GRANTS IN ACTION: The Voice of the River
GRANTS IN ACTION: Bringing Community Stories to Life Along the Grand River
With the support of a 2025 Spring Community Grant from Community Foundation Grey Bruce, the Canadian Centre for Rural Creativity brought community members together to create and present The Voice of the River, a unique community play celebrating the people, stories, and history of Southgate Township and the Grand River.
'The Voice of the River' was developed through eight workshops held between March and July 2025 in locations throughout Southgate Township, including the Southgate Public Library, the Erskine Centre, and the Community Healthcare Centre. More than 160 participants took part in the creative process, contributing their ideas, talents, and lived experiences to the project. Workshops explored a variety of artistic disciplines, including quilting, puppetry, music, and theatre writing. Together, participants created quilt squares and banners for the production, developed original songs inspired by Dundalk, crafted puppets, and helped bring local stories to the stage. Community leaders, residents, artists, and volunteers all played an important role in shaping the final performance.
The project began on July 3, 2025 with a promenade-style parade through Dundalk, leading audiences to Lions Park for a performance attended by approximately 200 people. Through music, storytelling, and performance, The Voice of the River celebrated the history and character of Southgate Township while highlighting its connection to communities along the Grand River. As part of the Grand River Tour, The Voice of the River travelled to twelve communities along the river during July and August, carrying with it the stories, artwork, and creative contributions of Southgate residents. Volunteers and performers from Dundalk joined portions of the tour, while banners and artwork created through the project were displayed in communities along the route. The production helped introduce visitors to Dundalk and Southgate Township, fostering a greater appreciation for the area's history, culture, and connection to the broader Grand River watershed.
The project left a lasting impression on participants and audience members alike. Reflecting on the Dundalk performance, local journalist Mary Redmond shared: "My colleague Nicole and I were just revelling in our memories of the evening, thought-provoking, rollicking, and lots more. Wonderful montage of scenes on the river and the road. Great visit to 1829. Music both tender and lively. And on and on." Community member John Butler added: "Thanks to you, the other actors, puppet-makers, quilt-square makers, story-tellers and on and on. I've spent the early hours trying to string together words for you and your team as thanks for the gift of creativity yesterday evening."
The Voice of the River demonstrated the power of community-based arts programming to bring people together, celebrate local identity, and create meaningful connections across generations and communities. By inviting residents to become creators, storytellers, performers, and collaborators, the Canadian Centre for Rural Creativity helped foster a sense of belonging and shared purpose throughout Southgate Township and beyond.
The project continues to evolve, with the Grand River Quilt and new stories collected along the tour set to be featured in future exhibitions and presentations. Through these ongoing efforts, the voices, experiences, and creativity of local communities will continue to be shared and celebrated for years to come. Community Foundation Grey Bruce is proud to support initiatives like The Voice of the River that create opportunities for collaboration, celebrate local stories, and inspire deeper connections between people, places, and communities across our region.
