2018
IMPACT REPORT
PHOTO: LIISA HANNUS
14TH ANNUAL
PuSh International Performing Arts Festival JANUARY 15 – FEBRUARY 3, 2018 MISSION
The PuSh Festival acknowledges that it operates on the ancestral and unceded territories of the Coast Salish peoples of the xʷməθkʷəy̓əm (Musqueam), Skwxwú7mesh (Squamish), and Səl̓ílwətaɬ (Tsleil-Waututh) nations. We acknowledge that we are settlers here who have a responsibility to listen, learn and unlearn on a continual basis.
The PuSh International Performing Arts Festival engages and enriches audiences with adventurous contemporary works in a spirit of innovation and dialogue. The PuSh Festival is one of Vancouver’s signature events. Produced over three weeks each January, the PuSh Festival presents groundbreaking work in the live performing arts. The PuSh Festival expands the horizons of Vancouver artists and audiences with work that is visionary, genre-bending, multi-disciplined, startling and original. The Festival showcases acclaimed international, Canadian and local artists and mixes them together with an alchemy that inspires audiences, rejuvenates artists, stimulates the industry and forges productive relationships around the globe. The Festival is a broker of international partnerships, a meeting place for creative minds, a showcase of Canada’s best and an incubator of brilliant new work.
The PuSh International Performing Arts Festival Society is a not-for-profit charitable organization: 82954 9948 RR0001
WELCOME MESSAGES Every once in a while I’m stumped by the seemingly simple question: “What is PuSh?”
PuSh’s co-founders had an expansive vision for what contemporary performing arts could mean for our city, and the role Vancouver could play on the world stage. They charted a course, and through the creativity and energy of countless individuals along the way, that aspiration is the ground we stand on today.
PuSh is a lot of different things. It’s a convenor and an agitator. It’s a public event that engages with the deeply personal. It’s a safe space and a provocation. It’s a deep conversation and a fun party. At the meeting place of these seeming incongruencies is where PuSh lives most comfortably. PuSh exists to cross lines, shift perspectives, raise horizons, and explode notions. PuSh is more than a thing to do, it’s an an experience to have - an experience that is meaningful, impactful and bespoke. In the end, PuSh is what you pull from it. With the departure this year of our founding Artistic & Executive Director, we are standing at the edge of a new boundary. With our 15th anniversary on the horizon, we are looking forward to new opportunities, while we look back on our history with pride and gratitude.
PuSh will always be synonymous with art that pushes boundaries; a word to describe that feeling when you’ve been moved by work that is mind-expanding, disruptive, stimulating and, perhaps, controversial. But, there are also other meanings to consider. At the opening of the 2018 PuSh Assembly: Industry Series, Shane Pointe, knowledge keeper from the Musqueam nation, welcomed our international delegates. In his remarks he offered up an alternative definition for PuSh: A hand on your back, giving support and lending strength. Art is at once comforting, healing and restorative.
Whatever PuSh is to you, we thank you for supporting us to become what we are today, and what we will become as we evolve.
I am humbled by Shane’s candour and wisdom, and for his acknowledgement that our work is underpinned by abundance and generosity. We close the year with gratitude for those who came before us, the hands at our back pushing us forward.
Roxanne Duncan Interim Executive Director
Joyce Rosario Interim Artistic Director
PHOTOS: SARAH RACE
PROGRAMMING HIGHLIGHTS
The Eternal Tides
You contributed to building a city with a pulse.
LEGEND LIN DANCE THEATRE (TAIWAN) You made our global reach possible. Awestruck audiences could hear a pin drop as the meditative dancers of Legend Lin Dance Theatre performed this epic work.
This year’s Main Stage program featured 20 contemporary works from around the world, presented at venues across Vancouver.
With the help of our partners at TAIWANfest, the Queen Elizabeth Theatre saw 1,900 attendees for this remarkable company’s Western Canadian debut.
PHOTO: CHIN CHENG-TSAI
PHOTO: TIM MATHESON
“Programming that underscores how important PuSh Festival is in the cultural life of Vancouver.” @fionamorrow
audience member
PHOTO: CHIN CHENG-TSAI
PROGRAMMING HIGHLIGHTS
King Arthur’s Night NEWORLD THEATRE (CANADA)
You brought the performing arts into the lives of many people. Neworld Theatre flipped perceptions of possibilities in theatre with its radically inclusive show. The cast included professional actors whose life experiences include Down Syndrome. The run was a homecoming for Neworld Theatre—including co-creators Niall McNeill and Marcus Youssef, director James Long and composer Veda Hille—following the premiere of the production at Luminato Festival in Toronto.
King Arthur’s Night is a rare opportunity to see what inclusion really looks like— and to let its beautiful sounds and images wash over you. Kathleen Oliver
for The Georgia Straight
333 people attended a relaxed performance, adapted to welcome patrons who might benefit from a more relaxed theatre environment, including people on the autism spectrum, those with sensory and communication disorders, or learning disabilities. PHOTO: TRISTAN CASEY
“MDLSX does what PuSh does best. Pushes boundaries in art and life. Immersive one-person show floats over boundaries and perceptions.” @sarahkirby_yung audience member
PHOTO: STÉPHANE NAJMAN
Some Hope for the Bastards FRÉDÉRICK GRAVEL (CANADA)
You supported the creation of adventurous new work. Co-commissioned by the PuSh Festival, Montreal-based choreographer Frédérick Gravel electrified the crowd with this one-night dance/rock show.
“The choreography digs at raw ideas about what it means to be human.”
– The Georgia Straight
MDLSX MOTUS (ITALY)
You helped connect audiences with inspiring performances. MDLSX smashed barriers, both artistic and societal, in its exploration of gender. PHOTO: RENATO MANGOLIN
CLUB PUSH
You helped expand experimental, late-night programming. Club PuSh is all about cutting-edge performance with a less formal atmosphere. The Club PuSh lineup included eight shows that challenged, surprised and entertained. New this year, Club PuSh had two homes: the Fox Cabaret, and for the first time, the Anvil Centre in New Westminster. PHOTO: LIISA HANNUS
RPM Records: Live in Vancouver REVOLUTIONS PER MINUTE (CANADA) You helped us tap into new audiences. The closing night of the 2018 PuSh Festival was presented with Revolutions Per Minute, a music platform leading the surge in Indigenous music. Featured artists included Mob Bounce, Snotty Nose Rez Kids, DJ Kookum and Ziibiwan.
PHOTO: JACKIE HOFFART
280 individuals, with overwhelming representation from young audience members, filled Club PuSh at the Fox Cabaret for programming into the early hours of the morning .
“RPM’s evening was a highlight of my PuSh 2018 experience. The energy in the room was electric. When the Snotty Nose Rez Kids played their crowd favourite Savages the whole room started to bounce. It was beautiful to see such a diverse crowd having so much fun together.” – Heather Lamoureux
PHOTO: LIISA HANNUS
2017-2018 Curatorial Assistant
The Future of the Industry You helped engage the next generation in the rich world of the performing arts. The Youth Assembly is a one-day performing arts conference by and for young people.
YOUTH ASSEMBLY
60 emerging arts professionals shared ideas, networked, and explored careers in the performing arts.
PHOTOS: TIM MATHESON, PHILIP DOVEY
“When this year’s Youth Assembly took place, I had only been in Vancouver for five months. Yet, it immediately gave me a sense of community. I was impressed by the inclusivity and accessibility of the event, as well as the open-mindedness of the other participants. It was also a great chance to meet similar-minded folks, learn from them, and see their amazing art!” – Marie-Pascale Lafrenière, 2017-2018 Youth Academy Participant
Where the Conversations Happen You supported respectful collaboration and dialogue.
PUSH ASSEMBLY
The PuSh Assembly is where we gather to share ideas and perspectives around the performing arts. An open invitation to arts aficionados and industry insiders alike, the PuSh Assembly includes panels, artist talks, workshops and networking events.
Assembly Highlight: Industry Symposium On the final Saturday of the Festival, PuSh’s curatorial team, international industry delegates and visiting artists shared provocations, inspirations and notes from the field. Conversations extended from how the performing arts respond to the political moment to the role performing arts practitioners can play in progressive change. PHOTOS: SARAH RACE
“PuSh is a meeting place where artists, thinkers, festival programmers and funders all converge to engage in creative conversations. Its programming during the PuSh Assembly provides a discursive space that responds proactively to its own artistic programming. PuSh’s relevance in the Canadian arts landscape is anchored in its capacity to renew critical conversations.” – Saada El-Akhrass, Arts Manager, British Council Canada
PHOTO: TIM MATHESON
VOLUNTEERS
The Gift of Time We celebrate the generosity of our volunteers. The effort and enthusiasm of our volunteers is integral to the success of PuSh. We see their faces across the Festival, distributing program guides, driving artists, scanning tickets, ushering, providing administrative support in the office, and so much more. We simply couldn’t produce the Festival without their efforts. This year 144 volunteers gave nearly 1,700 hours of their energy, skill and expertise.
PHOTO: CLAYTON WONG
“This is a great opportunity to contribute to the arts ... Volunteering for PuSh is not only something I would do again, but something I would recommend to others.”
– 2018 PuSh Volunteer
PHOTOS: TIM MATHESON, SARAH RACE
Thank You to our Donors for Their Generosity MATCHING CAMPAIGN We celebrate the leadership and personal commitment shown by our Board of Directors, whose support brings the world’s best live performing arts to Vancouver stages. By pledging to match all donations up to $15,000 during the three weeks of the 2018 Festival, they inspired new individuals to get involved and to invest in Vancouver’s vibrant arts scene. The Board’s matching challenge exceeded its goal, resulting in over $30,000! Thank you to all those who contributed to the matching challenge and to our outstanding Board of Directors!
PHOTO: SARAH RACE
“The success of the PuSh Festival’s 2018 matching campaign is a testament to the Board’s deep belief in and support of the Festival. We are thrilled that our collective contributions inspired others to give to this spectacular Festival.”
– Mira Oreck, Board President
VISIONARY ($15,000+) Roberta Lando Beiser
PATRONS CIRCLE When you gave to the PuSh Festival, you became part of a community of donors whose generosity reaches beyond the stage to touch the lives of tens of thousands of individuals. This year you helped give inspiration to our audiences, deepen our presence in the community, and advance Vancouver as a cultural incubator. Thank you—your generosity makes more possible.
~ symbol denotes donors who give on a monthly basis
This list represents donors from May 1, 2017 to April 30, 2018. Donations made after this date are recognized at pushfestival.ca and in the upcoming 2019 PuSh Festival program guide.
SUSTAINING ($5,000 – $14,999) Pang-Liang Chang Anndraya Luui The McGrane–Pearson Endownment Fund, held at the Vancouver Foundation Carol Newell The R&J Stern Family Foundation PRODUCER ($2,500 – $4,999) Anonymous Sandra Garossino Tracy Proke & David Vogt CURATOR ($1,000 – $2,499) Norman Armour~ Jane Brindley & Ross Paul Peter Dickinson & Richard Cavell~ Prem Gill~ AD Gingrich~ Jane Heyman~ Sudha Krishna~ Susan Loadman & Kent Gallie~ Winkie & Alan Macdougall Paula Martin Ross McMillan Alexandra Montgomery & Howard Jang Glenn Mori Gwyn Roberts Tory Ross & Keith Martin Gordey~ Rodger So Susan & Bruce Stout Paul & Joan Whitney Max Wyman, OC Mirna Zagar~
ADVOCATE ($500 – $999) Evan & Ingrid Alderson Robert Armour~ Lorna Brown~ Deena Chochinov & Eric Posen Dana Cromie & Greg Brown~ Marna Disbrow Chris Dobrzanski Frances Dobrzanski W Kevin & Cheryl Drynan Marie-Claire Dy~ Cheryl Geisler & Mark Stein Kathryn & Stan Hamilton Margo Harper Sue Harvey & Burke Taylor~ Paul Hecht & Sarah Elkins~ Michael Heeney & Hilary Meredith Christopher Hunt Elsie & Audrey Jang Fund, held at Vancouver Foundation Tevia Jeffries~ Harvey Loen Kathleen MacDonald~ Susan MacLaurin Laura Moore Susin Nielsen & Goran Fernlund~ Rod Pearce~ Bryan Searle Lainé Slater~ Barb Whiteman~ Stephen Williams~ Eric Wilson Gillian Wood~ Winkchop Productions Inc.
SUPPORTER ($150 – $499) Anonymous (2) Anonymous~ Roger Aballini Jim Anhorn Trevor & Kathy Battye~ Jeremy Berkman & Sheila MacDonald~ Veronique Boulanger Donna-Lynn Brailsford-Rosa~ Claudia Buckley Katharine Carol~ Garry Chmara Lynn Copeland Simon & Kathleen Cowell Kathleen Cunningham Charmaine de Silva~ Elvy Del Bianco Judith Bosire~ Lucie Desrochers Michael Dobbin~ W B Dow Jason Dubois Tony DuMoulin Roxanne Duncan~ Kathy Evans Sybil Faigin Alex Ferguson~ Jane Flick & Robert Heidbreder Charles Gauthier Carole & Martin Gerson~ Anne Giardini Kara Gibbs & Michael McGuire~ Marianne Gibson Eugene Gorodetsky~
Linda Gorrie~ Dr Evelyn Harden Peter Herrndorf, OC Rosemary Hopkinson~ Heather Hyde Liesl Jauk David Kerr DD Kugler David Lee Jocelyn & Fiona Macdougall Blair MacLean Genny MacLean Ken Manning Laurel March Melody Mason~ Stephanie Mayor~ Paula E Meyler~ Brian Miltimore~ Ardis Nelson Alice Niwinski Mira Oreck~ Bobbi Parker~ David Pay & Brian Laberge~ Iain Pennington~ France Perras Brenda Peterson Andrew Petter & Maureen Maloney Cory Philley~ Josephine Ridge Sylvia Roberts Christine Rondeau Joyce Rosario~ Shaundehl Runka~ Patricia Ryan
Minna Schendlinger~ Neil Scott Niki Sharma Kathryn Shaw Karen Smith Matthew So Dana & Joel Solomon~ Alistair Stewart Kristin Stockley Linnea Strom~ Bonnie Sun~ Jim & Tara Travis~ Stepan Vdovine Mauro Vescera Christianne Wilhelmson & John Webber~ Deborah Williams Mary Catherine Williams Thomas Woods Cornelia Wyngaarden FRIEND ($20 – $149) Anonymous (17) Anonymous~ (2) Michelle Allin Gretchen Bartlett Ilze Bebris Frantisek & Lynn Beck Gisela Beckmann David Beneteau Kathryn Best Jessica Bouchard Joel Bronstein Naomi Campbell Don & Donna Celle
Joe Chan Emma Chang Yok Leng Chang Jane Cherry Michael Clague Paula Clancy Louise Clark Barbara Cole Alexander Daughtry Jacqueline Day Geoffrey Deacon~ Dave Deveau & Cameron Mackenzie Jess Dobkin Mary Doherty Leyland Edna Wesley Enoch Charlotte Ensminger~ Adele Finney Lily Fong Rachel Forbes Maia Fota-Gibb~ Jonathan Fowlie Keren Freed J Gabriels Vallejo Gantner Caleigh Garland Kira Gerwing~ Amanda Gibbs Shayna Goldberg Pamela Goossen Sean Guist liisa hannus Stephanie Hardman Suzanne Hawkes
Stephen Heatley Steven Hill~ Heather Hoiness~ Roger Holdstock Miranda Huron & Rob Friedman Leslie Hurtig Selwyn Jacob Georgia Johnson Marianne Johnstone~ Vivian Kan~ Chad Kerychuk Bonnie Klein Nancy Knickerbocker Melanie Kuxdorf & Zac Rothman Trey Le~ Monique Leger Marie-France Leroi~ Graham Lim Milton Lim~ Merle Lister Kendra Loewen Leanne Lunghamer Bonnie MacKenzie Geraldine Maclear Marni MacLeod~ Kenji Maeda~ Lydia Marston-Blaauw Jaspal Marwah Ian Mass Tim Matheson Verena & David Matheson Karen Matthews Ann McDonell Kathy McLaughlin
Kerry McPhedran Kevin Mooney Mount Pleasant Massage Therapy Emily Neumann Carol Newson Kala O Riordain Ellie O'Day Paul O'Doherty Anne Olsen~ Carol Oreck Alain Paré David Parkes Barbara Parkin Leslie Hall Pinder Jocelyn Pitsch Nora Pontin Alexandra Rudis~ Joy Russell Bénédicte Schoepflin George Scott Hilda Shilliday Evann Siebens Todd Sieling Jim & Donna Simpson Pierre Soucy Carol Srigley Mike Stack Ellen Stradiotti-Gould Ronnie Tessler Nicci Theroux Camilla Tibbs~ Cinzia Toniolo Coree Tull Teresa Vandertuin
Marie Villeneuve David Webb P Taylor Webb Susan Webster Shauna Wilton Janelle Wong-Moon Kathryn & Jim Woodward Meredith & Ron Woodward GIFTS IN MEMORY Leanne Averbach in memory of Nijole Kuzmickas Ann Daskal in memory of Simon Garber Robert Gardiner in memory of James Pollard Beata Jablonska in memory of Pepper Malone Laurie Robson in memory of Barbara Shields Mary Schendlinger in memory of Jackie Crossland~ GIFTS IN HONOUR Douglas Armour in honour of Sascha Armour Douglas Bellamy in honour of Hannah Bellamy Rob Dickinson in honour of Peter Dickinson & Richard Cavell Bob & Gloria Dickinson in honour of Peter Dickinson & Richard Cavell Pamela Dickinson in honour of Peter Dickinson & Richard Cavell
Ann Eastman in honour of Shirley Eastman Andrea Fecko in honour of Dani Fecko Adam Harnest in honour of Craig Kulyk Evelyn Hecht in honour of Paul Hecht Jane Hope in honour of Jane Heyman Claire Immega in honour of Georgia Hunt Lynn Mockler in honour of Peter Loeffler Lionel Johnston & Jane Heyman in honour of Jessie Johnston Kaye Matheny-Krishna in honour of Margo Harper & Mira Oreck Harvey Meller & Jenn Griffin in honour of Bernice Meller Keesha Rosario in honour of Dorothy Lewis Paul
PuSh 2018 by the Numbers ...
150 20 18 96 79 2 5 9 150 performances & events
9 40 19
Year -round staff members
over 20 days
at 18 venues
featuring 96 Canadian artists
and 79 International artists
who made 2 world premieres
5 Canadian premieres
Contract staff members
Board members
8,370+ followers
8.7% growth on 2017
9,300+ followers
5.7% growth on 2017
and 9 Western Canadian premieres
2,330+ followers
2018 Financials MAY 1, 2017 – APRIL 30, 2018
REVENUES $1,782,410
EXPENSES $1,776,764
ADMINISTRATION
FOUNDATION $97,250 PATRONS CIRCLE $122,870 IN-KIND $125,912 CORPORATE $124,965 COMMUNITY PARTNERS $122,195
$275,872
EARNED CONTRIBUTED
$593,192
$394,319
COMMUNICATIONS ARTISTIC & CURATORIAL
$406,592
$984,222 GRANTS
$794,899
DEVELOPMENT
$110,078
Thank You to our Partners We are grateful to our remarkable corporate, foundation, government and presentation partners who made this edition of the PuSh Festival possible.
PREMIERE PARTNERS
PROGRAM PARTNERS
HOTEL PARTNER
DOWNTOWN VENUE PARTNER
PRESENTING PARTNERS
CATERING PARTNER FOUNDATION PARTNER
TELECOM PARTNER
WEB PARTNER
COMMUNITY PARTNER I N T E R A C T I V E
GOVERNMENT PARTNERS
WINE & BEER PARTNERS
CLUB PUSH PARTNER
PREMIERE BROADCAST PARTNER
PROMOTIONAL PARTNERS
BEHIND THE SCENES
FOREIGN AGENCIES
PRESENTATION PARTNERS
the evolution of
Arts Factory
Christie Lites
Driving Force
Gear Force
Granville Island Cultural Society
Hamber Foundation
Helijet McMedia Audiovisual The Post at 750 Smith Sound
Marcato
Arts Council England
British Council
Culture Ireland
Istituto Italiano di Cultura – Toronto
Consulate General of Italy – Vancouver
Ministry of Culture, Taiwan
Taiwan Academy
Transcendence Foundation
STAFF & BOARD
ARTISTIC & EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR (to May 2018) Norman Armour INTERIM EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR (Managing Director) Roxanne Duncan INTERIM ARTISTIC DIRECTOR (Director of Programming) Joyce Rosario DEVELOPMENT DIRECTOR Maia Fota-Gibb COMMUNICATIONS DIRECTOR Jackie Hoffart Bonnie Sun (to February 2018)
DIGITAL COMMUNICATIONS COORDINATOR Maya Donkers Trey Le (to March 2018) AUDIENCE SERVICES COORDINATOR Leila Toledo AUDIENCE SERVICES ASSOCIATES Kaen Valoise, Madelyn Osborne PRODUCTION MANAGER David (DK) Kerr HEAD TECHNICAL DIRECTOR Jeremy Baxter CLUB PUSH PRODUCER / CURATOR Cameron Mackenzie
ARTIST HOSPITALITY COORDINATOR Jenny Lee Craig VOLUNTEER COORDINATOR Melanie Wickes EVENTS COORDINATOR Sarah Close Humayun YOUTH PROGRAM COORDINATOR Natalie Tin Yin Gan PROJECT COORDINATOR Blind Cinema / Lookout Robert Leveroos PRODUCTION ASSISTANT Amber Cruikshank
CLUB PUSH COORDINATOR Kayleigh Sanderson
VENUE BOX OFFICE REPRESENTATIVES Brian Cochrane, Denice Jagic, Michelle Lui, James Narvey, Benjamin Anton, Melisa Oei, Genevieve MacKay
VENUE TECHNICAL DIRECTORS Robert Wilson, James Ong
BOOKKEEPER Meredith Burney
CURATORIAL ASSISTANT Heather Lamoureux
MEDIA RELATIONS Murray Paterson Marketing Group
ANNUAL GIVING COORDINATOR Hannah Bellamy
ACCESSIBLE PUSH COORDINATOR Anika Vervecken
GRAPHIC DESIGNER Steve Chow
CORPORATE & FOUNDATION GIVING COORDINATOR Carla Chambers (to Feb 2018)
ARTIST SERVICES MANAGER Jackie Hoffart
GUIDE AD SALES Clevers Media
AUDIENCE SERVICES MANAGER Janelle Wong-Moon OPERATIONS COORDINATOR Leila Toledo Linnea Strom (to May 2018)
GUIDE COPYYWRITER Mike Archibald
BOARD
DISTRIBUTION COORDINATOR Graham Lim
PRESIDENT Mira Oreck
VIDEO EDITING Darren Heroux, Ian Barbour
PAST PRESIDENT Christianne Wilhelmson
FESTIVAL PHOTOGRAPHERS Tim Matheson, Sarah Race
VICE PRESIDENT Paul Hecht
WEBSITE DESIGNER & DEVELOPERS Denim & Steel
SECRETARY Tory Ross
INTERN Carlos Ascencio
TREASURER Glenn Mori Judith Bosire Jessica Bouchard Deena Chochinov Prem Gill Harry Gray Michael Heeney Tevia Jeffries Jessie Johnston Sudha Krishna Paula Martin Stephanie Mayor Cory Philley Niki Sharma Rodger So
info@pushfestival.ca 604.605.8284 1.866.608.8284 PuSh International Performing Arts Festival 110–750 Hamilton Street Vancouver, BC V6B 2R5 Canada
PUSHFESTIVAL.CA @PUSHFESTIVAL