Come explore the possibilities of Indigenous approaches to creativity

Meaningful dialogue requires space and time. Speakeasy, an event series organized through the College of Discovery, Creativity and Innovation (CDCI) in the Taylor Institute for Teaching and Learning, fulfills the need for both. Continuing its successful run on Sept. 27 with Creativity: Indigenous Practices, Speakeasy will build on its tradition of diverse and open conversations for students, academics and community members throughout the fall and beyond.

Creativity: Indigenous Practices will explore the possibilities of Indigenous approaches to creativity, including perspectives from guest speakers Dr. Dwayne Donald, PhD, (University of Alberta), University of Calgary PhD student Kori Czuy, and musician, artist and activist Chantal Chagnon. Of course, this particular session title directly invokes one of the CDCI’s core values: creativity.

“Creating space is really important, because each Speakeasy aims to offer an inclusive, interdisciplinary and inspiring learning experience to all members of our community,” says Lisa King, program manager at the CDCI. “Without space, critical conversations simply do not happen, diverse perspectives are not heard or shared and changemakers are not realized.”

Speakeasy sparks dialogue across disciplines and sectors

The event series has showcased a number of lively panels to date, including appearances from guests like Canadian astronaut Robert Thirsk, former Alberta cabinet minister Jim Dinning and University of Calgary student leader Amy Chen. Hosted in the beautiful Taylor Institute space, these events gather interdisciplinary community members around the building’s gallery, providing the accompaniment of jazz music and a platform for provocative discussion.

Dr. Robin Mueller, PhD, acting director of the CDCI, highlights that the space for dialogue opens up not only during the presentation sessions, but also in the spontaneous connections between audience members. She cites this as one of Speakeasy’s most unique and valuable features.

“While there is a formal program at each Speakeasy, we believe that the richest learning happens before and after; the program serves as a lever to spark dialogue, idea generation, and connections between participants who may otherwise have not had the chance to interact,” she explains. “In a sense, it is our hope that the Speakeasy will evolve into a community of practice that extends from the University of Calgary to the Calgary community and beyond.”

Upcoming events in the Speakeasy series

In addition to the upcoming Creativity: Indigenous Practices event, the CDCI has announced two others for this academic year:

• Social Innovation: Creating Changemakers, on Nov. 8
• Decolonizing Discovery: Collaborations with Community, on Feb. 28, 2019

These three events, which engage with the past, present and future, gesture to Speakeasy’s broad target audience.

“The Speakeasy is meant to be accessible and welcoming to students, faculty, staff and community members from all sectors,” Mueller emphasizes. “It is our goal to foster an environment where people have the opportunity to engage with interdisciplinary, inter-generational, inter-cultural groups, as this mirrors the kind of effort it will require to generate creative and innovative solutions to our biggest global challenges.” 

“The themes of Discovery, Creativity and Innovation act as critical access points for exploring relevant and relatable topics that impact our local and global communities,” King says. “Speakeasy, like the College of Discovery, Creativity and Innovation is prepared to challenge assumptions and build new understandings of complex issues through different lenses.”

Register for this event.