Upcoming Bruce County Museum exhibit brings visibility to substance-related loss

The Bruce County Museum & Cultural Centre (BCM&CC) is inviting the public to the opening of They are loved – an epidemic of grief, a new installation by artist Tracey-Mae Chambers, on Friday, May 1, 2026, from 7 to 9 p.m.

The exhibit uses textile donations from families who have experienced the loss of a loved one due to substance consumption. The growing installation cuts the donated fabrics into strips and ties them together as a representation of shared grief and connection.

The project was born from Chambers’ own personal grief following the death of her son, Parker, who died of drug poisoning in February 2023. Through They are loved, Chambers seeks to raise awareness of lives lost to substance-related harms across Canada. While rooted in her personal experience, the installation has grown to represent hundreds of individuals across the country.

The project brings attention to disenfranchised grief — grief that often goes unacknowledged or socially unsupported. This can occur when there is stigma or marginalization for those with experiences relating to addiction or mental health challenges, silencing those who grieve. Through the physical presence of the installation, They are loved brings these painful experiences into view, creating space for remembrance, recognition and collective support.

“It is an honour for the BCM&CC to host this installation. We hope that Tracey-Mae's work offers community and families a place for healing and connection, while bringing attention to this very important issue,” says Museum Director Cathy McGirr.

The opening event is free to attend and open to everyone. Community support services will be available during the event.

There is encouragement for those planning to attend RSVP online or by phone at 519-797-2080.

For more information, visit the Bruce County Museum & Cultural Centre.

This project is proudly supported by community partners including National Overdose Response Service (NORS); Canadian Mental Health Association (CMHA) Grey Bruce Mental Health & Addictions Services; Indigenous Services Canada; Mino Bimaadsawin Health Centre; M’Wikwedong Indigenous Friendship Centre; Supportive Outreach Service  (SOS); Southwest Ontario Aboriginal Health Access Centre; Grey Bruce Public Health Harm Reduction Team; Chippewas of Nawash Health Centre; Safe N’ Sound Grey Bruce; and 211 Ontario.

About the Bruce County Museum & Cultural Centre

The Bruce County Museum & Cultural Centre is situated within the traditional territory of the Saugeen Ojibway Nation (SON). We offer adult and children’s programming, exhibitions, special events and are home to the Bruce County Archives & Research Room. Our mandate is to preserve and make available the documentary heritage of Bruce County.

About Tracey-Mae Chambers

I grew up as a stranger to my own story; adopted and re-named, grafted into a new family tree. The discovery in adulthood of my Métis heritage was a revelation that set me on a path of discovery. My developing story is as an Indigenous heritage woman and her quest for harmony with the natural world. I am a proud citizen of the Métis Nation of Ontario.

Since July 2021, I have created over 150 fibre art installations at residential school historical sites, museums, art galleries, and other public spaces. The goal of this project

#hopeandhealingcanada is to bridge the gap between settlers and First Nations, Métis, and Inuit people by creating art that is approachable and non-confrontational and starting a conversation about decolonization and reconciliation. In September 2024 I was honoured to be awarded by Her Excellency the Right Honourable Mary Simon, Governor General of Canada, and presented the King Charles III Coronation Medal, for establishing connections between Indigenous and non-Indigenous peoples through site-specific art installations that seek to decolonize public spaces.

I am currently an artist in residence at Harbourfront Centre. I will be creating a body of work addressing the opioid crisis in Canada with a focus on how we approach grief as well as the stigma surrounding mental health of which addiction is a part. In February 2023 there were a recorded 216 opioid related deaths in Ontario. My 23-year-old son Parker was one of those lost. I cannot solve the fundamental causes of the problem of opioid addiction, but I can help to make it a tangible and visceral visual reminder that no one is immune to this issue. This project while memorializing those we have lost will also create a substantial representation of just how many.