Shoe-leather epidemiology refers to the public health practice of tracking epidemic disease by direct, and often door-to-door inquiries. We propose Shoe Leather Risography: a community art initiative that will respond to challenges created by the pandemic.

Shoe Leather Risography is a project initiated by a collective of Concordia students, alumni, and other community members. We aim to promote ecologically responsible community art practices, encourage the work of emerging artists, and break down isolation through the distribution of printed artwork.

Based in a practice of social-solidarity through creative communication, we are responding to the widespread isolation caused by the global pandemic by creating a physical platform for the safe distribution of printed artworks. Our six-month project will see the distribution of 1,800 printed artworks to 300 subscribers. To ensure accessibility, all subscriptions will be offered on a free or by-donation basis. We will also make digital versions of the artworks available on our website, and document the project on social media. Not only will this platform allow those most vulnerable to COVID-19 to receive safe public art directly to their doors, it will also promote and nurture the work of emerging artists.

Finally, our projects seeks to develop forms of artistic production and distribution that contribute to ecological resilience. Through our collaboration with a low-impact printing facility, and our development of a bicycle-powered distribution network, we hope to encourage other emerging artists to respond collectively to the environmental impacts of our art practices.