Dawn MATHESON / Multi-disciplinary Artist, Audio Producer and Writer (for writing go here)
Guelph, On mathesondawn@gmail.com / thiswasnow.com
Art Projects and Collaborations
2021- current Lead Artist for SOUND WALKS, Canada Council/OAC funded Explore and Create project, “How to Draw A Tree,” and “How to Draw a Forest,” co-creating with trees and mental health, Community Partner: University of Guelph Arboretum and The Wellness Centre. LINK
2021- current Multimedia Producer and Consultant, KDE Hub/National Mental Health Promotion for Children and Youth: University of Waterloo Link
2022- Artist in Incubation for Femme Fest, Waterloo 2022: Presenting “Make-Do Studio Tour” WEDNESDAY MARCH 16 at 7pm. FREE REGISTER
2022- Multimedia Storyteller: Guelph Museums and Centre{3} Hamilton: Mind The Gap: Intergenerational Connectivity Seniors and Youth. … connecting lower-income seniors with youth living in poverty for an interdisciplinary project. Link
2020-2022 Advising Podcast Producer and Editor of “Shinecast- a podcast sharing student’s stories of mental health” at University of Guelph’s Wellness Centre. LINK
2021, 2022- Sound/Narration Artist “The Returning” for Portal Dance Company OAC live performance and video
2021 Indigenous Audio Walk sound artist, GIER (University of Guelph Re-Imagining Climates “Inose/Field Trip”) LINK
2021-current Podcast Editor, “Healthy Families, Healthy Homes” Family Relations and Nutrition, University of Guelph. LINK
2021 – Featured Video Artist, LUMEN Lite Festival, City of Waterloo LINK
2019 Artistic Director “Transformed: Literary Objects of Change,” Live Performance by Adult Literacy Learners, FOR THE LOVE OF WORDS: Guelph Youth Music Centre, Guelph
2018 Video Artist in Residence “Dreaming At Land’s End/Rever Au Bout Du Monde” at The International Institute of Improvisation Summit at GASPE, Quebec. Produced 6 experimental video and sound projects composed of participating improvisers dreams and live musical soundscapes.
2017-2018 Ontario Arts Council Artist in Education for media arts projects in two high school classes at E.C. Drury School for the Deaf
2016-2018 Lead Artist for “A Sense Of Wonder” – The Art Gallery of Guelph — collaborating with Deaf and hard of hearing youth for a province-wide project exploring innovative approaches to diverse and inclusive community engagement
2017 Director for “Transported: Objects of Meaning and the Immigrant Experience” : 6 films for Guelph Film Festival installed with accompanying artifacts at Guelph Museums LINK
2017 Video Producer “STORIES of IMPACT” video presentation for Improvisation, Community and Social Practice and Research office, University of Guelph LINK
2017 Audio Producer for “2-way” radio program bridging seniors and children, CFRU, Wellington Hall Academy and Riverside Glen, Guelph here
2016 Video Producer “Music Moves” children video profiles for Orff Music Education
2000-2016 Freelance radio documentary producer (sample feature doc: HERE.
2011 Co-Creator “So Much Depends Upon…” VIdeo collaboration with Action Read literacy Learner, Cheryl Turner, Guelph
2010-2014 In-House Video Producer: Improvisation, Community and Social Practice, University of Guelph; Produced and edited six video documentaries in collaboration with marginalized groups and Juno-winner Jane Bunnett, Musagetes funding.
2006-2007 Stratford Festival Video Artist in Residence: “WIP: Work in Progress”—a behind-the-scenes series profiling Stratford artists.
2003-2005 Guelph International Film Festival Director and Programmer: community documentary film festival
2002 City of Guelph’s 175th Video Retrospective Producer and Editor
2000 Editor for Guelph History Book: “Guelph: Perspectives on a Century of Change” here
2000 Videographer and Production Team: “GSHIP: Guelph Social History Project”
Solo and Group Shows/ Broadcasts
2022- Artist in Incubation for Femme Fest, Waterloo 2022: Presenting “Make-Do Studio Tour” WEDNESDAY MARCH 16 at 7pm. FREE REGISTER
February 2022 “Mind the Gap: Intergenerational Connectivity with Seniors and Youth”, Guelph Museums and Centre3 for Social Practice, Hamilton
Sept 2021 LUMENS light- City of Waterloo, “Dreaming At Land’s End,” installation in Downtown Waterloo Barn
2020 Online Video and Essay Launch “Dreaming At Land’s End,” Hosted by International Journal, Critical Studies in Improvisation
2019 “Transformed: Literary Objects of Change,” Performance by Adult Literacy Learners at FOR THE LOVE OF WORDS: Guelph Youth Music Centre, Guelph,
2018 Live Performance, “Dreaming at Land’s End” with Improvised Music: Le Musée Culturel de Coin-du-Banc, Quebec
2018 “[i carry your heart with me (i carry it in],” Featured Artist: Video installation, CAFKA: Kitchener City Hall and Princess Cinemas
2018 ‘If These Walls Could Speak’ outdoor video projection, Guelph Museums Group Show: “After Dark”
2017 “A Sense of Wonder films,” Video Artist for 3 films screened at Toronto International Deaf Film and Art Festival at HOT DOCS cinemas, Group Show
2017 “A Sense of Wonder,” Solo Exhibit: Art Gallery of Guelph
2017 “Transported: Objects of Meaning and the Immigrant Experience–6 films for Guelph Film Festival installed and curated with accompanying artifacts at Guelph Museums
2016 “All Together Now” video screening, Featured Artist for Milton Arts Centre Culture Days, collaborating with students from EC Drury School for the Deaf
2016 “This is Me in China” video screening for Suzuki Institute America, Guelph and Boston screenings, Solo Screenings
2015 Summer CBC Radio launch program “Who Is Allen?” documentary radio feature on CBC Radio “Doc Project”
2015 “Ghost: IMICO,” experimental video on former foundry workers, Screened at Guelph Film Festival group show
2014 “This is IICSI”: Launch Video for University of Guelph’s International Institute for Critical Studies in Improvisation, University of Guelph School of Theatre
2011 “Community Slumber Party” Musagetes: 1mile2 Interventions: and “So Much Depends Upon” film screening collaboration and intervention: Via Train Station, Guelph
2011 “Stare”: live performance and video installation. Guelph Nuit Blanche and Jazz Festival” featured human hosts in silent staring sessions, Store Front, Guelph.
2011 “Six with Jane”: Guelph’s first Improvisator in Residence– 6 films screening with Jane Bunnett. Screened at Van Gogh’s Ear, Guelph and Peter Clark Hall, UG
2010 “Singing in the Shower”; Toronto Nuit Blanche audio installation /Gladstone Hotel balcony; selected for ‘Best Of’ Nuit Blanche by the National Post
2009 “Coming Clean”: Audio installation of confessions broadcast in a men’s bathhouse for group show, Eye Level Gallery, Halifax
2009 “Project: Snowman” community intervention; director of a team of guerilla snowmen builders creating snowmen anonymously and covertly by night, performance and installation piece, Guelph
2007 “Confession Alley”: Edifying Edifices Commissioned audio installation work for Ed Video Media Arts Centre; selections broadcast on CBC Radio
2006 “Tongues In Trees”; feature artist: Collaborative project working with 8 adult literacy learners to perform Shakespeare monologues akin to their life experience, Art Gallery of Guelph, Group Show
2006 “Banking Day” Video – Hamilton Artist’s Inc. Group show
2004 “Banking Day” Ed Video
2002/2003 “If These Walls Could Speak” Group Show featuring Guelph Artists at Art Gallery of Guelph and at Guelph Jazz Festival, Outdoor video projection
2002 “If These Walls Could Speak” Guelph Jazz Festival outdoor installation and featured artist
1999 “All Over the Map”- a Guelph/Rockwood community video performance project, The Bookshelf Cinema
Curations/Lead Arts Consultant/Arts Research
2019 Deaf Arts Collaborating Consultant to Ed Video’s Canada Council grant producing inhouse Deaf instructional videos.
2018 Curator for Action Read Diversity Arts, 6 workshops featuring artists working in diversity. Funded by The Community Foundation
2017 paid Artist Mentor for Guelph Arts Council to new graduate of the University of Guelph Fine Arts program
2017- 2018 Lead Researcher, “OPEN ACCESS ED VIDEO MEDIA ARTS CENTRE.” OAC Researching and developing an organizational plan for Deaf artists.
2015- 2016 Digital Storytelling- Grade 7 Instructor: Wellington Academy, Guelph
2012-2014 University of Guelph Research Project Manager and Digital Storytelling Producer, Project ReVision: dedicated to exploring ways that marginalized and misrepresented communities can use the arts to advance social inclusion and justice by challenging stereotypes.
2013 Curator, digital storytelling programme “Project ReVision” at Silence, Guelph.
2013 Curator: International Day of the Girl. Curated diverse programme and presented panel of artists featuring “Project ReVision” digital storytelling at the University of Guelph (Peter Clark Hall)
2013: Accessibility Conference Video Curator for “Project ReVision, UG
2007, 2008 Guelph Film Festival Guest Online Video Curator “Remediation of Literature in Internet Video”; “Social Justice and Citizen Journalism in Internet Video” Bookshelf Cinema, Guelph
2000 Managing Editor: Guelph: Perspective on a Century of Change, Collaborative Community Book Project
Artist Talks
2020 “Falling In Love, The Art of Social Practice,” InterArts Matrix Feature Lecture, Kitchener.
2020 Emcee for Downtown Board of Management Saturday showcases (8 events)
2018 “Dawn Matheson: Social Practice Art,” featured speaker for Thinking Spaces, International Institute for Improvisation and Social Practice: University of Guelph
2018 Action Read Diversity Arts presenter. Funded by The Community Foundation
2017 “Belonging: the work of Artist Dawn Matheson” Featured Speaker on Arts and Social Practice at Amplify! Kitchener Waterloo Culture and Arts Summit
2017 “A Sense of Wonder,” SummerWorks Arts Festival Presenter: One of Five Artists selected to showcase new projects
2017 “The audio interview as Heart of the Story: An Intro to Podcasting” Ed Video workshop instructor.
2012-2014 Resilience Festival video presenter “Storytelling and Cultural Narratives” (2014)
2010 “Participatory Community Arts,” moderator: Ed Video Media Arts panel
Radio Production/Podcast
2019 Consulting Editor for PODCAST, The Ghost of Thomas Lacey, Erin MacIndoe Sproule: Anthroscopic Media, THE MUSEUM, Kitchener
2017-2018 Freelance field work with Now Or Never, CBC
2017 “2-way” producer of radio program bridging seniors and children, Wellington Hall Academy and Riverside Glen, Broadcast: CFRU Campus and Community Radio, Guelph
2015 “The Sound of Small Business” Podcast Contributing Producer, RBC online Podcast featuring documentary profiles of small business owners
2015 “Who Is Allen?” –CBC National Radio Producer with The Doc Project: Summer season launch – 30 minute documentary on street-involved Guelph resident
2015 “IMICO”/ radio producer for extract on In the Field, CBC
2014 “Singing in the Shower:” extracts for Living Out Loud, CBC
2003 “The Soundtrack of My Life” CBC Radio Doc Special Series Producer
2002 “Road dot Trip” CBC Radio Host/ Documentary Producer (summer pilot 2000)
2000-2002Associate Producer, staff Outfront, CBC Radio
2000 “IMICO Guelph” experimental radio documentary CBC Radio, Outfront
1999 “Both Sides of the Glass” radio documentary on art and drug dealers at Queen and Sherbourne. CBC Radio, Outfront
Grants and Awards
2022 Canada Council Production Grant for How To Draw a Forest – sound walks a the Arboretum with Students living with mental illness
2022 South Asian Visual Arts Centre Ishtar’s Network of Feral Gardens grant recipient
2022 OAC Presenter Grant partnered with video artist Richele Forsey for a visual adaptation of soundwalk How To Draw A Tree
2021 Musagetes Community Fund for How To Draw A Tree Soundwalk
2020 Canada Council for the Arts, Explore and Create for How To Draw a Tree collaboration and research, Arboretum University of Guelph
2019 Ed Video Media Arts Honourary Lifetime Member
2018 Musagetes Fund for Video Artist in Residence in Gaspe
2017-2018 Ontario Arts Council Artist in Education grant
2016 Art Gallery of Guelph Commission for A Sense of Wonder
2016 Ontario Theatre Reserve Fund through Mammalian Diving Reflex
2015 CBC Radio Doc Project Mentorship Awardee
2014 Guelph Woman of Distinction Nominee, Arts and Culture
2011 Musagetes 1mile2 Featured Artist Grant
2009 Ontario Arts Council Media Arts Grant
Arts Jury
2020 OAC Artists in Communities and Schools Projects program
2018 OAC National and International Residency Projects program
Education & Media Arts Training
2015: CBC Radio Doc Boot Camp: Radio documentary intensive
2013: Center for Digital Storytelling: Intro to Facilitation training in Digital Storytelling
2000: Ed Video Media Arts: Documentary Video Production
1999 Conestoga College: 1st year Print Journalism
1997: CBC Radio: Story Production (Intensive, Halifax),
1994: University of Guelph, Theatre specialization 1993: University of Toronto, Hon, Bachelor of Arts, English and Theatre specialist; Film minor