for rental properties. Added to that, the average cost for a one bedroom apartment is $802/month, which equals 97% of total income for people on social assistance, and 73%, along with food, of people earning minimum wage. This critical problem affects not only people on welfare and minimum wage-earners, but also students, seniors, immigrant peoples, etc. 

1% HOME SWEET HOME  was an attempt to bring attention to this serious problem in our city.

Project partners included :
-Carmichael Outreach
-North Central Community Association
-Indian Metis Christian Fellowship
-Street Culture Kidz
-Project People
-Traditional Grandmothers Guidance Centre
-Youth and Elders Listening and Learning (YELL)
-Making Peace Vigil
-Regina Anti-Povery Ministry
-Birdsong Communications
-U of R Fine Arts Dept.
-Barbara Meneley
-Dr. Marc Spooner, Faculty of Education, U of R 

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