THE SWALLOW-A-BICYCLE THEATRE SOCIETY

Swallow-a-Bicycle Theatre is committed to producing theatrical performances professional development workshops and fostering community partnerships to advance the appreciation of the arts in broad and diverse populations. In the 2023-24 season we deepened our engagement in equity-focused initiatives and strengthened our organizational structure. With consultants' guidance we refined our Vision Mission Mandate and Values formally adopting a Co-Artistic Director model which we celebrated at our Launch Party. We also introduced new policies and care practices including a health care plan with goals of setting new benchmarks for equitable compensation in the indie arts sector. Artistically we premiered 'Clothing' at Good Thrift continued Prairie Place-Ancestors Collective’s residency and collaborated with the Esker Foundation to curate a series of community engagements around Deanna Bowen’s exhibition 'Black Drones in the Hive.' Another major focus was the Organizational Change Cohort (OCC) a collaboration between four Mohkinstsis (Calgary) theatre organizations to create safer more inclusive spaces for equity-deserving artists. This included workshops on abolitionist approaches to EDIA monthly meetings on small experiments with radical intent and a community workshop in May 2024. We also participated in Balancing Act’s Level UP! Initiative which supports organizations developing care-based policies and Creative Green Tools which helps arts organisations track their carbon emissions and environmental impacts. As we continue to rebuild a strong foundation that aligns with our values it has been crucial to connect with like-minded organizations and individuals who provide support and guidance. With strong financial and artistic foundations we look ahead to another year of bold community-driven art making. In 2023-24 Swallow-a-Bicycle worked with with 46 volunteers (our board members; support hands for shows; as well as community members for our casino) who collectively contributed approximately 550 hours towards our charitable programs.