Colorful yarn art decorations hanging from a metal frame outdoors in a park with grass and trees in the background. 
Fringe Festival
A suncatcher made of green tassels arranged to resemble a leaf with a braided loop at the top for hanging.

Kelsey Ford has been a dynamic presence at the Saskatoon Fringe Festival, serving as Artist in Residence in both 2021 and 2022.

I believe art should be shared, collaborative, and accessible to all.
Whether it’s through public workshops, community installations, or open-ended creative prompts, my work is rooted in the idea that everyone is an artist—and everyone deserves to feel welcomed into artistic spaces. Collaboration isn’t just a method; it’s a value. I’m interested in what happens when people come together to make something—how stories overlap, materials take on new meaning, and creativity becomes a collective experience.

  • 2021 – The Macramé Leaf Project: Kelsey led 15 workshops across various community organizations, including SCYAP, Saskatchewan Intercultural Association, Brunskill School, Saskatoon Open Door Society, Sherbrooke Community Centre, and Princess Alexandra Community School. Participants created over 500 macramé leaves, which were assembled into "Community Trees" displayed throughout the festival site, symbolizing unity and collective creativity.

Promotional poster for the 'The Mucmée Leaf Project' at the Saskatoon Fringe Festival, presented by 25th Street Theatre, featuring colorful geometric shapes and logos of SK Arts and Sask Lotteries.
A group of students sitting around a large rectangular table in a classroom, wearing masks, participating in a craft activity with green yarn and scissors, while an instructor stands at the head of the table.
White macramé wall hanging with a leaf-like shape and a loop at the top for hanging.
Person cutting green shredded paper with scissors on a wooden table, with more shredded paper in the background.
'Community Art Workshops' poster from the City of Saskatoon and SASK Lotteries advertising free, weekend arts workshops behind Victoria School, featuring schedules for dance, improv, costumes, music, and theatre games for all ages.
A group of four people sitting around a table engaged in a craft activity, working with green yarn, scissors, and other crafting supplies.

  • 2022 – Light Up the Stage: In collaboration with Big Brothers Big Sisters of Saskatoon, École Victoria School, Saskatoon Open Door Society, and Saskatchewan Intercultural Association, Kelsey facilitated workshops where participants crafted colorful flowers from stage lighting gels. These vibrant installations were displayed at the festival, casting colorful light patterns and celebrating the essence of live theatre.

Colorful outdoor art installation with flowers hanging from a pole at a community event, featuring a sign for a stage performance titled 'Light Up the Stage' at a festival.
Colorful paper poppies in red, blue, purple, green, and pink with yellow centers on a white background, used for workshops and environmental awareness.
A smiling man holding decorative flower cutouts stands in a park.
Three people sitting at a table with yarn and craft supplies in a colorful art space, smiling and talking.
A woman and a man sitting at a table outside at a festival, the woman is holding a purple flower and smiling, the man is cutting a green flower item,
A boy standing at a table with colorful paper flowers in a classroom for an art activity. The table has various red, blue, yellow, green, and purple paper flowers with yellow centers on it.
Colorful flower-shaped paper lanterns floating in the sky on a partly cloudy day.
A young boy is reaching into a clear plastic container filled with colorful light gels. Several other plastic containers with gels are on the table in front of him.
Colorful outdoor floor with a pattern of irregular shapes in blue, pink, and orange, set on a grassy area at a park or event.

  • 2023 – Quick Touch up of the Fringe Stage and Banner!

Colorful inflatable arch with the words "FRINGE FESTIVAL" at the top, set up on a city street for an event.

  • 2024 – Thelma Pepper Art Walk with Xiao Han

  • In 2024, Kelsey co-led the Thelma Pepper Art Walk alongside Xiao Han, guiding participants through Rotary Park to honor the legacy of photographer Thelma Pepper. This event invited attendees to engage with the environment through a photographic lens, capturing the beauty of the surroundings.

    Attendees followed a guided walk through the park, where local artists and community members shared reflections on Pepper’s compassionate portraiture—especially her work documenting Prairie elders and celebrating their resilience. The event was both commemorative and interactive, offering participants the chance to view curated photo displays and learn about Pepper’s unique practice of intimately listening to her subjects’ life stories.

    In all, it was a heartfelt tribute that mirrored Pepper’s ethos: fostering connection, storytelling, and community through visual art.

Event flyer for Thelma Pepper Art Walk 2024, scheduled for Saturday, August 3rd, starting at 2 PM at Rotary Park in Saskatoon, featuring two photos of women. Organized by Saskatoon Fringe Festival, supported by the Pepper family, funded by Sask Lotteries, with logos of City of Saskatoon and Sask Lotteries.
A group of people gathered outdoors near display boards with photographs, some standing and some seated, under trees on a sunny day.
A young girl looks at a display of printed photographs arranged on white panels at an outdoor event.
Group of seven people sitting and standing around a table. They are engaging in a social activity, with photographs and colorful cameras on the table.
Two children, sitting on a park bench, taking photographs with instant cameras.
A flyer for the 2024 Thelma Pepper Art Walk with black-and-white photos of people, landscapes, and outdoor scenes, and event details including date, time, location, and sponsors.
Two people holding tote bags with a black and white graphic.
Wall display of black insect sculptures with gold accents, arranged in rows.

HUOLI

Community & Beyond

Colorful paper flowers hanging in the sky with clouds in the background.
Framed artwork of six iridescent, abstract, wing-like shapes arranged in two rows of three, displayed on a white pedestal against a white wall.

Fringe Festival

Morphology