Mayor's Luncheon and Art in the Open

More photos have been released of this year's BAC events and the ensuing excitement they evoked.


More Art in the Open 2013 images from talented buskers, beautiful art work, friendly people and city officials visiting our artists and city.

http://picasaweb.google.com/113253991346504907378/MoreArtInTheOpen2013

Mayor's Luncheon for the Arts 2013 images are also up. Thank you to our sponsors and prize donors that contributed to your local arts community. Congrats to award recipients: Joan Doane for the Harry Dale Literary Grant, Katrina Ostapchuk for the Leon Argamasilla Bacardi Award of Excellent, and Chuck Scott for Arts Person of the Year.

http://picasaweb.google.com/113253991346504907378/MayorSLuncheonForTheArts201302

ARTIST CALL - ART IN THE OPEN 2013

CALL FOR ARTISTS - ART IN THE OPEN

Less than a month left to get your application and interview set up for Brampton’s outdoor art & craft show and market, Art in the Open.


Deadline: May 22, 2012. CALL FOR ARTISTS/ARTISANS. The Brampton Arts Council is calling for artists and artisans at our annual outdoor show and market Art in the Open, a feature of the local Farmers’ Market. PART-TIME and FULL-TIME vendor positions are available for creators of hand-crafted, original works. Art in the Open takes place every Saturday, 7 am – 1 pm in downtown Brampton on the north-east corner of Main & Queen from June to October. Find out why 75, 000 people attended the Farmers’ Market in 2011. For more info, (905) 874-2919 or kelly@artsbrampton.ca. Note: Limited jeweler space. www.artsbrampton.ca/aito.asp  Spread the word.

Rock Against Cancer...

Yeah, no creative title this time. I went to Rock Against Cancer this weekend. Brampton Arts Council was one of the sponsors of the event so I went there to collect some props. I could sit here and tell you all about it but I think pictures and video could tell the story much better. Words will just be the accent to colour the visuals this time but before I begin let's talk a little about what Rock Against Cancer is.

It's an event that Brampton's Rock School and Express Your Music Foundation hosts to fundraise for the cause, provide their students an opportunity to perform while recognizing peers for their musicianship, and “learn[ing] about the power of positive social change, how the small acts of a few can change the lives of many”1 according to co-owner Andrea Gavrilovic, which to me makes it compelling. You can't help but do good just by attending the event, but by attending the event you also get to have fun and enjoy some music and a community. Win win? Woot! :)

Okay, so this entry I decided to try something a little different. I posted all my pictures, some artsy, most pretty “normal” on the Picasa album and I've identified whoever I could from the event. Hopefully by the end of the week. Everyone who wants to be identified will be done.

Props:

The Karaoke Tent (donated by Pace Marathon) at the other end of the parking lot from the main stage. I'm a sucker for karaoke. It's oodles of fun no matter what fuddy duddys say! :) Clever idea: charging singers a $1 a song. :) Just the right amount.

Vendors: Tamami ko bag. Not only are the bags and note books pretty to look at – made from old kimono cloth, chic – but the lady who sells them is pretty sweet and awesome. How do I know this? Kelly, are you just plugging random people? No, I know that when I fell she came over to make sure I was okay. That doesn't sound like much, but it is.

Music: Everything was enjoyable. I think it's just good that there was, in this instance, a place for youth to perform and it wasn't all rock for the haters. :) Music is music is music.

EVERybody: for being patient, composed and toughing it out in the rain for an hour halfway through the event.

Enjoy the pictures, comments and videos! :)

1. http://rockagainstcancer.therockschool.ca/about.html

Listening to: Regina Spektor – Edit; Louis XIV - Finding out True Love is Blind; Joel Plaskett - Nowhere with You

different locale, different spirit

Well, that was quite a trip. Just got home from Chinguacousy Park. It was Communities in Bloom's Community Showcase. A really good place to see some of the services Brampton holds. BAC had their own booth, or should I say... a stage. We had our annual graphic novel of the arts in which some of our member groups perform. Last year's attendance had a longer list of performers but we did what we do at the council and kept on.

The set up was ideal and perfect this year. We were uphill with a small picnic house was the stage while some rafter benches were arranged in a slight 'V'. From the Brampton Library's reading of "Tacky and the Winter Games", by Bonnie-Kay Norman, Emily Norman Rebecca Norman and Sarah D'Cunha, to pump the public up for the upcoming Olympics to the lovely Sonia's artists from her Synergy Performing Arts Academy , like her hip hop dancers Samani and Anjan Puri, pianist Kristy Isidro and Omega Mighty performing her own single "Tainted". Later Anjan even performed a Charlie Brown monologue for the audience.

*said like a hokey game show host* AND THAT'S NOT ALL, folks!

Peel Panto Players' Joe Rose and Rose Brown parodied that television show Antique Roadshow, making the audience at least crack a smile with their antics.

Elizabeth demoed the art and discipline of the beautiful dance-form Nia to our audience. Janella and intern Therese joined in from the audience.

Yours truly even sang a few times. Again me with the nervous but mayhaps a good way to promote. I wish though I got to see the Rock School do their thing. They along with a couple of other local talents, Minus One and Bottoms Up were at the other side of the park. I will get to check them out next Saturday though at Rock Against Cancer . I better see you! Say hi to I!

Currently listening to: Mirah – Archipelago; The Clash – The Prisoner; Danko Jones – Something Better; Alicia Keys & Usher – My Boo (Reggae Remix!)

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.

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