WHAT IS RAIL?

What are we up to?

The work of RAIL does not fit neatly into any category, instead, we bridge and play at the edges of several sectors. Our work sits at the intersection of the Arts sector in British Columbia, the magic of rural spaces, equity and innovation. Although we are based in Ymir BC our reach is province-wide.

We have deep roots in rural arts, systems change and community-based innovation activations. The central theme that runs through all our work is creating containers where folx can build capacity to hold nuance and paradox.

We recognize that as we dig deeper into the complexities of tackling large challenges and climate change, the conversations become more nuanced. We feel called to create spaces where folx can practice and stretch their ability to have more difficult conversations and be in space with people who have different lived experiences.

Where did RAIL originate?

The Rural Arts Inclusion Lab (RAIL) began as a project created to address the systems that exclude marginalized voices from arts organizations, audiences and performers in rural British Columbia. 

In 2019 we participated in the Arts and Social Innovation Cohort of the Vancouver Foundation. From that cohort we received funding for a thre-year place-based project.

This pilot project was initially a partnership between the Nelson Civic Theatre and the Renascence Arts and Sustainability Society supported by a systems change grant from the Vancouver Foundation. 

Gathering as many perspectives as possible, we proposed creating a Social Innovation Lab. We began work in January of 2020.

In an adaptation to the Pandemic, we were forced to shift all of our programming online. This turned out much better than we expected. We were able to reach more people province-wide. Throughout the project, we ran 30 cohorts and engaged over 350 people at many different positionalities in the arts ecosystem.

In 2023 RAIL moved under the umbrella of Renascence , where it is firmly rooted in Ymir and grounded in rural arts.