Worn Stories: Wardrobe Upcycling Workshops
Worn Stories: Wardrobe Upcycling Workshops invites immigrant youth to transform items from Soulpepper Theatre’s wardrobe into their own wearable art. With special behind-the-scenes access to the wardrobe department collection, tools and knowledge, participants will learn how to tell stories with clothing and work with artist Camila Salcedo to upcycle select pieces based on their own designs.
The project aims to promote ethical and ecologically sustainable clothing choices and explore connections between clothing, culture and storytelling.
Artist Educators
Camila Salcedo: textile artist & upcycle facilitator
Camila is an interdisciplinary artist, curator and facilitator born in Venezuela and based in Tkaronto, working primarily in textiles, digital art and community art practices. Their work is centred around upcycling both materially by reusing and mending textiles, and digitally by appropriating found audio and video footage.
Ellie Koffman: head of wardrobe at soulpepper theatre company
Ellie is a Toronto-based Costume Designer and Wardrobe Manager. Ellie currently serves as the Head of Wardrobe at Soulpepper Theatre Company. A BFA graduate from York University, her work has been featured in several productions in Canada and abroad. Previous theatre credits include A Little Night Music (The Royal Conservatory of Music), Rock of Ages (More Entertainment), The 39 Steps (The Grove Theatre), Ghost The Musical (Starvox Entertainment), The Cave (JMAR Electric), Wildfire (Factory Theatre), among men (Factory Theatre), Year of the Rat (Factory Theatre), Rinaldo (The Royal Conservatory of Music), Forever Plaid (Starvox Entertainment), Magic Immersive (Lighthouse Immersive), Jamie Allan’s Illusionarium (Lighthouse Immersive), rochdale (Summerworks Festival), Romeo and Juliet (Canadian Stage), A Midsummer Night’s Dream (Canadian Stage).
www.elliekoffman.ca
Kalina Popova: assistant head of wardrobe at soulpepper theatre company
Kalina Popova is a Toronto-based costume and set designer and costume technician, born in Bulgaria. In 2020, she graduated from York University with a BFA in Theatre Production and Design. Since graduating, Kalina’s credits as a set and costume designer include The Drowning Girls (Guild Festival Theatre), Chekhov’s Shorts (Guild Festival Theatre), War of the Worlds Reimagined (Frog in Hand, asst. costume design), and Goodnight Desdemona (Good Morning Juliet) (Theatre @ York, costume design). As a costume technician, she has built costumes for the Royal Conservatory of Music’s Flight (2023) and Rinaldo (2022), and more. Kalina also had the pleasure to volunteer at the 2019 Prague Quadrennial and is constantly striving to gain new perspectives on the expression of art. She is currently the Asst. Head of Wardrobe at Soulpepper Theatre and has an Etsy shop where she sells all sorts of art from stickers to upcycled tote bags! You can check that out here: KalinaPopDesigns - Etsy Canada
WHO SHOULD APPLY
Soulpepper is seeking applicants who are:
- young newcomers, immigrants, refugees, second generation Canadians
- roughly between the ages of 15-25
- interested in contributing to a meaningful artistic project in a small group
- able to commit to all the dates and times of the program
Please fill out the following form to participate or ask any questions by contacting Soulpepper Community Activator jacqui.arntfield@soulpepper.ca
PROGRAM DATES
- Thursday, August 24: 5-6pm
- Thursday, August 31: 6-8pm
- Thusday, September 7: 6-8 PM
- Wednesday, September 14: 6-8 PM
- Wednesday, September 21: 6-8 PM
- Potential closing event on Thurs, Sept 28: TBD
Workshops will be held at Soulpepper Theatre.
Address: Young Centre for the Performing Arts, 50 Tank House Lane, Toronto, ON M5A 3C4
If you have any questions, please email Jacqui Arntfield, Community Activator: jacqui.arntfield@soulpepper.ca