Ruth Howard (artist)
Ruth Howard is an artist who creates large-scale arts and theatre projects with urban communities. She is currently the Artistic Director of Jumblies Theatre, a company she founded in 2001
Early Work
Ruth Howard worked for many years as a professional theatre designer, as well as with various forms of popular and participatory arts and theatre.
In 1991, Ruth had the good fortune to be invited by Dale Hamilton to the be a designer for the Spirit of Shivaree in Rockwood Ontario. This introduction to the community play form was a life-changing experience that has inspired the course and nature of my work ever since.
Since then, Ruth Howard designed community plays in Blyth, Ontario; Fort Quappelle, Saskatchewan; Enderby, British Columbia; and Torbay and Manchester, England. At the same time Ruth began to produce and create my own theatre events: initially in school communities, but growing in size and complexity, until the production of South Riverdale’s Twisted Metal and Mermaids Tears (2000), a large-scale piece interweaving fantasy and oral history in English, Cantonese and Mandarin.
Following the success of these projects, Ruth Howard founded Jumblies Theatre to support what had evolved as an approach of establishing multi-year residencies in urban communities leading to large-scale, participatory, performance pieces – adapted from, but retaining many of the guiding principles of the Community Play model. Jumblies Theatre has created such projects in Lawrence Heights, ending with a production called I’m Tapingi Too!; and with Davenport Perth Neighbourhood Centre: a four year residency involving several large events, and culminating in Once A Shoreline in May 2004, a music-driven theatrical work (composed by Wende Bartley) integrating professional performers, singers and musicians, community choirs and local people of all ages and backgrounds.
Publications
Easy to Say: Reflections on the roles of art and the artist in Canadian adaptations of the Colway Community Play form funded by Canada Council for the Arts, Co-written with Rachael Van Fossen, Jan 2005
Produced short video on Once A Shoreline process as part of Documenting Engagement Vancouver, Jan. 2004
The Cultural Equivalent of Daycare? , funded by In Print Dialogue, Community Arts Ontario, 2004
The Aesthetics of Including Everyone Alt Theatre, Fall 2002.
Holding On and Letting Go: Designing the Community Play Canadian Theatre Review, spring 1997
Education
National Theatre School of Canada (Design)
University of Toronto (BA Honours)
Eastbourne College of Art & Design U.K.
Family
Ruth's family is integral to the work she does for Jumblies. Her and Steve Cooper, her partner of twenty-five years, have three children: Shifra Cooper (born 1991), Helah Cooper (born 1993), and Eli Howard (born 1996). All are active praticipants in her projects and contributers to Jumblies Theatre.
Professional Affiliations
Associated Designers of Canada (Board Member 1990 to 1993)
Common Weal (Founding Board Member 1992 to 1994)
Jumblies Theatre (Founder and Artistic Director 2001 to present) Community Arts Ontario (Board Member 2003 to 2005)
Shadowland Theatre (Board Member, 2005 to present)
Canadian Oral History Society Member
Advisory Council Member for York University’s Community Art Program (2005 to present)
Consultant for AGO Arts Access/ Collection X Project (2005 to present)