{"id":113539,"date":"2025-04-15T09:06:39","date_gmt":"2025-04-15T13:06:39","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.ludwig-van.com\/toronto\/?p=113539"},"modified":"2025-04-15T14:00:01","modified_gmt":"2025-04-15T18:00:01","slug":"interview-soulpepper-theatre-launches-public-domain-community-hub-creativity-connection","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.ludwig-van.com\/toronto\/2025\/04\/15\/interview-soulpepper-theatre-launches-public-domain-community-hub-creativity-connection\/","title":{"rendered":"INTERVIEW | Soulpepper Theatre Launches Public Domain: A Community Hub For Creativity &amp; Connection"},"content":{"rendered":"<figure id=\"attachment_113545\" aria-describedby=\"caption-attachment-113545\" style=\"width: 1200px\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\"><img decoding=\"async\" loading=\"lazy\" class=\"size-full wp-image-113545\" src=\"https:\/\/www.ludwig-van.com\/toronto\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2025\/04\/Copy-of-INTERVIEW-64.jpg\" alt=\"Winter Village at Soulpepper Theatre 2024, part of the pilot program (Photo: Barry McCluskey)\" width=\"1200\" height=\"628\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.ludwig-van.com\/toronto\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2025\/04\/Copy-of-INTERVIEW-64.jpg 1200w, https:\/\/www.ludwig-van.com\/toronto\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2025\/04\/Copy-of-INTERVIEW-64-300x157.jpg 300w, https:\/\/www.ludwig-van.com\/toronto\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2025\/04\/Copy-of-INTERVIEW-64-1024x536.jpg 1024w, https:\/\/www.ludwig-van.com\/toronto\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2025\/04\/Copy-of-INTERVIEW-64-768x402.jpg 768w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 1200px) 100vw, 1200px\" \/><figcaption id=\"caption-attachment-113545\" class=\"wp-caption-text\">Winter Village at Soulpepper Theatre 2024, part of the pilot program (Photo: Barry McCluskey)<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<p>Soulpepper Theatre Company recently introduced Public Domain, an initiative that aims to redefine what a theatre company can be, and create connections in an increasingly disconnected world. With a full slate of free programming that ranges from workshops and classes to performance, the company is hoping to become a neighbourhood hub where anyone feels welcome to drop in and engage in whatever way they\u2019d like \u2013 as spectator or participant.<\/p>\n<p>Soulpepper\u2019s landmark theatre is located in the Distillery District, a neighbourhood that has grown vertically along with the rise of condos surrounding the historic area. It\u2019s an urban environment that isn\u2019t, per se, designed to foster connections.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cSoulpepper is reimagining what an arts institution can be\u2014an open, welcoming space where creativity and connection thrive.\u201d said <strong>Gideon Arthurs<\/strong>, Executive Director of Soulpepper Theatre in a statement. \u201cAt a time when loneliness in Toronto is at an all-time high, we believe the arts have a crucial role to play in bringing people together. This initiative is about breaking down barriers, fostering a sense of belonging, and making sure that everyone in Toronto has access to the transformative power of artistic expression. We can\u2019t wait to see the community come together and make Public Domain their own.\u201d<\/p>\n<h2>What Is Soulpepper\u2019s Public Domain?<\/h2>\n<p>It\u2019s an open-access initiative, and the concept at its foundation is that participating in the arts builds community. To that end, Public Domain offers a lineup of free programming that can include anything from hands-on workshops to movie night.<\/p>\n<p>It\u2019s part of the company\u2019s <a href=\"https:\/\/www.soulpepper.ca\/about\/stories-for-a-stronger-city\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Stories for a Stronger City<\/a> platform, an approach that says we can connect through shared stories. Programming includes music, both artfully interpreted classical repertoire and works by emerging artists, and as an audience member, you can always choose to simply look and enjoy, or opt for a more active role.<\/p>\n<p>There are three categories of programming.<\/p>\n<ul>\n<li><strong>Discover<\/strong>: artistic activations that include art installations in the atrium, the Summer of Song concert series, storytelling events in the courtyard, seasonal and culturally specific markets (for example, Black Love Market, African Market, Equinox Market), among others.<\/li>\n<li><strong>Gather<\/strong>: events and workshops that delve into a variety of genres and art forms. Participants can learn new skills as they connect with artists and other learners, and include everything from free school workshops in Bollywood dancing to the uber-popular Monthly Movie Nights, Yoga Mornings, and themed parties, all designed to bring people together.<\/li>\n<li><strong>Practice<\/strong>: a space where emerging artists can gain and develop their skills and creative voice. Award-winning Soulpepper artists provide training for performance opportunities and potential collaborations with other emerging artists. Playwriting workshops, Creator\u2019s Bootcamp, and the Queer Youth Cabaret are just a few of the programs available.<\/li>\n<li><strong>For Youth<\/strong>: specific programming to nurture new artists and creative thinkers, including acting, playwriting, movement and other related workshops. Offerings include the City Youth Academy, Summer Mixtape, and Curtain Up programs, English Language Learners Program and in-school drama workshops, and much more.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<figure id=\"attachment_113542\" aria-describedby=\"caption-attachment-113542\" style=\"width: 1200px\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\"><img decoding=\"async\" loading=\"lazy\" class=\"size-full wp-image-113542\" src=\"https:\/\/www.ludwig-van.com\/toronto\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2025\/04\/Soulpepper-PUblic-Domain-2.jpg\" alt=\"Kiki Ball performs in the Soulpepper Theatre atrium (Photo courtesy of Soulpepper Theatre)\" width=\"1200\" height=\"800\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.ludwig-van.com\/toronto\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2025\/04\/Soulpepper-PUblic-Domain-2.jpg 1200w, https:\/\/www.ludwig-van.com\/toronto\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2025\/04\/Soulpepper-PUblic-Domain-2-300x200.jpg 300w, https:\/\/www.ludwig-van.com\/toronto\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2025\/04\/Soulpepper-PUblic-Domain-2-1024x683.jpg 1024w, https:\/\/www.ludwig-van.com\/toronto\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2025\/04\/Soulpepper-PUblic-Domain-2-768x512.jpg 768w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 1200px) 100vw, 1200px\" \/><figcaption id=\"caption-attachment-113542\" class=\"wp-caption-text\">Kiki Ball performs in the Soulpepper Theatre atrium (Photo: Joshua Rille)<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<h2>Rohan Kulkarni, Soulpepper&#8217;s Director of Social Impact<\/h2>\n<p>We spoke to Rohan Kulkarni, Soulpepper&#8217;s Director of Social Impact, about the initiative, which launched in March.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cIt\u2019s going well,\u201d Kulkarni reports of the first weekend, which took place March 29 and 30.<\/p>\n<p>Public Domain is the result of years of consultation, working with The Metcalf Foundation, an organization that provides investment funding for various projects with a social purpose. A reconsideration of the public role that Soulpepper plays in the city and neighbourhood aligned with the Foundation\u2019s goals.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cWe were thinking about future directions,\u201d Rohan says. \u201cOne of the things that came out of it was trying to make our space here really porous and accessible to the community around us.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>In a neighbourhood of condos, in the centre of a tourist-friendly historic district, how could a theatre company connect with its core audience?<\/p>\n<p>\u201cI was kind of thinking of future sustainability of the company.\u201d That meant reaching outside the usual community of theatregoers. \u201cPiercing the theatre bubble,\u201d he says. \u201cHow do we get people interested in the arts, but also in our space?\u201d<\/p>\n<p>Free programming with multiple streams means that people aren\u2019t necessarily tied to a specific schedule. It can truly be a drop in whenever you like experience. Youth programming, with a view to giving young people ways to explore their own creativity, is a strong emphasis.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cThere are so many ways to engage with the company,\u201d Rohan says.<\/p>\n<p>The offerings have been carefully chosen and cultivated. \u201cWe spent the last couple of years really piloting some of this programming,\u201d he explains. His own role has also grown from a specific task to taking a senior role with the development of Public Domain, and he\u2019s passionate about its goals. \u201cTo really make it a public invitation.\u201d<\/p>\n<h3>Public Reactions<\/h3>\n<p>So far, through the pilot programs and recent launch, reactions have tended to prove the notion that community building is needed. It\u2019s not uncommon for participants at a workshop or taking in a performance to discover that they\u2019ve been living in the same building, and never met before.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cWe have all these people who have no sense of place,\u201d Kulkarni says of the environment. \u201cThis can be their place of belonging. They can watch a movie, grab a drink,\u201d he adds. \u201cWe offer a lot of low stakes arts engagements for them.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>It\u2019s probably unrealistic to expect first time or infrequent theatregoers to wander in and get engaged with a three-hour play, as Rohan points out. \u201cIt\u2019s about meeting people where they are.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>The launch weekend included the popular monthly movie screening, a party called Night School that offered what he calls \u201cbite-sized\u201d workshops from theatre artists, along with social gathering, a full market in the atrium, tours of the facility, a Bollywood Zoomba class, and Sunday morning kids\u2019 workshop in Indian classical dance and movement.<\/p>\n<p>\u201c[There are] a lot of activities that we\u2019ve been piloting and testing for the last year,\u201d he says. \u201cWe\u2019ve got something for everyone.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>Some of the programming will take its inspiration from the mainstage plays at Soulpepper, while others will rely on simply responding to demand. \u201cWe did a lot of conversations, surveys.\u201d That includes participating in resident association meetings, and developer management groups. \u201cWe have all these ears to the ground in the neighbourhood. We show up at resident meetings. That\u2019s the kind of grassroots work that is really happening here,\u201d Rohan states.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cWe\u2019re being responsive to that while having our own programming mandate.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>The program will respond to its audience by offering a variety of entry points. After establishing the program as a regular feature, the next step is to reach farther.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cOur next phase is the scaling component,\u201d he explains. \u201cWe\u2019re really excited about continuing the momentum.\u201d<\/p>\n<ul>\n<li>Find Public Domain programming [<strong><a href=\"https:\/\/www.soulpepper.ca\/public-domain\/whats-on\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">HERE<\/a><\/strong>].<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p><strong><em>Are you looking to promote an <a href=\"https:\/\/www.ludwig-van.com\/toronto\/advertising\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\"><span style=\"color: #0e101a\"><u>event<\/u><\/span><\/a>? 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