Welcome to Almonte, Curious & Kind! Social Enterprise / Workshop & Performance Space Opens on June 12 - theHumm June 2019
Welcome to Almonte, Curious & Kind! Social Enterprise / Workshop & Performance Space Opens on June 12 - theHumm June 2019
By Kris Riendeau
If you are a long-time Humm reader, the name “Danielle Grégoire” may be familiar to you. Shortly after moving to Almonte in 2007, she kick-started the Lanark County Spoken Word scene — bringing Ottawa performers out to this area, giving workshops, and ultimately creating the Lanark Live Poets Societs (LiPS). LiPS became the first rural team ever to compete at the Canadian Festival of Spoken Word, and they are going strong to this day. After moving away and spending six years in Seattle, Washington, she has been lured back to this area, and is already working on another fabulous endeavour! Here’s what she has to say about it:
TheHumm: In a really small nutshell, what have you been up to in the years since you were last in this area?
Danielle Grégoire: Well, in a nutshell, I moved to Seattle and took up stand-up comedy! I realized there weren’t a lot of women doing comedy, and after doing it myself for awhile I realized why. So I decided to start a space for getting more women into comedy — called the Comedy Womb — and it was life-changing! I handed it off to a group of phenomenal comedians who changed the name to the Comedy Nest and have been running it ever since. It’ll be six years old in April.
Then I was offered the job of producing the Seattle Moth StorySLAM, and wow did I ever learn a lot! Except, apparently, how to sum up six years in a nutshell… I spent my time in Seattle running show after show after show. I ran shows about sadness, hilarious life stories, queer issues, and a special set of shows for youth. I met so many wonderful and talented people, but never stopped dreaming of coming back to my heart-home in Mississippi Mills.
I hear you’ve leased a wonderful space in Almonte in the Heritage Mall at the bottom of Mill Street. What have you got lined up for your Grand Opening on June 12?
So much! It’s going to be a full day of poetry, comedy, storytelling, music, puppets, crafts, art, workshops, snacks, friendship, community, little goodie bags… and soap. There will also be a box for suggestions, messages of support and donations.
It’ll be open from 10am to 10pm that day, and it’s also my 40th birthday, so Curious & Kind and I can share a wonderful start of a new and exciting chapter.
You describe Curious & Kind as a “social enterprise”. What are some of the major differences between opening a business and starting a social enterprise?
I think the major difference is that this isn’t about making money. It’s about taking the money we make and re-investing it into the space, and the community, and building a sustainable model so we can keep it going without constantly worrying about government funding. I want this to be sustainable. I want to give my time and energy to make this happen. I am motivated and fed by folks sharing their stories and taking chances. That is what drives me.
What are some of the ways in which people can hitch their talents, time and energies to this endeavour right away?
We are looking for:
Crafters/artists who want to teach workshops and sell their wares.
Performers, poets, storytellers, comedians, puppeteers, sketch artists, improvisers, monologuists, and folks who are passionate about sharing what they know in a performance-based setting.
People who want to learn how to podcast! We have a professional recording space and we will be holding workshops once we are open.
Folks looking for a space to run writers’ groups, board game nights and crafting circles.
Ideas! If there’s something you want to see happen in the space, let me know at curious.and.kind.almonte@gmail.com .
How can people continue to support and be involved with Curious & Kind once the doors are open?
They can support it coming in, telling their friends and family about it, by dropping by to let us know what they’d like to see, by performing, taking or teaching workshops, and connecting us with the creative people in their life!
Curious & Kind opens at 12B Mill St. (in Almonte’s Heritage Mall) on Wednesday, June 12. If you’re curious, find them on Facebook or contact Danielle at curious.and.kind.almonte@gmail.com .
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Welcome to Almonte, Curious & Kind! Social Enterprise / Workshop & Performance Space Opens on June 12 - theHumm June 2019
By Kris Riendeau
If you are a long-time Humm reader, the name “Danielle Grégoire” may be familiar to you. Shortly after moving to Almonte in 2007, she kick-started the Lanark County Spoken Word scene — bringing O......
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May 3 - 4 Fine Art Exhibition
May 3 Heatwave
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