Arts Commons Magazine Summer 2019

A subversive new soundscape by Too Attached p.4 | Peek behind the scenes at how a stage production comes together p.6 | Celebrating two decades of world music p.10

M A G A Z I N E S P R I N G /S U M M E R 2 0 1 9 | #1 2

Rosanne Cash: She Remembers Everything THURSDAY, SEPTEMBER 26, 2019

Flamenco Legends: The Paco de Lucía Project WEDNESDAY, OCTOBER 30, 2019

Formidable! Aznavour: The Story of a Legend WEDNESDAY, NOVEMBER 27, 2019

Cirque Flip Fabrique: Blizzard TUESDAY, JANUARY 21, 2020

We Shall Overcome: A Celebration of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.

THURSDAY, FEBRUARY 27, 2020

La Santa Cecilia THURSDAY, APRIL 2, 2020

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CELEBR

ATING

20 YEAR S WITH BD

&P

LETTER FROM

E

very magical moment in this building starts with a little spark that, once lit, becomes a sweeping fire of passion, inspiration, and understanding. This issue of Arts Commons Magazine is all about those little sparks.

For 20 years, we have sparked joy and conversation, and grown global awareness, through the BD&P World Music series. Jennifer Johnson, our Director of Programming, meticulously chooses every artist for their cultural impact and ability to bring the many fabrics of Calgary together under one roof, for a few special nights each season. With the 2019–20 Season, we celebrate the series and title sponsor's 20th anniversary by sparking a fresh perspective, shifting from BD&P World Music to the new BD&P World Stage.

Sparks ignite when the community gathers in and around our space, as will happen for the second year in a row, during the mini Pow Wow for National Indigenous People’s Day. Completely Indigenous led, Arts Commons can’t wait for this opportunity to ignite our collective spirits.

A flicker of hope exists in the vulnerable and thought-provoking songs of resident artists Vivek Shraya and Shamik Bilgi, who channel the frustration of their generation into artwork that will be experienced by every Calgarian and visitor that walk through our +15 Soundscape.

And it’s not just the headlining artists that are getting us fired up. A spark can be a single idea that explodes into enormous sets and elaborate costumes created right inside our building, eventually making their way to the stage, to the delight of our audience members longing to be immersed in a story.

If we want to continue to ignite our community with passion, inspiration, and mutual understanding, we need to stoke the fire. We need more venues and more opportunity for this city’s imaginative individuals to create, share, and illuminate others with their ideas and experiences.

As you may already know, Calgary City Council conditionally approved a budget to move forward with Phase One of our Arts Commons Transformation (ACT) project.

And we are thrilled. But what you may not know is that ACT is a two-phased project and completion of both phases is paramount to ensuring those sparks continue to ignite.

More space means more little sparks, and with so many sparks in one place, we will shine bright into the future ahead.

Colleen Dickson

Greg Epton

Chief Financial Officer and Interim Co-CEO, Arts Commons

Chief Development Officer and Interim Co-CEO, Arts Commons

Spring/ Summer 2019 Arts Commons

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contributors

contents © Diane + Mike Photography

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Own This Anger; Own This Space A project born from a protest album, artists Vivek Shraya and Shamik Bilgi have created Angry Redux, an exclusive soundscape debuting at Arts Commons. Hear them speak about their realities in public spaces.

A mini Pow Wow, a dance and drum session, and a lesson on love and reconciliation are on the docket at this year’s celebration of National Indigenous Peoples Day.

The summer months at Arts Commons are like a duck on water – calm on top, but pedaling like crazy under the surface!

Take a step behind the scenes of Alberta Theatre Projects’ costume and set production maestros.

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

The World Turns 20

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For two decades the BD&P World Music series has invited cultural powerhouses from around the globe to perform at Arts Commons – and now the series is expanding into new and exciting territory.

Committing to Sustainability

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Keenly aware that a solid plan for sustainability includes ethical, environmental, and social considerations, Arts Commons EXPLORE National Geographic Sponsor, Repsol, takes actionable steps to deliver lasting change.

Visualize This Arts Commons and the RBC Foundation are investing in Calgary’s emerging artists with a unique visual arts program. Watch the artists grow and create right before your eyes in our public studios and galleries.

Who’s a good boy? Learn about the joys, growls, and licks of having a dog-friendly office in Calgary.

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Arts Commons Spring/Summer 2019

Welcoming more than 40,000 students and teachers to the building annually, Arts Commons melds curriculum and the arts for a truly unique learning experience.

Heal and Drum, Teach and Drum, Love and Drum

The Birth of a Production

Office Dogs

Learning Through the Arts

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36 MONS S CO M !

E G ART IN IN L Z N A O H IS A M VA IL A B L E A YES! T aring, h s IS y E b on ce Z IN M AG A our experien is publication y th Expand and enjoying mmons.ca , co reading ite. Visit arts ns bs e w r ommo u o #artsc

@yyca

rts

Editor-In-Chief

From the East Coast to the West with a detour in between.

Shilpa is a passionate storyteller who has been contributing her stories to tv and radio broadcasts across the country.

She has planted her reporting skills in Calgary for a decade now - providing a voice to the city’s South Asian Community. She’s worked as a journalist for both CBC and OMNI TV, and regularly contributes articles to national magazines. When she’s not penning stories you can find her in the Rockies, shredding the slopes with her family.

AARON CHATHA Managing Editor

KAIJA DIRKSON Creative Manager

ERIN BELTON Graphic Design

Stephanie Joe

CONTRIBUTORS

A SAIT graduate (and valedictorian), Stephanie Joe has worked with Global News, Metro, and Sun Media. Her focus is reporting stories within Indigenous communities and bridging the gap between Indigenous and nonIndigenous groups within Canada. A strong advocate for reconciliation, she channels her passion into writing.

Shilpa Downton, Stephanie Joe, Rajvir Gill, Aaron Chatha, Tasha Komery, Shone Thistle

RESIDENT COMPANIES Alberta Theatre Projects, Arts Commons Presents, Calgary Philharmonic Orchestra, Downstage, One Yellow Rabbit, and Theatre Calgary

Rajvir Gill

PUBLISHED BY

Rajvir is a student at the University Of Calgary Faculty Of Law and a constant advocate for the oppressed and underrepresented. She’s travelled to the Philippines to help build a study centre for street children and held positions as the provincial program director of Alberta’s Action Coalition on Human Trafficking and project director for the Indo-Canadian Women’s Association.

She’s also been recognized as one of the Top 30 Under 30 by the Alberta Council for Global Cooperation in 2015.

Arts Commons 205 8th Avenue SE Calgary, Alberta T2G 0K9 Phone: 403-294-7455 Fax: 403-294-7457 artscommons.ca © Copyright 2019 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.

The Bloomin' Arts of Spring and Summer As the official 2018-19 arts season wraps up for the summer in Calgary (the season typically runs September through May), there are still plenty of opportunities to get your creative fix over the warmer months.

Shilpa Downton

TASHA KOMERY

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ON THE COVER Vivek Shraya is one half of Too Attached, a musical duo whose project, Angry, was born out of racialized expectations for minorities to compartmentalize their anger. The project takes on new life as Angry Redux at Arts Commons. Photo © Heather Saitz.

More on Page 4.

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OWn this anger; owŋ tħis spące WRITTEN BY RAJVIR GILL

A

s a 30-something in 2019, I like to boast that I don’t get nervous or intimidated by anyone or anything.

That changed when I was asked to speak with Vivek Shraya and Shamik Bilgi about their upcoming soundscape, Angry Redux.

The sibling duo make music as Too Attached, while boasting impressive individual resumes; Shamik, with his own record label, a podcast, and his latest project, Channeling India, that combines hip hop and electronic beats with Indian samples, and Vivek, with a best-selling new book, I’m Afraid of Men, Polaris Music Prize nomination, career as a creative writing professor, and other accomplishments in writing, modeling, and filmmaking.

As a person of colour with her own dream of mastering a creative outlet one day, Vivek and Shamik’s talent and success was at once inspiring and intimidating. Lucky for me they are both humble and kind people, and lucky for all of us in Calgary that we get an exclusive project from the duo.

Angry Redux is a reimagining of the Angry EP, best described as a protest album on how racialized people are expected to compartmentalize their anger. Angry was born out of a frustration with people of colour consistently being labelled impolite, ungrateful, or aggressive when speaking of their realities in public spaces. After being confronted with this in their own lives and seeing it play out in social movements around them, Angry asks: “what if we were to own our anger as opposed to denying it”?

The reimagining of this work will strip down the Angry EP into various parts. This means instead of a replaying their previous work as is, the duo is transforming their work into what can be described as one

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Arts Commons Spring/Summer 2019

Opposite: Too Attached, Photo © Nick Wong.

long continuous vocal with different kinds of layering to give space for certain segments, lyrics, and melodies of each song.

create a scholarship program for emerging musicians of colour.”

Vivek and Shamik continue to offer their perspectives on their identities and encourage other artists to remain vigilant.

Vivek does admit that being so vulnerable with your experiences can be hard (she has recently taken online harassment and made it into a comic book). She advises those wanting to get their work out there to acknowledge the risks, but also to remember the power of connecting with

“[Angry Redux] will give us an opportunity to add depth to our songs with breaths, echoes, and all in all, tripped out reinterpretations of the record,” said Shamik. “Since people will be walking by every day, maybe this piece can get into their heads in a different way...kind of like how the lyrics became memorable for people when the album came out last

“ I do what I can to make smaller changes where possible. I can't eradicate systemic racism and misogyny, but what I can do is create a scholarship program for emerging musicians of colour.” year. The album is already quite vulnerable, but now there will be even more room for rawness and honesty.”

others and leaning on your social supports when navigating through the hostility.

Arts Commons is proud to provide a platform for Vivek and Shamik’s work and invites you to rethink how you see and interpret the world through their music.

The soundscape will be played on loop in the Arts Commons +15 Soundscape.

Vivek and Shamik’s work is the latest addition to Calgary’s art scene with a social message. Vivek sees a bright future for this type of movement in Calgary, pointing to the openness in terms of connecting with other arts communities and the range of cultural institutions in the city.

Hear Angry Redux by Too Attached through the Arts Commons +15 Soundscape until August 30, 2019. Vivek Shraya's visual artwork will also be featured in the Window Galleries from June 15 – August 30, 2019.

Vivek is also adamant on using her platform to provide access and resources to people of colour, most recently launching a grant for Indigenous, black, and POC (person of colour) musicians who want to create a debut EP recording.

Too Attached will be performing at the evolve: pride amplified fundraiser on Saturday, May 25, 2019. All proceeds support city-wide programs for LGBTQ2+ youth. Tickets at artscommons.ca.

“I do what I can to make smaller changes where possible. I can't eradicate systemic racism and misogyny, but what I can do is

Spring/ Summer 2019 Arts Commons

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BEHIND THE SCENES AT ATP

The Birth of a Production

W

e all look forward to the fall when the new arts season launches and we have the good fortune to experience the splendour of amazing stories, sets, and costumes.

The theatres may be a bit quieter during the summer months, but behind the scenes, in the costume and set construction shops, the Arts Commons Resident Companies are gearing up for another roller coaster season of thrills, chills, and laughter!

“ATP certainly has a style of script they like to look at, and that might dictate a little of the design, but we’ve had a really wide range of looks on that stage,” Fraser reminisced. “We’ve done some huge box sets - Vanya and Sonia and Masha and Spike was a pretty cool one for us, because it was really grand in the amount of set that was actually out there. I can’t say I can pick a favourite, but we’ve done some pretty cool stuff.”

As early as June, Director of Production at Alberta Theatre Projects, David Fraser, is pouring over designs for next season’s productions.

Catherine Hahn’s set design for Vanya and Sonia and Masha and Spike was indeed lauded as elaborate and pristine, with a giant book case and fireplace bookending the set, and a grand window in the centre allowing for striking lighting design.

It all starts on paper for him, looking at budgets, available resources, and design concepts provided by the show directors and designers. The director and designer on any given show have their own unique vision for what their set should look like, and it can vary from incredibly complex to elegant and minimalist. It’s Fraser’s job to fulfil that vision within the limitations provided.

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Arts Commons Spring/Summer 2019

Once the look is somewhat settled on, Fraser begins ordering materials.

Around this time, ATP's Head of Wardrobe, Melissa Mitchell, has already exchanged ideas with the play’s designer, and is putting together materials for the first round of fittings.

pieces are custom made, or just a few weeks for something like The New Canadian Curling Club where many items are bought and put together.

recognized. They’re doing work that people don’t think about as happening.”

After the build, it takes about a week to install all the pieces on stage, where final adjustments are made.

While Mitchell is testing outfits on actors, production is underway in the Arts Commons set construction shop. The process to build any given set can take up to five weeks, and sometimes extra hands are brought in for exceptionally complex designs.

This process is unique and special at Arts Commons, in that visitors can see the set being built pieceby-piece from the window of the building’s +15 corridor, which looks down into the workshop.

WRITTEN BY AARON CHATHA

Mitchell is also using this time to make final adjustments to costumes. Although she’s available if, say, a costume rips apart during a performance, it’s mostly in the hands of the head designer once the play opens.

Of course, an opening doesn’t mean Mitchell or Fraser are done – they just switch gears onto the next production, and the process starts all over again.

Luckily, it’s never the same twice.

“You meet so many amazing people and every show is different, so my job doesn’t really get stale,” Mitchell laughed. “I mean, the process is the same, but with new people, new actors, and new types of shows, it keeps you entertained. You get to learn new skills with each show.”

One might think it intimidating to be watched while at work, but Fraser said the team on the floor doesn’t seem to mind.

“I think if anything, it’s inspiring for them,” he beamed. “It’s nice for them to be

Sometimes they build costumes from scratch (like the capes for Zorro: Family Code that were created in the costume shop located a couple of floors above the Martha Cohen Theatre), sometimes they rent costumes or see what they can reuse from other shows (like how the season closer, The Virgin Trials, borrowed a few pieces from the season opener, The Last Wife) and what pieces they need to buy (like the contemporary clothes and winter jackets used in The New Canadian Curling Club).

And we, the audience members, get to experience the beautiful, bold, and ripe fruits of their labour.

Then everything starts getting adjusted and changed once it’s on the bodies of the actors.

“Sometimes as a designer, you see something in your own mind, but when you put it on the body it’s supposed to be on, it just doesn’t work. It’s not flattering to them and it’s not flattering to the character, so sometimes you have to shift your designs a little”, says Mitchell.

The costuming process can take a month or two for plays like Zorro: Family Code where

Above: Production photo from ATP's Zorro: Family Code © Benjamin Laird

Spring/ Summer 2019 Arts Commons

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Spring/ Summer 2019 Arts Commons

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T

he Arts Commons Presents BD&P World Music series turns 20 years old in September, and now that it’s all grown up, the series is graduating – to BD&P World Stage.

Happy Birthday World!

To date, music has been a natural fit for the series, but there is so much more to experience in world cultures beyond music.

This season, BD&P World Stage will feature a wider variety of performances filled with legends, rebels, and acrobats. But before we get to what’s to come, let’s take a look at the last 20 years of world celebrations.

The BD&P World Music series was initially developed out of a desire to create inclusive programming for Calgary’s culturally rich and diverse communities, while at the same time bringing music from around the globe to our stages. Director of Programming, Jennifer Johnson, definitely has more than a few memorable moments to share.

“One of my favourite kinds of shows are those with a strong force of community behind it,” she smiled. “For example, the first time we brought Lila Downs to town was a true celebration. To have this huge cheering section of Mexican-Calgarians interacting with her during the show – hooting, hollering, and taking pictures with her after, like the rock star that she is, was a clear demonstration of why we do what we do.”

Community has been the driving force behind many of the series’ most successful shows.

TtheWworld turns 20 WRITTEN BY AARON CHATHA

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Arts Commons Spring/Summer 2019

For example, in 2013, Arts Commons didn’t yet have a strong relationship with the city’s Portuguese community – but they came out in full force to see famed fado singer Mariza.

“She was a headlining artist at the opening of the Disney Concert Hall,” Johnson said.

“One of the reasons they showcased her, and the reason we showcased her, is that her voice and her presence is so powerful.

When she sang, the concert hall fell silent.

You could hear a pin drop. And there was a communal sense of people’s hearts

pounding. There are moments in art where people are completely captivated, and I could see that was what our audience experienced that night.”

These memories support a very strong vision for Johnson and the future of Arts Commons: a creative and compassionate society inspired through the arts.

South African trumpeter Hugh Masekela was also featured in the series lineup that year. As part of Arts Commons’ commitment to engaging with community, Masekela joined our then CEO Johann Zietsman (also from South Africa) for a conversation with Bow Valley College students, on the role of the arts during Apartheid. Masekela then performed on the Jack Singer Concert Hall stage that night to a sold-out audience that included many of the students who engaged in that earlier conversation. It was a genuine demonstration of how powerful the arts can

“Through experiencing the creativity of others, you gain a sense of understanding and appreciation. A creative and compassionate society is our vision because we believe it to be possible. When you understand other peoples, cultures, and histories, you become a more open, caring individual. That’s the power of the arts.”

The BD&P World Stage season kicks off in September with Rosanne Cash, on tour with her new album, and ends with La Santa Cecilia, a Mexican-American band based in

“ …When you understand other peoples, cultures, and histories, you become a more open, caring individual. That’s the power of the arts.” be in transforming hearts and minds.

Los Angeles, who play a blend of cumbia, bossa nova, and boleros. In between, Arts Commons welcomes: Flamenco Legends: The Paco de Lucía Project, a loving and powerful tribute to a flamenco master; Formidable! Aznavour: The Story of a Legend, a musical honouring the prolific French composer; Flip Fabrique’s Blizzard, a magical, wintery, French-Canadian acrobatic circus show; and the gospel and spoken word production, led by musical director Damien Sneed, We Shall Overcome: A Celebration of Dr. Martin Luther King.

And then there was Niyaz, an IranianCanadian duo featured in the 2015-16 season, whose work combines Sufi and Urdu poetry with trance-inducing beats, and whose set included a female whirling dervish. This was a big deal, as traditionally, only men dance as whirling dervishes, and although that’s slowly changing, it’s still not a universally accepted practice. In Calgary, however, it was enthralling.

“It was a moment where everybody appreciated the culture and the custom in a very reverent way,” Johnson recalled. “Even more beautiful, there was a couple in the audience, who dove into that moment and began to pray. There was this total sense of appreciation from everyone in the room, and those patrons felt comfortable in our space to have that moment.”

For more information on the new BD&P World Stage series, visit artscommons.ca/world.

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

Spring/ Summer 2019 Arts Commons

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W

ith more than 600,000 visitors annually, every bare wall or silent hallway is just an opportunity waiting.

The mission at Arts Commons is to bring the arts to life, which means creating new and using existing spaces to showcase emerging artists in the public areas of the building. Since 1992, 1,056 artist exhibitions have been supported at Arts Commons, and still counting.

In the 2008-09 season, Arts Commons developed its own visual and media arts program.

Exhibition space includes the Window Galleries in the corridor adjacent to the Max Bell Theatre, and the Ledge Gallery and Lightbox Studio, which are both studio and exhibition spaces in the Centre Court

opportunities, professional development sessions, networking social events and – of course – paid exhibition opportunities in the building. It’s geared towards helping them enter the next phase of their career.

Hooves laughed. “That’s really important too – accessibility and price point. I think a lot of people feel like they need expensive materials to make art, but that’s not true.”

Hooves said they were glad to get into the program at the ground level – the pilot involved a bit of experimentation, to see what was useful to the artists. This meant, in addition to having a space to work, they took part in workshops to clean up their CVs and – vitally – learn how to fill out grant applications.

“It’s actually unusual for a performing arts centre to have a visual arts program, let alone one as robust as ours,” explained Natasha Jensen, Visual and Media Arts Associate. “It’s so important for patrons and artists who come into our facilities to be inspired by different art forms, and each other. That’s kind of the Calgary spirit of collaboration and support.”

Hooves is hoping that knowledge will help them gain funding to continue the Prairie Queer series beyond the work done at Arts Commons.

The program officially kicks off in the 201920 season – but a few artists got to pilot the program in the 2018-19 season.

Jensen hopes future artists will get even more out of the program, as she believes visual media is vital to human interaction.

This included Lightbox Studio artist Mike Hooves and their exhibition Prairie Queer,

“It takes away a lot of the language barriers that folks have,” she explained.

“I think visual arts get a broader range of people to engage.”

“...I think a lot of people feel like they need expensive materials to make art, but that's not true.” area, featuring glass walls and windows so the public can watch and engage with the artist at work.

The program is about to celebrate 10 years, and it just got a major upgrade.

WRITTEN BY AARON CHATHA

The RBC Foundation has partnered with Arts Commons to present the RBC Emerging Visual Artists Program.

This program is an investment in Calgary’s emerging visual artists, which will provide them with one-on-one mentorship

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Arts Commons Spring/Summer 2019

For more information or to apply for future intakes of the RBC Emerging Visual Artist Program, visit artscommons.ca.

which was a portrait series of young queer Calgarians. The collaborative and intimate portraits were made using found and costeffective materials – like Crayola markers.

–– Arts Commons is grateful for the support of the RBC Foundation.

The nature of the Lightbox Studio means anyone passing through the hall could see Hooves at work, and many even stopped by for a conversation. Pretty cool for a space that used to be a gift shop.

“I just had some kids that were amazed that I was using Crayola markers, because that’s what they use in their classrooms,”

Opposite: Artwork © Mike Hooves Above right: Artist Mike Hooves in the Lightbox Studio © Bryce Maruk Right: Artist Danny Ryan Owens at work in the Ledge Gallery © Natasha Jensen

Spring/ Summer 2019 Arts Commons

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Skipper

Princess Gretal

OFFice

"Happiness is a warm puppy."

—Charles M. Schulz (cartoonist, Peanuts)

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WRITTEN BY TASHA KOMERY

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lo ve g how much "It is amazin to o ur in g in they br and laug hter oser how much cl lives and even r ith each othe we beco me w em." because of th ) uthor, Marley & Me

—John Grogan (a

ne of the things I love about being a dog owner is the smile that appears across a stranger’s face when I pass them in the street. They look down at Lucy, trotting along, happily wagging her tail, with a smile in her eyes, and it always seems to make their day.

That’s why I feel so fortunate to work at Arts Commons. I bring my dog into work at least three times per week, typically to the joy of those around me. And if my dog isn’t in, then there is most certainly another fur buddy around to snuggle.

Those mid-workday snuggles aren’t just fun, however. According to Steven Feldman, Executive Director of the Human Animal Bond Research Initiative (HABRI) Foundation in Washington, D.C., “Studies have demonstrated that pets in the workplace contribute to stress reduction, as well as employee teamwork and satisfaction. Employees who can bring their pets to work are also more productive”.1 From my experience, having Lucy in the office improves morale, breaks down communication barriers, and makes long, stressful days more effortless. In a 2012 study by Virginia Commonwealth University, employees who were around dogs in the workplace not only reported feeling less stressed, but also reported having higher levels of job satisfaction.2 For those who tend to eat their lunch at their desks in front of the computer, having a pup in the office also reminds us to take a break.

They need a midday walk, sure, but so do we! Psychology Today reported in a 2017 article that frequent breaks help prevent “decision fatigue”, restore motivation, increase productivity and creativity, and improve learning. The publication also reminded readers that “movement breaks” help improve both our physical and mental wellness.3

Dustin

June 17-21 is “Bring Your Pet to Work” week. So, do something good for your health and if your company allows for it, give Fido a seat at the boardroom table this spring.

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Babyface

[1] aaha.org/pet_owner/lifestyle/the-many-benefits-of-pets-in-the-workplace.aspx [2] inc.com/john-mcdermott/study-office-dogs-reduce-work-related-stress.html [3] psychologytoday.com/ca/blog/changepower/201704/how-do-work-breaks-help-your-brain-5-surprising-answers

Spring/ Summer 2019 Arts Commons

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Public Sector Support

TD Arts Access Pass Title Sponsor

Media Sponsors

Official Suppliers

www.conocophillips.ca © ConocoPhillips Company 2018. All rights reserved.

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Arts Commons Spring/Summer 2019

Spring/ Summer 2019 Arts Commons

17

WRITTEN BY SHILPA ACHARYA DOWNTON

g n i n r a Le ugh o r h t s t r a e th

A

s kids, we learn through play. We hum a tune before we utter our first words, bop to a beat before taking our first steps, and create masterpieces with crayons long before learning how to write our name. Art is a natural instinct that awakens the body, mind, and soul and allows us to learn and grow - often without even realizing or trying.

The Education programs offered through Arts Commons are centred in this

Since the mid 80’s, Arts Commons has been leading YYC’s arts and culture community, providing a variety of programs taught by artists and arts educators.

Serving both Calgary school boards and welcoming students from across Calgary and Alberta, Arts Commons, including all six Resident Companies, engages over 40,000 teachers and students annually.

Primarily through the ConocoPhillips Hub for Inspired Learning, Arts Commons Presents (ACP), the organization’s own Resident Company, accounts for over 10,000 of those teachers and students, making use of their programming each year and providing them with the tools to bring the arts into everyday learning.

Using the unique languages of dance, drama, music, and visual arts to speak to teachers and students, the Education Associates at Arts Commons Spring/Summer 2019

Melissa Piwowarczyk is a teacher with the Calgary Catholic School district. She is trained in piano and musical theatre and has a genuine passion for visual arts. Arts programs and expression have always been a part of who she is, but she was unclear on how she could apply these tools to the classroom. When Melissa learned that Arts Commons Presents was offering a

“ ...any time Melissa can bring an element of art into a lesson plan, it enhances students’ learning while giving them a creative outlet.” philosophy: evolving through the arts, during all stages of life.

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ACP show them how these natural tools can help communicate complex ideas.

The multi-day Summer Master Class for Educators will focus on the dramatic arts and guide educators through a process to create experiential learning programs for their students focused on performance, imaginative play, and collaborative theatre creation.

Bollywood workshop she thought, “This would be really fun to incorporate into our grade three lesson on India.”

She added that any time she “can bring an element of art into a lesson plan, it enhances students’ learning while giving them a creative outlet.” Having these workshops available is just one way that ACP works with teachers to expand their artistic resources. Educators often also opt in to the customizable Artist-in-Residence program.

These artists come directly to the schools and use their specialty to create engaging lessons within the curriculum. Often by adding music or another arts-based component, students are able to better absorb information, and are introduced to the value of learning through play.

“Although the regular Professional Development sessions prove to be a valuable resource, there often isn’t enough time for teachers to really dive in to their artistic abilities,” explained Education Associate Jenny Peters. Having a program run over the course of many days will broaden the whole artistic experience and allow teachers to fine tune skills they can bring back to the classroom. The Summer Master Class Program is an opportunity for Calgary’s educators to truly discover a new side of themselves, or perhaps be reacquainted with an old passion. And at the very least, “a summer camp for teachers” promises to be a whole lot of fun.

But why should the kids have all the fun?

In addition to offering several in-house Professional Development programs, this year Arts Commons Presents is launching a pilot summer program for teachers.

To learn more or to register for this three-day intensive, visit: artscommons.ca/ professionaldevelopment

Spring/ Summer 2019 Arts Commons

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Pink Floyd - The Wall THURSDAY, NOVEMBER 28, 2019

Tom Petty - Damn the Torpedoes THURSDAY, FEBRUARY 20, 2020

The Beatles - Sgt. Pepper’s Lonely Hearts Club Band FRIDAY, MAY 1, 2020

note.

Note for ut.

Cut for c

N subscrEi W p on sale tions now!

Arts Commons, Jack Singer Concert Hall

403-294-9494 or artscommons.ca/CAL Public Sector Support

Media Sponsors

Official Suppliers

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.

|

All roads lead to Calgary Arts.

New ideas. New approaches.

cenovus.com

BUILDINGS

|

CIVIL

INFRASTRUCTURE

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SPECIAL

PROJECTS

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Proud suPPorter of the pCl blues series.

alsaroad.com Shown: Rocky Ridge Recreation Facility

Explorers help us find the future.

Saskatchewan Mining and Minerals proudly supports National Geographic Live, a speaker series that introduces new ideas, amazing sights and behind-thelens perspectives.

enjoying the ride.

Watch us build at PCL.com

We didn’t convince your best friend to go on an adventure. Or cross something off your bucket list.

But we did fuel the road trip that reminded you that you’re only as old as you feel. When the energy you invest in life meets the energy we fuel it with, exhilarating moments happen.

saskatchewanminingandminerals.com 20

Arts Commons Spring/Summer 2019

Spring/ Summer 2019 Arts Commons

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WRITTEN BY STEPHANIE JOE

T

he word reconciliation has been thrown around a lot lately, but what does it really mean?

Reconciliation happens when Indigenous and non-Indigenous people commit to bettering their relationship, and National Indigenous Peoples Day is a great day to commit to reconciliation by getting interested in Indigenous culture.

The actual holiday takes place annually on June 21, but Arts Commons is honouring Indigenous people one day early.

On June 20, there will be a mini Pow Wow in front of the building, showcasing dancers from throughout Treaty 7 territory. In the spirit of participation and understanding, Arts Commons will also be hosting free family friendly workshops before and after the Pow Wow. What makes this celebration special is that it’s completely Indigenous led.

Anders Hunter, lead singer for Eya-Hey Nakoda, will sing and drum for the Pow Wow along with two others from his drumming group. Think of the event as a free history lesson, as Anders will extend his knowledge of the songs and the significance it has to Indigenous peoples.

“When I first experienced Pow Wow as a kid, I saw so many colours and happy people; I heard some beautiful music and just made friends,” he reminisced.

“So, when people come out to this demonstration, I’m going to assume that they’ll carry home a little bit of knowledge of where they’re living and what types of songs we do.”

Along with the Pow Wow, Cree artist Chantal Chagnon will be hosting a workshop inside Arts Commons. Chagnon is an artist-in-residence and has extensive knowledge in traditional drum making.

She hosts three-day drum workshops that

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Arts Commons Spring/Summer 2019

outline the respect and use these powerful tools have in Indigenous culture.

The June 20th event will give a taste of what Chagnon does in her three-day workshop. She starts each session with a smudge and land acknowledgement and gives thanks to the hides, tools, and the different elements involved in drum-making.

“There are so many things a drum can teach us,” she explained. “It’s really about learning how to balance our lives, how to honour, and how to learn — that’s what a drum is. It’s a teaching tool and it’s a healing tool.”

Other artists include Richard Sparvier, Programmer and emcee for the Pow Wow, and Shirly Hill, Indigenous dance workshop lead.

Joshua Dalledonne, Producing and Engagement Associate for Arts Commons, said it was important to have this event be completely Indigenous led, with him acting in support for whatever the artists need.

“Our hope out of this is to not only build better relationships with all Treaty 7 nations, but it’s also a way for our general audience to create a connection,” he said.

You will learn a lot from the Indigenous people involved in this event, who want to share their culture and Indigenous ways of knowing with you.

“The biggest benefit is learning,” continued Chagnon, “because you learn so much, not only about the culture, not only about the history, but you also learn so much about yourself.”

Arts Commons Presents

who what

National Indigenous Peoples Day Celebrations (FREE!)

when

“We all have so much to learn from each other if we just open up those doors and allow ourselves to hear each other’s voices.”

info

All photos © Diane + Mike Photography

June 20, 2019

where

Arts Commons, 8th Avenue artscommons.ca

Spring/ Summer 2019 Arts Commons

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

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

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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24

Arts Commons Spring/Summer 2019

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

M05234 (0216)

Spring/ Summer 2019 Arts Commons

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March 11 – May 31, 2019

May 3 – August 30, 2019

May 3 & 4, 2019

visual and media arts

visual and media arts

music

Arts Commons Presents

Arts Commons Presents

Arts Commons Presents

Caitlin Thompson inhabits the Ledge Gallery with colourful needleworks. The natural and dreamlike collide, as the embroidery is used to create looping, revolving animated scenes.

Vivek Shraya and Shamik Bilgi are the duo behind Too Attached. Their project, Angry Redux, is a re-envisioning of their celebrated Angry album for the +15 Soundscape, exploring themes of rage and joy.

It’s easy to see why Thornetta Davis is commonly called the Queen of Detroit’s Blues. This stellar voice has earned her over 30 Detroit Music Awards, famous appearances at Lillith Fair and Madison Square Garden, and put her on stage opening for some of the biggest names in the business including Ray Charles, Gladys Knight, and Buddy Guy.

where

© Larissa Hauck

mer m u S and Spring

Ledge Gallery

Studio times vary artscommons.ca

April 9 – May 12, 2019 Billy Elliot The Musical This Tony Award®-winning musical is an inspiring and moving tale about the importance of following your heart. Set in working-class England, young Billy dreams of trading in his boxing gloves for ballet slippers, but his widowed father cannot understand his passion.

Arts Commons Presents

Jarrett Plays The Hits, Masked Dickey Birds in Their Natural Habitat, Feral Femme, and The Coloured Clouds Oxana Babkina, Larissa Hauck, Long Grass Studio, and Jared Sitter delve into the fantastical with illustrations, paintings, and handcrafted, small-scale sculptures of fictional creatures.

where when info

Max Bell Theatre

Various times theatrecalgary.com

Always open artscommons.ca

May 3 – June 24, 2019 visual and media arts

Arts Commons Presents

March 11 – May 31, 2019

Wilderness

visual and media arts

Arts Commons Presents

Broadcast Lab

where when info

Always open artscommons.ca

may 26

Arts Commons Spring/Summer 2019

© Tiffany Wollman

Why Must The Sun Go Down, Aleatoric Garden, TWO Iris Moore, Aran Wilkinson, and Christopher Spencer-Lowe take over the Broadcast Lab with films based on storybooks, gardens, and memories, all themed around children.

when

Tiffany Wollman fills the Lightbox Studio with photo prints and impressionist interpretations of Alberta’s varied landscapes. It is an experimentation in representation while looking at the art history and showcasing the beauty found in the landscape in and near Calgary. where when info

Lightbox Studio

Always open artscommons.ca

+15 Soundscape

Always open artscommons.ca

PCL Blues: Thornetta Davis

where

May 3 & 4, 2019

when

8pm artscommons.ca

Calgary Philharmonic Orchestra

Controversial Classics

May 5 & 6, 2019

Described as “something of a phenomenon,” violinist Lara St. John teams with conductor Rune Bergmann and the CPO in Pulitzer Prize-winning composer John Corigliano’s Red Violin Concerto, drawn from the music which earned him the 1998 Academy Award for Best Original Score. where when

speaker series

Arts Commons Presents

National Geographic Live: Adventures Among Orangutans with photographer Tim Laman and anthropologist Cheryl Knott See first-hand the incredible results of the work by biological anthropologist Cheryl Knott and wildlife photojournalist Tim Laman. Innovative techniques and new technologies have allowed them to gain a closer look at one of the most iconic, yet least understood of the world’s primates, the orangutan.

Jack Singer Concert Hall

7:30pm

calgaryphil.com © Tim Laman

May 3 – 11, 2019 theatre

Handsome Alice Theatre

A Love Letter to Emily C Fall in love with the creative brilliance of Emily Carr as she playfully interacts with her monkey, Woo. A quirky dialogue between a woman and the creature she adored—it is a fusion of theatre, poetry, visual art, and music. where

Big Secret Theatre

Various tickets artscommons.ca when

where when

Jack Singer Concert Hall

2pm & 7pm artscommons.ca

tickets

May 8 – 12, 2019 theatre

Fire Exit Theatre

Sacrament

In the heart of a city gripped by a deadly epidemic, Father Caleb opens his church to offer people hope. But soon the people taking Mass no longer suffer sickness. When a leading scientist comes to investigate the miracle, an unexpected reunion turns into a showdown between divergent world views fighting for the future of humanity. where when

tickets

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

Engineered Air Theatre

tickets

music

tickets

Window Galleries

where

where

info

Theatre Calgary

visual and media arts

info

info

theatre/music

March 5 – May 31, 2019

when

when

Angry Redux

© Bob Shultz

PANORAMADA

© James-Farley

what’s on

Engineered Air Theatre

2pm & 7:30pm artscommons.ca

Spring/ Summer 2019 Arts Commons

27

May 10 & 11, 2019

May 16 - 18, 2019

May 29, 2019

June 2, 2019

music

theatre

comedy

music and film

Calgary Philharmonic Orchestra

GFOUR Productions

Unique Lives

Arts Commons Presents

Come see what millions of women have been laughing, cheering, and raving about for years! Set in a department store, four women with nothing in common but a black lace bra come to realize they have more to share than ever imagined.

Come spend a hilarious evening with the “One and Only” John Cleese. John is a legendary comedic actor best known for: “Monty Python’s Flying Circus”, “Fawlty Towers” and “A Fish Called Wanda”.

Jack Singer Concert Hall

where when

tickets

7:30pm

where

Martha Cohen Theatre

7:30pm tickets artscommons.ca when

calgaryphil.com

May 12 - 14, 2019

May 17, 2019 community event

Arts Commons Presents

dance

Wild Rose Dance Arts Association

Happenings Adult Late Night

The WRDAA is a competition that provides a safe atmosphere for dancers to compete and show their talents off to their fellow peers in a competitive and festival environment.

Taking its cues from the Surrealist and Dadaist parties, and tailored to adults with an appetite for the unusual, expect performances, music, and art to transform the Engineered Air Theatre. Audiences are encouraged to take in a buffet of performances, and leave when their art bellies are ready to burst.

Wild Rose Dance Arts Association competition

Jack Singer Concert Hall

where when

tickets

Various times artscommons.ca

where when

May 13 – August 31, 2019 visual and media art

Making Treaty 7 Cultural Society & Arts Commons Presents

Celebrating Two-Spirit Identities Arts Commons and the Making Treaty 7 Cultural Society welcome two Two-Spirit artists into residency to exhibit and create new works inspired by Elders, Knowledge Keepers, and the question: “what does it mean to celebrate Two-Spirit identity?”

As guides between different worlds and understanding, Two-Spirit artists are uniquely positioned to illuminate a future based in right-relations.

info

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8pm artscommons.ca

May 26, 2019

where when

Jack Singer Concert Hall

tickets

7:30pm artscommons.ca

Prokofiev + Mahler with Yefim Bronfman

tickets

3pm calgaryphil.com

where when

tickets

info

Point of No Return, Bonum, and Candy’s Fortune Zachary Finklestein, Sabrina “Naz” Comanescu, and Sebastian Jarmula hit the Broadcast Lab to tackle climate change on a micro scale, the dangers of complacency and reward of perseverance, and an exploration of atmosphere using morphing music and colour.

7:30pm calgaryphil.com

music

when

Arts Commons Presents

Jack Singer Concert Hall

June 2, 2019

where

visual and media arts

where when info

Broadcast Lab

Always open artscommons.ca

visual and media arts

Arts Commons Presents

Colby Jones, Vivek Shraya, and Sean Taal Colby Jones, Vivek Shraya, and Sean Taal take over the Window Galleries in an exhibition about satire and intimacy.

Jack Singer Concert Hall

2:30pm artscommons.ca

where when info

may / june

June 7 – August 30, 2019

Always open artscommons.ca

Arts Commons Spring/Summer 2019

7pm artscommons.ca

June 7 – August 30, 2019

One of the world’s great artists, Yefim Bronfman performs Prokofiev’s dramatic Piano Concerto No. 2. Mahler’s towering Fourth — a symphonic vision of Heaven, as seen through the eyes of a child — featuring rising Canadian soprano AnneMarie MacIntosh.

Extra, Extra! Read all about it! Step into the 1920s streets of New York where a poor newspaper boy has a chance encounter with the famous composer, George Gershwin. when

Engineered Air Theatre

Calgary Philharmonic Orchestra

Each year the Calgary Civic Symphony presents the best of the young generation: the winners of the Calgary Concerto Competition. Many have gone on to stellar careers. Come out to hear and support these outstanding young artists!

Jack Singer Concert Hall

when

tickets

Rising Stars

where

where

music

Calgary Philharmonic Orchestra

Gershwin's Magic Key

The media artists, local musicians, and improvisers that make up Calgary’s CineMusic Live, are bringing their backyard cinema escapades to the Engineered Air Theatre. By re-cutting, re-scoring, and re-dubbing the films of Jimmy Stewart, they’re creating a brand-new story, for one night only.

May 31 - June 1, 2019

Calgary Civic Symphony

music

Preamp Short-Term Residency: CineMusic Live

+15 Galleries & Ledge Gallery

where when

info

Engineered Air Theatre

John Cleese

© Zachary Finklestein

Winner of the prestigious Sydney International Piano Competition, pianist Konstantin Shamray has garnered an adoring following here and abroad for his “fearless command of the instrument, sparkling power, and a faultlessly clear technique.”

Menopause The Musical

©GeraldPDavid.com

Back + Liszt with Konstantin Shamray

Window Galleries

Always open artscommons.ca

Spring/ Summer 2019 Arts Commons

29

June 7 – August 30, 2019

June 16, 2019

July 1 – August 30, 2019

August 24, 2019

visual and media arts

music

visual and media arts

music/comedy

Arts Commons Presents

Shantero Productions

Arts Commons Presents

Live Nation

Jane Trash creates a series of short film pieces to convey concepts including drug abuse, sex, violence, depression, and body image. Her materials include cardboard, acrylic paint, and found objects, including trash, to create backdrops.

No seventies group represented Canada's musical identity to the world like The Stampeders. A quick look at Canada's music scene from 1971 until 1976 confirms The Stampeders were truly the country's international musical ambassadors, touring more extensively in Canada and overseas than any other Canadian group during that time.

Zack Aboulazm and Chelsea Yang-Smith together are TENDR, who create a series of absurd, exaggerated avant-garde objects, like Anti-Toxic Masculinity Shades. The objects purpose is to assist marginalized minorities in their fight against ongoing system oppression.

“Weird Al” Yankovic is the biggest-selling comedy recording artist in history, earning four GRAMMYs and 15 career nominations.

The legendary musical satirist follows his sold-out 2018 tour of intimate venues with his biggest show ever.

The Color Green

Ledge Gallery

where when info

The Stampeders

Studio times vary artscommons.ca

where

Jack Singer Concert Hall

7:30pm tickets artscommons.ca when

June 7 & 8, 2019

June 20, 2019

music community event

Summertime Send-Off with Measha Brueggergosman Canadian soprano sensation Measha Brueggergosman returns to Calgary for the perfect salute to summer! Known for her award-winning career spanning opera, jazz, gospel, and pop, her radiant voice ushers in the oncoming season.

Jack Singer Concert Hall

where

7:30pm tickets calgaryphil.com when

June 15, 2019 speaker series

© Diane + Mike Photography

Calgary Philharmonic Orchestra

where when

Arts Commons, 8th Avenue

10:30am, 11:30am, and 1:00pm artscommons.ca

info

Jack Singer Concert Hall

tickets

11:00am artscommons.ca

june 30

Arts Commons Spring/Summer 2019

cabaret

Sissy Fit: A Queer Cabaret

where when

tickets

Engineered Air Theatre

7:30pm artscommons.ca

when

tickets

Jack Singer Concert Hall

8pm artscommons.ca

August 8-10 or 22-24, 2019 workshop

Arts Commons Presents

where when

Arts Learning Centre

August 8-10 or 22-24, 9am-4pm

register

June 28, 2019

where

Always open artscommons.ca

This three-day Master Class guides teachers through a process for instigating curricular inquiry through verbal and non-verbal theatre genres. Educators will learn how to create learning experiences centered around performance, text and dialogue, imaginative play, and collaborative theatre creation.

You’ve made it here, but where are you?

Context is everything, and we’re all just trying to figure out what “here” really means.

Establishing where we’ve come from, and where we are now, will be what launches us into the future. TEDxYYC strives to bring the best and brilliant to Calgary, fueling those who gather to push boundaries of their own.

info

"Weird Al" Yankovic - Strings Attached Tour 2019

Lightbox Studio

Celebrate National Indigenous Peoples Day early with this free mini Pow Wow and drop-in workshops for families. Explore drumming, dancing, and learn more about the rich cultural history of our shared home.

Brought to life by Lieutenant Governor of Alberta Emerging Arts Award recipient and queer artist extraordinaire Brett Dahl, this cabaret brings together voices from across the queer community in celebration of Pride Month.

when

when

Summer Master Class For Educators

National Indigenous Peoples Day Celebrations

Arts Commons Presents

where

where

Arts Commons Presents

TEDx YYC

TEDx YYC

En-gen-der

artscommons.ca

August 9, 2019 music

Goldenvoice

John Prine A two-time GRAMMY winner, John Prine is among the English language’s premier phrase-turners. Almost 50 years into a remarkable career that has drawn effusive praise from Bob Dylan, Kris Kristofferson, Bonnie Raitt, Roger Waters, Tom Petty, Bruce Springsteen, and others who would know, Prine is a smiling, shuffling force for good. where when

tickets

Jack Singer Concert Hall

8pm artscommons.ca

july / august

Spring/ Summer 2019 Arts Commons

31

thank you CORPORATE SPONSORS & FOUNDATION PARTNERS ALSA Road Construction Ltd. Supporting Sponsor,

BD&P World Music and TD Jazz

Arts Commons Endowment Fund through the Calgary Foundation Big Rock Brewery Inc. Official Brewery Burnet, Duckworth & Palmer LLP Title Sponsor, BD&P World Music CBN Commercial Solutions Official Printer

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.

OFFICIAL SUPPLIERS AND SPONSORED GOODS OR SERVICES

CKUA Radio Network Media Sponsor

Explorers Circle members help Arts Commons present the distinguished speaker series, National Geographic Live, for student and public audiences, and help National Geographic explore and protect our planet by supporting the world’s leading scientists, photographers, journalists, and filmmakers.

CTV Media Sponsor

ENGAGEMENT SPONSORS

CBC Media Sponsor

ENMAX Corporation Sponsor, ENMAX District Energy Centre Thermal Energy Solution

Cenovus Energy Inc. Student Engagement Sponsor

Great Events Catering Sponsor, Founders Circle Sponsor, VIP Receptions, TD Jazz

ConocoPhillips Canada Resources Corp.

Naming Sponsor,

Hotel Arts Sponsor, Explorers Circle,

ConocoPhillips Hub For Inspired Learning Presenting Sponsor, National Geographic Live

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

Enbridge Inc. Sponsor, EXPLORE National Geographic Keyera Corp.

Sponsor, EXPLORE National Geographic PCL Construction Management Inc. Title Sponsor, PCL Blues RBC Foundation Naming Partner, RBC Emerging Visual Artists Program

Repsol Oil & Gas Canada Inc. Sponsor, EXPLORE National Geographic Saskatchewan Mining and Minerals Inc.

Sponsor, EXPLORE National Geographic

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

Presenting Sponsor, Black History Month Cabaret Title Sponsor, TD Arts Access Pass Title Sponsor, TD Jazz

Explorers Circle

National Geographic Live Sponsor, Explorers Circle & VIP Receptions, National Geographic Live Sponsor, VIP Receptions, Classic Albums Live

Pattison Outdoor Media Sponsor PostMedia Media Sponsor Salon Fine Catering & Events Sponsor, VIP Receptions, BD&P World Music

GOVERNMENT OPERATING/PROGRAM SUPPORT Government of Canada through the Departments of Canadian Heritage and Service Canada

Government of Alberta through the Department

of Culture and Tourism and Labour, and the Alberta Foundation for the Arts

The City of Calgary through the Department

of Community Services, and the Council Strategic Initiative Fund

CAPITAL SUPPORT Government of Canada through the Departments of Canadian Heritage and Infrastructure Canada

Government of Alberta through the Department of Culture and Tourism

The City of Calgary through the Department of Community Services

Bob & Sue Benzen, The Search For Life Beyond Earth by astrobiologist Kevin Hand Michel Bourque & Bryan Clarke, Wild Seas, Secret Shores by photographer Thomas Peschak Doug Flaig & Helen Timmons, Social By Nature by wildlife photographer Ronan Donovan Ken Havard & Rosalind Reid, Adventures Among Orangutans by anthropologist Cheryl Knott & photographer Tim Laman

TRAILBLAZERS Antony, Kathleen & Alexander Deakin

EXPLORERS Anonymous (1) Maureen Armitage & Shane Matthews Sandra & Simon Barker Cabra Consulting Ltd. Holly Clark & Jon Handforth 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 Tharrie & Johann Zietsman

Founders Circle

Founders Circle members help Arts Commons present remarkable artists through such series as BD&P World Music, Classic Albums Live, PCL Blues, and TD Jazz, and foster impactful educational initiatives, such as the ConocoPhillips Hub for Inspired Learning.

HONOURARY MEMBERS

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 Shone Thistle at 403-294-7455, ext.1468 or sthistle@artscommons.ca.

32

Arts Commons Spring/Summer 2019

Dr. Martha Cohen, C.M., L.L.D. (in memoriam) Sandra LeBlanc Vera Swanson, O.C. (in memoriam)

FOUNDERS – PLATINUM TIER Bob & Sue Benzen Betty & David Smith

Committing to Sustainability FOUNDERS – GOLD TIER

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

FOUNDERS – SILVER TIER

Anonymous (1) Scott Boyd & Fiona Lowes Greg Epton & Greg Robertson Ken Havard & Rosalind Reid JoAnn McCaig John McWilliams, QC & Susan McWilliams Brian Mills & Susan Tyrrell James & Janice Morton Randy & Luba Pettipas C.A. Siebens Roderick Villanueva & Jennifer Kingsbury Tharrie & Johann Zietsman

BENEFACTORS

Anonymous (3) Colin & Wendy Anderson Leslie Biles & Robert Armstrong Erick Carrillo Michel Bourque & Bryan Clarke Carri Clarke Lesley Conway Patricia Dalk & Terry Burton Norm & Colleen Dickson Leslie & Joe Dort Vonny & Liz Frazer-Fast Jane Golubev & Igor Tesker Barry Heck & Beth Reimer-Heck Brian & Annette Hester Andrea Hopps & Michael Mezei Jennifer Johnson & Trev Habekost Tasha Komery & John Hiebert Arun & Roopa Lakra Jim & Leslie Laycraft M. Ann McCaig Rodney & Karen McCann Daniel Mills Chadwick & Jillian Newcombe Chima Nkemdirim, QC Joe & Judy Osinski Dr. Jeremy Quickfall Stuart & Vicki Reid Holly Schile & David Nielsen Bernie Slogotski & Thedra Hunt Alane Smith Marg Southern Daryl & Cindy Stepanic Shone Thistle & Heather Shaw Patricia van de Sande Please note that only gifts of $1,000 or more are listed above. For a complete list of individual donors, please visit our website at artscommons.ca.

To inquire about becoming a member of Founders or Explorers Circle, please contact Daniel Mills at 403-294-7497 or dmills@artscommons.ca.

WRITTEN BY SHONE THISTLE

S

ustainability has become a bit of a catch phrase and it’s not always clear what people mean when they use it. Our friends at Repsol, however, are clear that it takes shared values and actionable steps to deliver lasting change, and that means investing both locally and globally.

In addition to Repsol’s support of Arts Commons Presents National Geographic Live, Repsol is making a difference around the globe, in more ways than could possibly be captured in this one short article. For instance, together with the United Nations Development Program (UNDP), Repsol is implementing support for the residents of the Villa de Aranjuez and Ciudad del Bicentenario neighborhoods of Colombia. The goal: improve living conditions by implementing inclusivity models that generate greater income, employability, and job training, as well as creating safe and secure living environments that boost resident skills and opportunities. In the most tangible terms, what that means is 21,000 people in crisis, including those experiencing homelessness, are being cared for in meaningful ways. It means free housing so that parents can focus on taking care of their family’s basic needs. It means supporting entrepreneurs and encouraging collaborative economies.

Since 2015, three micro-franchises opened, 132 local businesses were strengthened, and 40 start-ups were created, with two of those start-ups dedicated to art and culture for youth.

Another 110 leaders were trained and empowered with the tools to manage

Students in the Jack Singer Lobby before the student matinee presentation of National Geographic Live: Standing at the Water's Edge with marine biologist and photographer Cristina Mittermeier © J.Ashley Nixon

their communities’ foreseeable needs, while also learning how to adapt to constantly changing environments, and in turn, building community resilience.

"We have a firm and continuous commitment to sustainability, as an essential pillar for generating value today and in the future”, said Josu Jon Imaz, Repsol CEO. Repsol’s investment in Arts Commons National Geographic Live series means 8,500 students are inspired annually to care about the planet through the education arm of the series, and more than 2,500 of those get to attend completely free of charge!

One teacher’s feedback echoes the sentiment of hundreds more. “One student said she now understands how much she wants to work with, and for, animals. Although she did not come from a background that prepared her for being an environmental enthusiast, this experience gave her the confidence to follow her own dreams and talents.”

Keenly aware that a solid plan for sustainability includes ethical, environmental, and social considerations, Repsol contributes in meaningful ways to the best of the human story, and we’re so very grateful to have them as one of our amazing corporate partners. Thanks Repsol!

Spring/ Summer 2019 Arts Commons

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Connect » Contribute » Create

Jontavious Willis

FRI / SAT OCTOBER 4 & 5, 2019

Maria Muldaur

FRI / SAT NOVEMBER 1 & 2, 2019

Alvin “Youngblood” Hart

FRI / SAT DECEMBER 6 & 7, 2019

Todd Albright

Subscribe today!

FRI / SAT JANUARY 17 & 18, 2020

Delvon Lamarr Organ Trio

FRI / SAT FEBRUARY 28 & 29, 2020

Become a member of Explorers Circle and forge a deeper, more meaningful connection with National Geographic and Arts Commons.

Tim Williams, Madagascar Slim, and Cassius Khan: Conversations in Blue

FRI / SAT APRIL 24 & 25, 2020

Arts Commons, Engineered Air Theatre

Join today!

403-294-7497 artscommons.ca/explorerscircle

403-294-9494 or artscommons.ca/blues Title Sponsor

Official Suppliers

Public Sector Support

EXPLORERS CIRCLE IS MADE POSSIBLE WITH THE GENEROUS SUPPORT OF:

THE RBC EMERGING VISUAL ARTISTS PROGRAM

Damien Mander: Akashinga – The Brave Ones SUN / MON OCTOBER 20 & 21, 2019

Zoltan Takacs: Deadliest Lifesavers SUN / MON JANUARY 26 & 27, 2020

Joel Sartore: Building the Photo Ark

NE subscri W p and sin tions tickets gle on June 7t sale h

SUN / MON MARCH 15 & 16, 2020

Kara Cooney: When Women Ruled the World SUN / MON MAY 3 & 4, 2020

PRESENTING SPONSOR

EXPLORE National Geographic Sponsors

Public Sector Support

Arts Commons, Jack Singer Concert Hall

403-294-9494 or artscommons.ca/ngl Media Sponsors

Bridging the gap from emerging to established artist in Calgary.

Visit one of our free exhibits today! Learn more at artscommons.ca

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.

Official Suppliers

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

(403) 250.9510 | CBNCS.com 34

Arts Commons Spring/Summer 2019

FOUNDATION PARTNER:

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Proud supplier of Arts Commons

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Spring/ Summer 2019 Arts Commons

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The Bloomin Arts of Spring and Summer

As the official 2018-19 arts season wraps up for the summer in Calgary (the season typically runs September through May), there are still plenty of opportunities to get your creative fix over the warmer months. The following are just a few highlights, but be sure to check out What’s On at artscommons.ca for a full roster of events.

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1 May

National Geographic Live: Adventures Among Orangutans Solitary animals living in hard-to-reach places, orangutans are one of the most difficult large land animals to study. Frequent contributors to National Geographic, Cheryl Knott and Tim Laman are a husband and wife team who have been studying, photographing, and protecting wild orangutans in Borneo for over 25 years. Swing from branch to branch with these intrepid Explorers and learn how they are using innovative techniques and new technologies to gain a closer look at this intelligent, resourceful—and threatened—species, giving us insights not only into their world, but also our own. May 5 at 2pm & May 6 at 7pm. Tickets at artscommons.ca/ngl.

2 June TEDxYYC

As Calgary’s largest and most well-attended independently-organized TED event, TEDxYYC is geared up to bring the very best to the Jack Singer Concert Hall stage for their tenth year. A total of eight inspiring and innovative speakers will gather for this event, including Dave Proctor (who holds the Guinness World Record for furthest distance run on a treadmill in 24 hours and is the founder of Outrun Rare, an organization with a mission to create broad awareness about the struggles faced by Canadians with rare diseases); and Barb Higgins (a journalist and former anchor of CTV Calgary News at 6, Barb turned her focus to the effect of toxic stress after realizing her own burnout and is now a Certified Wellness Counsellor and is completing her studies in somatic trauma therapy). Don’t miss out on what promises to be an enlightening and inspiring afternoon. June 15 at 11am.

Tickets at artscommons.ca.

3July and August Celebrating Two-Spirit Identities

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Arts Commons Spring/Summer 2019

Arts Commons will be hosting a journey between Indigenous Elders and Two-Spirit peoples from the Indigenous Nations of the Treaty 7 region.

Artistic Director, Justin Many Fingers, and Managing Director Oli Siska will facilitate the sharing of traditional knowledge on Two-Spirit identities from Treaty 7 Elders and Indigenous Knowledge Keepers to Two-Spirit artists as a way to inspire new artistic work. Two-Spirit artists have been selected and invited to participate in this informal Arts Commons hosted residency, with the ultimate goal to create work inspired by the mentorship they’ve received and their response to the question “what does it mean to celebrate TwoSpirit identity?” The residency begins in June with completed new works installed and exhibited in the +15 Window Galleries by the end of July.

Don’t miss out on the Artist Reception which will take place August 31st.

For more information, visit artscommons.ca/visualarts.

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 Theatre Calgary.

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.

$6

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

Why ACTNOW ?

Arts and culture facilities are essential for a vibrant city. They enable activities that reflect our unique identities and provide a place for boundless creativity. They act as a catalyst for a diverse economy, providing jobs, attracting talent, and building community.

Arts Commons has served Calgary in this way for almost 35 years. Today, however, the facility is aging and we do not have sufficient space to serve the needs of our community.

The Arts Commons Transformation (ACT) project was conceived in collaboration with key stakeholders and The City of Calgary,

to ensure Arts Commons remains financially sustainable and is able to play a pivotal role in the realization of a dynamic cultural and entertainment district. On March 4th, Calgary City Council made the momentous decision to invest in this infrastructure, including Phase One of ACT – the development of the new facility. While we celebrate this decision, there is still more work to do.

Funding from ALL three levels of government is needed for Phase One and a commitment to Phase Two is needed to address the more than $71M in critical life-cycle issues we face in the current facility.

NOW is the time to invest in ACT to serve the needs of our growing and changing community.

The quality of a community’s cultural infrastructure has a direct impact on quality of life and therefore on the competitiveness of communities in attracting people and investment.

Why does it matter to you? Because YOU are our community. And YOU matter to us.

CANADIA N CO UN C IL O F C H I E F E XECU T I V E S ACT is supported by:

Sign the letter and show your support:

artscommons.ca/ACTNOW