Creative culture

For the second month in a row, I had the privilege to hear stories about what it was like to be an artist performing at The Great George Gallery back in the 80s. Scott Parsons was an eager young man with a passion for music, sharing his talents on stage and learning from some of the Island’s great musicians, like Gene MacLellan and Lucian LaRoux. The vibrant arts and culture community of PEI was and is alive and well. 

Scott has been playing guitar and singing in public since he was a teen, though his love of music can be traced back to a much younger age. “There is this photo of me at age two with my siblings and I am holding a plastic guitar.” Scott comes by his musical inclination honestly, noting generations of musicians in his family. “My grandmother was musically inclined, making sound and song with anything she could get her hands on.” Scott’s dad was also a musician, playing his way through WWII. “Though he didn’t play much in public, his love of music definitely influenced me.”

Growing up on the Island in the 60s and 70s, Scott has seen some big shifts and changes in both the composition and attitudes of the population. “I have always believed in the inherent goodness of Islanders.” We both excitedly gushed over our shared enthusiasm for wider ranges of cuisine that line the streets of Charlottetown as more people from around the world come to PEI to make a home. “I love watching our community learn and grow as more people move here.”

For many years, Scott was part of the Black Islanders Cooperative. The dissolution of that group left a gap for Black Islanders and in 2016, Scott was one of the founding members of Black Cultural Society (BCS) of PEI. “Many of the members of the original Cooperative had aged or even passed away and young people approached me to help support the development of a new group.” Now celebrating its 10th year anniversary, BCS has created supportive spaces for the Black community and continues to share cultural connections with all Islanders.   

Music is among one of the universal languages, transcending our differences. Scott has used his musical passions and abilities to bring people together in many ways. He was a social worker who worked in various organizations locally and across Canada, using the arts to connect with young people going through hard times. He has lived in several Canadian cities such as Vancouver, Calgary, Montreal, and Victoria. “I worked in group homes out west and sometimes I will hear from someone who has since become a social worker or is involved in other helping professions.”

Now retired from social work-related jobs, Scott still fills his weeks with music and volunteering. He rehearses a couple times a week with his musical mates Em Peters on guitar and vocals, Paul Broadbent on harmonica and vocals, and Sean Mooney on Bass and vocals. Scott cares deeply about the people in his community and is there to lend a hand to folks when they need it. He has been endowed with lifetime achievement awards from places like Music PEI and the Province of PEI. “It is such an honour to be seen by my peers and recognized for the contributions I continue to make.”

The number and variety of awards that Scott has received are too numerous to list. Suffice it to say, he is well loved and well respected in both the music community and the Black community. In 2025, he was named one of CBC’s Black Changemakers of the year. “I also received an Honorary Doctorate of Law from UPEI last year and at first I thought they made a mistake and that the award was actually for my brother,” he chuckled.

One of my favourite parts of chatting with creative people is to learn about their current projects and future aspirations. Scott is currently working on writing a six-part mini serries for television. “I have made music videos before, but this mini-series is completely different, and the learning curve is step.” No stranger to trying new things, Scott surrounds himself with creative people and builds relationships that span decades. Like much of Scott’s creative works, “the mini-series tells the story of six characters, bringing attention to the life of Black Islanders.”

“I always had music to focus on and that musical focus has helped me build community that spans decades and borders.” Scott’s music has brought him around the world, touring to various cities in North America, Europe, and the Caribbean. “I was sitting on a beach in Cuba, smelling the spices on the breeze, and I could feel my ancestors with me.”