Tag Archives: Art

Surreal Theatre: An Interactive Roaming Theatre June 28 to September 30th

22 Jun

IMG_8397Something very cool is happening just across the East van line. It’s called Surreal Theatre which is an interactive roaming theatre which takes place in the backstreets and alleys of Gastown. Audience members follow the story and characters wherever they go as well as engaging with them to help progress the story.  How fun is that? Unlike conventional stage theatre, Surreal Theatre brings the audience face-to-face with the story and characters. The story itself goes a little like this “Tom and Charlie haven’t spoken in years. But a chance meeting in Gastown thrusts them back into each other’s lives. Their own perspectives on life have changed. But they still understand one another better than they know themselves, forcing them to confront choices they couldn’t have on their own.   Tom must decide whether he should pursue the career opportunity he’s been working towards his whole life. Charlie’s reflections ultimately lead her to rediscover her true passions in life.”   This dramatic comedy is based on the real life experiences of playwrights Nick and Darby Steeves, which offers a glimpse into the lives of 20 somethings living in present day Vancouver.   The show runs every Tuesday and Friday from June 28th to September 30th at 8:00 pm. Tickets are $25 and available online at Surreal Theatre or by calling 604-809-7516.

Photo Credit: George Lawson Photography

 

Free Family Day Fun At Western Front Saturday June 18th

1 Jun

FamilyDayWesternFrontLooking for some free family fun? Well you are in luck. On Saturday, June 18th the Western Front is hosting their first ever Family Day.  Established in 1973, Western Front is one of Canada’s leading non-profit centres for contemporary art and new music, producing and presenting visual art exhibitions, new music concerts and media art residencies. Their upcoming Family Day event will feature musical performances, curated screenings as well as hands-on art and music activities for all ages. You are invited to explore their facility and get those creative juices flowing which can be through drawing scores for guest musicians that will be on hand, or hat-making, cookie-decorating or a host of other activities they will have lined up.   The Western Front’s youth music program will showcase some of their compositions from the past year which we hear will feature everyday sounds interpreted through looping, beatbox, storytelling, hip hop, electronics, video triggers and of all things, cornstarch!   The Western Front is located at 303 East 8th Avenue and the fun begins at 12:00 pm and goes till 5:00 pm and again, it’s all free.

Stone Soup Festival May 7th At The Britannia Community Centre/Napier Greenway

13 Apr

Stone Soup 2016 Postcard Front ecardBritannia Community Centre, 1661 Napier Street, is hosting the 21st Annual Stone Soup Festival on Saturday, May 7th. This annual event is a celebration of food, art, environment and community. You can expect to find a food market, local artists, community groups, talks and workshops, live music, tea leaf reading, children’s activities, free soup and much more. The Stone Soup Festival aims to bring awareness to the issues of food security, the benefits of sharing resources and eating ‘local’ and celebrating the diversity of food in our neighbourhood, the environment and its importance to the culture of our community.  Some of the highlights from this year’s festival include:

Urban Foraging & Medicine Making with Lori Snyder
Free Drop-In Workshop & Walkabout
Family Activity Room 1:00 pm – 3:00 pm

The Greenhorn Community Music Project
Performance 1:00 pm West Kid’s Area

Children’s Interactive Music with George Rahi (from Gamelan Bike Bike)
West Kid’s Area 2:00 pm

“Saving Our Wild Salmon” Slide Show & Talk by Eddie Gardner
Britannia Library  3:00 pm

There will be live music on the Commercial Drive Stage starting at Noon with the Carnival Band kicking things off, then at 1:00 pm Backspin takes the stage followed by the Tim Sars Duo at 2:00 pm. After that The Vancouver Fiddle Club keep things moving about 3:00 pm which are followed by Rio Samaya at 4:00 p.m. The Stone Soup Festival kicks off at Noon and runs till 5:00 pm. This is a family friendly event with lots of activities for the kids including face painting, storytelling and a kids activity area.  For more information, contact the Britannia Community Centre at T: 604.718.5800.

2nd Annual Parker Art Salon & Fine Art Exhibition

6 Apr

ParkerArtSalonDid you miss the Eastside Culture Crawl? Well you are in luck, as the 2nd Annual Parker Art Salon & Fine Art Exhibition happens April 22 – 24, 2016. The beautiful and historic 1000 Parker Street Studios, which is home to many artist studios, will open their doors to the public for this 3 day event.  57 artist studios will open their doors and transform the 2nd and 3rd floors which will feature painting, sculpture and installation pieces and much more.  This is a great opportunity not only to see some of the amazing creative talent that we have in our fair City, but to meet and chat with the artists.  This is a free event and open to everyone.  There is lots of free parking available in the area.  The event kicks off with an Opening Reception Friday, April 22nd from 7:00 pm to 9:00 pm.  Workshops and live painting will be on display Saturday and Sunday from Noon to 4:00 pm.  If you wish to check out which artists will be participating, we invite you to check out the ‘Artists’ rundown on their site.

Of course, if you are in this area to check out some art, we can recommend many great spots close by for a drink, bite or beer.  There is of course coffee on Commercial Drive with a great array of choices including Moja’s Coffee as well as Uprising Breads on Venables Street. For something sweet there is ice cream at La Casa Gelato with a long list of flavours and only a hop skip and jump down the street. For brunch beforehand, Havana Restaurant on The Drive comes to mind as does Café Deux Soleils. These are only a couple of many great spots to choose from in the area. There are also lots of great craft breweries close by Strange Fellow Brewing being one of the closest, but there is also Parallel 49 Brewing, Bomber Brewing and at the foot of Victoria Drive, Odd Society Spirits for a cocktail. If you want a bite and beer, think Biercraft, Stateside Craft and St. Augustine’s.   Other great food choices include Mezcal for Mexican, Cabrito’s for tapas, Falconetti’s for sausages, Cannibal Café for burgers, JamJar for Lebanese, pizza at Via Tevere on Victoria, but heads up best to be there for their 5:00 pm opening and get in line. Other good pizza choices include Lombardo’s, Marcello’s and Famoso Pizzeria.  I mean if in the area, might as well take in all it has to offer right?!

Meet A Scientist – Experiment With An Artist Weekend At Science World April 9 & 10

4 Apr

MeetScientist

You are invited to Experiment With An Artist Weekend At Science World on April 9 & 10. This two day event is brought to you by Curiosity Collider and Science World.   You will have the opportunity to participate in hands-on activities with scientists as well as interacting with on-site artists. The line up of artists include Char Hoyt, Christopher Rodrigues, Laura Lee Coles, Michelle Weinstein, Sammy Chien, Willa Downing and more. Some of the scientists lined up and their respective fields include Stefanie Vogt (microbiology), Amy Smith (neuroscience), Rosa An (geo-technical engineering), Jacqueline Wong (audiologist), Antonya Gonzalez (developmental psychology), Philip LeSueur (geological engineering), Samuel Brenner (civil engineering), Kelly Ablard (biology), and Regan Zhang (medical genetics). Keep an eye on their Facebook page for updates. Admission for this event is general admission to Science World. The event runs from 10:00 am – 4:00 pm on April 9th and 10th.   For more information and to see a full list of artists and scientists, visit their Facebook page or follow them on Twitter @ccollider.  They want to know, what makes you curious?

“Creating Curiosity – come meet curious people, and explore new ways to experience science together.”

Bonnie & Clyde The Musical At Havana Theatre March 29 – April 9

31 Mar

bonnie-clydeA great passionate musical is now playing at the Havana Theatre. Bonnie & Clyde, the legendary outlaws of the Great Depression, are two of America’s biggest folk heros.  The show is based on the true story of these ill-fated lovers and is a fearless depiction of the couple’s wild passion and thirst for fame told through memorable music and relatable characters. From their very first meeting, Bonnie & Clyde are immediately connected by their desire to be bigger than their small town lives and they set off together to chase their dreams. When their reckless adventure goes awry, it sets them on a downward spiral with their friends and family following in tow. The musical also portrays the couple’s dark descent from dreams to destruction.  Bonnie & Cycle is now running at the Havana Theatre until April 9th.  Tickets are $25 and are available in advance from Eventbrite.

Vancouver’s 1st Pop Up Record Shop & Party March 31st

28 Mar

VinylRecordFairIn case you haven’t heard the news, record albums have made a resurgence in the last few years. I still have a personal collection stashed away with my first purchase ‘back in the day’ being Supertramp’s Breakfast in America’. An absolute classic of an album. Others tucked away in that box include Pat Benatar and The Cars both played at full volume and often. For those of a younger generation, this was in the days before everyone had a personal set of headphones and iPods.  If you played music on high volume, everyone in the house heard it.  Of course, hanging around listening to records with your friends as a group was a regular event. Not quite the solo endeavor it seems to be more now with the inception of iPods and smartphones.  There is an upcoming event that seeks to revive that passion for music and bringing people together who share a passion for albums and music. It’s called Vinyl, Art & Leisure and takes place March 31st from 6:00 pm to 10:00 pm at 1965 Main Street.  This event will also include art, records sales and/or swapping, affordable drinks, some DJs and well, of course, music.  Who knows what you might find.  Could be that album you’ve always been looking for and to attend, it’s free.

Call For Artists 2016 – 2017 Showcase Your Art At The Cultch

17 Mar

TheCultchCallToArtistsThe Cultch, 1895 Venables Street, has put out a call to visual artists to submit applications to exhibit their work during their 2016/2017 gallery season. Each exhibition will run for 3 to 4 weeks between September 2016 and June 2017. Submissions can be single or multiple artists’ proposals.

The Cultch has built a reputation over the past 40 years as one of Western Canada’s most innovative and exciting presenting venues. The mandate of The Cultch is to contribute to the enrichment of the city and community’s social and cultural life through the presentation of innovative programs of contemporary music, theatre, dance and visual arts by established and emerging artists.

The Cultch Gallery is a multi-use space and not a traditional art gallery as it also serves as the lobby for performances and is occasionally used for meetings and other small events. Due to the diverse nature of their space, submissions that include sculptures or free standing art will not be accepted.

Submission Criteria for Artists:

  1. An artist statement
  2. Artist bio(s)
  3. Resume/CV
  4. A complete list of images you are submitting, which should include title, size, medium. These images do not have to be the work you will be showing. They want to get a good overview of your work.
  5. You can submit up to 10 images. Image files should be in .jpeg format. File names must include the artist name, title of artwork and size of the work when framed: (example: Yuri Arajs – Sunny Day -18 in x 30 in. jpg)

Deadline for applications is June 1, 2016. It is preferred that you email your submissions or any questions to Yuri Arajs, Gallery Coordinator at e: gallery@thecultch.com.

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.

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.

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