Put a pin on the Toronto Zoo!

From Amber Harrower at the Toronto Zoo last weekend: “I tried to capture the animals in funny positions/poses for the purpose of a good laugh or for an artistic expression of everyday slogans”

The Grass Is Always Greener

Don't Give ME the Evil Eye

Yoga for cats..what position am I in?

Taking a Back Seat

Think I should switch to Nescafe?

Music on Alamein Drive

Put a pin in the map on Alamein Drive.  Six women gathered near the little park on Alamein Drive last night to play music.  Karen, Mary, Sharon, Gisele, Phileen and Susan played “Will the Circle Be Unbroken”, bluegrass style.  Bill took the picture (thanks Bill).  Because Art is OUR Story, too.

 

Put a pin on Alamein Ddrive. Six women gathered near the little park on Alamein Drive last night (oct.9) to play music. Bill took the picture (thanks Bill) because art is OUR story, too.

Letter from Wendy Crewson

Hey Julie,

Many, many apologies for such a late reply. The fact that culture has suddenly become such a hot button issue has caught us by surprise and all of us at ACTRA have been scrambling. Because, despite of all the years of lobbying, it’s truly remarkable when the forces that be start to shift. Although we must give credit where credit’s due. It is Harper himself we have to thank for igniting our community and the community at large with his careless remarks. And now he has dropped Bill C10 ! A terrific victory! If we all keep pushing hard enough, who knows? He may even have to reinstate the funding cuts. We certainly have them on the run.

Your idea of taking the arts to the streets is exactly what we need to do. Art IS your story…culture is the choice we make every day in what we read, listen to,and watch. I’m thrilled that your students have responded so enthusiastically to the call. Keep the issue in the public eye this weekend! Queen’s has always produced some of the most effective and powerful voices of our cultural sector and it’s inspiring to see the tradition continue. WE NEED STRONG VOICES.

Yes, please post this. Together we make a difference!

Wendy Crewson

Actor, Queen’s Drama Alumni

Letter from Albert Schultz

Dear Queen’s Drama Students,

I have just heard about your project “Art is Your Story”! What a beautiful and fitting way to use your individual and collective voices to celebrate your citizenship and that of us all.  I congratulate you all for your vision, your creativity and your civic pride!

May you all touch many.

Yours,

Albert Schultz, Artist

Honorary Doctor of Laws, Queen’s University

Reading in Toronto

Kate Story’s novel “Blasted”, on the Danforth!

More Pics from Sunday in Kingston

It was a beautiful day for getting out and talking to people. Here are a few snaps…

This gentleman sat across from the market and sketched passersby

This is his sketch of the Art is Your Story gathering

Christine and Marianne

Kristen and Jenny

Reading by the fountain

Kingston Oct 5 2008

Market Square and Princess St.

Pairs, trios, and groups were out in full force at Kingston’s Market Square on Sunday October 5, sharing their stories and pieces of art with passersby. Later in the day, groups could be found around town doing the same thing. Enjoy the photos below!

Celebrating Art as Everyone's Story

Chalk Drawing is Fun!

Enjoying Public Space

Word on the Street...

Image on the Street...

A 'Tripe Threat' on Princess

Toronto Oct 5 2008

Toronto – Danforth Ave.

Arts is Your Story supporters hit the streets today in Toronto as well. Pictures below! Morgan  Jones Phillips told stories from his show, “Emergency Monologues” about being a paramedic in Toronto. He spins the wheel and tells the tale where the wheel lands. Third photo features Queen’s Drama alumni Karen Kugelmass.

A Challenge to the Arts Community

Article by Ryan LaPlante

I am not a person who is prone to staunch political stances. In fact, I am typically known as a young man who keeps his political opinions (much like his religion) to himself. However, with the recent developments in this national election, I feel that remaining silent would mean abandoning my duties as a citizen of a country I love.  I have so much faith in the nation that is Canada, and our identity as a people that when I feel it is at risk I can’t stand silent anymore. I have not raised my voice before over this, but I need to stand up for what I believe.

I have come to a definite conclusion in regards to the results of this national election, which was surprising for someone with as varied opinions as my own. If elected, the Liberal Party of Canada is the only party that can meet the needs of the arts community, and of our nation as a whole. I do not speak this drastically without a great deal of forethought, and I hereby promise that I will engage in intelligent discourse with anyone who does not agree with this. Stephane Dion is a leader. Having watched the debate, I was reassured to see that he embodies the personality of Canada. He is polite, does not interrupt others, and is absolutely impassioned about what he believes. His views are firm, his research and knowledge impeccable, and his integrity is without question. He believes in supporting every aspect of this country, and staunchly refuses to allow the political and social systems of our nearest neighbour to dominate our own, quite unique, culture.

The Conservative Party of Canada entered this campaign on a trail of recently broken promises, and perhaps most importantly, without a platform. For the majority of Canadians this idea is offensive bordering on insulting. For a man who refers to other political parties as having a history of being unaccountable for their actions, Harper’s Conservative’s won’t even tell us what their actions are going to be. He won’t make promises so he can’t break them. Most importantly, his political agenda is little more than a shadow that he tries to shield with attacks on Dion’s leadership (ex: notaleader.ca).  The first image to appear on the Conservative web page upon my latest visit was a crudely photoshopped picture of Dion with the caption “Not worth the risk: more Liberal debate gimmicks”. Yet during the debate Harper said little, merely sitting back to defend a spotted history with generic promises which he in no way records or guarantees. I do not lament the fact that political parties fail to keep all of their promises, times and situations change, but for a party to refuse to make any promises? This is both condescending and terrifying. It is not the democratic process that my grandparents fought for and that I have been so proud of in the past.

The New Democratic Party, under the leadership of Jack Layton, and the Green Party, led by Elizabeth May, both make a great number of promises in their election platforms. However, these promises are vague and sweeping to a degree that makes their actual achievement unlikely. Despite promising support of the arts and culture in addition to a great number of environmental and societal issues, their promises have no dollar signs listed alongside them, and no timeline for their implementation is given. There is a logical requirement placed on any responsible governing body: that they not only speak of things they wish to do, but also say when they will do them and how much these things will cost. Though their platforms are ideal, the feasibility of their promised actions cannot be judged as the respective parties give us no real information on their implementation.

The Liberal Party of Canada’s Platform is, by the typical definition, the only complete platform offered in this election. They have specific goals, and beside these goals they list the full costs, and specific timelines in which they will make these changes. Their goals are clear. Dion believes that the arts community is vital not only to Canadian identity, but also to our economy.  Dion supports Canadian judges and believes that removing house arrest will only further crowd our already over-populated prison system (the opposite of Harper’s position, as the Conservatives believe in giving life sentences to 14-year-old offenders). Dion believes that we need to support the Native American community. He believes in Green Initiatives (that are dealing with total emissions, not per unit of product like the Conservatives). The Liberal Party, and their leader Dion, recognize and research their claims, broadcasting each of their intentions to the public. There is no party more accountable than one that demonstrates that each and every one of their promises is attainable, and should they fail to make them happen they will let the blame rest solely on themselves. The Liberals are the political party with a plan for our future that is realistic, and they are willing to share it with the voting public.

Advance polls have come out, and they show the split of support as being 36% Conservative, 25% Liberal, and 19% NDP out of the top triumvirate of parties. This means that, realistically, this country is looking at a Conservative majority. The Conservative Party has refused to even produce a platform, and they are leading this electoral body by 11%. How can this be? How can this country be supporting a party that requires you to vote for them blindfolded? This is happening because the left inCanada is split. Combined, the Liberal and NDP vote leads the Conservatives by 8%. This does not matter because the fractious nature of those of us on the left, combined with Layton’s tactics of attacking both the Liberals and Conservatives mean that this vote won’t be combined. What can we do to avoid a future that will ultimately lead to Canada’s ‘american-ization’ and the crippling of the arts and culture of this great nation? Unify the left under the helm of the capable and accountable Liberal Party.

I hereby challenge the members of Canada’s arts community, as well as the rest of the voting assembly, to support the Liberal Party of Canada. Help lead the country towards a future that has been clearly outlined for us, that is realistic, and that we can hold a governing body accountable for if they fail to deliver. Vote together. End the fractiousness that has been the greatest gift the left-wing has ever delivered the consolidated right. Please, despite the cries of a ‘two-party’ system that we don’t need, protect the future of the arts and our very nation itself. If the Liberals let us down once they are in power, in four years switch your support to the party of your choice. However, right now they are the only applicant for the job of running this country that has produced a valid resume. The NDP and Green Party have claimed a number of skills without any training, and the Conservatives promise a resume once they have the job. Rest our future in the hands of the party that can lead us towards the future with our eyes open. Set aside the minute differences of the left, and unify this country and our voting electorate to reflect the goals that we have as a nation. If we fail in this, we change our country in ways that we will not be able to take back, and in ways that we certainly cannot predict.

The Liberal Party of Canada Arts and Culture Platform

Article by Ryan Laplante
In their 2008 National Election Platform the Liberal Party of Canada proposes vast financial endowments alongside a plan for long-term investment in Canadian culture. Having recognized the key contributions that the arts community makes to the Canadian economy, they feel that supporting this valuable economic tool is a necessity and makes good financial sense for our country’s future. Unlike the platforms of the National Democratic or Green Parties (both of whom also promise support and investment in the arts), the Liberal Party of Canada also includes both specific dollar amounts for these investments, and time periods over which these investments will be made. They have fully accounted for these promises, and ensure that they can be achieved.

The first step to their support of the arts begins with restoring the $44.5 million dollars recently cut from critical cultural support programs.

They plan to increase the Canadian Film and Video Production Tax Credit to 30 percent. This will allow more high-quality films to be produced, and also create more jobs in an industry that already employs over 125,000 Canadians. The total budget represented by this commitment is more than $160 million dollars.

Over the next four years, the Liberal Party of Canada will double the funding for the Canada Arts Council. This will bring its annual budget to more than $360 million dollars (an increase of $180 million). This increase will allow for even more significant investment in Canada’s artists and art institutions. In their own words: “With this investment, we are giving Canadian artists the tools they need to create exciting, vibrant products for all Canadians.”

In addition to re-storing the cuts made by the Conservative government, the Liberal Party of Canada intends to invest a further $15 million dollars for international arts promotion, and $16 million dollars in the Museum Assistance Program, which will help to safeguard our cultural heritage.

The Liberals are developing and will launch, if elected, the Canadian Digital Media Strategy which will create new high-skilled jobs in the rapidly expanding field of interactive media, thus allowing Canadians to stay at the forefront of an industry expected to be worth more than $65 billion globally in 2010.

Lastly, the Liberal Party of Canada promises to provide income-averaging for artists, which will allow the tax-system to better reflect the cyclical nature of an artists income. They believe, “This is an important tool for helping this country’s writers, artists and musicians continue to excel.”       

Stephane Dion and the Liberal Party of Canada have a clear vision of the future of the arts in Canada, and recognize both their cultural and economic necessity. Over the next four years they have specific initiatives to support the arts community in every aspect, ensuring: the future of Canadian arts institutions, our international presence, the production of Candian Fim and Television, and the support of artists on an individual level. This promised investment comes to a total of more than $600 million, and this is without factoring in the income-averaging or the Canadian Digital Media Strategy. The Liberal Party of Canada has made a commitment to the arts that has yet to be matched, or even paralleled in its specificity and realistic intentions, by the other party’s platforms.

To see the facts yourself, visit the Liberal Party of Canada’s website: www.liberal.ca

Or visit the Arts section of their platform directly at:

http://www.liberal.ca/pdf/platform/2008lp_richer_e.pdf

art on your twenty dollar bill

Julie,
Got your e-mail and have started circulating it—here’s something else ( see below ) for your students. Comes from an old friend from the racetrack–there’s art and culture there too! ( as you already know )…but it might be news to harper:

“Could we ever know each other in the slightest without the arts?”
Ever seen this quote? I wonder if Stephen Harper has. One would hope so, since it’s printed on the Canadian $20 bill.

I wonder if somebody should tell him…
Bill Heffernan, Teacher, Toronto

From the Bank of Canada website:
http://www.bankofcanada.ca/en/banknotes/general/character/background_20_quotation.html

“This excerpt reminds us that arts and culture define who we are, as
well as the system of beliefs, values, and customs we share as
Canadians.”

——————–

$20 Note, Background Information

Gabrielle Roy, Canadian author of the quotation on the back of the new $20 note.

Gabrielle Roy was born in St. Boniface, Manitoba, and educated at
Saint Joseph’s Academy and the Winnipeg Normal School. Following her formal training, Ms. Roy devoted a number of years to teaching in
elementary schools. She then spent two years in Europe before
returning to Canada at the outbreak of World War II in 1939.

Gabrielle Roy settled in Montreal, where she worked as a journalist
for various newspapers and magazines. After her first novel, The Tin
Flute, appeared in 1945, she returned to the West for a short stay
and, in August 1947, married Marcel Carbotte, a Saint Boniface doctor.
After their wedding, the couple went to Europe where Carbotte studied gynaecology and Roy spent her time writing.

During this period, she wrote Where Nests the Waterhen and The
Cashier, both of which were published on her return to Canada. Other
books followed, including: Street of Riches, The Road Past Altamont,
Windflower, Enchanted Summer, Garden in the Wind, Children of My Heart and The Hidden Mountain, an excerpt from which is featured on the back of the new $20 note.

“Could we ever know each other in the slightest without the arts?”
« Nous connaîtrions-nous seulement un peu nous-mêmes, sans les arts? »

This excerpt reminds us that arts and culture define who we are, as
well as the system of beliefs, values, and customs we share as
Canadians. It is taken from Roy’s novel La montagne secrète, published in 1961. The English translation by Harry L. Binsse, The Hidden
Mountain, was published in 1962.

Gabrielle Roy was the recipient of many literary awards, including
France’s Prix Femina, an award from the Literary Guild of America, and
three Governor General’s Awards. Her works have been translated into more than fourteen languages.

The Manitoba writer, who was the first woman elected to the French
section of the Royal Society of Canada (1947), also won the Society’s
Lorne Pierce Medal. In 1967, she was made a Companion of the Order of Canada.

She died in Quebec City in 1983, and her autobiography, La Détresse et l’Enchantement (Enchantment and Sorrow), was published the following year.

Visit ‘i vote for culture’ website.

We have been working with the Canadian Arts Coalition to ensure that the arts and culture remain an issue during the federal election campaign. If you have a moment, kindly visit www.ivoteforculture.com to cast your vote online for culture.  We’re hoping to get lots of votes, and we’re only at 4100.  Feel free to send this link to anyone concerned about arts and culture in Canada.

 Thanks,

 Amy

Amy Mushinski
Manager, Public Affairs

Canadian Opera Company
227 Front St. E. Toronto, ON  M5A 1E8