A lovely patch of green in the heart of downtown!
This is our laidback, relaxing space where you never know WHAT might happen! Refill your negative ions, chill with a cup of tea from Zocalo, get away from the crowds…
… More » »
02. Riverside Park
venues
Celebrating its one year anniversary with its official grand opening, Fiction Clothing is hosting a circus-themed event this Saturday May 5th in honour of Elevate the Arts. In its newly renovated space, staff photographer, Katelyn Green is setting up an interactive photo shoot where visitors can pick and choose from circus props, masks and outfits and be photographed. Prints of your photo will be available for order.
More details on the event, titled “Cirque de Mayo” can be found on its Facebook event page - https://www.facebook.com/
Affiliate Venues & Events
These cool events are all running concurrently with Elevate the Arts… please check them out! (details will be added as we receive them)… More » »
Avalanche Comedy Festival
Hula Hoop Workshop at Native Sons Hall
Sid Williams Theatre Anniversary in Lobby
Groove 2012 w/Pantuso Dance
Latin Dance Event at Native Sons Hall/Filberg Centre
08. Upper Elks Hall
The Valley’s renowned jazz venue rises to the occasion for Elevate the Arts! With the enthusiastic participation of the Georgia Strait Jazz Society, we’re delighted to offer a full night of great jazz from 7 – 10pm.… More » »
15. Courtenay Library
Nature and the Arts is a running theme at the Courtenay Library with amazing kids programming in the morning with Our Big Earth media Co., stunning cinematography in the early afternoon with our friends at World Community, and the first ever, first annual featuring 22 short films by local amateur & professional filmmakers!… More » »
20. Leung’s (Upper 5th St)
Two divergent art shows here! Technology meets tenure…
Pull out your iPhone, Mobile Phone, and Any Camera Phone!
Join Artist and iPhone Photographer Brenda Johima in the first ever Elevate The Arts Mobile Phone Photo-Art Show!
This is an all-ages, all-inclusive opportunity to showcase your camera phone talents an artistic, creative and photographic tool to create works of photographic art.… More » »
Award-winning local photographer, Karen McKinnon, leads a meander through the streets of downtown Courtenay with camera in hand. If you’ve been seeking a new perspective, come give this a try!
SHOOT: Explore downtown Courtenay with a professional photographer and observe your surroundings through the lens
PLAY: Give yourself your own challenge or join in on one of the seeing exercises provided
LEARN: Have the chance to be inspired and pick up tips by photographer Karen McKinnon and the other participants. Karen will kickstart the Photowalk with some photography tips you can implement right away.
WHO: Lovers of photography at all levels – from beginners to pros!
WHEN: Saturday May 5, 9:30 Sharp – Rain or Shine.
WHERE: Meet in front of the McKinnon Photography studio. Address: 244 4th Street. Across from the Courtenay and District Museum, off the parking lot.
BRING: Camera (any kind welcome) and creativity!
COST: FREE!
Affiliate Events & Venues
These events will be running concurrently with Elevate the Arts… please check them out! (details will be added as we receive them)
Jump on the Elevate Express!
We’ll have on-the-bus entertainment running throughout the day. Hop on! (Regular fares apply, but you can bring & play your instrument if you want!) You never know WHAT you might find!
The Comox Valley transit service, born 1990, has seen improvements like the new Courtenay-to-Comox express bus, started in March 2012. The transit service operates in Courtenay, Comox, Cumberland and the electoral areas with conventional routes from Fanny Bay to Oyster River where it connects with the Campbell River transit service. Ridership is over 600,000/year on the conventional transit system and approximately 35,000 on the paratransit system, which includes handyDART for those with a disability preventing them from using conventional transit, and the community bus operating in the Cape Lazo/Point Holmes and Huband/Seal Bay areas which are not served by conventional transit. Using transit helps achieve the goals of the Comox Valley sustainability and regional growth strategies re: reduced greenhouse gas emissions and increased mode share for transit.
Check out youtube.com/comoxvalleyrd for videos about Comox Valley transit & comoxvalleyrd.ca/transit for bus routes and schedules.
Creech House, 443 4th Street, will be open for tours and to display some of the cedar carvings of Roger Friesen. Roger will also be doing a wood carving demonstration in the front yard. Work in progress pieces along side for display.
The renovation of the Creech House has garnered quite a bit of attention since we began the project. It’s Courtenay’s oldest house, built in the late 1890s. Anyone keen on seeing what we’ve restored can come by throughout the day and take a look.
For more about Creech House, look here: http://www.bodyofknowledge101.net/Creech-House.html
Our Live Art venue, just a little way off the beaten track.
3 sessions of Dynamic Figure Drawing will take place over the course of the day.
Each 2 hour session will be unique with different performers ‘modelling’, and different collections of artists and ordinary folks, drawing on large collaborative panels. These sessions will be outdoors (weather permitting), and free to participate in. Everyone Welcome.
| 10:00am – Noon | Peter Jack Rainbird performs his original, soundscape music. Magenta MacDonald and friends from Bikrim Yoga will go through a series of postures. |
| 1:00pm – 3:00pm | Renee Forrester and friends |
| 4:00pm – 6:00pm | Buleria – Oscar ‘El Cuervo’ Robles and Britt de la Luna- will play live Flamenco Music, accompanying dancers of the Comox Valley Flamenco Studio, led by Tomomi Ozaki. |
The gallery will also be open with an exhibition of recent work by the many talented artists, and artists in residence who work in the Art Alchemy Studios.
Our artists will be spread out either drawing outside, or working in their studios indoors.
More about Art Alchemy →
Chill out in the funky lounge of one of the favourite gathering places of “Upper 5th Street”. Owners Mark and Danielle are big supporters of the local arts scene and they’ve handed us the keys to the Grotto (so to speak) for the whole day!
Live music starts around noon and continues till about 10 pm. All ages are most welcome!This is a great place to grab a tasty drink, light snack or a meal during the event.
DAYTIME PROGRAM:
| 1:00pm | Ellisa Hartman Trio |
| 2:00pm | Cory Douglas Mclean |
| 3:00pm | Megan Rutledge |
| 3:30pm | Luke Stiff |
| 4:30pm | Corwin Fox |
| 5:30pm | Cameron Gunn |
| 6:30pm | Brodie Dawson |
| 7:35pm | Fiftieth Parallel |
| 8:10pm | Indigo Jazz |
| 8:45pm | Jenn Forsland |
Image by Josh Klassen
The CVAG Studio (affectionately know at ETA as “The Cellar”) is the basement level of the Comox Valley Art Gallery. This ‘undergound’ venue comes to life with some awesome kids programming from 10 am till 3 and then an evolution into some exciting experimental works with shadow puppets, music and more.
At 4 pm you do NOT want to miss the Mind of a Snail shadow puppet show or the Drunken Rumi’s at 5:00. Right next door you’ll find the Kids Underground Craft area. Just up around the corner on the CVAG Plaza there will be circus arts all day.
| 10:00am | Kazimea and Tree Frog Music (for the little ones) |
| 11:00am | Captain Thunderpants and friends |
| Noon | Go check out the Super String Jam |
| 1:00pm | Theatreworks |
| 2:00pm | Kazimea and Tree Frog Music (older kids show) |
| 4:00pm | Mind of a Snail Shadow Puppet Theatre |
| 5:00pm | Hatchet & BonBon |
| 6:00pm | The Drunken Rumis |
Dance to your HeARTS Content at The Bridge
“Fly me to the moon, let me play among the stars, let me see what spring is like on Jupiter and Mars…”
As part of Elevate the ARTS on May 5, The Bridge Lounge is transforming into a dance extravaganza from 11 AM to 5 PM starting with Belly Dance, jumping into West Coast Swing, swinging into LA Salsa, waltzing into Argentine Tango, and ending with an open dance practice with a mash-up of all of the above musical styles. Classes are geared for the beginner dancer but dancers of all levels are encouraged to come. Dance to your HeARTS content! FMI: email Kirra at valleytango@gmail.com.
| 11:00am | Beginner Belly Dance with Linda Doerksen |
| Noon | Beginner West Coast Swing with Keith and Holly Foraie |
| 1:00pm | Beginner Salsa with Karin Albert |
| 2:00pm | Beginner Argentine Tango with Kirra Gullickson |
| 3:00pm | ‘Dance to your heARTS content’ Practica. Join us for a fun mash-up of tango, salsa, and swing during this two-hour long dance party. Everyone welcome! |
Bios for Teachers:
Linda Doerksen is classically trained in traditional Belly Dance with over 20 years of teaching experience. She also loves dancing socially (tango, swing, salsa) so is a natural fit to help dancers open their center, warm up their muscles, work on their contra body movement and connect to the moment. Linda teaches at The Comox Rec Centre. FMI: email Linda at doerksen@island.net.
Holly and Keith Foraie have been dancing and teaching together since 1998. They teach a wide range of dances such as Cha-Cha, East Coast Swing, Night Club, Two-step and Hustle but West Coast Swing is their favorite because of its versatility. Keith and Holly teach weekly at The Legion and The Bridge, organize monthly dances at ‘Dance Town’, and host ‘Dance de Rock’ each September. FMI: www.members.shaw.ca/steppin_
Karin Albert has been studying salsa since 2000 and loves to share the joy of dancing with her students. Karin teaches primarily LA Salsa but also does Cha Cha for LA Salsa dancers, and Merengue. She teaches regularly at The Bridge and hosts a Latin dance practice every Thursday evening from 9 – 10:30 p.m. FMI: www3.telus.net/salsabeat or email Karin at salsawithkarin@gmail.com.
Kirra Gullickson has studied tango dance & music since 1998 and has taught tango since 2003. She founded Valley Tango which hosts weekly tango practicas Tuesdays at The Bridge. Kirra teaches salon tango, milonga, and tango vals (waltz) and loves sharing her passion of tango culture with the community. FMI: http://valleytango.com or email at valleytango@gmail.com.
In the Plaza and in the Gallery…
We’re making the most of what CVAG has to offer! Come check out the incredible array of arts – both visual & physical!
INSIDE THE GALLERY:
What We Wear With What We Wear – wearable art exhibit – Window Gallery
Emily Carr University at NIC External BFA Grads Exhibition – Contemporary Gallery
And on the Plaza…..
11am – 3pm Gardens without Borders; art/garden stuff to do, with Lisa Hamilton
| 11:00am | 7 Story Circus on the plaza (aerials, circeaux and more!) |
| 12:45pm | Fiddlejam on the plaza |
| 1:00pm | 7 Story Circus on the plaza |
| 2:30pm | Arcana Dea Dance |
| 2:45pm | Fiddlejam |
| 3:00pm | 7 Story Circus finale |
Stop by and visit the booths from local arts and culture organizations and find out cool ways to engage the arts in the Comox Valley.
There is also some very special programming in store at key times during the day! Be sure to come by at 12 noon for the MASSIVE string jam! There is another very unusual, exciting (and secret) activity in store at 12:30 – watch out! Letzsing Choir will be doing a special performance at 2 pm – come and experience this fantastic community choir
| Noon | Super String Jam |
| 12:30 | Secret Surprise |
| 2:00pm | LetzSing Choir & Nia Demo |
Writers, readers, watchers, listeners… come explore the museum in a whole new light. A “Elevate Writers Festival” is flanked on both sides by film projects that will inspire and entice. Come and get your literary juices flowing and hear original thoughts, poetry, prose and stories from local and regional writers
| 11:00am | Shawn Pigott 52 weeks |
| 1:00pm | |
| 1:35pm | Harold Macy |
| 2:10pm | Lee White |
| 2:45pm | Mathew Rader |
| 3:20pm | Kim Bannerman |
| 3:55pm | Al MacLachlan |
| 4:30pm | Derek Hanebury |
| 5:05pm | Kirsty Elliott |
| 5:45pm | Jennifer Spruit |
| 7:00pm | The Hooping Life – Join the local hooping community for this groundbreaking film about a movements that is taking the world, the hearts of many by storm. The film is screened by donation to cover the screening costs . Check it out HERE |
The 52 Weeks project by Shawn Pigott - find out more about the amazing undertaking from Fox and Bee Productions
Here’s who you’ll hear/see at the Museum:
The alley of creative action where YOU can play, experiment, get a little messy and have a whole lot of fun with the whole family.
Heili, Heimke and Heather – on behalf of the Comox Valley Arts Council – have created a vast Participatory Art Alley where one can engage directly in the creative process, allowing them to become creator, co-creators, editors, and observers of the work. An endless list of supplies will be available to engage the creative yearnings of anyone wanting to participate. Draw, paint, sculpt, build, act, dance, sing, make music…
Heili says: “When people make art they are happier and life in general is just better.”We couldn’t agree more!
Team Depot will also be joining us with a project, and we are very grateful to them for their material support with our participatory art! Details TBA.
Simms Alley comes to life with on site screen printing, sculpture, kids craft activities, painters, radical puppet theatre and more! Join us between 5th and 6th from 10 am till 7 pm for myriad arts activities that will stimulate the senses.
Simms Alley is also the entrance to the wild and wacky Underground Art and Craft Fair at the Lower Elks and the CVAG Sudio Level (The Cellar) where kids performers play from 10-3 and then experimental music, shadow puppet theatre and other antics take over.
Stop by Bop City Records to buy CD’s from the many musicians who are performing at the Elevate the Arts or check out some erotic art on display at The Romance Shop (19+ only please)
Here’s what’s happening!
1) Screen printing Andy MacDougall
Real life on site screen printing with the Valley`s own screen printing godfather. Come down and watch screenprinting in action or try your hand at it! Andy just returned from SXSW in Austin Texas where we was involved in some wicked screen printing events and he has produced wicked festival and gig posters.
2) Tarot Readings with Ashley Hain
Mini Tarot card consultations from Ashley Hain and Winds of Change store
3) Kids Underground w) Becky Wortman and friends
- Alley chalk graffiti – Tag the alley with ETA stencil logos, make hop scotches, draw pictures, fill the alley with bright fun images. DRAW, DRAW, DRAW
- Get building with our mountain of recycling and take it to the sky! – Lets construct our very own ‘flying object’ down the alley. Lets build wings, add buttons and controls, lets climb in it and image we are flying it! Come down to the Kids Underground and help build the largest recycled flying object held together with tape, glue, string and wool. Paint and decorate it.
- Flying Flags – Design and personalize your very own flying flag. There will be all kinds of materials to glue onto your flag or maybe you just want to paint it.
4) Douglas Walker
Elevate the Arts is supporting this artist….this artist supports Keeping It Living. I am going to be Elevating the Arts by demonstrating my craft (sculpture) in Simms Alley in downtown Courtenay; directly behind Beyond the Kitchen Door. I love co-operating with the community so I am asking you to bring some stuff to the alley and I will turn it into a sculpture which, when completed will be donated to Keeping it living 2012 Water Shed Project silent auction. Sound good? By “stuff” I mean small brass, copper, silver and perhaps golden ornaments. Vases, candle holders, knick-knacks, trumpets, tubas….stuff like that. People of the Comox Valley lets stretch>>>> Elevate the Arts a little further, get even more creative, more involved and see what happens.
5) Painters In Action
Capturing all this magic will be 2 incredible local painters Martha Jablonski-Joness and Marilyn Timms
6) Art Karts
A display of the infamous Mayworks Art Karts!
7) Mayworks Radical Puppet Theatre
Unscheduled, unusual, untested, unexpected.
8) Underground Art and Craft fair artists – resurfacing.
Some of the Underground Art and Craft fair artists have decided to come up for air, brave the sunlight and set up in the alley. Details TBC.
Who’s who:
There will be an outdoor acoustic piano and some great entertainment scheduled from 10-4:00pm. In between scheduled performers we invite you to take part in creating music.
There will be the opportunity to learn some improvising techniques with teachers from Motif Music Studios (www.motifmusicstudios.com ) (even if you have never played the piano before!) or drop by to play a song that you have in your fingers and would love to share with others.
| 10:00am | Rachel Fuller (clarinet) & Amie Webster (piano) |
| 11:00am | Nathania Schmaling: A young student and teacher with a passion for Classical music. |
| 12:30pm | Ralph Barrat will be joining us for the start of the afternoon. Come and enjoy his jazz styling at the piano. |
| 2:00pm | |
| 3:00pm | Erik Eriksson will be rocking into the later afternoon with his unique style of blues and rock n’ roll piano. You won’t want to miss the fun. |
| 3:45pm | Torin H will be joining us to wrap up a terrific day at the ‘Piano Corner’ |
Peruse the edgy, challenging and unusual offerings of the ‘Underground Craft Fair’ taking place 11am – 7pm in the Lower Elks Hall, with access from the alley between 5th and 6th street. (Simms Street.) Over thirty independent creators of all things curiously bizarre and whimsically strange will be demonstrating and selling their wares. Have your portrait sketched, re-construct a Barbie, watch a tattoo artist at work…or go under the needle yourself, all to the sounds of moody, meandering, dreamy, dark, original live music. Tria culinary studio will be offering “Elevate Tarts”, savoury and sweet treats through the day. Tea cozies and doilies have their place, and it is not at the ‘Underground”.
| 11:00am | SnowMonkees |
| Noon | Roger Helfrick (Harps & Tattoos) |
| 1:00pm | Blaine & Charmian Dunaway |
| 2:00pm | Alan Jossul |
| 3:00pm | em.ash |
| 4:30pm | Pleena |
| 6:00pm | Fiftieth Parallel |
Who will you see here?
Come down to the beautiful riverside to the Muir Gallery for a collection of 3 community exhibits and a very special workshop event with acclaimed Valley photographer Gordon Ross.
1. The “Trash Art Challenge” Winners display – eclectic masterpieces, junk transformed in to music making works!
2. The L’Arche Outreach and Creative Arts Centre - first ever public exhibit of framed art works.
3. “Elevate” CVCAC Members Show – featuring works submitted on the expansive theme of ‘elevate’
4. Workshop with Gordon Ross: 1:00 PM Shoot Better Photos
TRASH ART CHALLENGE
Art in the ear of the beholder
Music named Arts Council’s ‘Trash Art’ theme
Following years of amazingly diverse creations with themes such as function and masks, this year the subject is ‘musical’.
“This area is full of musicians and we wanted to engage their participation,” says Lori Kenney, an Arts Council member who founded the TAC and has participated every year. “The Arts Council is about all the arts, so opening up the challenge to include another art discipline should stimulate even more people to participate.”
L’Arche Arts
We have slowly put together a collection of framed art and will be displaying art by 22 artists at the Elevate the Arts event on May 5th at the Muir Gallery. Artists will be present at the gallery throughout the day to meet people coming to view the art. We also have art cards and plaques using L’Arche art which we will be selling, and a few of our candles and jewellery. Learn more about L\’Arche Arts here.
Exhibition: Elevate – Muir Gallery Exhibition
(ĕl’ə-vāt’) tr.v., -vat·ed, -vat·ing, -vates.
- To move (something) to a higher place or position from a lower one; lift.
- To increase the amplitude, intensity, or volume of.
- To promote to a higher rank.
- To raise to a higher moral, cultural, or intellectual level.
- To lift the spirits of; elate.
With such an interesting concept with endless possibilities for a variety of work, Elevate is sure to be an inspiring exhibition. Come and see the creativity of our local, innovative artistic peers.
Shoot Better Photos with Gordon Ross, 1pm, free workshop
Savanna Eanes by Gordon Ross
Join Gordon Ross and model, Savannah Eanes for a one-hour workshop on portraiture at the Muir Gallery.
As in any art, there are fundamental ideas to explore (backgrounds, composition, lighting, etc…) first before you can play and find your own style.
In this workshop, you will learn some powerful techniques that you can apply to all future portraits.
The workshop will be geared toward SLR cameras, but many of the the general ideas and techniques can be extended to point and shoot cameras as well.
You will be able to view select images from the shoot online at gordonross.ca in the week following the workshop.
Images Courtesy of Gordon Ross
A full day of music & merriment for all ages on Joe’s Garage stage…
Milo & Joe’s Garage are a vital part of the independent music scene in the Valley and the programming May 5th is no exception. It’s a great place to grab a snack or a drink (the venue is all ages) and every seat in the house is a good one! Entertainment is free during ETA, no purchase necessary but it is appreciated!
(Entertainment is free during ETA, you do not have to purchase anything to catch the shows.)
The Deep Sea Gypsies
| 1:15pm | Helen Austin |
| 2:15pm | Luke Blu Guthrie |
| 3:15pm | Deanna Cartea |
| 4:15pm | Sue Medley |
| 5:15pm | The Jilli Martini Band |
| 6:30pm | Jake West |
| 7:30pm | Mind Of A Snail Puppet Co |
| 8:30pm | Deep Sea Gypsies |
| 9:30pm | National Tape |
| 10:30pm | Isobel Trigger |
Helen Austin
Wrap up a wonderful day with us!
An all out world-beat, too-much-fun, dance-your-ass-off wrap party with The Boom Booms! The fun starts at 10pm!
The Boom Booms are a six-piece Latin-soul-funk-rock-reggae band, forged from friendships born on the school yards, soccer fields, cafe patios and eventually bars of East Vancouver.
They make music that makes people want to dance — or “Get up and love somebody,” as lead singer and guitarist Aaron Nazrul calls it. Whether breaking into song and dance on the streets of Paris, storming stages with Congolese musicians in Brussels, playing to thousands at the Edinburgh Fringe Festival or serenading abuelitas in South America, the charming sextet is able to reach across cultural barriers and connect with people of all stripes, on levels equally rhythmic and emotional.
Local favourites, Tin Town andPleena will open for the Boom Booms.
This is the ONLY ticketed event in ETA. $15 each. Must be 19+.
Tickets available at Bop City, Polka Dot Pants Cumberland or by phone (250) 336-0303 and online at https://store.cumberlandvillageworks.com/
Watch here for details about the closing show with The Boom Booms (ticketed event)! Sponsored by Cumberland Village Works
Great coffee and interesting food complement this ETA venue
Come check out the photo show on the walls, and catch amazing singer/songwriters all afternoon. We encourage you to support Catherine, Roger & Zocalo – they are a huge part of the Comox Valley arts scene.
Zocalo Photo Exhibit
Tattoo + You — A Photo Story of Body Ink
Leif Jason, from "Tattoo + You" by Gordon Ross
Drop by to see an eclectic selection of large prints (2′ x 3′) from the soon-to-be-released book, Tattoo + You — A Photo Story of Body Ink by photographer, Gordon Ross.
81 people with tattoos were photographed for the project and each subject submitted up to 300 words about their life and their tattoos. In the exhibit, their words will accompany their image. The stories and the images are fantastic.
The photographic exhibit is part of Elevate the Arts. The images will be up on Zocalo’s walls for the month of May.
Come and meet the photographer on May 5th to learn more about this fascinating, portrait project.
Zocalo Music Schedule
Bee Wolf Ray
| 1:00pm | Glen Gravel |
| 1:35pm | Bee Wolf Ray |
| 2:10pm | Judy and Bruce Wing |
| 2:45pm | Simon Marks |
| 3:20pm | David Somers |
| 3:55pm | Mary Murphy & Paul Keim |
| 4:30pm | Sue Pyper |
| 5:10pm | Alexandria Maillot |
| 7:30pm | Silk Pyjamas – more info (ignore dates on that new page!) |
wallfarmers dot ca began as a website supporting emerging and established urban, lowbrow underground artists who defy the boundaries of the straight edge culture. We covered art shows from Philly to SF, Seattle and Vancouver and sport dozens of interviews with the kindest humans and most talented artists we are fortunate enough to call friends. As the support continues, we opened the art gallery on 6th St in Courtenay in 2011 to share these radical artists and brilliant works to my hometown community. We hope you are inspired to not just colour outside the lines, but make your own.
Find them online: http://wallfarmers.ca/
Your thoughts on the Arts
What the Arts mean in my life/To my company?
wallfarmers is deeply rooted in the lowbrow art community and is going to continue to bring mind-blowing artists to the Comox Valley as our tiny effort to keep this town weird.
How are we involved in the arts in the Valley?
For the Elevate the Arts Festival, we invite you to come in for the final days of our current show with Dave Barnes (generous and brilliant guy. Living in Sooke and featured in Juxtapoz) and Toby Reid (amazingly kind fellow. Lives and slays in Vancouver, works at Antisocial Skateshop). We will have an odd instillation for you to be confused at, OKEJ skateboard accessories available and a print sale.