MAY/JUNE/JULY Issue ALL CANDIDATES MEETING Thursday 22 May, 7:30 PM Open Space, 510 Fort Street You are invited to attend an all-candidates meeting to discuss support of the arts. All the candidates representing all parties in the ridings of Victoria, Saanich, and Esquimalt/Juan de Fuca have been invited. A moderator will conduct the meeting. Please plan to attend this critical meeting, a joint venture of Professional Arts Alliance and the CACGV. ------------------------------------ Community Arts Awareness Week The Community Arts Council of Greater Victoria is absolutely delighted at the wonderful partnerships that have developed through working on Community Arts Week (4 - 11 May). The arts council was the charitable organization facilitating the grants for this event. We express much gratitude to The Victoria Foundation for their generous support of the promotional materials, posters and banners. The Leon & Thea Koerner Foundation have made it possible for us to use Kaleidoscope Theatre and produce other promotional material. And the inter-municipal grant through the Greater Victoria Inter-municipal Commission, Arts Manager's Office, funded the mailing of the original questionnaires and the follow up. The exploration of partnerships with the four core municipalities has been extremely rewarding as each of them has taken on the task of spark-plugging the events in their area such as the Opening Ceremonies at Saanich Municipal Hall on Sunday 4 May. The opening celebration in the City of Victoria is at Kaleidoscope with events from 1:30 - 11:00 PM. Esquimalt Municipality celebrates with the West Bay Association in Esquimalt in producing Victoria's first "Lantern Festival" 10 May (thank you Julie Flatt). The procession begins at Spinnakers Restaurant and continues to West Bay Marina with street musicians and street dance. The Parks and Recreation Department have been simply wonderful. The Galloping Goose Trail mural holds an opening 10 May. On 11 May the Closing Ceremonies, hosted by the CACGV at the Crystal Garden offers of sampling of some of the artists who will have performed during the week. The schools also have created their own festivals during this week - Esquimalt, Central Junior High, and many other presentations by individual schools with groups like Troubadour Strings also participating. The detailed schedule will be printed and distributed through the News Group towards the end of April. Special thanks must be extended to Jill Croft - Chair of the Steering Committee, Erika Kurth - Vice-Chair, Bernard Rain - Program Chair, and Cheryl Denomee Kline - working on community and school art. Also thanks to Jane Glen of Saanich, Sharon Hlady of Victoria, Tracy Wilson of Esquimalt and Jenny Rhodes of Oak Bay. Shelley Smith from Middle School and Shona Jackson of the Arts Manager's office spent hours establishing and working on the computer database. Thanks to the number of choirs who donated their services, enriching our program - Glenlyon-Norfolk Concert Choir, Gettin' Higher Choir, The Linden Singers, Kindred Spirits, CapriCCio Singers, and four performing groups from the Victoria Conservatory of Music and Opera Studio; dance groups included Kala Mandir, classical Indian dance, Kwakiutl Dancers, KIDCO Dance School, Stages Dance Company, DanceWorks; Clayton Jevne, artistic director of the Shakespeare Festival for offering an innovative workshop for adults, Story Theatre and Royal Victoria Heritage Fashions Society. The special highlight is the Art and Architecture show at the Crystal Garden presented by the Provincial Capital Commission. Special thanks to Crystal Garden for providing the venue for the closing ceremonies. The program committee was the heart of this event - we salute them! Erika Kurth Vice-Chair, CAAW ------------------------------------ Blanshard Elementary School Ron Douglas, Ceramic Artist Ron Douglas is working with 50 students in grades 5, 6, and 7, creating tiles to be used in a mural format. The theme of his workshop is "What does your community mean to you?" The Blanshard Community Centre is located across the street from the school and there is a strong bond between these two institutions. Ron's intention is to have the students visually express their place in their community thereby reinforcing the strengths of this community. Ron is working closely with 3 teachers as the students work on drawings which are painted onto ceramic tiles. The resulting images are an exciting array of sports, nature, family and urban landscapes, all linked by a series of paths and roads. Ron has wonderful success with his students and their efforts and professionally executes the final product providing the students with an unique source of community pride and spirit. This project exemplifies the intentions of our Artist in the Schools Program. Jo Randall-Williams Arts in Education Report ------------------------------------ Community Art - Youth Mural Project Located at the Shoebox Accounting Building, 612 Boleskine Road, back retaining wall of yard overlooking Galloping Goose Trail. Sponsored by Saanich Parks and Recreation, Community Services. In March 1996 a Community Art Development Workshop identified two initiatives - Youth Murals and Community Arts Week (to be held 4-11 May 97). The Images of Youth mural was painted on 13 April 97 and is in its final phase. It has been a challenging and rewarding experience to have been involved in the evolution of not only the original workshop but these two initiatives. In defining the term 'community arts' we identified the criteria for a community arts project recognizing the necessary partnerships. The Youth Mural initiative is a community art reality. Following a clear list of goals and objectives, workshops were held in the teen centres at Gordon Head and Pearkes Recreation Centres, at Colquitz, Shoreline, Lambrick, Mount Douglas, Central and Oak Bay High. Resulting images were shared and collaged, resulting in a final concept which was drawn on the wall. Students were identified for the actual production and Peter Allen of Oak Bay High was chosen by them to do the drawing. Peter's talents are multifaceted. He is 'a wizard with the spray can' and has an avid following in the youth community. As the artist/facilitator I have supervised, organized and coordinated all aspects of this project in consultation with Community Services, Saanich Parks and Recreation. Materials were provided by General Paints on Jutland Road. Mural space and set-up was provided by Helen Clarke of Shoebox Accounting. The goals and objectives have been met: 1. To involve youth in the concept of community art. 2. To increase community awareness of youth and their perceptions of their community. 3. To decorate unsightly or bare areas in our neighbourhoods and to promote beauty in unusual places. 4. To encourage more youth to participate in their communities. 5. To promote inter-municipal recognition of youth issues as a cross-municipal responsibility. 6. To be a catalyst for other Community Arts Development projects. 7. To act as a pilot project, with a thorough report, in order to be useful in other areas. We look forward to many more community art murals - the momentum has started! Jo Randall-Williams Artist/Facilitator and CACGV Board Member ------------------------------------ COMMUNITY ARTS COUNCIL OF GREATER VICTORIA CELEBRATES 4 MAJOR EVENTS There are exciting days ahead at the Community Arts Council of Greater Victoria. Richard Brownsey, Executive Director of the British Columbia Arts Council, gave a keynote address celebrating the opening of the new Arts Centre and the 30th anniversary of the CACGV on 20 February 1997. He acknowledged the work of the Arts Council through the years and its future significance in its downtown, street level, exhibition/performance space. His worship Mayor Robert Cross offered congratulations on the successful collaboration of the City of Victoria and Princeton Developments in ensuring this space for the arts community. Mayor Cross, Mr. Brownsey, and MLA Gretchen Brewen cut the ribbon pronouncing the Arts Centre formally open. Grants were awarded to 16 groups working in dance, theatre, music, writing and visual arts. Of special interest are innovative groups like William Head On Stage, Victoria Lesbian Art Society, The ArtFarm Society, Victoria Summer Music Festival, plus established groups such as Victoria Target Theatre Society, Victoria School of Writing, Studio 30 Art Club, Cedarhill Art Club, Embroiderers' Guild of Victoria, Ground Zero Printmakers Society, Oak Bay Art Club, The Civic Orchestra Society of Victoria, Linden Singers of Victoria, Hampton Concern Orchestra, CapriCCio Vocal Ensemble and KIDCO Theatre Dance Society. It is an ongoing priviledge and responsibility for the CACGV to be able to offer support to cultural groups with annual budgets of less than $50,000. President JC Scott officiated at the celebrations and also opened the Look '97 show in which the work of 98 regional artists was excitingly displayed in the new Arts Centre. Look '97, the annual South Island Regional Art Show, was juried by Robert Amos, Pat Bovey and Martin Segger. Three artists and their work were chosen to proceed to the provincial visual arts show artWORK in Powell River in May - Tad Suzuki's painting "Bee Gee's (Victoria)", Dorothy Haegert's photomontage "A World of Myth" and Jennifer Steele's black and white phograph "Outer Mind". Imke Pearson's painting "Surfacing" received the Michael Blake Watercolour Award, given annually by the CACGV. ------------------------------------ LOOK '97 The newly opened Community Arts Council Arts Centre in the fashionable Sussex building on Douglas Street presented its first mixed media show "LOOK 97" with all the excitement and fanfare due a significant community event. The works presented showed the versatility and high level of achievement which Victoria, the Gulf Islands and Lower Island communities have attained. While the use of water colours and acrylics predominated, other mediums and techniques stole the show in originality and presentation. Clay and wood, enamel on copper, porcelain painting, mosaic in concrete, paper mache, glass mosaic, collages, fibers, wire, wood and glass became a world of magical interpretation of our universe. From the tautness of wire to the soft veil of sea flora a marvelously exciting show displayed Victoria's plethora of talent both old and new. Subject matter varied from the realism of single floral studies, local cafes, formal gardens, street scenes, wild life, forestry and fishing to the abstractions of metaphysical concepts and psycho-emotional statements. While much of the subject matter was familiar and repetitive the presentation was often unique and very appealing. Amongst the works I found outstanding were the photographic statements of which some were intriguingly worked with other media and moved the already outstanding works into a new realm of expression. The use of original framing to integrate and draw the works together was outstanding as was the use of mixed media. In reading the biographies of the presenters I was amazed at the international and cross-Canada backgrounds of the talent our west coast and Victoria region has attracted. Suzanne Wyman CACGV Board Member ------------------------------------ OUR NEW ARTS CENTRE The framework for the curatorial guidelines is in place, but we are still soliciting input from the arts community. We hope to make this a flexible, responsive process that meets your needs as well as ours. We have currently established two approaches to the use of our space, firstly through general rental, and secondly through a proposal or submission process. This latter process is still being developed -- the principles established -- the details are being refined. General rental The CACGV Arts Centre is available for rental to our members for Solo or Group Shows. For Solo Shows, costs are $100. for one week, $150. for two weeks. Costs for Group Shows are $150. for one week and $250 for two weeks. These fees are subject to change. Working guidelines for the proposal/submission process Once exhibition dates have been finalized, CACGV Arts Centre staff and artist/s will meet to discuss each party's responsibilities and needs. The exhibition fee must be paid to the Arts Centre in advance. Exhibitions will run for 12 days, with set-up on the Wednesday preceding the Thursday night Opening Reception. The artist/s will take down the exhibition and repair the walls on the Tuesday after the 12 day exhibition. Sales will be handled by CACGV staff or designated personnel according to a price list established by the artist/s, and moneys received from the sales, less a commission percentage, will be submitted to the artist/s within 2 weeks of the show's closing. Exhibitors will be encourage to write up an assessment of the exhibition. Design of promotional material, invitation lists, etc. will be the responsibility of the artist/s but must be submitted to a jurying committee in order that the Arts Centre may retain control of visual material issued under CACGV auspices. Costs, refreshments, and clean-up, for the opening reception will be the responsibility of the artist/s. Please contact us with your ideas and for further information. ------------------------------------ Membership Drive The CACGV is in the process of a membership drive. Our goal is to double our membership and increase our effectiveness as a voice of advocacy for the importance of arts at the community level. We need your support. Each of you knows at least one other person who should become a member. Please invite, ask, convince them to become a member. The costs are minimal but the benefits are far-reaching. ------------------------------------ WE NEED SUPERCALLIFRAGILISTICEXPIALADOTIOUS VOLUNTEERS The Community Arts Council is moving into its busiest season from May to October. Projects include the Community Arts Directory and Guide, a Casino, producing our Annual Report, organizing the Annual General Meeting with an accompanying workshop/conference, and organizing a fundraising event. All these projects can benefit from your assistance. We are looking for highly-motivated, energetic, committed volunteers who can offer that magical blend of great organizational skills, as well as practical computer and record keeping skills needed to support such projects from planning through to the final stages. Basically we are asking for the same kind of person that Fringe Festival organizers asked for last year - Mary Poppins. In fact, several Mary Poppins. If this sounds like you, please call right away. We'll provide the umbrella. ------------------------------------ 1997/98 COMMUNITY ARTS DIRECTORY AND GUIDE It's that time of year again. For those of you who are new to the Directory, it is a free to the public, one of a kind publication created in partnership with Monday Magazine. 45,000 copies of this Directory are distributed at the end of August. Display ads are sold through Ruby Della-Siega at Monday Magazine, 382-6188. Listings down the centre columns of the Directory are sold through the CACGV office. This is a strong and extremely beneficial partnership and a good example of a local business working with community arts. Last year's Directory was a great success. We received many appreciative comments from users and advertisers alike. The Directory reaches all members of the community. Thousands of people rely on the Directory to guide them to galleries, commission visual artists, hire musical groups, find teachers and classes, and join art-related organizatons. If you would like to be included in this year's Directory and Guide please call the COMMUNITY ARTS COUNCIL OF GREATER VICTORIA office at 381-2787 as soon as possible. ------------------------------------