Artist in Residence
Cape Breton University (CBU) acknowledges that it is built on and operates in Mi’kma’ki, the ancestral and unceded territory of the Mi’kmaw People. This territory is covered by the “Treaties of Peace and Friendship” which Mi’kmaw and Wolastoqiyik (Maliseet) people first signed with the British Crown in 1725. The treaties did not deal with surrender of lands and resources. They recognized Mi’kmaw and Wolastoqiyik (Maliseet) title and established rules for what was to be an ongoing relationship between nations.
2025 Artist in Residence
Rose Morrison has been a professional musician for more than 20 years, touring and teaching internationally. She first came onto the scene at age 11 as an original member of The Cottars. The group recorded three albums, toured North America, Europe and Japan, earned themselves two East Coast Music Awards and performed at Carnegie Hall to a sold-out audience. She has since recorded and performed with Oscar and Grammy Award-winner Glen Hansard and Brendan Begley, among others, and continues to tour with many well-known artists in North America and internationally.
Rose released her first solo album, The MacKenzie Project, in 2010 and her second album, Atlantic, won Instrumental Recording of the Year at the 2018 East Coast Music Awards. Later that year, Rose was artistic creator and director of the Celtic Colours special project Voices of the Naomhóg which featured artists and musicians from Nova Scotia, Ireland and Scotland building traditional Irish row boats and included traditional music, Gaelic song, and dance from both sides of the Atlantic. After years of performing and touring as a hired musician, the pandemic hit and brought Rose home to Cape Breton, where she found love and a newfound appreciation for the beauty and nature that surrounds her. Throughout the past few years, Rose has leaned into songwriting and in working with the talented Dave Gunning, is ready to share her original music and song.
Artist in Residence Events
Artist on Campus
Join Rose in the CBU Cafeteria to explore the art of origami:
- Tuesday, January 28, 10:00am-4:00pm
- Tuesday, February 4, 10:00am-4:00pm
- Tuesday, March 11, 10:00am-4:00pm
Campus Workshops
Traditional Cape Breton Step Dancing for Beginners
Tuesday, January 21 – 11:30am-1:00pm
Centre for Sound Communities
Exploring sound and rhythm through the traditional Cape Breton step dancing style, this workshop is suitable for all levels and ages. Beginning with the basic step and along with live music, we will discuss the connection between dance, music and the Gaelic language and song.
Painting with Natural Materials
Tuesday, February 25 – 11:30am-1:00pm
Centre for Sound Communities
Using river ochre, earth, plants, seeds and produce we will create textures and patterns. Connecting to nature to open our imaginations, we talk about how inspiration can be found all around us. Other art materials such as acrylic paint, pastel, ink, charcoal and media will be included.
Songwriting, Tune Composition, and Collaboration
Tuesday, March 25 – 11:30am-1:00pm.
Centre for Sound Communities
Sharing stories and sound we discuss the process of lyric writing, arranging and recording. We look at techniques used to structure song and melody, how to effectively communicate emotion and how to ultimately find your own voice and musical identity. Through collaboration, you learn how your unique gifts can help inspire other artists and how other artists can help inspire you.
To register for a workshop, please email todd_hiscock@cbu.ca
Community Artist Talks
The Art of Things In Real Life – How connection to nature, our true selves and each other can inspire music, art, and craft.
Rose will share the stories and music she has collected over her 25-year music career, the value of collaboration and how to find joy and self expression through the practice of mindfulness.
- Tuesday, February 4 – 6:30pm – James McConnell Library, Sydney
- Thursday, March 6 – 6:30pm – Wilfred Oram Centennial Library, North Sydney
Devising Project
Actors, musicians, writers, visual artists, designers, dancers and technicians are invited to join Rose in this bi-weekly devising project. The goal of the project is to bring together as many arts disciplines as possible to create a performance extravaganza, performed at the end of term showcase concert.
- Thursday, January 23, 11:30am-1:00pm
- Thursday, January 30, 11:30am-1:00pm
- Thursday, February 13, 11:30am-1:00pm
- Thursday, February 27, 11:30am-1:00pm
- Thursday, March 13, 11:30am-1:00pm
- Thursday, March 27, 11:30am-1:00pm
Boardmore Playhouse and Centre for Sound Communities
To register, email todd_hiscock@cbu.ca
Classroom Visits
Calling all faculty! Are you interested in having Rose visit with you and your students? Please contact Todd_Hiscock@cbu.ca
Term Ending Showcase Concert with Rose Morrison and Guests
-Tuesday, April 8 – 7:00pm, Boardmore Playhouse. Free admission.
Past Artists in Residence
2024 Artist in Residence
CBU’s 2024 Artist in Residence, Meagan Musseau, is a L’nu woman, artist, and dancer from Elmastukwek, Ktaqmkuk (Bay of Islands, Newfoundland) currently living in Sydney, Unama’kik. She nourishes an interdisciplinary arts practice by working with customary art forms and new media, such as textiles, basketry, beadwork, land-based performance, drawing, painting, video and installation. Meagan works with natural and synthetic materials as a way to interweave stories of adaptation, continuation, and resilience into artistic creation. Her works explore themes of kinship, harvesting, connection to land, and matriarchal empowerment. Meagan creates contemporary art exhibitions that have been shown in galleries such as grunt gallery, Vancouver; Ociciwan Contemporary Art Centre, Edmonton; AKA artist-run centre, Saskatoon; and the Mi’kma’ki Artists’ Spotlight space at the Art Gallery of Nova Scotia, Halifax. Meagan’s artwork has also exhibited internationally at the North Atlantic Triennial which travelled to Portland Museum of Art, Maine, Reykjavik Art Museum, Iceland, and the Bildmuseet Art Museum, Sweden. She participated in artist residencies at Indigenous Arts Intensive, University of British Columbia Okanagan campus (2022), Dreaming the Land (2021-22), Neighbourhood Dance Works (2019), Banff Centre for Arts and Creativity (2017 & 2018), and the Indigenous Emerging Artist Program (2015-16).
2023 Artist in Residence
Cape Breton University is excited to announce Ellen Furey as the University’s 2023 Artist in Residence. Furey’s artistic path began in Unama’ki/Cape Breton, and at the age of 18 she left the Island to study music, theatre and dance, eventually turning toward experimental dance and theatre. As CBU’s Artist in Residence, Furey hopes to connect with new people, build on cohesiveness and break away some of the leftover isolation from the first years of the pandemic.
Each year CBU hosts an Artist in Residence who joins the campus for a four-month term during which they pursue creative projects, connect with students and employees and engage with the Island community. The initiative was developed to create partnerships with artists who share a passion for enriching the creative arts experience. During her residency, Furey will be offering a variety of workshops and classes for CBU students and the general public.
Throughout the past 11 years, Furey has had the opportunity to present her work in England, USA, Belgium, France, Germany, Scotland, Switzerland and Austria. Cultural exchange and creating in different contexts has been an important element in her understanding of a wider artistic conversation. Furey has worked in co-authorship with UK artist, Malik Nashad Sharpe, on their last two major performance works, and with a range of independent artists in different ways over the past decade. She has been a part of several projects as a dance dramaturg and artistic advisor. Since 2019, Furey has been working formally as an advisor, co-curator and now consultant of Montreal dance organisation, Danse-Cité. Over the past two and a half years, her two areas of focus have been intuitive/spiritual practice and conflict management.
2022 Artist in Residence- Sons of Membertou
Cape Breton University is pleased to announce the University’s 2022 Artist in Residence, Sons of Membertou. The Mi’kmaq drumming and singing group, formed in 1992, will be celebrating their thirtieth anniversary this year and are eager to bring their experience to CBU. Their hope is for members of the campus community to learn from one another through cultural performances.
Sons of Membertou began with just four members and has since grown to include more than 15 members throughout its existence. The group has performed all over the world, always carrying with them the original goal of finding identity and sharing Mi’kmaq songs and culture with others. When restrictions are lifted, they will be hosting a series of events involving additional presenters and performers. The proposed schedule includes an Indigenous theatre project, an evening of storytelling, drumming and singing, a retrospective in the Art Gallery, a drum making workshop and more.
“The drum represents the heartbeat of Mother Earth so we come together on one drum, one people,” says member Graham Marshall. “What I hope to achieve during this residency is for CBU students from around the world to come together virtually so we can learn from one another both academically and culturally.”
Four Month Creative Partnership
Each year, CBU hosts an Artist in Residence who joins the campus for a four-month term during which they pursue creative projects, connect with students and employees and engage with the Island community. The initiative was developed to create partnerships with artists who share a passion for enriching the creative arts experience.
The Artist in Residence program is just one way CBU is working to foster creative arts on campus. Students are invited to participate in workshops and attend performances when they begin to learn about topics such as treaty education, resilience, healing, storytelling and environmental practices.
