CBC/Radio-Canada and Canada Council for the Arts unveil showcase of “Digital Originals” projects

Brand-new works and works adapted for online sharing were supported by the $5.2 million fund

CBC/Radio-Canada and the Canada Council for the Arts today unveiled a diverse selection of digital projects created by Canadians artists, the result of funding from the Digital Originals initiative, announced in April .

More than 1000 projects in every province and territory and in all fields of practice — from brand-new works to existing works adapted to be shared online — were supported by $5000 microgrants from the Canada Council, for a total investment of $5.2 million. CBC/Radio-Canada is showcasing a selection of these projects on CBC.ca and Radio-Canada.ca .

“CBC/Radio-Canada’s digital platforms are connecting Canadians across the country and around the world like never before, especially during this pandemic. Now, they’re host to a stunning array of digital projects by Canadian creators, whose resilience in the face of COVID-19 is inspiring. So, bravo to all the artists — we’re so honoured to be sharing your work — and thanks again to the Canada Council.”

Catherine Tait, President and CEO, CBC/Radio-Canada

“My sincere congratulations to the artists and their collaborators from across Canada that seized this opportunity to produce and share artistic and literary projects made possible by the Digital Originals initiative. I applaud the relevance and intensity of your works — and I admire the diversity and breadth of perspectives that you’ve put forward. The Canada Council is delighted to continue to partner with CBC/Radio Canada so audiences get to hear and appreciate voices and images that convey originality, authenticity, and depth of artistic creative expression.”

Simon Brault, Director and CEO, Canada Council for the Arts

Digital Originals projects include:

• The S Project, by Carly Butler and Gudrun Filipska, a newly digitized multimedia exhibition that charts a walking course for the two artists and mothers between Ucluelet, B.C. and The Fens, United Kingdom. The project, started before COVID-19, has taken on new meaning, exploring themes of isolation, discovery, and the “radical potential” of walking.

• I Am Puff, an animated children's series by artist Dawn Birley, aims to bring back the Saturday morning cartoon — but with American Sign Language (ASL).

• Steven Thomas Davies’ Our Changing Worlds, a documentary about how Indigenous communities are responding to COVID-19, what makes them particularly vulnerable, and what we can learn about ourselves through this process.

• AfrotoniX au sommet de Montréal, a breathtaking September 2020 concert, live-streamed from the roof of Montreal’s Place Ville-Marie. Says musician and DJ AfrotoniX: “I wanted to make a declaration of love for the city … and I wanted the whole world to see it.”

• En vie, an interactive theatrical experience by Anne-Marie St-Louis, Juliane Choquette-Lelarge and Éléonore Brieuc that lands somewhere between a radio drama, an audiobook and a photo album. The work explores themes, such as bereavement in children and the fear of death, that have taken on greater resonance due to COVID-19.

• Bonne nuit Papili, a new short animated movie by director Francis Gélinas about a raccoon named Amiki who, in coming to terms with his grandpa’s death, discovers that he possesses a magic power: he can keep him alive through his memories and thoughts.

Digital Originals recipients also reflect Canada’s diversity. For example:

• 104 recipients with disabilities received grants totalling $520,000;

• 62 Indigenous recipients received grants totalling $310,000;

• 89 Anglophone official language minority community recipients received grants totalling $445,000; and

• 49 Francophone official language minority community recipients received grants totalling $245,000.

For more information, see “ Why the results of the Digital Originals initiative point to a bright future for the arts ” on the Canada Council website.

About CBC/Radio-Canada

CBC/Radio-Canada is Canada’s national public broadcaster. Through our mandate to inform, enlighten and entertain, we play a central role in strengthening Canadian culture. As Canada’s trusted news source, we offer a uniquely Canadian perspective on news, current affairs and world affairs. Our distinctively homegrown entertainment programming draws audiences from across the country. Deeply rooted in communities, CBC/Radio-Canada offers diverse content in English, French and eight Indigenous languages. We also deliver content in Spanish, Arabic and Chinese, as well as both official languages, through Radio Canada International (RCI). We are leading the transformation to meet the needs of Canadians in a digital world.

About the Canada Council for the Arts

The Canada Council for the Arts contributes to the vibrancy of a creative and diverse arts and literary scene that reaches across Canada and around the world. The Council is Canada’s public arts funder. The Council’s grants, services, initiatives, prizes, and payments support Canadian artists, authors, and arts groups and organizations. This support allows them to pursue artistic expression, create works of art, and promote and disseminate the arts. Through its arts funding, communications, research, and promotion activities, the Council fosters ever-growing engagement of Canadians and international audiences in the arts.

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