Mossy Society logoMossy Society

Our mandate

Reparative action
with all our relations

We listen deeply, speak with compassion and welcome conflict. We use our skills to make spaces, events and artworks that empower the community and are playful and healing for the artists. We take our cues from local Elders, Indigenous knowledge holders and non-human kin about when to slow down, speed up or change course.

Who we are

Adalia Pemberton-Smith, Chelsea Eaton-Lusignan and Isaac Smeele started Mossy Society. They're mixed settler/guest artists working in music, theatre, film, visual art, writing and dance.

Today we're a collectively led non-profit with over 50% Indigenous leadership. For six years we've been organizing in Milton Parc. We've been with Tlachiuak since it began: we dreamed up the art hive with the former organization Comm-Un and helped Chato Renerivas create an art co-op by and for un/derhoused people.

Our board spans generations and cultures. It includes people from the un/derhoused community, Indigenous artists, social workers, street workers and teachers, and it's committed to joy, truth, vulnerability and reparative action.

Community storytellers
Earth care
People care
Fair share

We use permaculture principles in our land projects and in how we run the organization. Mentors like Joseph Naytowhow, Benoit Lachambre and Carolyn Guillet help us understand relationality, connect with our bodies through somatic practice, and stay aware of the responsibilities of being guests on this land.

Why "Mossy"?

Part of the name comes from the pagan teachings of Adalia's mother, Kachina, who shared her love of the forest through play, folk music and fae lore. The rest comes from the forests themselves, and what they teach children who get to slow down, walk barefoot and listen to the trees.

Photos: Isa Fuentes