Entertainers The Weakerthans rock band, Boots Riley and Silk-E of the Coup, Theresa Sokyrka, Tom Jackson, Fred Penner, the Deep Dark Woods, Joseph Naytowhow, and novelists Yann Martel and Guy Vanderhaeghe are among celebrities who will headline the We Are Many (WAM) environmental and arts festival to be held August 22nd-24th at Diefenbaker Park in Saskatoon.

“We’re delighted with the outpouring of support we’ve received from leading Canadian entertainers and citizens of Saskatoon who want to help us show that people can make simple changes in their lives that will collectively have a big impact on the environment,” says WAM organizer Jon Henderson.  

           WAM, a non-profit, youth-run initiative, will use the energy and community spirit of the arts—music, theatre, dance, literature, and visual art—in taking a dramatic step toward becoming an environmentally friendly community. The three-day festival will feature arts exhibits and performances, as well as hands-on workshops and symposia, on the whats, hows, and whys of sustainability.   

            “Our goal with WAM is to develop a model for building environmental awareness and change for mid-sized North American cities,” says central organizer Ellen Quigley. “This festival will help to make Saskatoon a leader in the emerging world-wide green revolution.”

The Weakerthan's John Samson

WAM is working with the City of Saskatoon administration to document the festival's effect on landfill use, water consumption per household, bus ridership, traffic patterns, and energy usage. The thousands of WAM participants will be invited to sign a pledge committing themselves to changes in their everyday lives such as replacing the light bulbs in their homes, to composting, to biking instead of always driving their cars.

            The festival is intended to be accessible to everyone in the city, and so admission is being charged on a pay-what-you-can basis.

            Sponsors for WAM include the City of Saskatoon, SaskEnergy, the University of Saskatchewan, and the Hunt Alternatives Fund which has recently provided a $40,000 grant that needs to be matched.

            "We were impressed by WAM's ambitious use of the arts and education to build an active local community around the local environment," said Sarah Gauger, executive director of Hunt Alternatives Fund. "As a funder, it's exciting to find a group of young activists developing a pilot program that could possibly be replicated in communities across North America. Their strategy of combining popular education, practical skills, and relevant local information seems like an innovative approach to achieving environmental sustainability."

            WAM has received letters of support from leading thinkers such as former UN Ambassador Stephen Lewis, biologist Jane Goodall, and Rick Smith of Environmental Defence Canada.

            WAM has also been endorsed by many community groups and leaders. Its advisory board  includes city councillors Charlie Clark and Bev Dubois, aboriginal elder Joseph Naytowhow, and MP Carol Skelton.

Please visit our website at www.wearemanyfestival.com

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