This might be a bit outside our usual wheelhouse, but not so much as you might think. A quick disclaimer: I’m friends with Jules Sherred, the food photographer behind this Kickstarter, but that’s really beside the point.

Here at Roarbots, we’re obviously huge supporters and champions of the arts (of all kinds, in all media), and we make a concerted effort to shine a spotlight on artists from historically marginalized communities.

We also love food. And Canada. So here we are.

Say hello to the Cowichan Valley Disability, Culture, and Food exhibit.

Did you know that 1 in 5 Canadians are disabled and face barriers accessing food? And many of these barriers exist because of and are reinforced by other areas of marginalization, including ethnicity, sexuality, and gender identity.

All images by Jules Sherred

The Kickstarter – which is already running and will continue until the end of March – is meant to fund initial costs of the project, which will ultimately document and present the food stories of at least eight disabled Canadians.

What does that mean? Jules and his team will interview people about their relationships with food (and the barriers they face accessing it), with the ultimate goal of presenting those individuals – and their stories – via gallery exhibits and a printed book.

A successful Kickstarter now guarantees that the first mini exhibit (set to open by September 1 online and in person in British Columbia) will launch and that a final exhibit will be a thing.

Beyond the scope of this Kickstarter, Jules has a huge plan. By the end of November, the stories of eight British Columbia food producers will join the lineup; in December, a second mini exhibit will open both online and in person; and then throughout 2022, Jules will continue to interview culturally diverse Canadians to include in the project. This will all lead to the final exhibit opening in late 2022. A full timeline and more details are available here.

The video at the Kickstarter link does a good job of explaining the project, but if you want to hear/learn more, Jules was recently on the radio show The Pulse to discuss the project in detail. Take a listen!

Jules had already received a grant from the Canada Council of the Arts, but the specific amount of that grant is still unknown. Therefore, the success of this Kickstarter is critical to hire the necessary team members and begin work.

Check out the Kickstarter page for tons of information, pledge levels, rewards, and how you can help. It runs until the end of March with a goal of $20,600 CAD (~$16,000 USD).