Grounds for Goodness

Grounds for Goodness -  Haliburton

May 10 to June 16 2024 Rails End Gallery and Arts Centre, 23 York Street, Haliburton FREE – everyone welcome!

We  all grow up with and inherit evidence that people, especially in  groups, do harmful things to others. We may be less aware of times that  groups of people have helped, protected  and rescued others from harm. These stories are there if we look for  them – hidden in history, folk tale and memory. They show that elements  can combine to nurture social goodness – a goodness that is perhaps * “always difficult, rare and fragile. And yet  possible” .

Ruth Howard (with *quote from The Fragility of Goodness, by Tzvetan Todorov) Grounds for Goodness is a mobile multi-year project, conceived and led by Toronto-based artist Ruth Howard, in collaboration with many people, partners and places. The theme is ‘social goodness’: occasions when and reasons why people behave in good ways towards others in times of crisis and difficulty, rather than the  (often more commonly assumed)  reverse. The project originated from Ruth’s research into lesser-known  histories of Nazi-occupied countries (Denmark, Bulgaria, Albania) where  entire Jewish populations were protected. This starting point expanded  to collecting and expressing a multitude of  stories and thoughts forming a growing repertoire of ingredients,  activities and short new works. Grounds for Goodness navigated  the pandemic with online engagements and creations, and a 2-week  February 22nd multi-arts residency in Mississauga. Now that in-person  travel and artmaking has become possible again, Ruth received  invitations and  funding to bring Grounds for Goodness to new places, including Haliburton. In Haliburton, from Rails End Gallery, Ruth will work with local artists  and community members: gathering and playing with stories through  drawing, writing, storytelling, sewing, sculpting, music and small  object performance, to create and share a distinctive  Haliburton version of the project.  Public Schedule  all activities are FREE and EVERYONE IS WELCOME to participate in any or all of the sessions. NO EXPERIENCE NEEDED

• project intro (Rails End Gallery) May 10, 6:30-8:00pm
• art activities, workshops with Ruth Howard and local Artists May 15 - June 15, 12 - 4pm  & some evenings check www.railsendgallery.com/calendar
• evolving installation throughout as participating community members create
• final presentation June 14, 6:30-8:30pm

Participating Haliburton Artists:

Laurie Jones, Bethany Houghton, Scott Duggan, Wendy Lingard, Austine Roy, & others. For more info, emerging details & link for online intro: CONTACT Laurie Jones, Curator, Rails End Gallery and Arts Centre

info@railsendgallery.com 705-457-2330  office   705-854-0993 mobile

www.groundsforgoodness.ca