Arts Commons Winter Magazine 18

Cristina Mittermeier changes perspectives. p.4 | The High Performance Rodeo tackles difficult subject matter with Inside Out Theatre. p.14 | Take a walk in Memphis with Marc Cohn. p.40

M A G A Z I N E W I N T E R 2 0 1 8 | #08

LETTER FROM JOHANN

W

hen Arts Commons embarked on our rebranding campaign a few years ago, we centred all our efforts around a shared desire to be more OPEN. Indeed, this has become one of our three operating Values: “Be Open: mind, heart, arms.” Our aspiration was – and still is – to impact our community in a positive way, through empathy, openness, trust, and collaboration. For us these are not just words. We try to be guided by these ideas in every action and interaction every day, and we hold each other accountable by sharing and learning through experiences.

In part, this direction was a reaction to the opposing posture exhibited in the previous century by many arts organizations: to be exclusive and “separated” from normal everyday life. We also responded to what we heard from our many focus-group discussions with the diverse community of Calgary: they wanted to feel welcome, included, represented, and understood. I found it interesting that an oft-used word in these discussions was absent: “tolerant.” Nobody wanted to be “tolerated” – we all wanted to be understood.

Having lived through the dysfunction and cruelty of Apartheid in South Africa, and celebrating the wonders of the “Rainbow Nation’s” new democracy, I now see the old tensions returning. Instead of focusing on what we have in common, human beings tend to emphasize the differences between us. We see this in many other nations today. As it did in South Africa, the arts can and should play a role in building bridges of understanding and of healing. The arts uniquely can explore tensions, differences, disagreements, and misunderstandings between “others” in a safe, non-threatening environment. This is more necessary now than ever.

In this issue we feature many powerful stories of building relationships, breaking down barriers, opening eyes/hearts/minds, and creating safe spaces – of finding a home at Arts Commons for all.

I am so glad you are a part of our story!

Johann F. Zietsman President & CEO, Arts Commons

Winter 2018 Arts Commons

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contents

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Through the Lens of Humanity

Safety in the Pursuit of Welcoming Spaces

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Constellations The Broadway hit comes to Calgary with a love story of parallel worlds and unspoken possibilities, but wait…there’s more!

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The Musician and the Activist GRAMMY® and Latin GRAMMY® winner Lila Downs speaks about the origin of her activism within her art.

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Make Love Not Art Col Csecke sits down for a chat with Inside Out Theatre’s Playwright-in-Residence Elaine Lee to talk about their new work, Make Love Not Art.

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Home Sweet Home Arts Commons makes room to welcome the Calgary Civic Symphony, along with multiple instruments, and 500 orchestral scores!

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Arts Commons Winter 2018

©Cristina Mittermeier

Cristina Mittermeier uses her powerful photography to inform, change perceptions, and link us all with a common thread – humanity.

Visual artists May G N and Tamara Lee-Anne Cardinal delve into the concept of safe spaces, and how we can make all of our public spaces more open and welcoming.

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What's On at Arts Commons What's new and notable this winter at Arts Commons.

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Giving to Enhance our City Donors and Arts Commons supporters Bob and Sue Benzen talk about why charitable giving has always been a key part of their lives.

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Walking in Memphis 25 years later, Walking in Memphis has become one of the quintessential songs of its time and singer/songwriter Marc Cohn has a few things to say about it.

ONS CO M M A RTS E! G IN IN L Z A ON H IS A M VA IL B A L E ring, A YES! T a h s IS y E ce b Z IN M AG A our experien is publication y th Expand and enjoying ns.ca o , reading it artscomm ns Vis . e n li ommo n o #artsc

@yyca

rts

contributors

TASHA KOMERY Editor-In-Chief

ALEX BONYUN Managing Editor

KAIJA DIRKSON Creative Manager / Graphic Design

ERIN BELTON

Ariane Terado Ariane is a master at all things social. When she’s not acting as the Marketing Coordinator and the face behind the social media platforms for Arts Commons, she is passionate about keeping up with her creative outlets of baking and planning events for her family and friends.

Her life has become a juggling act between work and family life with her husband, a three year old daughter, and another one on the way.

Graphic Design

Elizabeth Chorney-Booth CONTRIBUTORS Elizabeth Chorney-Booth, Alex Bonyun, Col Cseke, May G N, Daniel Mills, Ariane Terado, Shone Thistle, and Johann Zietsman

RESIDENT COMPANIES Alberta Theatre Projects, Arts Commons Presents, Calgary International Children’s Festival, Calgary Philharmonic Orchestra, Downstage, One Yellow Rabbit, and Theatre Calgary

PUBLISHED BY Arts Commons 205 8th Avenue SE Calgary, Alberta T2G 0K9 Phone: 403-294-7455 Fax: 403-294-7457 artscommons.ca

Elizabeth Chorney-Booth is a Calgary-based freelance writer and the co-author of two best-selling cookbooks.

Her work has appeared in the Globe and Mail, Today's Parent, WestJet Magazine and many other local and national publications. When she's not eating, traveling, or taking in a show, Elizabeth is likely hanging out in Calgary with her husband and two children.

May G N May G N is a Trans Albertan artist and author that works with new media print technologies to produce work that spans the emotional, physical, and societal.

Through layering image, text and material, May G N provides scenarios where the decisions of the viewer are interrogated surrounding their relationship with queer identities and the territories they inhabit and change.

© Copyright 2018 by Arts Commons; may not be reprinted without expressed permission.

The opinions expressed herein are those of the respective authors and not necessarily those of Arts Commons.

Arts Commons will not be liable for any damages or losses, howsoever sustained, as a result of the reliance on, or use by a reader or any other person of, any information, opinions or products expressed, advertised or otherwise contained herein.

Whew… glad we got that out there, now enjoy the magazine.

ON THE COVER Sharing powerful, compelling images of the faces of the world is all in a day's work for National Geographic photographer Cristina Mittermeier.

Learn more about her life's work, and National Geographic Live 2017-18 season on page 4.

Winter 2018 Arts Commons

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Arts Commons Winter 2018

WRITTEN BY ALEX BONYUN

C

ristina Mittermeier defines herself as a conservationist first, and a photographer second. She has focused her body of work around sharing the stories of people who live off of and are in harmony with nature. She has been embedded with the Kayapo people of the Amazon, slept on the Arctic ice with the Inuit peoples of Canada, and everything in between. Her photography has been featured in hundreds of publications, and she has been recognized as one of the World’s top 40 Most Influential Outdoor Photographers by Outdoor Magazine.

in her young professional career that it was difficult to connect strongly with people through science. She has published papers and focused her early scientific research around identifying biodiversity hotspots where limited resources might be more effective in conserving life on Earth, but it wasn’t getting the message out there.

“Photography is something that I stumbled upon as a great way of engaging people in a larger conversation around environmental issues,” says Mittermeier.

When she discovered that she had a talent for capturing powerful photos, Mittermeier’s entire outlook changed. She went back to school and enrolled in the

Despite her accolades as a photographer, it was never a career that Mittermeier had

“Photography is something that I stumbled upon as a great way of engaging people in a larger conversation around environmental issues.” originally envisioned for herself. Growing up in Cuernavaca near Mexico City, she gained an early fascination with nature, and the wealth of life present on our planet. She was particularly drawn to the oceans, and went to school to become a marine biologist. Cristina quickly realized

Adult Education Program for Photography.

This launched her into a career of using powerful images to change perceptions, and inspire change. “My entire career has been to increase the amount of communications around conservation issues, which is to use beautiful imagery Cont...

Opposite (top): Indigenous youth pose for camera. © Cristina Mittermeier (bottom left): Jellyfish off the coast of British Columbia. © Cristina Mittermeier (bottom centre): Harp seal in the Canadian Arctic. © Cristina Mittermeier (bottom right): Cristina Mittermeier in Caravelas in southern Bahia, Brazil. © Paul Nicklen

Winter 2018 Arts Commons

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Before you see Standing at the Water's Edge with Cristina Mittermeier, don't miss our other two National Geographic Explorers in 2018!

Traditional Inuit Hunters of Greenland. © Cristina Mittermeier

to clue people into issues that affect us all, but that people are not always aware of.”

planet of being siblings and mothers – just humans. I rely on those similarities.”

Mittermeier’s powerful photos are intimate and engaging, telling a very human story.

This talent for getting the inside story came about in an unexpected way for Mittermeier when she travelled to a remote corner of Southwestern China with her husband, a primatologist, and three children. The days involved arduous hikes through the thick forest in search of troops of monkeys.

“I eventually stayed behind in the village with the kids. I was amazed at how the children were easily accepted into people’s households and how much easier it was to become part of village life. Having my children with me opened doors that would otherwise have been impossible to enter,” says Mittermeier. “We’re all human, and we all have very similar experiences on this

Her photography consistently conveys a powerful message of humanity, and how as much as we may see ourselves as different, we all share basic human values. And one of these values, our ability to survive and prosper, is tied to the fate of our planet.

Arts Commons Presents

who what

when

National Geographic Live Standing at the Water's Edge: Cristina Mittermeier

April 22 & 23, 2018

where

Jack Singer Concert Hall

403-294-9494 artscommons.ca tickets

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Arts Commons Winter 2018

“The most important message I can give people is that never before in our history on this planet, have humans been separated from nature. We seem to have forgotten that our entire existence depends on a healthy environment. Indigenous people around the world still remember this and there are important lessons we can learn from them if we want to live in a sustainable way.”

January 21 & 22, 2018 Arts Commons Presents

National Geographic Live: View from Above with astronaut Terry Virts

See page 26 for more details

-Cristina Mittermeier comes to Calgary as part of National Geographic Live, brought to Arts Commons by Series Presenter the Royal Bank of Canada.

March 4 & 5, 2018 Arts Commons Presents

National Geographic Live: A Wild Life with photographer Bertie Gregory

See page 31 for more details

The best way to support a community is to be a part of it.

There’s no better place to start making a difference than close to home. As part of our communities, naturally we want to see them thrive. For that reason, we’re actively involved in them, including supporting programs like National Geographic Live at the Arts Commons. Every community has a Someday™ — together we can make it happen.

TM

® / ™ Trademark(s) of Royal Bank of Canada.

90780A (01/2016)

Winter 2018 Arts Commons

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WRITTEN BY ELIZABETH CHORNEY-BOOTH

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Arts Commons Winter 2018

N

early everyone has had those “what if?” moments when it comes to romantic relationships.

What if you had stayed home rather than going out the night you met your spouse?

What if you had followed your instincts and turned down the person who ended up breaking your heart? What if you hadn’t resisted the temptation to flirt with someone else when your relationship hit a temporary rough patch? What if, what if, what if?

These are the questions explored in Alberta Theatre Projects’ production of Constellations, which runs from February 27 to March 17, 2018. Nick Payne’s script has already seen much-celebrated productions on Broadway and in London’s West End. The play is a love story, but it’s also an exploration of science, quantum physics, and the concept of “multiverses” where each decision anyone ever makes splits them off into a myriad of concurrent alternate realities. It’s heady stuff, but ATP’s production, directed by Canadian actor and director Valerie Planche, approaches the subject matter with a mix of humour and tenderness.

“We call it a scientific romance,” Planche says. “Humans are messy. I love that the script reflected all the possible choices in relationships and how they can go wrong.

It’s a dark romantic comedy — it has its heart firmly in the right place.”

Constellations’ two young lovers — played

by ATP veteran Jamie Konchak and Mike Tan, who is making his ATP debut — play out the fractured realities of their universe by repeating scenes from various points in their relationship with tweaked outcomes for a fast-paced and often very funny production. The multiverse concept is intensified thanks to David Fraser’s set and lighting design, which Planche describes as reflecting the endless nature of the metaphysical universe.

still follow along, but Konchak and Tan have worked hard on their signing skills to make the signed conversation seem natural and clear to audience members who do communicate in ASL. The scene prompted ATP to also schedule an ASL interpreted performance of Constellations so that hearing-impaired audiences can experience the entire show in ASL. “I really want the people in the audience to have that experience of seeing it translated and know they’re also included in these many worlds,” Planche says. “And then for a non-hearing impaired audience, we get to experience different ways of knowing.

That’s been really important to us.”

"...the script reflected all the possible choices in relationships and how they can go wrong."

-ATP’s Constellations runs from February 27 through to March 17 in the Martha Cohen Theatre at Arts Commons. For tickets and more information, visit artscommons.ca.

“We wanted to try to figure out how to engage in creating infinite space,” she says.

“We’re talking about multi-dimensions in this show. So we had to try to think outside the box and look at molecular structures to talk about the intricacies of the universe.”

Alberta Theatre Projects

who

Constellations’ multiverse world doesn’t just include a diversity of possibilities, but also a diversity of perceptions and ways of interacting with the world. One of the play’s central scenes is performed exclusively in American Sign Language (ASL). It’s a repetition of a similar scene performed in English, meaning that non-signers can

what when

Constellations

February 27 – March 17, 2018

where

Martha Cohen Theatre

403-294-9494 artscommons.ca tickets

Opposite: Jamie Konchak and Mike Tan, Constellations

Winter 2018 Arts Commons

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Roy Book Binder March 2 & 3, 2018 Arts Commons, Engineered Air Theatre, 8pm

TICKETS: 403-294-9494 OR Title Sponsor

February 12, 2018

Arts Commons, 6–9pm Mezzanine Level

ARCHITECTURE OF SCULPTURE Learn more and invite your friends at artscommons.ca/happenings

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Arts Commons Winter 2018

Public Sector Support

artscommons.ca/roy Arts Commons Box Office Sponsor

Official Suppliers

Investing in our communities Repsol is a proud sponsor of Arts Commons’ National Geographic Live educational program.

Photo by Mark Thiessen

www.bdplaw.com

Winter 2018 Arts Commons

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WRITTEN BY SHONE THISTLE 12

Arts Commons Winter 2018

W

hether political, environmental, or deeply personal, there are moments that define our lives and sometimes define generations.

September 19, 1985 was such a day for Mexican-American songstress, Lila Downs.

It was ten days after her seventeenth birthday, 7:18 in the morning, and Mexico City was literally shaken awake by an 8.1-magnitude earthquake; an earthquake that left 10,000 dead, 30,000 injured, and thousands more homeless.

Today, Downs remembers the events following that earthquake as the birthplace of her activism. She recalls how naturally people came together to help one another.

Volunteerism was at an all-time high.

People dusted off their boots, embraced

Downs’ first love in university. When Downs was asked what shifted her focus back to music, she immediately referenced the first time she heard Violeta Parra sing Gracias a la vida or Thank you to life. “People can be moved so profoundly by a work of art that it can change them.”

On the heels of the most significant mass shooting in US history, and reflecting on those who suggest her latest album (which just won a Latin GRAMMY® for Best Traditional Pop Vocal album) demonstrates a softer side of her activism, Downs’ has this to say, “Each moment we live is a change, and the easiest thing would be to go buy a number of machine guns and kill a bunch of people, but is that what we want? I don’t think so. It’s either that, or learning to live in harmony with others.

That’s what I truly believe.”

Downs’ career spans three decades of speaking truth to power. She says “the truth is very uncomfortable and painful and that’s what we are going through right now.” Pointing toward the political use of difference as a fear tactic, Downs goes on to express that “the beauty of art is that it can be ambiguous,” and despite some politician’s interest in divisiveness, “the basic essence of us all is love.”

Musically speaking, although her music is always fresh and impactful, not much has changed for Downs; she remains a feminine power house, transcending genres and pouring her heart-filled passion into every performance.

“People can be moved so profoundly by a work of art that it can change them.” their neighbors and began rebuilding everything from streets to schools, churches, clinics, and local watering holes. Collective grief became collective resilience, and Downs began to realize the capacity of the human spirit.

Around the same time in Downs’ life, she was noticing classist cultures both in Mexico and the US. She watched how hard her mother worked, a Mixtec cabaret singer of first nation’s decent, and saw how marginalized people were being treated on both sides of the border.

Perhaps this is why anthropology was

-Arts Commons is grateful for the support of Burnet, Duckworth & Palmer, LLP.

Born of both British-American and Mexican decent, Downs draws on the strength of her cross cultural identity to underpin her powerful vocals and justice driven activism.

She sings with admiration for her home in Oaxaca, Mexico, and she’s been known to draw attention to significant issues faced by Indigenous peoples. Her albums are known for their social significance, especially her album, One Blood, or Una Sangre, which includes songs such as Dignificada, a song about Digna Ochoa's assassination.

Arts Commons Presents

who what

when

BD&P World Music Lila Downs

March 8, 2018

where

Jack Singer Concert Hall

403-294-9494 artscommons.ca tickets

© Lila Downs

Winter 2018 Arts Commons

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WRITTEN BY COL CSEKE Inside Out Theatre’s Playwright-in-Residence Elaine Lee and Artistic Director Col Cseke began developing their new play Make Love Not Art three years ago. As they reach the final draft, and ready themselves to start rehearsal, they look back at their process together.

They describe the play as an unconventional romantic comedy, but that wasn’t their first idea. Initially they imagined an adaptation of Beauty and the Beast where Elaine’s character is trapped in a condo for years after the accessible elevator broke, and instead of a candlestick and clock she’s surrounded by magical government-provided support workers.

Col Think back three years or so when we first talked about working together, how does where we ended up compare to what you were expecting?

Elaine When we first started to write I don’t think either of us knew how it would evolve, but three years later I feel more confident that has come together well. I am so grateful for this process we have taken to make my ideas come to life based on subject matter that is rarely ever spoken of. Although it has been a challenge at times, I believe the result is going to open a lot of eyes and invite society to see everything from a different perspective.

What were your first thoughts when you invited me to be a Playwright in Residence and co-write with you?

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Arts Commons Winter 2018

© Cindy Byrams

Col Well, we met when we were both at a meeting about Equity and Diversity, and you spoke at the end, do you remember?

I thought you had a lot to say and that you’d thought a lot about your place in the world. To be honest now, I also secretly hoped that you’d want to eventually perform (got ya!). All together I thought you were magnetic, I felt it, and I thought it’d be a good idea to try and get as many people to experience that as possible.

will allow our community to see me as being much more than a “cute” face. With my Bachelor of Fine Arts Degree, it has always been an honour to share visual art with everyone, but a huge part of me also resides inside my restless mind that misses being in the theatre world, as I used to write plays, film scripts, and act throughout my university days.

Col

How has our project helped you both personally and professionally?

Shhhh…why are you giving away our secrets?! Of course, I am nervous, terrified and scared because it’s out of character for the outside world to see me from this perspective. I am not scared about this scene. I am worried that society will have negative views of me because I have chosen to create something so controversial.

Whether I am on or off-stage, this is a side of me that remains silenced.

In our play our characters kiss, the walls are covered with pictures of your body, and I get naked for a little while. So it's going to be intimate I guess is what I'm saying.

Is that making you as nervous as it is me?

Elaine

Col Somewhere along the way, the Beauty and the Beast satire was dropped as Elaine and Col got to know each other; in particular they latched onto Elaine’s experience as a visual artist. This next iteration remained pretty dark though as it focused on a damaged, and exploitative relationship between their two main characters. The most significant change that stuck was Elaine and Col to perform the show together.

Col You trained as a visual artist and are working with us as a writer/performer, is there a particular type of artistic satisfaction you get out of theatre work that's different than your visual arts work?

Elaine Yes! I love that very few people know I actually have experience as a playwright and performing artist. I hope this project

It’s helped me understand what it means to create projects that blend the personal and the professional. You mention that it’s been challenging at times, I think you’re being kind on me here. I know that you carried the bulk of the emotional during this process.

When we were just getting to know each other I was really prying into some sensitive parts of your personal life. At times I think I crossed some lines and pushed too hard, but you stuck with it. That was the best thing I learnt, that working with sensitive and strong people makes all the difference.

Why would you OFFER to get naked? I’m getting stage fright just thinking about it!

Col I wouldn’t say I offered, it just seemed right for our characters. I am happy that’s where things went though (happy isn’t the right word, I’m terrified and very self conscious) but thinking of how much you reveal of yourself in the show it’s the least I can reveal… wait, that sounds terrible, it was the least I could do.

The darkness of the second iteration of the script wasn’t connecting to the growing friendship and closeness Elaine and Col were developing. In its third (and let’s hope final) version Make Love Not Art isn’t naive about what it means for someone with Col’s body to fall for someone with Elaine’s, but it isn’t afraid of that either. Their world still sucks, but now they find refuge in each other.

Make Love Not Art

who what when

Part of High Performance Rodeo

January 9 - 12, 2018

where

Engineered Air Theatre

403-294-9494 artscommons.ca tickets

Winter 2018 Arts Commons

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“Breathtaking”

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Arts Commons Winter 2018

Supporting those who brighten our lives.

Arts and culture have a unique capacity for creating community spirit and bringing people together. A thriving creative scene not only provides entertainment, but also inspires fresh ideas and perspectives. At Cenovus, we’re big fans of those.

Cenovus Energy. A Canadian oil company.

New ideas. New approaches.

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Winter 2018 Arts Commons

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WRITTEN BY ARIANE TERADO

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Arts Commons Winter 2018

CALGARY CIVIC SYMPHONY MOVES IN

E

ach season, Arts Commons opens its doors to hundreds of third party organizations who use the space for everything from touring concerts and stage shows, to corporate functions and even weddings. With each one of these engagements, the goal is to create a lasting relationship, and create the best experience for everyone involved. One of those lasting and growing relationships is with the Calgary Civic Symphony. If you are not familiar with them, they are often mistaken for the Calgary Philharmonic Orchestra and one of the biggest challenges they face is “that people don’t know about [them]".

They’re working hard to resolve that.

with those who may need a little support.

The result was a committed and supportive orchestra, loved by their audience.

“It’s been a phenomenal move for us,” says executive director, Manon Mitchell.

“The acoustics are just wow. We can hear everything so much better and it reduces the stress in the orchestra, because now that I can hear, I can play better.”

The growing relationship between Calgary Civic Symphony and Arts Commons started in early 2000 when the Symphony showcased the winners of the Calgary Concerto Competition at the Jack Singer Concert Hall for a one time concert. Since then, they’ve continuously added more dates until they were looking at holding all their concerts in the Jack, creating a wonderful

Moving into Arts Commons also allowed them to attract better amateur musicians in town who want to come and play at the Jack Singer Concert Hall. Although the challenge still remains that they are often mistaken as the Calgary Philharmonic

"It allows us to continue to build our relationship with Arts Commons, and continue to attract better amateur musicians in town who want to play here, at the Jack Singer."

Calgary Civic Symphony was founded in 1975, by Ken Nielsen and a number of retired musicians from the Calgary Philharmonic who still wanted to stretch their orchestral muscles. Although most of the members were trained in music, only 20% of the Civic Symphony members were professionals in the music business.

relationship where Arts Commons started to take the initiative to contact them for dates a year in advance. The next step only made sense.

The Symphony turned this number on its head with the acquisition of Rolf Birch as conductor and artistic director. With experience conducting orchestras in countries like China and Italy, he excelled at “managing the valuable time they had in rehearsal to focus on the parts that are critical to making a great performance.”

This is an invaluable skill considering that the majority of the Symphony’s players are not committed full time. He uses techniques like shifting the seating arrangements from concert to concert to pair stronger players

In August of 2017, the Calgary Civic Symphony moved into the Arts Commons building. Since moving in, they’ve solved another of their biggest challenges – storing an entire orchestra’s worth of instruments as well as a 500 orchestral work library.

At Arts Commons, they have easy access to their instruments (no more carrying percussion sets up narrow sets of stairs) and the Jack Singer Rehearsal Hall, where the specialized lighting and balanced acoustics serve to highlight the musicians’ talents even more during rehearsals.

Orchestra, Mitchell assures that they are not in competition.

“I equate it to hockey. As someone who is not a hockey fan, I can go to a Hitmen game, and go to a Flames game, and to me they’re the same,” says Mitchell. “But to a hockey fan there’s a big difference. So, in that scenario, we’re the Hitmen.”

-For more information on Calgary Civic Symphony’s concerts, visit calgarycivicsymphony.ca/current-season

Opposite: All images courtesy of Calgary Civic Symphony

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WRITTEN BY MAY G N

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Arts Commons Winter 2018

DISCUSSION WITH TAMARA LEE-ANNE CARDINAL

T

amara Lee-Anne Cardinal, an Indigenous emerging artist, social worker, and friend of mine for something like six years, sat down to talk with me about art institutions. A trained sculptor and installation-maker as well as performance artist, Cardinal’s practice includes elements of traditional ceremony, community, and the common aspects of the human experience to orchestrate her practice. Cardinal’s place in her own community is one that straddles the territory of both artist and social worker, working within Awoo Taan Healing Lodge alongside their gallery practice.

Cardinal’s work involves an externalization of otherness, the position of those who act perceptibly outside what’s considered the cultural norm. Combining outfit and action, Cardinal’s performances embody their lived experience through a traversal of Albertan city spaces, conducting interventions and confronting ideas of difference. In her installation work, she creates with the aim of infusing a space with the potential for understanding between artist, the other, and the viewer.

Recently featured in the Alberta Biennial (distributed across the Art Gallery of Alberta in Edmonton with a secondary exhibition occupying the walls of the Walter Phillips Gallery in Banff), the topic of inclusion is a common intersection between me and Cardinal. As I was in residence in the Arts Commons public

facing gallery, the Lightbox Studio, we met there to address questions of safety, institutional barriers, and trust between artist and community. Tamara’s residency is soon to follow here in the winter term between January-March.

The question of safety for artists outside the conventional, cis-white spectrum is an important one, but the nature of the question requires scrutiny. Questions of safety become inverted; is talk of safety around public art programming for the benefit of the artist, or inside the language of the art institution, is it more for the public? Not barring the good nature of institutional workers and administrators, larger societal forces can tint the colour of the conversation.

When defining the institution's role, specifically Arts Commons, we jointly referred to it as an ‘aspirational space’, one that is available to average people, acting as an interface between the public and what Calgary culture has to offer nationally and internationally; a vision of Calgarian potential. Cardinal questions the ideological locations of such programming, citing the inaccessible nature of the work it supports. Naturally, as Cardinal elaborates, there are pitfalls. ‘Because of that need to reach out and engage, (the work) can become too generalized… you can end up walking on eggshells for certain topics others don't want to discuss in the open.’ What is art when you navigate around these difficulties?

In discussing the creation of welcoming spaces and defining their best practices, Cardinal poses the importance of a long term commitment. ‘This is just the beginning of the conversation. Neither you nor I can write a prescriptive protocol of how this is going to go. You and I already know what we can offer. What it comes down to is that institution's ability to address the issues from the inside out…

You need a continuum!’ I personally believe the role of Arts Commons is integral to the development of a more accurate public perception of marginalized artists, certainly, but any socially accountable programming requires time and care to manifest.

The question of what form this kind of institution takes is left open to all involved.

When addressing her personal relationship with safety and accessibility in art making, Cardinal and I hold a similar view; the artist is not always looking to foster a safe environment for themselves. Cardinal suggests an artist's relationship with safety is up to the individual. ‘Sometimes the artist might do something that’s in an effort to navigate and explore themselves; as artists we might not always realize our own safety.’

Tamara Lee-Anne Cardinal

who what

Awakening the Generations

January 8 – February 26, 2018

when

where info

Lightbox Studio artscommons.ca

Winter 2018 Arts Commons

21

Arts Commons is proud to be home to these theatre and performance companies, festivals, and services.

EVENT SPACES INFUSED WITH THE ARTS Book one of our venues today! artscommons.ca/yourevent

22

Arts Commons Winter 2018

TD is proud to support Jazz and Music Festivals across Canada.

We are working together with Arts Commons to bring people together through a shared love of music.

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The TD logo and other trade-marks are the property of The Toronto-Dominion Bank.

M05234 (0216)

Winter 2018 Arts Commons

23

what’s on

December 1, 2017 – February 23, 2018 visual and media arts

Arts Commons Presents

Beneath, Site & Studio, Mutable Immobiles, and I am so Emulsional Arts Commons showcases four unique exhibits in the Window Galleries from artists Cameron Young, Cody Cox, Heather Close, and Sebastian Jarmula that explore unique photographic techniques, the relationship of structures, our environment, and our city to us. where

December 1, 2017 – February 12, 2018

Window Galleries

when

Always open artscommons.ca

info

visual and media arts

Arts Commons Presents

Omip.Pip, Membrana Mortis (Dead Film), and BUILT Three new media arts short films are featured by artists Kyle Whitehead, Maziar Ghaderi, and Emmanuel Ho around themes of the visual representation of music, honouring the anniversary of Super 8 film, and examining the creation of a super city. where

Broadcast Lab

when tickets

Always open artscommons.ca

January 5 – 13, 2018 theatre

One Yellow Rabbit and Theatre Calgary

Onegin

Part of One Yellow Rabbit’s 32nd Annual High Performance Rodeo Innovative and in-your-face, this is musical theatre at its best. Tchaikovsky and Pushkin have been re-imagined into an indie-rock musical. A runaway hit in Toronto and Vancouver, Onegin is not to be missed. where

December 1, 2017 – February 23, 2018

Max Bell Theatre

when 7:30pm info tickets

hprodeo.ca & theatrecalgary.ca artscommons.ca

visual and media arts

Arts Commons Presents

Benign Antonyms Exploring form versus function, Megan Dyck’s Benign Antonyms makes clever use of sculpture and textiles to re-contextualize familiar surfaces and forms to make the viewer reconsider the way in which they would interact with that object. where when info

Ledge Gallery

Studio times vary artscommons.ca

january 24

Arts Commons Winter 2018

January 5 – 28, 2018 theatre, party

One Yellow Rabbit

Laycraft Lounge Part of One Yellow Rabbit’s 32nd Annual High Performance Rodeo Experience après theatre, avant theatre, parties and High Performance Rodeo camaraderie at this pop-up bar; the official festival hangout. Schmooze with artists, chat with the audience, opine with the producers, and mingle with the paparazzi. where when

Motel Theatre

Times vary hprodeo.ca tickets artscommons.ca info

January 6, 2018

January 8 – February 26, 2018

theatre

visual and media arts

One Yellow Rabbit and Downstage

Arts Commons Presents

Part of One Yellow Rabbit’s 32nd Annual High Performance Rodeo

11.13 (Hypnagogia), by Calgary-based synthesizer duo SH-2000, creates a calming environment mimicking the transitory state of consciousness that we experience as we fall asleep.

10-Minute Play Festival

11.13 (Hypnagogia)

At this popular annual event, six of Calgary's most exciting indie theatre companies tackle a nigh-impossible task: create an original 10-minute play in only 24 hours! where

where

tickets

hprodeo.ca artscommons.ca

January 8, 2018 visual and media arts

Arts Commons Presents

Life Drawing – Session 5 Register today for a unique life drawing experience. Curated by local artist and instructor Mark Vazquez MacKay, these free sessions are inspired by the rich world of burlesque, with professional models in costume, and instruction by our host. where when info

Always open artscommons.ca

info

when 7:30pm info

+15 Soundscape

when

Martha Cohen Theatre

Can't make it on January 8? Join us for one of these other life drawing sessions throughout the winter!

January 9 – 12, 2018

SESSION 6: February 5, 2018 SESSION 7: March 5, 2018 SESSION 8: April 2, 2018

theatre

One Yellow Rabbit and Inside Out Theatre

Make Love Not Art

Part of One Yellow Rabbit’s 32nd Annual High Performance Rodeo

(All sessions take place in the Arts Learning Centre from 6:30pm - 8:30pm.

Limited space available, please register at artscommons.ca/lifedrawing)

An unlikely romantic comedy gets physical and political as a renowned artist and her gallery curator are confronted by voyeurism, self-exploitation and the desire to be seen.

Will they look past the art and see each other in the flesh?

Arts Learning Centre

6:30pm – 8:30pm artscommons.ca

where

Engineered Air Theatre

when 7:30pm info tickets

January 8 – February 26, 2018 visual and media arts

January 9 – 27, 2018

Arts Commons Presents

Awakening the Generations

theatre

Awakening the Generations by Tamara Lee-Anne Cardinal uses natural substances to bring consideration to the impermanence of the material world. where when info

hprodeo.ca artscommons.ca

One Yellow Rabbit

Moon, Moon, No Moon Part of One Yellow Rabbit’s 32nd Annual High Performance Rodeo

Lightbox Studio

The newest cabaret from One Yellow Rabbit Ensemble and special guests. This meditation on the moon’s significance to humans looks at humankind’s millennialong relationship with the moon – from embodiment as a god or goddess, to the way we mark time.

Studio times vary artscommons.ca

where

Big Secret Theatre

when 8pm info tickets

Artists, dates and programs subject to change. Listings within is as of time of press.

hprodeo.ca artscommons.ca

Winter 2018 Arts Commons

25

January 16 – 20, 2018

January 19 & 20, 2018

theatre

music

One Yellow Rabbit and Downstage

Calgary Philharmonic Orchestra

Part of One Yellow Rabbit’s 32nd Annual High Performance Rodeo

Noble and uplifting, Mendelssohn’s Hymn of Praise is his most ambitious symphonic work, following in the tradition of Beethoven’s Ninth Symphony. Together with Beethoven’s heroic Emperor Piano Concerto, the evening proclaims a blazing musical vision of faith and humanity. Pre-concert Chat: 7:05pm

Extremophiles

A darkly comic solo piece by playwright/ performer Georgina Beaty. April, an eager anthropologist, intends to chronicle the lives of Margaret and her unusual child but quickly becomes much more entangled than anticipated. where

Vertigo Theatre

when

Show times vary info hprodeo.ca & downstage.ca tickets artscommons.ca

January 16 – 28, 2018 theatre

One Yellow Rabbit and Alberta Theatre Projects

Empire of the Son Part of One Yellow Rabbit’s 32nd Annual High Performance Rodeo Empire of the Son is a funny and personal one-man show by former CBC broadcaster Tetsuro Shigematsu about his rocky relationship with his reserved father. where

Martha Cohen Theatre

when

Mendelssohn Hymn of Praise

where

Jack Singer Concert Hall

when 8pm

calgaryphil.com

tickets

January 20, 2018 theatre

One Yellow Rabbit

The Veronicas Awards Part of One Yellow Rabbit’s 32nd Annual High Performance Rodeo It’s back! Raise a glass to the talented, the beautiful and the sh**-disturbing theatre artists we adore. We’ll celebrate every last one of them – in 30 seconds or less. This is a fast-paced, sassy celebration of the people who make theatre in Calgary. where

Motel Theatre (Laycraft Lounge)

when 10:30pm

artscommons.ca

Show times vary hprodeo.ca & ATPlive.ca tickets artscommons.ca

tickets

January 19 & 20, 2018

speaker

info

music

Arts Commons Presents

PCL Blues: Mr. Sipp Dubbed the “Mississippi Blues Child” by his fans due to his introduction onto the scene as a child prodigy over 20 years ago, Mr. Sipp was the winner the Best New Artist Blues Album at the 2016 Blues Music Awards. where

Engineered Air Theatre

when 8pm tickets

artscommons.ca

january 26

Arts Commons Winter 2018

January 21 & 22, 2018 Arts Commons Presents

National Geographic Live: View from Above with astronaut Terry Virts

For astronaut Terry Virts, his newfound perspective was from the International Space Station (ISS), where he installed the Cupola module, granting an unprecedented 360-degree view from the station, taking more photographs than any astronaut who came before him. Many of those images were later used in the National Geographic book View from Above and IMAX film A Beautiful Planet. where

Jack Singer Concert Hall

when tickets

Sunday 2pm & Monday 7pm artscommons.ca

January 23, 2018

January 27, 2018

music

music

Live Nation

Calgary Philharmonic Orchestra

Few recording artists are as creative and prolific as Bruce Cockburn. Since his self-titled debut in 1970, the Canadian singer-songwriter has issued a steady stream of acclaimed albums every couple of years.

See this Canadian icon live in a one-nightonly engagement.

Although plagued by hardship in his life, Piotr Tchaikovsky gave the world untold, beautiful musical treasures. The Orchestra welcomes special guest conductor Maestra Tania Miller and Gdansk-born rising star cellist Maciej Kułakowski.

Pre-concert Chat: 7:05pm

Bruce Cockburn

where

The Best of Tchaikovsky

Jack Singer Concert Hall

where

when 8pm tickets

Jack Singer Concert Hall

when 8pm

artscommons.ca

tickets

calgaryphil.com

January 24, 2018

January 30 – February 24, 2018

music

theatre

Arts Commons Presents

Theatre Calgary

Classic Albums Live: The Beatles – Abbey Road

Twelfth Night Twins Viola and Sebastian are separated in a shipwreck and forced to find their way in a strange new land on their own. This refreshing take on Shakespeare’s classic comedy of love, misadventure, and fun will leave you rolling in the aisles and begging for a thirteenth night.

Lovingly reproduced to be as true to the original recording as possible, The Beatles’ seminal album Abbey Road comes to the Jack Singer Concert Hall, from Classic Albums Live. Experience the beautiful authenticity of The Beatles’ final album, performed live in its entirety, note for note, cut for cut. where

where

Max Bell Theatre

when

Jack Singer Concert Hall

tickets

Show times vary theatrecalgary.com

when 7:30pm tickets

artscommons.ca

January 31 – February 4, 2018 theatre

January 26, 2018

Fire Exit Theatre

Marion Bridge

music

Calgary Philharmonic Orchestra

Three women in their thirties come “home” to Cape Breton to be with their dying mother. Each in her own way tries to deal with the painful loneliness of their lives – each is trying to reconcile what they have become with what they thought they wanted out of life and with what they thought their parents wanted for them.

From Russia with Love: Tchaikovsky Tchaikovsky wrote some of the most lyrical, plaintive, and heartbreakingly beautiful music ever. Yet the rousing and celebratory dances that fire up his ballets are anything but sad. Come hear the best of both in the Calgary Philharmonic’s moving tribute to the great Tchaikovsky! where

where when

Jack Singer Concert Hall

Engineered Air Theatre

tickets

2:30pm & 7pm fireexit.ca

when 6:30pm tickets

calgaryphil.com

Winter 2018 Arts Commons

27

February 1, 2018

February 11, 2018

music

music

Arts Commons Presents

Calgary Civic Symphony

BD&P World Music: Marc Cohn featuring Special Guests The Blind Boys of Alabama Celebrating 25 years since the debut of his platinum-selling record, Marc Cohn performs his GRAMMY® Award winning self-titled album as it has always been meant to be played – from start to finish in its entirety. This is a once in a lifetime mustsee experience for fans of the iconic singer/ songwriter.

Jack Singer Concert Hall

where when

7:30pm

artscommons.ca

tickets

Festival da Música Forget it’s winter in Calgary as you join us to experience Latin heat. Immerse yourself in the vibrant colours of Mexico and South America as presented by the University of Calgary String Quartet, soprano Michelle Minke, and accordionist Penny Sanborn. where when

Jack Singer Concert Hall

2pm

tickets

artscommons.ca

February 12, 2018 art party

Arts Commons Presents

February 9 & 10, 2018 dance

En Corps Dance Collective

Lost Kin-ection

Lost Kin-ection is the journey of a girl who has grown up in foster care. As she develops her identity and discovers what family means to her, she struggles through a cycle of trauma, hurt, anger, acceptance, healing, and growth.

Engineered Air Theatre 2pm & 8pm tickets encorpsdance.ca

where when

Happenings 11 – Architecture of Sculpture If you love the art of lines, experimental analog photography, neon signs, and sculpture, then come to this Happenings, where art is never flat. where when

Arts Commons, Mezzanine Level

6-9pm

tickets

artscommons.ca

February 14 – 24, 2018 theatre

Downstage

February 10, 2018 music

Calgary Philharmonic Orchestra

A Symphonic Tribute to Prince Prince exploded the world of rock and roll with his legendary musical talent, his largerthan-life stage personality, and an endless stream of hit songs. With classics like Purple Rain and Little Red Corvette, this unique and moving tribute brings his exhilarating work to life.

Jack Singer Concert Hall

where when

tickets

8pm calgaryphil.com

february 28

Arts Commons Winter 2018

The Listening Room A potent drama set at the turn of the next century, written by up-and-coming Calgary playwright Michaela Jeffery. Downstage has partnered with Edmonton's Azimuth Theatre to present this Cardiac Theatre production as this year's Alberta Emerging Company Showcase. where

Motel Theatre

Show times vary

tickets

artscommons.ca

when

February 16 & 17, 2018

February 25, 2018

music

music

Calgary Philharmonic Orchestra

Calgary Philharmonic Orchestra

Romantic Rachmaninoff with Luca Buratto

Bach to the Future

A world leader in music education, Platypus Theatre seamlessly blends orchestral music with engaging story-telling, igniting a passion for classical music in young people.

In Bach to the Future, join a young girl on her magical journey through time!

2015 Honens Laureate Luca Buratto’s “fiery imagination and finesse” pair perfectly with Rachmaninoff’s thrilling and passionate Second Piano Concerto as well as Shostakovich’s enigmatic and remarkably ironic Fifth Symphony. where

where

Jack Singer Concert Hall

when

8pm tickets calgaryphil.com when

tickets

3pm calgaryphil.com

February 27 – March 17, 2018

February 22, 2018

theatre

Alberta Theatre Projects

music

Constellations

Arts Commons Presents

TD Jazz: Stacey Kent

In a series of parallel moments over the course of Marianne and Roland’s relationship, Constellations explores the infinite trajectories that love can take to bring us together or pull us apart.

Stacey Kent performs with an intimacy and precision that draws you in to her bossa nova sound. With a performance style described as “deceptively simple, meticulously presented” and a voice that’s “light but expressive, engaging and evocative” it’s easy to see how her albums have sold nearly 2 million, reaching Gold, Double-Gold, and Platinum-selling status. where

where when

tickets

Martha Cohen Theatre

8pm artscommons.ca

February 28, 2018

Jack Singer Concert Hall

7:30pm tickets artscommons.ca when

Jack Singer Concert Hall

music

Calgary Philharmonic Orchestra

Time For Three

Time for Three is a high-energy ensemble that is making waves around the world.

With an impressive list of commissions from composers this Emmy Award winning group draws on its diverse musical backgrounds – think classical, country-western, jazz, gypsy, and more – to create a sound all its own.

February 23 & 24, 2018 music

Calgary Philharmonic Orchestra

Rock On! The Best Symphonic Rock Ever

Journey back to the powerhouse genres of classic rock and pop from the 70s and 80s!

The evening will take you back in time with legendary songs from Bruce Springsteen, Whitney Houston, Madonna, Michael Jackson, Queen, and many more! where when

tickets

where when

tickets

Jack Singer Concert Hall

7:30pm calgaryphil.com

Jack Singer Concert Hall

8pm calgaryphil.com

Winter 2018 Arts Commons

29

March 1 – June 29, 2018

March 2 – April 27, 2018

visual and media arts

visual and media arts

Arts Commons Presents

Arts Commons Presents

The +15 Soundscape immerses listeners in a multi-channel environment of ambient sound by electronic recording artist Tona Ohama. The piece includes six tracks randomly interacting in what Ohama calls a “multiambient soundscape.”

Using Lightbox Studio as a crossroads, Scott Ross-Molyneux and Kristine Zingeler experiment with painting, photography, composition, and music to make meaningful interactions.

A Moment Of Quiet Reflection

+15 Soundscape

where when

Always open artscommons.ca

info

March 2 & 3, 2018

Invisible Evidence

where when

info

Ligthbox Studio

Studio times vary artscommons.ca

March 2 – May 25, 2018 visual and media arts

Arts Commons Presents

music

Calgary Philharmonic Orchestra

Block Parent

Considered one of the most awe-inspiring violinists in the world today, Ning Feng performs Tchaikovsky’s impressive and incredibly challenging Concerto in D Major, famously known for its appearance in the Fratelli theme of the 1985 film The Goonies.

Block Parent by Calgary-based artist Jillian Daschuk challenges the idea of the perfect neighbourhood, viewing homes as masks for what lies inside while at the same time invoking the Pareidolia phenomenon, where meaningless objects are assigned the structure of a human face to alter or affect how we perceive them.

Tchaikovsky & Rachmaninoff

Jack Singer Concert Hall

where when

tickets

8pm calgaryphil.com

March 2 & 3, 2018 music

Arts Commons Presents

PCL Blues: Roy Book Binder Called a “laconic living treasure of American Blues, Ragtime and old timey music,” Roy Book Binder is a true troubadour of old style blues. Book Binder has the licks of timeless music in his fingers and is known for his slide arrangements and original compositions, as much as he’s known for his storytelling and dry wit.

Engineeered Air Theatre

where when

tickets

8pm artscommons.ca

Ledge Gallery Studio times vary info artscommons.ca where when

March 2 – May 25, 2018 visual and media arts

Arts Commons Presents

Circlestances, Continuum; a continuous quality; an unbroken series, The Microverse, and Contained Flow Arts Commons brings contrasting exhibits to the Window Galleries. Featuring artists Darija S Radakovic, Carrie Phillips Kieser, Mikhail Miller and Rachel Ziriada, and Anna Burger Martindale, this exhibition explores the use of physical space, from minimalism to complex visual clutter. where when info

march 30

Arts Commons Winter 2018

Window Galleries

Always open artscommons.ca

March 2 – May 25, 2018

March 6 – 31, 2018

visual and media arts

theatre

Arts Commons Presents

Theatre Calgary

Line Dance, The Dwindling Dispute, and Infinitude

The Humans Inside a duplex tenement apartment in New York City’s Chinatown, the Blake family gathers for Thanksgiving. It isn’t long until old tensions boil over and personal secrets are laid on the table. One of the most critically-acclaimed plays from Broadway in recent years.

Broadcast Lab features three new short films by media artists John Osborne, kloetzel&co, and Scott Portingale, themed around fantasy, whimsy, physical movement, and meditation. where when

Broadcast Lab

Always open artscommons.ca

info

where when

tickets

March 3, 2018 Music

Songs of Innocence

music

Arts Commons Presents

Stir up your youthful side with selections from Brahms, Mozart, Beethoven, and Copland, and even a few selections from Disney with Beauty and the Beast and Fantasia. when

BD&P World Music: Lila Downs Wildly engaging cross-cultural performer Lila Downs returns to Calgary with her newest album Salón Lagrimas y Deseo.

Lauded in both Mexico and the United States, with multiple GRAMMY® Awards under her belt, Lila Downs uses her remarkable voice and seamlessly blends blues, jazz, rock, soul and even rap with traditional Mexican music.

Jack Singer Concert Hall

tickets

Show times vary theatrecalgary.com

March 8, 2018

Festival Chorus

where

Max Bell Theatre

8pm artscommons.ca

March 4 & 5, 2018 speaker

where

Arts Commons Presents

National Geographic Live: A Wild Life

when

Jack Singer Concert Hall

tickets

7:30pm artscommons.ca

with photographer Bertie Gregory

Whether camping with coastal wolves on Vancouver’s western beaches, pursuing peregrine falcons in London, or filming leopards in the streets of Mumbai; Bertie Gregory captures the essence of what it means to coexist peacefully—with respect and humor—alongside the magnificent creatures of the natural world. where when

March 9, 2018 music

Calgary Philharmonic Orchestra

Diana Cohen in Concert Learn and watch how acclaimed violinist Diana Cohen can catch your attention with the first three strokes of her bow as she leads the audience through Saint-Saens’ invigorating and virtuosic work.

Jack Singer Concert Hall

tickets

Sunday 2pm & Monday 7pm artscommons.ca

where when

tickets

Jack Singer Concert Hall

6:30pm calgaryphil.com

Winter 2018 Arts Commons

31

March 10, 2018

March 16 & 17, 2018

music

music

Calgary Philharmonic Orchestra

Calgary Philharmonic Orchestra

Tchaikovsky & Saint-Saëns with Diana Cohen One of his most popular works, Tchaikovsky’s triumphant Fifth Symphony rises from foreboding first notes through a remarkably Romantic, turbulent journey to a victorious climax. Saint-Saëns’ exquisite Violin Concerto No. 3, equally invigorating in character and is interpreted with incredible flair, maturity, and insight” by the Orchestra’s celebrated concertmaster, Diana Cohen. Pre-concert Chat: 7:05pm Jack Singer Concert Hall

where when

tickets

8pm calgaryphil.com

Natalie MacMaster with Orchestra With her high-octane playing, GRAMMY® Award winning Cape Breton fiddler Natalie MacMaster presents a special concert just in time for St. Patrick’s Day! For over 30 years, this Canadian legend has shared her rich musical heritage in live performances described as “nothing short of jaw dropping”. where when

Jack Singer Concert Hall

tickets

8pm calgaryphil.com

March 21 – 25, 2018 theatre

Fire Exit Theatre and Ambrose University Theatre

March 11, 2018 music

Westwinds Music Society

Westwinds Music Society Join Westwinds Music Society as they celebrate in grand fashion, performing an entertaining and moving afternoon of music, including all 350 musicians performing a grand finale that will make your heart soar!

Jack Singer Concert Hall

where

2pm info westwindsmusic.org when

As It Is In Heaven

A religious community is changed when a non-believer has an ecstatic experience.

In the 1830's Shaker society of Pleasant Hill, Kentucky, Fanny sees angels in the meadow, and soon all the young women are receiving spiritual "gifts" of songs, drawings, ideas and giggles, completely upsetting the community. where when

Engineered Air Theatre

tickets

2:30pm & 7pm fireexit.ca

March 22, 2018 music

Arts Commons Presents

3 THINGS YOU DIDN’T KNOW ABOUT FLEETWOOD MAC’S RUMOURS Rumours was composed during a time of emotional turmoil for the band, with break-ups, divorces, and affairs creating tension and fueling heart break. The result is one of the band’s best albums they ever released.

The unusual, unsettled drumming pattern in Go Your Own Way has been credited to Mick Fleetwood’s dyslexia.

Fleetwood Mac is infamous for their obsession with perfection in their music. To create perfect sound during the song Second Hand News, they used a chair as a percussion instrument.

march 32

Arts Commons Winter 2018

Classic Albums Live: Fleetwood Mac – Rumours Recorded during one of rock’s most famous real life soap operas, Rumours is an iconic album brewing with hidden inner turmoil.

Join Arts Commons and Classic Albums Live as this record is faithfully performed as it was meant to be heard - LIVE. where when

Jack Singer Concert Hall

tickets

7:30pm artscommons.ca

March 23 & 24, 2018

April 5, 2018

music

music

Calgary Philharmonic Orchestra

Calgary Philharmonic Orchestra

Beethoven, Mendelssohn & Schumann

Roby Lakatos in Concert Born into a musical family descended from “the King of Gypsy Violinists” Janos Bihari, Romani violinist and composer Roby Lakatos has been called “the fastest fingered fiddler in the world!” Pre-concert Chat: 7:05pm

Works by Mendelssohn and Schumann straddle the perfect balance of masterful, quintessentially German, compositional discipline propelled by raw emotional power. Beethoven’s Violin Concerto in D Major becomes a stunning showpiece for the Grammy-nominated violinist Philippe Quint.

Pre-concert Chat: 7:05pm where when

where when

tickets

8pm calgaryphil.com

info

Jack Singer Concert Hall

Jack Singer Concert Hall

April 6 & 7, 2018

8pm calgaryphil.com

music

Calgary Philharmonic Orchestra

My Favourite Things!

A Julie Andrews Celebration

April 3 – 21, 2018 theatre

This enchanting concert celebrates the most beloved musical moments of the Film and Broadway career of Julie Andrews. Vocalist Diane Penning brings the spirit of this beloved actress/singer to stage with songs from timeless productions including The Sound of Music, and Mary Poppins.

Alberta Theatre Projects

GLORY

Inspired by the true story of Canada’s first national female hockey league, GLORY tells the story of four friends who set out to prove that hockey isn’t just a sport for men. where

Martha Cohen Theatre

where

Show times vary tickets artscommons.ca when

when

Jack Singer Concert Hall

8pm calgaryphil.com

info

April 4 – 7, 2018

April 10, 2018

theatre

music

Downstage

Arts Commons Presents

A presentation of the Alberta Aboriginal Performing Arts and Punctuate! Theatre touring productions of Bears by Matthew MacKenzie and Minosis Gathers Hope by Christine Sokaymoh Frederick.

A blend of drumming and percussive dance, the all-male Argentinian dance company CHE MALAMBO builds excitement in an avalanche of high energy sound and movement. Inspired by the South American gaucho tradition, renowned choreographer Gilles Brinas shares the powerful and passionate art form of Malambo with international audiences.

Bears & Minosis Gathers Hope

where when

BD&P World Music: CHE MALAMBO

Motel Theatre

tickets

Show times vary artscommons.ca

where when

Jack Singer Concert Hall

tickets

mar/apr

7:30pm artscommons.ca

Winter 2018 Arts Commons

33

April 15, 2018

April 21, 2018

music

music

Calgary Civic Symphony

Calgary Philharmonic Orchestra

The United States is our closest friend and neighbour – its culture and music have a significant impact on us. This amazing live performance event, composed for 6-string electric violin, will feature CPO concertmaster Diana Cohen and an enhanced and eclectic orchestra.

Dynamic guest vocalists and the Jeans ‘n Classics band join the Calgary Philharmonic in a symphonic tribute to today’s biggest stars including: Adele, Arcade Fire, Feist, Lady Gaga, Maroon 5, and of course the very Happy Pharrell Williams.

Stars and Stripes

That's My Jam: Adele to Pharrell

where

Jack Singer Concert Hall

where

when

2:30pm tickets artscommons.ca when

8pm calgaryphil.com

tickets

April 22, 2018

April 17 – May 19, 2018

Music

Festival Chorus

theater

The Creation - Joseph Haydn

Theatre Calgary

The Secret Garden

Join Festival Chorus for their annual Spring full-evening oratorio extravaganza! Through choruses, arias and ensembles, Haydn tells the story of the first six days of creation in joyful, reverential music.

This beloved classic children’s book comes beautifully to life in this stunning Broadway musical as a young orphan girl is sent to live with her reclusive uncle on his dark and depressing estate. When she discovers the key to a neglected garden, she reawakens the magic locked inside.

where when

Jack Singer Concert Hall

tickets

8pm artscommons.ca

Max Bell Theatre

where when

Jack Singer Concert Hall

Show times vary

tickets

April 22 & 23, 2018

theatrecalgary.com

speaker

Arts Commons Presents

April 20, 2018 theatre

National Geographic Live: Standing at the Water's Edge

Live Nation

with photographer Cristina Mittermeier

A big surprise is in store for Peppa Pig fans throughout the U.S. and Canada! Peppa Pig Live, based on Entertainment One’s (eOne) top-rated TV series, is one of the most successful family theater tours in U.S. history with more than 400,000 tickets sold in the U.S. and Canada to date.

Photojournalist Cristina Mittermeier knows the power of water: the power it has to give life when it is respected, and to destroy when it is misused. Join Meittermeier as she shares her stunning photography and powerful stories of people living on the razor’s edge between the industrialized world, and the pockets of wilderness still left.

Jack Singer Concert Hall

where

6pm tickets artscommons.ca when

april 34

Arts Commons Winter 2018

©Cristina Mittermeier

Peppa Pig

where when

Jack Singer Concert Hall

tickets

Sunday 2pm & Monday 7pm artscommons.ca

April 26, 2018

April 28, 2018

music

music

Arts Commons Presents

Calgary Philharmonic Orchestra

Ms. Lisa Fischer, a dynamo jazz vocalist with two GRAMMY® Awards and a Soul Train Music Award to her name comes to Calgary.

In her performance with Grand Baton, she reimagines songs she has sung with The Rolling Stones, Led Zeppelin, and Little Willie John, as well as performing her own original material.

The Nature of Things meets IMAX meets live orchestra! Anthropologist and host Niobe Thompson and composer-conductor Darren Fung join forces with the Calgary Philharmonic in a cinematic and live musical experience based on the documentary series which won Canadian Screen Awards for “Best Original Music”. Pre-concert Chat: 7:05pm

TD Jazz: Ms. Lisa Fischer & Grand Baton

where

The Great Human Odyssey in Concert

Jack Singer Concert Hall

where

when 7:30pm tickets

Jack Singer Concert Hall

when 8pm

artscommons.ca

tickets

artscommons.ca

April 27, 2018 music

Calgary Philharmonic Orchestra

The Great Human Odyssey Planet Earth meets Homo sapiens meets 137dB of live orchestra thundering toward you! Anthropologist and host Niobe Thompson, composer-conductor Darren Fung, and the Calgary Philharmonic bring you a cinematic and live musical experience based on the award-winning documentary series. where

Jack Singer Concert Hall

when 6:30pm tickets

calgaryphil.com

April 28, 2018 music

Oliver Miguel

Oliver Miguel Best known for his contemporary saxophone sound, multi-instrumentalist Oliver Miguel is equally comfortable performing live or working in the recording studio, playing guitar, keyboard, composing, arranging and producing. where

Engineered Air Theatre

when 8pm tickets

artscommons.ca

Winter 2018 Arts Commons

35

We deliver more than ink on paper.

Formerly known as McAra Unicom, CBN Commercial Solutions is about more than ink on paper.

We’re about you.

OFFSET & DIGITAL PRINTING | WIDE FORMAT | DIRECT MAIL | PREPRESS | BINDERY

(403) 250.9510 | CBNCS.com 36

CBNCS Arts Commons ad 7.25x2 v3.indd 1

Arts Commons Winter 2018

Proud supplier of Arts Commons

2016-11-07 12:46 PM

Helping to Create Well-Rounded Citizens Supporting youth and education is a vital part of ConocoPhillips’ contribution to communities where we operate, for today and for the future. That’s why we support Arts Commons’ efforts to bring arts and culture to students and teachers.

www.conocophillips.ca © ConocoPhillips Company 2017. All rights reserved.

Winter 2018 Arts Commons

37

thank you

Arts Commons wishes to express our sincere appreciation to the following corporations, foundations, governments, and passionate community leaders who give generously to support Arts Commons as we play a key role in the social, economic, cultural, and intellectual life and well-being of Calgarians and visitors.

CORPORATE SPONSORS & FOUNDATION PARTNERS

OFFICIAL SUPPLIERS AND SPONSORED GOODS OR SERVICES

ALSA Road Construction Ltd. Supporting Sponsor,

Founders Circle

Founders Circle is the premiere donor engagement program at Arts Commons.

BD&P World Music and TD Jazz

CBC Media Sponsor

Arts Commons Endowment Fund through the Calgary Foundation

CTV Media Sponsor

Big Rock Brewery Inc. Official Brewery

Dr. Martha Cohen, CM, LLD (in memoriam) Sandra LeBlanc Vera Swanson, OC

Calgary Herald Media Sponsor

LEGACY BUILDER MEMBERS

Burnet, Duckworth & Palmer LLP Title Sponsor, BD&P World Music

Great Events Catering Sponsor, VIP Receptions, TD Jazz

CBN Commercial Solutions Official Printer

Hotel Arts Sponsor, VIP Receptions,

Calgary Foundation Partner, Community Accessibility Initiative Cenovus Energy Inc. Student Engagement Sponsor,

National Geographic Live

Our Daily Brett Sponsor, VIP Receptions, BD&P World Music

National Geographic Live

Pattison Outdoor Media Sponsor

Community Foundations of Canada & Calgary Foundation Partners, Visual and Media Arts

Teatro Sponsor, Founders Circle

ConocoPhillips Canada Resources Corp.

Major Sponsor, Arts Commons Box Office

GOVERNMENT

Student Engagement Sponsor, National Geographic Live Sponsor, Hub for Inspired Learning

Government of Canada through the Departments

Dinner Optimist Club of Calgary Supporting Partner, Hub for Inspired Learning

Government of Alberta through the Department

Imperial Sponsor, Visual and Media Arts Keyera Corp.

Sponsor, EXPLORE National Geographic PCL Construction Management Inc. Title Sponsor, PCL Blues Repsol Oil & Gas Canada Inc. Sponsor, EXPLORE National Geographic Royal Bank of Canada Series Presenting Sponsor,

National Geographic Live

Saskatchewan Mining and Minerals Inc.

Sponsor, EXPLORE National Geographic

of Canadian Heritage, Employment and Social Development Canada, and Service Canada

of Culture and Tourism, and Alberta Foundation for the Arts

The City of Calgary through the Department

of Community Services and Protective Services Arts Commons would also like to express our gratitude to The City of Calgary for a grant through the Capital Civic Partner Grant Program, the Government of Alberta for a grant through the Community Facility Enhancement Program, and the Government of Canada for two grants through the Canada Cultural Spaces Fund that enables us to undertake critical lifecycle initiatives that enhance the effectiveness, efficiency, and sustainability of the 560,665 square foot Arts Commons facility.

SerVantage Services Inc. Supporting Sponsor, BD&P World Music TD Bank Group Title Sponsorship, TD Jazz

Title Sponsorship, TD Arts Access Pass

Please note that only gifts of $10,000 or more are listed above. For a complete list of corporate, foundation and government supporters of Arts Commons, please visit our website at artscommons.ca.

To inquire about becoming a supporter of Arts Commons, please contact Ms. Shone Thistle at 403-294-7455, ext.1468 or sthistle@artscommons.ca.

38

Arts Commons Winter 2018

HONOURARY MEMBERS

Bob & Sue Benzen Betty & David Smith

PIONEER MEMBERS

Don Douglas & Betty Dunphy Douglas David & Roxanne Dunlop Maureen Fielding R. Scott Hutcheson Greg & Alexa Kudar Henry Sykes, QC & Molly Naber-Sykes

VISIONARY MEMBERS

Anonymous Michel Bourque & Bryan Clarke Greg Epton & Greg Robertson Ken Havard John McWilliams, QC & Susan McWilliams Brian Mills & Susan Tyrrell Randy & Luba Pettipas C.A. Siebens Roderick Villanueva & Jennifer Kingsbury Tharrie & Johann Zietsman

MEMBERS

Anonymous Colin & Wendy Anderson Leslie Biles & Robert Armstrong Carri Clarke & Reid Brodylo Norm & Colleen Dickson Patricia Dalk & Terry Burton Leslie & Joe Dort Jane Golubev & Igor Tesker Brian & Annette Hester Wes Jenkins Jennifer Johnson & Trev Habekost Tasha Komery Arun & Roopa Lakra Nicole Latimer & David Gustafson M. Ann McCaig Rodney & Karen McCann James & Janice Morton Joe & Judy Osinski Jock & Diana Osler Holly Schile & David Nielsen Dr. Jeremy Quickfall Stuart & Vicki Reid Alane Smith Marg Southern Daryl & Cindy Stepanic Shone Thistle & Heather Shaw

WRITTEN BY DANIEL MILLS

Explorers Circle

Members of Explorers Circle help Arts Commons bring the National Geographic Live speakers’ messages of exploration, discovery, and conservation to Calgary, and help National Geographic to inspire people to care about the planet.

ENGAGEMENT SPONSORS Bob & Sue Benzen, Pink Boots and a Machete with primatologist Mireya Mayor Ken Havard, View from Above with NASA astronaut Terry Virts Michel Bourque & Bryan Clarke, A Wild Life with photographer Bertie Gregory Doug Flaig & Helen Timmons, Standing at the Water's Edge with marine biologist and photographer Cristina Mittermeier

MEMBERS Maureen Armitage & Shane Matthews Sandra & Simon Barker Cabra Consulting Ltd. Antony, Kathleen & Alexander Deakin David & Roxanne Dunlop Jane Durango & Dr. Beverly Frizzell Greg Epton & Greg Robertson Lloyd & Riona Freeman Jane Golubev & Igor Tesker Brian & Annette Hester Janine LaBossiere Jordan & Nyssa Moore Shone Thistle & Heather Shaw Joyce Warren & Vanessa Arrate Please note that only gifts of $1,000 or more are listed above. For a complete list of individual donors through Founders Circle and Explorers Circle, please visit our website at artscommons.ca.

To inquire about becoming a member of Founders Circle or Explorers Circle, please contact Mr. Daniel Mills at 403-294-7455, extension 1441, or dmills@artscommons.ca.

T

here are email chains. Then there are email chain reactions.

It was 2011. Calgary couple Bob and Sue Benzen, long-time National Geographic magazine subscribers, were accustomed to the email offers the magazine sent their way. This one, however, stood out.

The email that landed in the Benzens’ inbox highlighted the upcoming inaugural season of National Geographic Live, a new speaker series presented

by Arts Commons. It was enough to pique the interest of the co-founders of Calgary-based oil and gas service company, Copyseis Ltd. They accepted the invitation to check out the series and they were hooked.

That initial visit launched the couple on a path of dedicated support of Arts Commons including joining the Explorers Circle in its first year.

Fast forward to 2014. Seeking inspiration from faithful donors Ken and Chris Havard, and hoping for a deeper relationship with Arts Commons, they opted to become Engagement Sponsors of Steve Winter’s presentation On the Trail of Big Cats. “It was our way of ensuring this remarkable programming would continue,” Bob Benzen said of his family’s increased gift.

Today, in addition to their ongoing involvement with National Geographic Live, the Benzens have become top-tier Founders Circle Members.

So what inspires the Benzens to give?

Bob and Sue Benzen say it all comes down to family.

The Benzens originally started Copyseis Ltd. as a means of giving themselves the flexibility to spend more time with their children, Paul, Michelle, and Matthew. Their initial philanthropic pursuits included planning a charitable squash tournament for the Children’s Wish Foundation in hopes of helping families in the community.

That theme continues to this day for the Benzens, with every National Geographic Live presentation an opportunity for a family outing together with their now adult children. Although they admit that it may be bit cliché, Bob and Sue absolutely believe that “the more you give, the more you get in return”.

Through their involvement with Arts Commons, the Benzens have made long-standing friendships with other members and enjoyed engaging and unique experiences.

Now the MP for the Calgary Heritage constituency, Bob Benzen holds strongly to his belief that a great community is built on its citizens’ contributions to it. Arts Commons, he says, provides Calgary with a needed, vibrant cultural connection in a city that sometimes tends to be overly business oriented.

“Why would you not give back if you are able to? It is our responsibility to add on to what we already have, and make the city better going forward.”

And to think, it all started with an email.

Winter 2018 Arts Commons

39

WRITTEN BY ALEX BONYUN

Y

ou may have heard Walking in Memphis, and hummed along with it on the radio, or you might even own Marc Cohn’s seminal album which won him a GRAMMY Award for Best Song of the Year, but that’s where most people’s familiarity ends. Singer and songwriter Marc Cohn released his debut solo album in 1991 after working with numerous artists including as backing pianist for Tracy Chapman. The song Walking in Memphis was described by Cohn as being “100 percent autobiographical” documenting a trip that the musician took to Memphis, experiencing it as more than a place, but as the home of the Gospel spirit.

To celebrate the 25th anniversary of this defining moment in musical history, Marc Cohn

is performing his seminal album along with guest singers The Blind Boys of Alabama.

“This tour has been a whole different experience for me,” says Cohn. “It’s somewhere between a normal concert and a Broadway show. I’m certainly not the first one to do something like this, but in and of itself it’s very interesting.”

On February 1, 2018, Marc Cohn comes to Calgary to fill the Jack Singer Concert Hall with his beautifully resonate voice. Take a walk in Memphis, blue shoes and all, with Marc Cohn at the Jack Singer Concert Hall.

-Arts Commons is grateful for the support of Burnet, Duckworth & Palmer LLP.

Though Walking in Memphis is definitely a stand-out favourite, the album (and thus the concert) also features other great songs that you will no doubt be familiar with.

“If Walking in Memphis was the only song that mattered to audiences, I wouldn’t have been able to do this for the last 25 years.

I'm really proud of my entire body of work, and to have my entire career summed up as a one-hit wonder? I don't like it.”

Arts Commons Presents

who what

when

BD&P World Music: Marc Cohn featuring special guests The Blind Boys of Alabama

February 1, 2018

where

Jack Singer Concert Hall

403-294-9494 artscommons.ca tickets

40 Arts Commons Winter 2018

OUR LOCATION Our address is 205 8th Ave SE. Our main entrance is located off Stephen Avenue, one block east of the Calgary Tower and across from Olympic Plaza.

Located in the heart of Calgary’s vibrant downtown core, Arts Commons is home to the city’s premier performance venues. Offering public art spaces and six distinct performance venues, including the Jack Singer Concert Hall, Arts Commons is home to a variety of artists and an array of resident companies that include the Calgary Philharmonic Orchestra and annual events such as the Calgary International Children’s Festival.

GETTING HERE BY LRT Calgary’s LRT (light rail train) will take you to City Hall station, one block north of Arts Commons.

GETTING HERE BY CAR

P1

Arts Commons offers underground parking. Enter off Macleod Trail between 9th and 8th Avenues.

$5

OPEN EVENI NGS & WE EKENDS

P U RC H AS E T IC K E TS AT O U R B OX O F F IC E : C E N T RE CO U RT, 2 2 5 8 T H AV E S E

SEE A SHOW

10 to 6

AM

PM

Sundays

CLOSE D

403-294-9494 artscommons.ca

Other parking options include:

P2

Civic Plaza Parkade

P3

TELUS Convention Centre

P4

Palliser Square (access Arts Commons via the +15 network)

P5

Surface parking lots in the 200, 300 and 400 blocks on the south side of 9th Avenue SE

LANDMARKS Calgary Tower

P3

Olympic Plaza TELUS Convention Centre Hyatt Regency Calgary

P1

P4

P5

P2

P5

Glenbow Museum Marriott Hotel City Hall

BE SOC I AL

JO I N US O N FACEB O O K OR FO L LOW U S O N TW IT T E R FO R CO NCERT A NNO UNCEM E N TS , S P EC IA L O F F E RS , A N D M O RE .

#artscommons @yycARTS

A Wild Life

Ph

oto

©B

ert

ie G

reg ory

with photographer Bertie Gregory

Sunday March 4, 2018 at 2pm & Monday March 5, 2018 at 7pm Arts Commons, Jack Singer Concert Hall Series Presenting Sponsor

Student Engagement Sponsors

Public Sector Support

Media Sponsors

EXPLORE National Geographic Sponsors

Official Suppliers

Engagement Sponsor Bertie Gregory – A Wild life

Arts Commons Box Office Sponsor

Explorers Circle & VIP Reception Sponsor

Follow us #artscommons @yycARTS

GET YOUR TICKETS TODAY! 403-294-9494 artscommons.ca/NGL