Vibrant Art Research Articles

The Embodied Experiences of Injured Ultra-Runners: A Body-Mapping Study

AbstractThe sport of Ultra-running has seen exponential growth over the past ten years. These athletes attempt to push beyond unknown human limits by running for many hours at a time, often multiple times a week across mountains and trails. While research has begun to consider how injury impacts these athletes from an objective medical perspective, much less is known about their subjective embodied experiences. In particular, the discourses they resist and submit to when they are suddenly unable to run. This study describes the use of body-mapping and narrative interviewing as two forms of research inquiry merged together to explore the embodied experiences of eight ultra-runners who had recently experienced an injury. Plot lines were woven through the visual and textual material resulting in three master plots and eight sub plots. Stories of Body Self-transformation, Machina Carnis or the body-as-machine and senescence or the ageing body were layered by emplacing images and text onto life sized body maps creating vibrant art works. These art works were analysed alongside detailed narratives of endurance, strength, determination and loss. Through the art works participants were able to make visible the invisible, with the injury experience providing a window into former ways of being and current experiences of liminality and fear. This study provides insight into the shifting subjectivities of these extreme athletes brought about by pain and injury, and highlights the importance of using power leveling and emancipatory arts based research methods in accessing subjective experience.

Living Conditions of the Gond Community in Veerdandi Village of Adilabad District in Telangana

The Gond community, one of India’s most prominent tribal groups, boasts a rich history and cultural heritage that dates back to the 9th century AD. Their vibrant art, traditional practices, and festivals were renowned, and they once ruled several prominent kingdoms in the hill Gondwana region. However, the British colonial period disrupted their traditional rule, leading to the current socioeconomic profile of Veerdandi village in Telangana’s Adilabad district, revealing significant challenges. Predominantly male (80%), with a large segment in the 25-35 age group (36.7%), the village faces problems such as low literacy rates (55%), lack of education and health facilities, and heavy reliance on agriculture and labour. Modern agricultural technology is limited despite infrastructure such as roads and emergency transport. Demographic and socioeconomic conditions highlight significant challenges in health, education, and living standards. 56.7% of households don’t possess sanitation facilities in their houses and 78.3% are suffering from nutritional deficiency. This underscores the urgent need for government schemes to address the multifaceted problems faced by tribal communities in Telangana. The Pearson Chi-Square value is 18.400. The p-value (.000) was statistically significant in the government support schemes and in preventing tribes’ malnutrition, health issues, and poverty in the study.

Leaving post-industrial urban studies behind?

In this forum paper, we question the lasting utility of the framework and language of urban post-industrialism. We suggest that, while such conceptual metaphors are useful to understand economic, social and cultural change at specific times, post-industrial may obscure more nuanced explorations of the realities of today's multi-faceted, planetary, and digitally-mediated urban processes and socio-spatialities. Post-industrial speaks primarily to dramatic and violent changes that happened in the twentieth century, and continue to happen today, but, we suggest, the story is more complex. Specifically, we bring forward a few critiques of the post-industrial, that a revitalized agenda might begin to move beyond. Firstly, is that industrialisation is always-ongoing, and not something that can be fixed into place. Where it is absent, it continues to haunt. Second, is that over-use of post-industrial as a descriptor and critical lens can lead to territorial, class, racial/ethnic, political, and world-regional stigmatizations. In particular, it can reinforce colonialist hierarchies of prototype Northern/Western cities versus those in the majority world, and certain assumptions about linearity and path dependencies about industrial trajectories. Thirdly, we suggest post-industrial frameworks can calcify gender binaries and obscure counterhegemonies and fluidities, especially given the realities of global urban industrial labour today. Finally, we propose that moving beyond the post-industrial might open more radical space for vibrant art and politics, from cross-spectrum alliances and solidarities (like revitalized labour movements), to joyful artistic expression that transcends rust, decay, and ruin. We do not propose throwing away post-industrialism, but rather, to invite other possibilities to coexist.

Folklore сomponents of Finnish Rock Poetry

This article explores the folklore components of Finnish rock poetry in Finnish and Swedish. It highlights how Finnish rock culture has revived an ancient tradition where poetry and music were intertwined. While musicians of Amorphis reference “Kalevala” mythology in the songs like “Tuonela”, “Sampo” and “Kantele”, they do not explicitly mention the names of “Kalevala” heroes in their adaptations of runes. The themes of their lyrics seem to take on a universal quality and are set in modern times. The influence of folklore traditions on Finnish authors is evident even in their English-language works. Ville Sorvali of Moonsorrow interprets the runes, trying to understand the intention of their creators, believing that these lyrics resonate with people worldwide. Similarly, Jan Jämsen (Katla), a Swedish-speaking Finn, infuses his native Swedish lyrics for Finntroll with imagery of fantastical creatures and incorporates Sámi folk chants joik to emphasize their uniqueness. Modern Finnish rock poetry stands out for its multilingualism and references to mythological themes from Finnish and Scandinavian folk poetry. However, the resurgence of metrics and imagery from the “Kalevala” and “Kanteletar” in rock poetry was unexpected. Authors use figurative symbolism that may require a deep understanding of Finnish culture to fully appreciate, even in Englishlanguage works. Finnish rock poetry is a diverse and vibrant art form that resonates with universal themes and emotions.

Fostering Unity and Leadership: Borneo's Cultural Diversity and Youth Leadership

The unique geographical and cultural significance of Borneo, the third largest island in the world, located in the Malay Archipelago and shared by Indonesia, Malaysia, and Brunei, is highlighted. This geographic linkage facilitates multifaceted interactions and fosters cultural exchange and deeper understanding among different ethnic groups and indigenous communities. Borneo's historical connections have resulted in the sharing of cultural practices, music, cuisine, etc. Festivals and cultural events held across borders strengthen the unity between Malaysians, Indonesians, and Bruneians. A vibrant art scene and religious diversity contribute to interfaith dialogue and mutual respect. Linguistic diversity provides avenues for cross-cultural communication. Borneo's historical background in trade networks, imperial expansion, and colonialism underlines its importance in fostering cultural exchange. Today’s Borneo is a hotbed of biodiversity and home to vital rainforests. The common historical, environmental, and cultural threads of the island weave a picture of continuity, cooperation, understanding, and stable relations. The Borneo Youth Leadership Camp, organized by the Borneo Studies Network, is an example of the island's role in empowering the youth across borders and fostering leadership skills, cultural appreciation, and environmental responsibility. The camp's interdisciplinary approach integrates Science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM), and the arts and imparts critical thinking, compassion, and adaptability. As participants embark on this transformative journey, they emerge as empowered global citizens ready to contribute positively to their communities and the world. This camp repeats the call for unity, progress, and a common commitment to a better future. Overall, Borneo acts as a small space of unity, demonstrating the power of shared heritage, cultural exchange, and youth leadership in fostering cooperation, understanding, and sustainable relations between neighboring countries.

Mother of Sharks by Melissa Cristina Márquez

Reviewed by: Mother of Sharks by Melissa Cristina Márquez Kate Quealy-Gainer Márquez, Melissa Cristina Mother of Sharks; illus. by Devin Elle Kurtz. Penguin Workshop, 2023 [48p] Trade ed. ISBN 9780593523582 $19.99 E-book ed. ISBN 9780593660560 $10.99 Reviewed from digital galleys Ad Gr. 2-4 As the sun sets over la Playita del Condado, young Meli uses her last few minutes at the beach to explore the tide pools, where she finds a talking hermit crab who introduces himself as Jaiba and invites Meli—whom he calls "the girl with the ocean [End Page 296] in her heart"—to explore the waters further. Considering she was only minimally fazed by the talking crab, she's equally as accepting of the fact that she can now breathe underwater, following Jaiba, as they swim past dying coral and sharks tangled in nets. It's not just the ocean they explore, however; soon, they're in a university library, studying books on sharks; then, they're watching a scientist give a talk on sharks; and eventually, she observes a crew of marine researchers tag sharks. Meli returns to la Playita del Condado, with a new purpose to protect the sea and all its creatures. Meli's exploration of the ocean is a whimsical but somewhat distracting framework for this biography of Márquez, a noted Hispanic marine biologist and ocean life educator. Few facts are given regarding her life or the world she studies, but there's still appeal in the more fantastical elements that highlight the wonder and vastness of the sea. The vibrant art exudes energy and warmth, inviting readers in first with the glowing, honey hues of the sunset, and then the jewel-toned richness of the underwater scenes. Additional materials will be needed for aspiring marine biologists looking for more detail on the profession, but youngsters who find themselves drawn to the sea just for the beauty of it will find a lovely oceanic portrait here. Copyright © 2023 The Board of Trustees of the University of Illinois

Innovation & Collaboration Will Define 2023 Annual Meeting in San Francisco

Back to table of contents Previous article Next article From the PresidentFull AccessInnovation & Collaboration Will Define 2023 Annual Meeting in San FranciscoRebecca Brendel, M.D., J.D.Rebecca BrendelSearch for more papers by this author, M.D., J.D.Published Online:22 Feb 2023https://doi.org/10.1176/appi.pn.2023.03.3.19After four years, APA is returning to San Francisco for our 2023 Annual Meeting with a world-class program featuring 600 peer-reviewed sessions and courses and more than 1,000 posters. The theme, “Innovate, Collaborate, Motivate: Charting the Future of Mental Health,” is perfect for the timing and location, capping off the cutting-edge work of my Presidential Workgroup on a Roadmap for the Future of Psychiatry in the nation’s innovation capital. Under the extraordinary leadership of Eric R. Williams, M.D., as chair, our colleagues on the Scientific Program Committee have put together an incredible program that represents the best and most groundbreaking work in the world of psychiatry and mental health care.As the integration of innovation and technology into our practice and profession continues at a rapid pace, there is no better place to explore the opportunities for the future than in San Francisco. The proximity of our meeting to Silicon Valley, the global center of technology and innovation, is the perfect backdrop for the Annual Meeting programming focused on helping participants stay on top of the ways that technology influences diagnosis, treatment, and outcomes. Examples of highlighted sessions in the Technology Track include “Technologies to Advance Access to Mental Health: Social Media, Texting, and 988” and “Leveraging Technology to Enhance Mental Health Interventions.”Back again at this year’s meeting is the Clinical Updates Track; it debuted in New Orleans and proved to be very popular. Attendees will leave prepared with new tools that can be immediately implemented to provide state-of-the-art treatment and improve patient outcomes (Clinical Updates Track to Offer Practical, Usable Insights for Common Clinical Challenges). The sessions will cover current standards for the treatment of anxiety, depression, psychosis, and other mental disorders encountered in everyday practice.As a top travel destination in the world, San Francisco will play host to member physicians from all over the globe who are primed to share their unique insights and experiences with their U.S.-based colleagues. The International Medical Graduate (IMG) Track is designed to support international members at all levels of their careers integrate with and thrive in the U.S. health care system. Whether you are an IMG just out of residency, just about to begin your career as a psychiatry resident, or have been in the field for decades, there is truly something for everyone in this specialized track (IMG Track Offers Advice, Counsel, and Guidance for International Graduates). Even members who are domestic medical graduates will encounter educational opportunities in the IMG track, in sessions such as “International Medical Graduates in American Psychiatry: Past, Present, and Future,” a session dedicated to the history of IMGs, their contributions to psychiatry and APA over the years, and how they will be a crucial component of psychiatry’s future.In keeping with the spirit of San Francisco’s vibrant arts scene, a newly developed Humanities Track will examine how art and culture affect the way we think and feel in our day-to-day lives. The humanities have power not only to entertain, but also to heal. “Catharsis Welcomes Creativity: A Poet’s Tale of Exploring Mental Health Through the Arts” and “The Role of the Photographic Arts in Psychiatry” are two offerings that will explore the important roles of art in our lives and well-being.Last, but certainly not least, our host city is known for looking toward the future, and for us, that future lives in our residents, fellows, and medical students. Much of the scientific program was curated with these attendees in mind. APA has collaborated with PsychSIGN (Psychiatry Student Interest Group Network) to offer content exclusively tailored to medical students, and the Residents, Fellows, and Medical Students Track will provide practical, real-world information in sessions such as “How to Negotiate Contracts: What to Look for in a Job.” I encourage our more experienced members to take a moment to stop by and give your support to our RFM attendees.I hope you will also pay special attention to invited presidential sessions, which include contributions from leaders in other psychiatry organizations; the final report of my Workgroup on a Roadmap for the Future of Psychiatry; late-breaking clinical research; current challenges in medical ethics, mental health policy, advancing diversity, and achieving equity in psychiatry; trends in treatment and policy to address opioid use disorder; psychiatry in the media; and more.I’ve shared just a small sample here of the sessions and special symposia that will be featured at the Annual Meeting this year. I look forward to seeing you in San Francisco for the premier psychiatric event of the year, and as always, you can follow me in real time on Twitter @Pres_APA. ■ ISSUES NewArchived

Practising Freedom

From 2018 – 2022, Dr Collins and Act for Change undertook a series of community arts-based research projects in James Town, Accra. These projects were designed to engage with survivors of modern slavery in the James Town community and, using performance, bring their stories to a local audience with the aim of building collective resilience to combat modern slavery. One of the key areas of enquiry to emerge from the project was the function and dynamics of Act for Change’s theatre space, the James Town Community Theatre Centre (JTCT). Founded in 2011 in a former boxing gym, the JTCT sits within the bustling centre of James Town and over the past decade has become known in the community as a vibrant arts venue. In this article, we discuss how the JTCT’s geographical and cultural position within the community, and its physical layout, enhanced the overall research project. Engaging with Foucault’s definition of heterotopias, we position the JTCT as a space that reflects the specific dynamics of the community, where complex and sometimes painful topics can be brought forward, engaged with and discussed.

Twirling Textiles in Transit: The performance of Keretapi Sarong

Public performances revolving around public transportation continue to be a common sight in transit areas such as London's Tube and the New York subway. Malaysia is even taking a step further by allowing various performing art events to take place at stations and in transit. This exploration is carried out to investigate the possibilities of utilising public transportation services to benefit performing artists in Kuala Lumpur. This research argues that this symbiotic co-existence between transit areas and serving arts practitioners, with the case study of the Kertapi Sarong activity, would foster vibrant arts lifestyle community whereby these efforts will continue to enrich public transport commute experiences.

Arts and culture in the Paris of Appalachia: Pittsburgh abounds in national treasures

Pittsburgh will be thrilled to welcome the ACRL 2023 Conference from March 15 to 18, 2023. We want to introduce the vibrant arts and culture scene in Pittsburgh, AKA Paris of Appalachians, AKA the City of Bridges (clocking in with a total of 446 of these structural feats). Many of these sites are within easy walking distance of the conference center. Audrey Biega surveys the rich number of arts, architecture, and cultural institutions in our city. William Daw and Kathy Kienholz describe the history and impact of two of Pittsburgh’s celebrated African American artists, August Wilson and Teenie Harris. And, finally, I must highlight one of my favorite hidden gems of Pittsburgh (or, well, Millvale), the Maxo Vanka murals ( https://vankamurals.org/ ) at the St. Nicholas church. These church paintings, created by the artist Maxo Vanka in 1937 and 1941 with Vanka’s bold socialist-informed and emotional style, will forever change how you think about ecumenical art and politics. —Chloe Persian Mills, article editor

School culture change through the arts: a case study of the turnaround arts program

In recent years, arts education has become a focus of some school improvement efforts, with consistent evidence emerging that vibrant arts programs can improve factors commonly listed as goals in school improvement plans, including engagement, attendance, and school climate. Such models mainly make use of arts integration, an approach that marries content in traditionally tested subjects with artistic processes. The purpose of this study was to investigate the implementation and understanding of an arts-focused school improvement model, the national Turnaround Arts program. Through a multiple case study design, we interviewed stakeholders and analyzed policy documents from the Kennedy Center in Washington D.C. and in two school districts in the United States. Findings suggested that the program was implemented through a flexible framework. Stakeholders understood the program as aligning arts integration strategies with school improvement goals, which ensured program sustainability. Turnaround Arts primarily exists as a collection of strategies and resources for classroom teachers, facilitated by strategic planning, a commitment of resources, and professional development.

Entrepreneurial Orientation among Arts Managers in Western Australia

As a region, Western Australia is the largest and most isolated state in Australia, and supports a community of vibrant Arts Organisations. The Arts is widely recognised for its creativity and innovation, but what about the managers of these organisations, are they equally innovative, or entrepreneurial? Rusak (2016) explored this question and found that their Entrepreneurial Orientation (EO) matched the three core dimensions of Innovativeness, Pro-activeness, and Risk-taking, but the study did not include the other two EO dimensions of Autonomy and Competitive Aggressiveness. It did however observe that "arts companies don’t generally try to take offensive postures or aggressive responses to competitive threats and rather work collaboratively, as this sample shows". This assertion was not the focus of the article, nor was it explored in any depth in that paper.
 There are at least two possibilities here: it could be a passive aversion to competitive aggression, or a more deliberate counter-behaviour of collaboration. Either of these would appear to contradict the EO construct, in particular the expectation that all EO dimensions covary, which makes it interesting from a theory perspective. This paper explores this challenge to the EO theory in some detail, using software-aided analysis to tease out the finer nuances in this dimension of Competitive Aggressiveness. While the sample size and its geographical confines limit the generalisations that can be made, there is solid evidence that in this sample of Arts Managers, the Arts acts as a powerful contextual modifier to the expectations of EO theory. The dimension of Competitive Aggressiveness has not simply been altered or toned-down by this context, it has been replaced by a polar opposite.

Indigenous Yoruba Popular Music As An Agent For Socio Re-Orientation: An Examination of Saheed Osupa’s Fuji Music

This paper explores Fuji popular music as a tool for socialization within the current Yoruba cultural setting using the content exploration approach mode. Much of the traditional elements are embedded in the lyrics of Fuji musicians. Each Fuji musician digs experiments with the Yoruba culture to make the brand of Fuji music distinct from others. Saheed Osupa is a Fuji musician whose lyrics are laced with different sorts of Yoruba socio-cultural values. These values include proverbs, folktales, folklores, riddles, witty sayings, etc. The paper concludes that apart from being a vibrant art form in the popular literature sub-genre, the contents of the Fuji music can also serve pedagogical and other educational purposes in the present-day setup.

Pearlescent Mica-Doped Alginate as a Stable, Vibrant Medium for Two-Dimensional and Three-Dimensional Art.

Emergent technologies are driving forces in the development of innovative art media that progress the field of modern art. Recently, artists have capitalized on the versatility of a new technology to create, restore, and modify art: additive manufacturing or three-dimensional (3D) printing. Additively manufactured art relies heavily on plastic-based materials, which typically require high heat to induce melting for workability. The necessity for heat limits plastic media to dedicated 3D printers. In contrast, biologically derived polymers such as polysaccharides used to create “bioinks” often do not require heating the material for workability, broadening the types of techniques available for printing. Here, we detail the formulation of a bioink consisting of mica pigments suspended in alginate as a new, vibrant art medium for 2D and 3D compositions. The properties that make alginate an ideal colorant binder are detailed: low cost with wide availability, nontoxicity and biocompatibility, minimal color, and an array of attractive physicochemical properties that offer workability and processing into 2D and 3D structures. Further, the chemical composition, morphology, and dispersibility of an array of mica pigment additives are characterized in detail as they pertain to the quality of an art medium. Alginate-based media with eight mica colors were formulated, where mica addition resulted in vibrantly colored inks with moderate hiding power and coverage of substrates necessary for 2D printing with thin horizontal and vertical lines. The utility of the media is demonstrated via the generation of 2D and 3D vibrant structures.

WOMEN ARTISTS OF THE LATE 19TH CENTURY: CONTINUITY AND CHANGE AT THE SUNSET OF IMPERIAL CHINA

Increasing attention to the history of Chinese women artists gives further impetus to re-evaluation of their artistic contribution. Here I focus on developments in women’s art in the later part of the 19th century, entering into an interrogation of the assumption that the century had witnessed its decline in tandem with the decline of the Imperial China itself. A focus of the article is the 2017 Zhejiang exhibition, which has served to further intensify the imperative for research. Adopting a perspective based on gender and class, this paper examines the work of the female Chinese artists of the late 19th century both in the traditional Jiangnan area, which had been the epicentre of culture and economy, and in the newly developing trade areas, most notably Shanghai. There a vibrant art market emerged, bringing significant opportunities for women artists from broader social strata. This dynamic is illustrated by the particular example of Ren Xia. In these circumstances significant changes took place in the context of the presence of continuity in women’s aesthetic production, while a traditional male discourse remained hegemonic.

Matka w poetyckim obrazie świata Wisławy Szymborskiej

The article focuses on the ways Wisława Szymborska potrays a mother in her poetic works. The main goal of the analysis is to establish and discuss characteristic features of mother figure and to define the linguistic and stylistic measures Szymborska employs to convey her artistic vision. Additionally, the connotations of mother exposed in Szymborska’s poetry are confronted with the traditional view of maternity to highlight the differences and similarities between a generally accepted stereotype and the artistic vision of the poet. The study shows that the portrayal of mother in Szymborska’s poetry is characterized by a diversity of representation and artistic vibrancy of language used by the artist, who is not confining herself only to dictionary definitions and stereotypes.

Too big to fail: rethinking the foundations of Australia’s performing arts policies

ABSTRACT This research examines three political moments in the Australian theatre sector as turning points in contemporary understanding of the sector’s financial foundations. Socio-cultural and economic conditions leading to the establishment of The Australian Elizabethan Theatre Trust in 1954, the instigation of the Industries Assistance Commission Inquiry in 1976, and the commissioning of the Major Performing Arts Inquiry in 1999, and their impact on the theatre sector, are reviewed in this paper. These political moments took place against changing economic policies in Australia. By reviewing the economic transition from Keynesian 'welfare' to economic rationalism, the interventionalist nature of these policy moments and their effect on the artistic vibrancy of the sector is understood. This paper reveals a tension between the sector’s Keynesian foundations, which underpinned the Trust's intentions to establish a financially sustainable sector, and the now dominant economic rationalist model which restricts the performing arts’ capacity to flourish. Through analysing secondary documents and scholarly discussion, this research reconsiders the legacy of the Trust as a key policy landmark. It proposes that The Trust succeeded in delivering artistic outcomes, but failed in its financial objective to establish a sustainable sector. The role of the Trust is often misconstrued in scholarly and professional discussions about the necessity of arts funding, and by reconceptualising these political moments as interventions of policy, a new perspective of the foundation of Australian arts funding can be appreciated.

Arbiters of taste: Women, modernism and the making of Paris

The years 1870–1960 were a period of vibrant innovation in France when traditional ideas about art and living were challenged. At the turn of the twentieth century, Paris became the epicentre for creative risk, innovation and originality. The city both represented and became a ‘laboratory of culture’ that attracted individuals eager to ride the waves of modernism. What forces enabled Paris to become a site of such artistic vibrancy? What cultural labour was involved in propelling avant-gardism forwards? In this article, I introduce a few examples of women who played a vital role in the modernisation of the arts in Paris, the internationalisation of French artistic tastes, and the cultivation of Paris’s reputation as the centre of avant-gardism and artistic development. In doing so, I offer a new paradigm for understanding the art worlds of Paris in this period by revealing women as important and effective arbiters of taste.

Escaping from the City Means More than a Cheap House and a 10-Minute Commute

Escaping from the City Means More than a Cheap House and a 10-Minute Commute

Baseball is Truly International

Baseball is Truly International James J. Donahue (bio) As a baseball fan who grew up in Brockton, Massachusetts—just over twenty miles directly south of Fenway Park—I have more than a few fond memories connected to the Boston Red Sox. There was the 2004 World Series sweep of the Cardinals to end “the curse”; the three subsequent World Series championships that killed that term forever; Pedro Martinez’s masterful performance in the 1999 All-Star game (and Tim Wakefield’s unfortunate stint on the bench ten years later); and Roger Clemens striking out twenty Mariners in nine innings. I was also deep in the right field stands on September 21, 2006, when David “Big Papi” Ortiz launched his fifty-first homerun of the season against Johan Santana, breaking Jimmy Foxx’s sixty-eight-year record. (I suspect we all thought it was hit straight at us, even though it landed several rows down from my location.) However, I have not lived in Massachusetts for twenty years, and have not lived in New England for thirteen years. And while my home in Potsdam, New York, isn’t terribly far from Boston—I last attended a game at Fenway in May 2019 with one of my best friends—my home on the border with Canada puts me much closer to another stadium, another team, and another wonderful baseball community: Ottawa and their former Can-Am League team the Champions. The team played in Raymond Chabot Grant Thorton (RCGT) Park. Over the past several years now, I have regularly made the short drive into Ottawa for a variety of reasons: wonderful people, fantastic food, a vibrant arts culture, and—until recently—live, professional baseball. Unfortunately, I need to use the past tense because the Champions are currently a team without a league. After the merger of the Can-Am and Frontier Leagues in 2020, Ottawa’s professional baseball team was not included on the new league’s 2020 schedule (and this was before the lockdowns related to COVID-19). However, baseball fans have long adopted the mentality that “there’s always next year,” and fans of Ottawa’s professional baseball team remain hopeful for a future that includes baseball. And just as importantly, Ottawa is a city that deserves a professional baseball team, in part because of [End Page 107] its history as a bi-lingual, multi-cultural national capital city whose team and whose fans have wholeheartedly adopted baseball’s international appeal. ________ Originally opened in 1993 as JetForm Park—home to the International League Ottawa Lynx—RCGT Park became the home to the Ottawa Champions in 2014, with the team debuting against the Sussex Country Miners on May 22, 2015. The Ottawa Lynx were a minor league affiliate of the Montréal Expos (1993–2002), the Baltimore Orioles (2003–2006), and the Philadelphia Phillies (2007). My first game was later that season, in the company of a woman who, having grown up a baseball fan in Ottawa, was more than happy to tell me about the park and the team, as well as instruct me on the finer points of keeping a baseball score sheet (and what makes for a well-designed sheet for keeping score). And while I only became marginally better at keeping a proper score sheet over the years, my appreciation for the Ottawa Champions as a microcosm of some of baseball’s better traits certainly grew over time. As an American watching my “national pastime” in a foreign (albeit very familiar) country, I was immediately reminded of baseball’s truly international nature. However, I’m not trying to suggest that Ottawa is alone in this regard. Professional baseball teams have long been home to players from throughout the Americas as well as several Asian and European nations. And in 2017, the South African middle infielder Mpho’ Gift Ngoepe became the first player from continental Africa to play in the MLB when he debuted for the Pittsburgh Pirates against the Chicago Cubs on April 26, 2017 (and recording his first hit against former Red Sox lefty Jon Lester). His MLB debut also coincided with Freedom Day, the South African holiday celebrating the 1994 election for which Black...