Participate in an Interactive Community Art Installation for Red Dress Day
The Peterborough Public Library is honoured to host The Red Dress, a community art installation taking place in recognition of Red Dress Day, the National Day of Awareness for Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women, Girls, and 2SLGBTQIA+ people (MMIWG2S+).
From April 28 to May 5, visitors are invited to stop by the Gord Downie & Chanie Wenjack Legacy Space at the Library to take part in this interactive and reflective experience. The installation invites the community to contribute pieces of red fabric, yarn, beading, or other textiles to help create a large, collective red dress. All are welcome to participate, and materials will also be provided on site for those who wish to contribute in the moment.
The week will begin with an Opening Ceremony and Smudge with Drumming on Monday, April 28 at 12:00 pm in the Legacy Space.
Daily smudges will take place each morning from April 29 through May 5 as the installation continues to grow with community contributions.
This project has been developed in partnership with Niijkiwendidaa Anishnaabekwewag Services Circle and the Nogojiwanong Friendship Centre. We are grateful for their guidance and continued leadership in bringing this installation to life and helping create space for remembrance, healing, and community learning.
What is Red Dress Day?
Observed annually on May 5, Red Dress Day is a national day of remembrance for Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women, Girls, and 2SLGBTQIA+ people. The red dress has become a symbol of this ongoing crisis, calling attention to the disproportionate rates of violence faced by Indigenous women, girls, and Two-Spirit people across the country.
According to Statistics Canada, more than 63% of Indigenous women in Canada have experienced physical or sexual assault in their lifetime. This ongoing reality is rooted in colonization, systemic racism, and the failure of institutions to protect Indigenous lives.
The Red Dress installation provides a visible, community-based way to honour those who have been lost, hold space for those who continue to seek justice, and foster meaningful awareness.
Everyone Is Welcome
The Library invites everyone to visit the installation, take a moment to reflect, and add to the collective dress. Each piece of fabric represents a life, a voice, and a shared commitment to community care and remembrance.
This is a space for reflection, grief, awareness, and action. Whether you contribute, visit quietly, or attend a smudge, your presence is part of the collective message: these lives are not forgotten.
Installation Dates: April 28 to May 5
Location: Gord Downie & Chanie Wenjack Legacy Space, Peterborough Public Library
Opening Ceremony: Monday, April 28 at 12:00 pm
Daily Smudge: April 29 to May 5 at 10:00 am