Brampton's Best Kept Secret?

Brampton has a lot of “best kept secrets” and I'm not sure if it works out as well as it should. A woman asked me at the Street Festival last week if there were any local galleries to take her niece to. She asked me if! A little pain went through my heart because she was going to head down to the Royal Ontario Museum or the Art Gallery of Ontario.

There are at least three galleries I could list off the top of my head running around in Brampton. Immediately the Peel Heritage Complex sprang to mind. Only because that's one of the first cultural spaces I remember visiting in my life. The Complex is a gallery, museum and archives with history framing and supporting it all since the public building is a former jail house. If you're not into history, the arts or archaeology, visit the Complex simply because of its architecture. I don't think I've seen buildings with this thick, heavy stone and how that stone is used in the building creates new spaces out of the old.

I was lucky enough yesterday to be led on a tour by one Diane Allengame, the current curator of the triple threat complex, to learn about changes and tidbits of Complex information. The most surprising face to me was that Complex is currently showing .03 % of their gallery collection and 1% of their museum collection. For those not in the know most museums usually present 10 % of their collections at a time allowing for material they can cycle and freshen displays with. Thankfully, the Complex is pursuing a much-needed expansion for more display and storage space. It will be closing its door sometime in the future in order to phase into this. Hopefully, I'll remember to remind everyone to pop in before they well, can't for a bit.

Another thing the expansion is looking to do is make the side of the complex that faces Gage Park a little more inviting, inclusive. Who can't enjoy that? No one. :)

The thing I liked about the tour was midpoint when I got to hear bursts of kids acting in the Museum from the Complex's summer program. There are young artists running amuck around this city of ours. I just gotta find 'em.

Peel Heritage Complex
9 Wellington Street East
Brampton, Ontario L6W 1Y1
Phone: 905-791-4055 Fax: 905-451-4931

Other galleries you can enjoy around town are:

Visual Arts Brampton
1 Bartley Bull Parkway, Suite 10
Brampton ON L6W 3T7
Phone: (905) 453-9142
E-mail: visualartsbrampton@gmail.com

and

Beaux Arts Brampton (which is just down the street from the Heritage Complex in Downtown Brampton)
70-74 Main Street North
Brampton, ON L6V 1N7
Tel: (905) 454-5677
Toll Free: 1-866-339-7779
Email: beauxart1@bellnet.ca

Last but not least there are a couple of Visual Arts groups you can check with that I haven't listed here but are on our website at: http://www.artsbrampton.ca/directory.htm

All of the galleries connect to the youth in different ways, whether through tours, lessons or courses. Check 'em out.

Have you ever been to the Peel Heritage Complex or any of our little galleries around town? What did you love? Do you want to go? Make plans!

Picture used with permission of Diane Allengame.

Currently listening to Hawsley Workman - Silent Night; Blue October - She's My Ride Home; Balkan Beat Box – Balcasio; Ella Fitzgerald's – A Night in Tunisa

Where were *you* on the night of July 23rd, 2009?

I didn't get a chance to explore Brampton's 3rd annual Communities in Bloom Downtown Street Festival as much as I would have liked but from my spot on the first floor, my senses told me that there was quite a bit to do, watch, taste, listen and buy. The tinkling of steel drums, the clap of clogs upstairs made me a little envious of those visiting and not boothed. Unusually - and thankfully - the booths weren't on the street this year because of the “inclement weather conditions” and tents were removed as tables were positioned in Rose Theatre.

I saw Dale O'Hara there. Well, more than a glimpse. She was directly across from me so I could wave at her lots. Dale was there promoting Acres of Glass, which is a company biography of the Dale Estate and how it intersects with Brampton's history. It's interesting to watch older people walk by her booth, stop in their tracks and chat with her about the Brampton they remember growing up, a kind of compare and contrast. A place and its memories can anchor people like that.

Another one of my neighbours was the Brampton Clean City Committee. Joey and Vince, manning their table were awesome, especially with the theatrical way they appealed to kids with their waterless tattoo's. I'm glad that Brampton is putting money into educating kids about the environment and their role in conservation, especially with events like the Peel Children's Water Festival, which I learned about from Christina, another booth neighbour with the Region of Peel.

I'm learning a lot from this job so far. I thought a booth would be better but I like approaching people and talking to them, but I'm still not hearing from anyone. Mayhaps, I'll connect more with people at the next Communities in Bloom event, which is the Community Showcase on August the 13th at Chinguacousy Park. Things kick off at 6 p.m! I'm hoping to see peeps there. It's music, food and people. What's not to love?

If you see me, don't be afraid to come up and say hey. :)

The calm before the storm of people that afternoon.

While you were sleeping....

Savannah Festival of Rhythms was quite the event this past Sunday. The beautiful shiny weather was a bit reluctant to show but I'm guessing the sun couldn't help but beam once it heard the Latin rhythms that started the concert with a bang.

Those rhythms belonged to Anacaona, a 14 piece, all- lady Cuban band that rocked it out. The sun wasn't the only one unable to resist the beats as smatterings of the crowd took to their feet.

Next on stage was rhythm and blue singer Virgil Scott. If you don't know, he will undoubtedly tell you he's been in the entertainment business for 44 years and now you do know.

Last, but never least, Canada's diva Jackie Richardson and the utterly cool jazz sounds of Kollage came together to impress the crowd.

You know, I didn't know Brampton had events like this. This is Savannah's 7th year and that kind of shocks me. It's a well-run event. Not only were the performers top notch, but there were local artisans with various items from semi-precious jewellery to friend voodoo dolls to stain glass creations and not to mention the Service Canada Centre for Youth's booth. Oh! There were fantabulous visual artists displaying their work from abstract to realism and everything in between and if all that's not enough to set you going every year. The Savannah Festival is in support of sickle cell awareness. In a city of almost half a million, I would have expected - or dreamed of - seeing more people. How *does* one get the word out in this town?

This is the part where I talk about youth, being a youth liaison and all because I didn't get a strong feeling of youth there. Don't get me wrong. I saw youth there: kids running and shouting around, tweens and teenagers chillaxing on whatever was handy and young adults checking out the booths. Hey Kelly! It wasn't a youth event though maybe a family event, but not solely for the young 'uns. Perhaps the mysterious interjection is right, which is why I didn't get the young, bright vibe but some of the kids I did see, seemed taken aback or aloof and that worries me. I don't want to sound old but "when I was a kid everything was new, exciting and fresh!" Okay, you gotta imagine me shaking my finger and saying that in a voice like that old neighbour man from Family Guy - perks it right up.

I don't know. Anyone agree? Disagree? What makes you less aloof? What events would you like to see Brampton putting out there?

Catch more video clips on youtube.

Or become a fan of Brampton Arts Council on Facebook.

Here we go!

Hey folks! I’m back. I’m quite excited about the Youth Liaison position that I've been generously offered by the Brampton Arts Council. For those of you who might not know, I’m Kelly Lewars. I interned at the council last summer and had an awesome time doing it. I must have done something well because now I'm here. I’m looking forward to hearing from all of you, especially the younger folks, and their ideas about the path of arts in Brampton. I’ve got a small arsenal of my own thoughts that I will hope will colour delight in this city of ours. One of my ideas that I'll need *your* help with is this blog. Kids and young adults, teens and tweens speak up! I want to hear your questions, concerns or thoughts about arts in Brampton and formally issue you an invite to contact me. What do you think about local events, happenings or the urban playground movement? Holler at me: kelly@artsbrampton.ca