Dear Friends, Colleagues, and Supporters of MT Space,
This past summer, many of you extended your words of love and support. Being reminded that I was surrounded by community helped me to get through the most difficult time I have ever experienced at MT Space. I was reminded that I wasn’t alone when I received offers to help whenever I needed it.
Today, I need your help.
Over the past several months, I have been searching for ways forward – continuing with our Young Company program, embarking on our North African tour, and bringing back our monthly community gathering, TELL. While each of these continue to be healing in their own ways, I continue to struggle with marking the legacy of my mentor, Majdi Bou-Matar, while also fulfilling my own vision for the future of MT Space. All of this while I continue to process my personal grief, and my responsibility of being a leader in this community.
Majdi and I always shared a vision of mentoring and fostering the leaders of today. We both had our unique experiences as racialized artists in this industry, and I constantly try to continue Majdi’s work in elevating emerging and immigrant artists. This is where the idea to establish a bursary fund in honour of Majdi emerged, and this is where I need your help.
MT Space has launched a campaign to coincide with Giving Tuesday in order to raise money for this fund.
On December 1st at The Registry Theatre, we will be performing our production of The Last 15 Seconds, which was my first and last show with Majdi. Following the performance, we will serve a home-cooked Middle Eastern meal and share stories and memories of our time at MT Space.
Running this company is no small feat. Most days it feels as though I’m pulling a boulder uphill on my own. For anyone in my position, I know you know the feeling. Now more than ever I feel the immense privilege and burden I carry as the Artistic Director of MT Space, and now more than ever we need to be reminded that we are not alone.
If you are wondering how to help, then join us on December 1st and make a contribution to the bursary fund in honour of Majdi Bou-Matar. Please spread the word in your networks. Let’s pull this community back together so we can keep filling the empty space.
Pam Patel
Artistic Director, MT Space