“Train of Thought is a 2-month creative journey from west to east coast, with 20+ stops, 60+ travellers and 90+ partners along the way – taking place this May and June, 2015. You can read more about the the project and its themes, goals, activities and contributors at www.trainofthought.co. Here are some details from Train of Thought’s About section: 

“Train of Thought is an evolving community arts journey from west to east coast, with on-board activities and over 20 stops along the way. At each stop, a travelling company will get off until the next train comes through. Local arts organizations will host interactive events, and add to creative tasks. Additional travellers will hop aboard to join in conversations and art-making en route.

Train of Thought was hatched by a group of artists who wanted to share community engagement practices and projects. We asked ourselves what theme merited such a huge cross-country undertaking, a question that led to a focus on collaborations and alliances between First Nations and settler/immigrant artists and communities: the most challenging and urgent matter that all of us are grappling with and learning about, from our different regional and cultural perspectives.

Train of Thought will ask many questions: What’s not on the map? What other forms of mapping are there? How can we see the places where we live through new eyes? What protocols are there of arrival, gathering and departure for the territories we pass through? What place names can we learn and imagine? What stories are important to pass across the country? How can we grieve and celebrate together in the shadow of colonialism? How can community-engaged arts help us enter into these questions?

Create, Discuss, Travel, Feast, Learn, Change Tracks
Train of Thought takes a counter-colonial route to collect and share stories, buried histories and imagined landscapes of the land where we live: as it might have been, as it is, as it could be: drawing on perception, memory, history and imagination; merging whimsy and serious intent, bringing together artists and community members, the land’s first people and all those who have found refuge here over the years and generations.”

Train of Thought is less about trains than about the relationships and discoveries that the journey will enable. When the train can’t take us where we want to go, we’ll defect for a while to buses and cars, and rejoin the VIA train route when we can.

Train of Thought is an imperfect and incomplete adventure – part of a longer and unending imperative to learn, connect and help to change tracks.”

Train of Thought has launched an Indiegogo campaign to support artists who would like to get onboard. If you’d like to help Train of Thought reach their Indiegogo goal, click here to donate now!

For more information, please visit the Train of Thought website and their blog for updates on the road (or tracks!).

ITINERARY

-posted with permission from Jumblies Theatre
Read Jumblies’ Profile on ArtBridges’ Community-Engaged Arts Directory & Map