The 3rd Annual Okanagan Arts Awards were held on Thursday, March 4th at the Lions Hall in West
Kelowna. Honoring 25 nominees in a variety of disciplines, the evening featured the Arts Awards
presentations, artist demonstrations and displays, a silent auction in support of the Arts Council, and pre
event and post event receptions.

Hosted by emcee Sandy Dawson, the evening began with a welcome from West Kelowna Mayor Doug
Findlater, followed by an opening prayer and blessing by Westbank First Nations Elder Wilfred Barnes
and a performance of Okanagan Song from Westbank First Nations Drummers. In addition to the awards
presentations, the event also featured performances by harpist Kate Gibson Oswald, pianist Rosalyn
Frantz, dance group Company B, readings by Okanagan Poet Laureate John Lent, and a short film
celebrating the visual artists by Jim Elderton.

“The event was a great success, both in terms of presentations and performances, and by the great show
of support from the community,” said Sharon McCoubrey, President of the Arts Council of the Central
Okanagan. “We wish to congratulate all the nominees and winners, as well as our amazing volunteers and
everyone who supported the event through attendance, sponsorship, and donations to our silent auction.”

2010 Okanagan Arts Awards Winners
Lifetime Achievement: Geert Maas, Kelowna
Literary Arts: Nancy Holmes, Kelowna
Arts Educator: Leroy Wiens, Kelowna
Visual Arts: Gary Pearson, Kelowna
Music: Anna Jacyszyn, Kelowna
Supporter of the Arts: Jody LaFontaine, Lake Country
Dance: Tanya Bakala, Kelowna
Theatre: Louise Sjoquist, Kelowna

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10 Mar 2010

The 33rd BC Interior Jazz Festival, April 8 - 10, 2010, includes middle and high school jazz bands, choirs, and combos from the Central and Southern Interior, Lower Mainland, Vancouver Island and Washington State.  More than 65 groups will be performing this year.  The festival includes adjudicated performances, free workshops for the public, and two evening concerts.  

The featured guest artist for the Friday evening Jazz Masters' Concert is Sunny Wilkinson, and the Michael Garding Big Band will play. The Showcase Concert on Saturday evening has the best of the competing groups performing.

Kelowna Community Theatre
April 8, 9, 10 throughout day - Jazz bands and choirs
April 9, 7:30 p.m.  Jazz Masters' Concert featuring Sunny Wilkinson and guests.  Tickets $25 plus service charge available at selectyourtickets.com, 250 762-5050, and the box office at Prospera Place.
April 10, 7 p.m.  Showcase Concert & Awards Ceremony $5 at the door.

Rotary Centre for the Arts
April 8 all day - Junior, Intermediate, and Senior Combos - adjudicated performances - FREE
April 9 and 10 all day  FREE WORKSHOPS OPEN TO THE PUBLIC
Bring your voice and/or your instrument.

For details visit www.jazzfestbc.ca

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08 Mar 2010

Photo: Cottonwoods resident Mary holds a paper flower that  ArtzZone student volunteer Jade made for her. The flowers and drawings  that were created during the art sessions are displayed in residents rooms and often become conversation pieces for residents, visitors and staff.

Kelowna's ArtzZone Studio has launched a unique new program – Creative Kids At Cottonwoods - in which students aged 6-13 have an opportunity to volunteer at the extended care facility in Kelowna for one hour twice per month. Students work with the senior residents one-on-one creating art that is inspired by interacting and telling stories.

The program is the brainchild of Beverly Rein, the director of ArtzZone Studio and Kellie Schonfeld, a recreational therapist at Cottonwoods. Together, they plan and supervise the activities. The program is open to all students currently taking classes at ArtzZone studio.

The next creative sessions are scheduled to take place at Cottonwoods March 5, April 9 and 23, 2010. The art projects will include card-making using methods of drawing, collage and painting along with creating small sculptures with found objects.

The Creative Kids At Cottonwoods program is meant to encourage intergenerational communications and to contribute to the well-being of both the residents and volunteers. The children benefit from the interaction and exposure to seniors. They gain an awareness of where many seniors live, some of their disabilities and the daily life of elderly people in our community. They also have an opportunity to express themselves and develop self confidence. The senior residents benefit from the interaction and personal attention from the children. They are mentally stimulated by the conversation and the art making tasks. Everyone enjoys the creative process, exchange of life stories and laughter.

Children benefit from engaging in the creative process of making art whether it be through drawing, painting, sculpting, printing or any other art or craft form. They learn technical skills that build visual-spacial abilities and develop an array of mental habits not emphasized elsewhere in the school curriculum. The capacity to be reflective, the willingness to experiment and learn from mistakes, the ability to work on projects for a sustained period of time and to persevere through frustration are all important life lessons. Through art making a child finds her or his own personal voice and learns to express ideas and emotions in healthy ways. Self confidence and a sense of accomplishment are positive outcomes of participating in visual arts programs.

ArtzZone offers both a unique facility and a series of arts instructional programs - tailored to the needs of adults and children - that contribute to the cultural life of Kelowna and the Okanagan.

The ArtzZone Studio exists to provide high quality visual arts instruction to people of all ages in a comfortable environment that encourages creative exploration and personal expression. The studio is a spacious, stimulating, creative space where experimentation is encouraged.

The ArtzZone Programs for both children and adults offer students a solid base in traditional art-making practices, all the while encouraging them to think creatively and to be experimental with art materials and ideas. ArtzZone provides a variety of art workshops and classes for beginners as well as those with years of art making experience. There is a dynamic exchange between participants and instructors in an environment of encouragement and exploration. There is no more dynamic way for children of all ages, and adults, to discover their creative selves.

Beverly Rein, Director of ArtzZone, is an enthusiastic art teacher who loves to share her knowledge and skills with students of all ages. She studied drawing and printmaking at the University of Lethbridge, Art Foundations and 3D studies at Emily Carr University of Art & Design, Art Education at UBC, Painting at the University of California, Hayward, Sumi-e painting in Chiba, Japan and Pastel Drawing at University of Nevada, Las Vegas. She holds a Bachelor of General Studies from SFU and a BC Professional Teaching Certificate. She has many years experience leading art classes with children. She has led many workshops for seniors and has taught classes in Acrylic, Encaustic, Sumi-e and Mixed Media painting at her Studio, at the Kelowna Art Gallery and the Vernon Community Arts Centre. She is on the board of the Arts Council of the Central Okanagan and is a member of the Okanagan Institute's ArtsCare program.

Upcoming ArtzZone Programs:
1. Children: Afterschool art classes, School break art camps, and classes for home schoolers.
2. Teens: Drawing and painting, Anime and Manga, and Portfolio classes and workshops.
3. Adults: Encaustic, Mixed media painting, Watercolour, Sumie Painting classes and workshops.

More information about the Creative Kids at Cottonwoods program is available at the ArtzZone website: www.artzzone.ca

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04 Mar 2010

Ken Smedley & The George Ryga Centre present “The Return of El Mariachi” - a “fiesta of music ” from Ol’ Mexico! Direct from their return engagement to the prestigious International Festival of Mariachis(in Guadalajara, Mexico) EL MARIACHI is a festive musical ensemble that will literally transport audiences into the warmth and joy of Mexican culture. EL MARIACHI’s “return” is anchored once again by former Okanagan resident Terence “Diego” Smedley-Kohl(son of Ken Smedley and Dorian Kohl).

Tickets are now available for “The Return of EL MARIACHI” on the following dates:

Tuesday, March 9 – Zion United Church Hall, Armstrong – 8 p.m.
Tickets at The Final Touch Gallery, Armstrong – Ph. 250-546-1949

Wednesday, March 10 – Minstrel Café & Bar, Kelowna
Dinner: 6 p.m. Show: 8 p.m. Reservations – Ph. 250-764-2301

Thursday, March 11 – Lorenzo’s Cafe, Ashton Creek
Dinner: 6 p.m. Show: 8 p.m. Reservations – Ph. 250-838-6700

Friday, March 12 – Kal Lake Campus Theatre, Vernon
Tickets at The BookNook – Ph. 250-558-0668

Saturday, March 13 – Centre Stage Theatre, Summerland
Tickets at Martin’s Flowers, Summerland(next to Nester’s) – Ph. 250-494-5432
and The Dragon’s Den(Penticton) – Ph. 250-492-3011

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27 Feb 2010

Prominent 2010 Olympiad Artist Rafael Lozano-Hemmer, creator of the "Vectorial Elevations" searchlight artwork in the Vancouver night sky, says BC arts cuts are "9/11 for the arts."
 
Rafael Lozano-Hemmer lives and works in Canada and Mexico. Born in Mexico, he is a Canadian citizen. Now based in Montreal, he at one time lived in Vancouver. His artwork Vectorial Elevations, a highly visible public work involving searchlights in the Vancouver sky, is part of the Cultural Olympiad (the arts component of the 2010 Winter Olympics) and has become one of the most popular of the Olympiad artworks.
 
During a Q&A after his keynote speech at CODE: Dialogues, a 2010 Cultural Olympiad conference, Lozano-Hemmer told an audience that when he learned BC arts funding was to be cut by 90% after the Olympics, he felt that in this context his artwork was "obscene," and said he was dismayed by BC politicians' lack of vision.
 
He expressed a faint hope that the key and visible role of the arts in the Olympics would induce politicians to change their minds. He also said he hoped it would induce Vancouverites to ask themselves  "what is it about these [art] projects that are making this moment special?" He went on to ask "And what if people get used to that and they demand that of their city, to have that kind of vibrancy and cultural stimulation and so forth? What if the politicans were to be [shown] that this is important not just economically, because culture brings in a net worth, but also in terms of quality of life?"
 
A number of Olympiad artists have, despite contract clauses limiting free speech, spoken out about the arts cuts, but not all of them have Lozano-Hemmer's international stature. Lozano-Hemmer represented Mexico at the 52nd Venice Biennale and his work is in the collection of NY MoMA and the Tate Modern and many other key museums worldwide.
 
YouTube video and full transcript of his remarks are here:
http://stopbcartscuts.wordpress.com
Explanation of the "9-11" remark in the video clip: Before Vectorial Elevations was launched, its energy use wasn’t fully understood and the piece was accused of being “an environmental 9-11.” In fact, for its entire month-long run, the artwork uses the same amount of power as only 10 hockey games.
 
For more information please contact Lindsay at Stop BC Arts Cuts: (604) 313-7744 or email: stopbcartscuts@paarc.ca

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23 Feb 2010