The Tale of a Town – 2015 Project Evaluation

In 2015, we were two years into an epic three-year-long road trip through each province and territory in Canada leading up to our country’s 150th anniversary in 2017.  Here are some interesting findings from our latest project.

95% – of audience members told us that their appreciation for the arts to solve greater issues, such as the decline of downtown main streets, had increased as a result of seeing the performance installation.

88% – of storytellers surveyed reported that telling their story had made them feel more connected to their local community.

90% – of audience members felt more motivated to support downtown businesses as a result of attending the performance installation.

52 – the number of communities visited in 2015

1031 – Number of interviews conducted (871 in English, 160 in French)

In each place we visit, our Storymobiles takes up residency on main streets, where we conduct interviews and ask people to share their personal memories of their community and to reflect on what makes their downtown unique. The stories we compile are presented back to the public through performance installations and podcasts where audience members hear local tales told in the voices of people from their community.  We work with local artists, theatre organizations and community partners to bring these stories to life.

It is our hope that through participation in this project, we will increase community belonging, local pride and appreciation of local history. We also hope to inspire people to head downtown again, support the wonderful local businesses that reside there and create new main street memories.

Download the report: The Tale of a Town – Evaluation Report