4th Annual LAUNCH! Festival Looking For Emerging Artists

3 Mar

LAUNCH!FestivalThe 149 Arts Society is proud to announce its 4th Annual LAUNCH! Festival. LAUNCH! is looking for innovative works that push conventional boundaries by emerging artists.  Artists in the areas of performance (dance, music, spoken word, theatre, or new forms) and media/film (fiction, documentary, experimental) are encouraged to apply with their original submissions of 8 minutes or less. Artists experimenting in new forms are strongly encouraged to apply.

Winners are given critical exposure to new audiences and professional mentorship which is intended to help artists in their careers. Selected applicants will perform or present their work in a talent showcase on festival night in the state-of-the-art facilities at the Goldcorp Centre for the Arts.  They will receive live feedback from a panel of top industry experts and will be awarded a professional performance fee. All applicants (even if not selected for the festival) will also be invited to attend a day-long career building workshop the next day.  The workshop will be led by industry mentors with a focus on: how to survive in the arts, developing a “plan B’ strategy, financial planning, marketing and building your resume as well as online profile. Past mentors have included Max Wyman, a Vancouver writer and arts policy consultant, and one of Canada’s leading cultural commentators,  Jim Smith, producer of DanceHouse Vancouver; award-winning independent film director Mina Shum; and award-winning musician, songwriter and composer Veda Hille.

Application deadline is May 24, 2016 at 5:00 pm. LAUNCH! Festival takes place June 17 and 18, 2016 at SFU’s Goldcorp Centre for the Arts, 149 West Hastings Street.  If interested in applying check out their submission guidelines and application form. You will also find regular updates on their Facebook page. For further information, contact the Festival Co-ordinator Simon ThistlewoLAUNCHFestival2od at  vanfestivallaunch@gmail.com.

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Stilt Walking Workshops By Still Moon Arts Society This March

2 Mar

StiltWalkingWorkshopLooking for something to keep your kids and/or young adults entertained during Spring Break? Still Moon Arts Society is offering Stilt Walking Workshops this March for beginners and as well as those looking to brush up on their skills at an intermediate level.   The workshops will be led by Isabelle Kirouac. Isabelle is a professional dancer, acrobatic stilt-walker and educator who has been teaching to both professional artists and community members all over the world. If you’ve attended the Still Moon Arts Society Moon Festival, you may have seen her working behind the scenes. These workshops are open to stilters and aspiring stilters between the ages of 10 and 24.  Workshops are $80 but $50 scholarships are available as part of their Youth Engagement Project which is funded by the BC Arts Council.  The Beginner Stilt Walking Workshop takes place March 19th and 20th and the Intermediate Stilt Walking Workshop takes place March 22nd – 24th. Both workshops take place at Slocan Hall, 2750 East 29th Avenue.  To register, visit Still Moon Arts Society. To learn more about the workshops, contact Isabelle directly at isabellekirouac@gmail.com.

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Blue Dirt Girl Production Presents A Chautauqua At Backspace March 5 & 6

1 Mar

BlueGirlDirtMarch6You are invited to check out a very cool event that’s happening this weekend. A Chautauqua is happening this Saturday at Backspace, 1318 Grant Street. Yes, it’s a little off the beaten path in East Van. Entry is from the back alley. What is A Chautauqua? Think of a traveling tent-show “Chautauquas used to move across America” and produce “popular talks intended to edify and entertain, improve the mind and bring culture and enlightenment to the ears and thoughts of the hearer.” – Robert Pirsig

This weekend Blue Dirt Girl Production brings together live music by Nohearums and blue dirt girl conversations with a human library, Javayoga, dance artist Donna Redlick’s dance video and Sophie Yendole poetry. Along with entertainment, there will also be a show and sale which include Erland Kirste’s carved wood spheroids, Sarah Campbell’s jewelry, artwork by Chris Blades and Blake Williams Art, Charmian Nimmo’s Tuxedo Cat pottery and Kiki Yee’s photography.  For libations, Strange Fellows Brewing, will be supporting this event and if you bring a receipt from a receipt Strange Fellows beer purchase, you receive a $5 discount on your ticket price. Tickets are $20 and available at the door or you can obtain tickets in advance by emailing e: bluedirt@gmail.com. The event takes place Saturday, March 5th 8:00 pm to midnight and carries on Sunday Noon to 4:00 pm. Note, Saturday evening ticket is good for Sunday attendance. Sunday’s attendance is by donation.

Jewellerydeer

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Wait Until Dark At The Havana Theatre March 1-12

29 Feb

WaitUntilDarkA masterfully woven thriller is coming to Havana Theatre, 1212 Commercial Drive, from March 1-12.   Local theatre company, Naked Goddess Productions, brings you Wait Until Dark written by Frederick Knott.  The play features a recently blinded, Susy Hendrix, who finds herself in the possession of a doll that a very sinister Roat is after.  Roat enlists two con men to assist him.  The show features secret identities, drug smuggling and a deadly cat and mouse game. Each suspenseful moment builds on the next until the final terrifying, breath stopping scene. Wait Until Dark previews March 1st, opens March 2nd and runs Tuesday to Saturday.  Tickets are available in advance for $20 online from Brown Paper Tickets or $25 at the door.

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Foto Friday – Chinatown Photos By Mel Woo

26 Feb

ChinatownStarsChinatown is seeing a lot of changes like many areas in the City. We asked a photographer friend who grew on Shanghai Alley in Chinatown to share a few of his favourite photos of the area. We hope you enjoy them.

ChinatownJarsChinaTownSAlleyChinatownChinatownCrabChinatownBanner

4th Annual East Side Beer Fest March 9 At The Wise Hall

25 Feb

EastSideBeerLiberty Merchant Company presents the 4th Annual East Side Beer Fest tasting event on Wednesday, March 9th at the Wise Hall, 1882 Adanac Street. The event will feature craft beers from all over the world as well samples from food purveyors on Commercial Drive. Some of participants lined up for this event include Bomber Brewing, Bridge Brewing, Dageraad Brewing, Driftwood Brewing, Four Winds Brewing Company, Moody Ales, Postmark Brewing, Parallel 49 Brewing, Steel & Oak Brewing Co., Strange Fellows Brewing as well as Copper & Theory, supplier of artisans beers, and Untapped BC which imports craft beer & cider into BC. This event is also a fundraiser for the Greater Vancouver Food Bank Society which helps provide food for up to 25,000 people in need each week. All ticket sales and draw prizes directly support the Greater Vancouver Food Bank Society. Tickets are $24.99 each and available at all Liberty Wine Merchant locations. In East Vancouver, visit them at 1622 Commercial Drive or call them at 604.633.1922. The event gets under way at 7:00 p.m. and goes till 9:00 pm.  Be sure to hop to it, if you want to be sure to get your ticket to this tasty event.

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Rescue Me: Check Out These Foster Kids Looking For A New Home

24 Feb

GeorgiaWelcome to the next installment of Rescue Me in which we feature pets waiting for adoption at the Vancouver SPCA. Today we would like to introduce you to a couple of animals in foster care. First off, there is Georgia who is a 2 year old Labrador Retriever crossed with Pit Bull Terrier.  Georgia is a sweet, smart and energetic girl. She loves playing with other dogs and could easily live with a canine companion that has her rough and tumble style of play, but cats likely not.  She’s a little too into them. Georgia’s friends at the Vancouver SPCA think she is best suited for a house with a yard as well as an adult only home.  Ideally, Georgia needs people that will give her a fair bit of time and attention and initially shouldn’t be left home alone for more than 3-4 hours. This lovely girl recently tore her ACL and has had surgery to repair it, so needs a home with some TLC.  If you think you could give this fire ball of energy a forever home and some time to recuperate, the Vancouver SPCA Shelter would love to hear from you. You can find them at 1205 East 7th Avenue or by telephone at 604-879-7721 or by email at vancouver@spca.bc.ca.

Next up, we’d like to introduce you to Ninja. Ninja is a 7 year old black short hair cross cat and her friends at the Vancouver SPCA would REALLY like you to meet this lovely girl. She is a favourite of the staff and volunteers at the SPCA.  This girl has a heart of gold and an over the top affectionate nature. They’d really like to see her find her forever home. As she’s an older black cat, she tends to be easily overlooked. This lovely girl was surrendered when her guardian could not find pet friendly housing. This home was already her second home, so her friends at the Vancouver SPCA are really hoping her next home will be her last. There are few things that Ninja loves more than people and water. She’s often found pawing in her water bowls and keeping people entertained with her antics. We hear that she takes breaks from her water pawing to enjoy a major cuddle session complete with head butts. One minor disclosure, the staff at the Vancouver SPCA have noticed that Ninja is not really into the other cats, they are recommending she be the only feline in the home.  She’s lived solely indoors and they feel it should remain that way. Common in older cats, Ninja is in the early stages of renal disease so regular vet check-ups are important. Ninja has so much love to offer and she’d really love a forever home. If you think you Ninjacould give this sweet girl a forever home, the Vancouver SPCA Shelter would love to hear from you. You can find them at 1205 East 7th Avenue or by telephone at 604-879-7721 or by email at vancouver@spca.bc.ca.

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East Van Bazaar Happening March 5 At Venables & Commercial Drive

23 Feb

FBbanner_Mar2016_FINALAnother great collaboration of local makers is coming together in East Van on March 5th. The East Van Bazaar will be happening in the space that was formerly home to Astorinos, 1739 Venables at Commercial Drive. Organizers have some experience with local markets and are behind the Studio East Bazaar and East Van Holiday Artist Market.   At the upcoming East Van Bazaar, you will have the opportunity to explore Vancouver’s thriving community of artists and artisans, makers and shakers and doers and dreamers.  They will be gathering under one roof to share their talents and create something beautiful, whether it be hand-crafted jewelry, local wood sculptures, new gadgets, oddities and collectibles, cool handmade items or vintage reworks.  The East Van Bazaar will have over 40 vendors including Tea Lani with specialty teas, soaps by The Good Oak and Mountain Naturals, jewellery designs by Larki Designs Andrea Hodge, Rish Jewellery and Crisp Bones, Pinch with all natural deodorant which I know a number of people have been on the hunt for. Also bags by Bag of Holding and Nara Nation and many more great items. For a full rundown of vendors, visit East Van Bazaar. There will also be live music and a DJ on hand as well as food and drink vendors.  The event kicks off at Noon and runs till 6:00 pm. Admission is a suggested $2 donation.

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Sips Cocktail Emporium In Mount Pleasant Now Offering Workshops

22 Feb

SipsCocktailEmporiumWorkshopWould you like to hone your cocktail making skills? The good folks at Sips Cocktail Emporium in Mount Pleasant are now offering workshops to help you fine tune your skills.  If you are unfamiliar with this great little spot, we invite you to check it out. Darcy Broatch and Jordie Yow have turned their passion for cocktails into a thriving business and opened a bricks and mortar location at 339 East Broadway after starting with an online store. They are now offering a Bartending Basics Workshop which is taught by Lachlan Mackenzie. Lachlan who has bartended at both Pourhouse and the Albi Room will be demonstrating some tips and techniques for making 3 classic cocktails at home.  There will also be a hands-on portion to this class so you will leave with some basic techniques.  Their next workshop is March 23, 2017 and runs from 7:00 – 8:00 pm.  The cost is $30.  To register for the Bartending Basics Workshop visit them online. Of course, feel free to stop by anytime to check out the store and register in person. Cheers!Mother's Day Gold and Pink

Photo Credit: Sips Cocktail Emporium

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Foto Friday – Collaboration of Art & Beer At Callister Brewing

19 Feb

IMG_3178If you follow us regularly, you may know we love our East Van community and aspire to inspire that sense of community.  So with that in mind, in today’s Foto Friday, we would like to give a shout out to Callister Brewing. As well as being one of East Van’s newer breweries, it is also a collaborative brewery which features 4 brewers under one roof, being Callister Brewing, Machine Ales, Brewery Creek & Real Cask Brewing. Basically it’s a commissary for beer makers and on talking to some of the brewers recently, you really get a sense of the collaboration amongst them which is quite prevalent in the craft beer community as a whole.  Callister Brewing, outside of making great beer, also collaborates with artists and features work curated by Lee and Bon Roberts. You will also see their art featured amongst the walls. Originally from East Van, they now live on the Sunshine Coast but collaborate to bring other artists work into the brewery to showcase. No commission changes hands, it’s purely a collaboration in its purest form.  So today, we would like to feature some photos of the art work currently up on the walls of Callister Brewing. Note, all the pieces are for sale. To see them in person, pop by for a beer and see them first hand.

IMG_3176 IMG_3177  IMG_3181CallisterBrewingArtBirdLeeRobertsIMG_3179

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