Get to Work

Supported by the Ontario Arts Council

The aim of the "get to work" project was to focus on the emotional and economic effects of immigrant professionals' work experiences in the Hamilton Region. It was also aimed to face challenges, including job discrimination, lack of trust in immigrant qualifications by the employer, language barriers, ethnic, and religion, race, and gender issues. The project brought together a group of immigrants with professional skills and experience from the diverse Hamilton immigrant community with the support of Settlement and Integration Service Organization (SISO) one of the non-artist partners of the Immigrant Culture & Art Association (ICAA). The group was introduced with the subject and theme of the "Get to Work" project in the first phase and then their feelings, expressions and artwork converted into visual symbols with the support of ICAA artists group.

Information Collection Methodology: Initially a team of ICAA artists studied the problems and issues faced by the Immigrant professionals using the database of Settlement and Integration Services Organization (SISO).

They prepared questionnaires and held meetings with the immigrant professionals and received their opinions and feedback about the questions being asked.

They made frequent contacts with the immigrant workers through direct meetings and telephone calls and paid many visits to various professionals through our outreach program.

They attended various training and orientation sessions at SISO with professionals, medical doctors, engineers, artists and other professionals around the world.

Artists discussed the many problems and barriers immigrant professionals are facing while entering the Canadian job market.

They also visited various communities and met with their professionals and learned about the problems and issues they are facing. They met with professionals from Pakistan, Afghanistan, Colombia, Egypt, Romania, and Argentina.

The team of ICAA artist interviewed a group of 18 immigrants with professional skills and experiences from the Hamilton Area. The group was briefed about the theme and the importance of the "Get to Work" project.

The immigrant professionals happily filled out the questionnaires and most of them expressed their feelings through discussions, stories and by creating symbols related to their experiences, skills, and qualifications.

After briefing and elaborating on their discussions the participants expressed their keen interest in the project.

A number of professionals created symbols and art related work to express their feelings and how to find employment. There were mixed reactions to answer the questions. Most of them were hopeful as indicated in their expressions and symbols. However, many professionals mentioned the lack of Canadian experience, qualification, and education. There were mixed concerns and hopes among the participants.

The artists' team was joined by two metal sculptors Michel Irvine, and John Hilger. The artists developed a number of sketches based on the expressions and emotions of the immigrant's professional information.

The sculpture and sketches were developed and finalized by Lydia, Nazia and Yar Taraky. The sketches were given to the two sculptors Michel Irvine, and John Hilger.

The artists worked closely with the two sculptors and jointly developed the sculpture.

Sculpture Inauguration and Exhibit

The inauguration of the sculpture was held at ICAA main gallery hall on August 28, 2004, which was attended by a group of immigrant professionals and visual artists, sculptors, ICAA Professional Art School Teachers, senior students, and community leaders from diverse backgrounds. The immigrant professionals and artists installed and erected the sculpture in a huge applause for the immigrant professionals, artists, staff, volunteers and all other members of the project.

Yar Taraky highlighted the details of the "Get to Work". Community Art Project "Exploring issues of immigrants as foreign trained professionals". He appreciated the keen interest of all the immigrant professionals who tool part in the project. He thanked them for sharing their emotional stories. Some of them brought very good ideas and created some basic art sketches.

He also appreciated the work of Michel Irvine, and John Hilger for the sculpture. Yar thanked the Settlement and Integration Services Organization for providing all possible support in the support of immigrants' professionals.

The two lead artists Lydia and Nazia shared their experiences about the different phases of the project with the participants.

The forum was opened for discussion. Some of the suggestions of the participants are as follows:

The immigrants' professionals and artists' problems should be shared with the established Canadians through display the Get to Work project "SCUPTURE" at various locations e.g. City Hall, Corporations Galleries, and Hamilton Chamber of Commerce etc.
Reports and stories regarding the immigrants' professionals and artists should be shared with others using all available media including radio, TV, press and web sites.
More opportunities should be explored to organize and support more events like this.
Immigrants' professionals and artists problems should be discussed and to find some possible solutions for resolving the issues.
Partnership and collaboration should be made with social services agencies to provide support to more people.
More immigrants' professionals and artists are involved in future.
Immigrants' professionals and artists can serve better our community if they are provided chance to serve and they will easily be integrated into the Canadian Society.
They should be given recognition in terms of their education, skills and experience.

September 30, 2004 ICAA Open House - Sculpture Exhibition

The "get to work". Project Sculpture Exhibition was a big part of the ICAA open House on the evening of September 30, 2004. The exhibitions evening was attended by than 130 immigrant professionals, artists, musicians, art lovers, students, community leaders, police chief of Hamilton, councillors of Hamilton, Members of Parliament, and ICAA professional school teachers, board members, management, staff, and volunteers.

Yar Taraky ICAA Executive Director briefed the participants about the "Get to Work" project. ICAA board chair Morteza Jafarpour and Yar Taraky thanked the Ontario Art Council for their generous support to the project.

The exhibit was initially planed for one month at the City Hall. However, due to the enormous daily visit it was extended for a couple of months. We received positive feedback from the people and still we are receiving very good feedback. The city hall cultural department remarked that the ICAA Exhibit is one of the rare exhibits in the Hamilton City Hall that attracts good number of art lovers, immigrants and Hamiltonians.