ArtSpring newsletter May 31, 2021

Dear Friends,

The announcement of BC’s Restart plan was welcome news to all British Columbians, not least those of us in the performing arts industry.

Whilst the ArtSpring building continues its important role as the island’s vaccination centre, we can now continue planning our 2021-22 ArtSpring Presents season to start in October, and to take inquiries from interested rental clients. The safety of our patrons, artists, volunteers and staff is of utmost importance to us. We continue to closely follow all Public Health Orders, and do expect there will still be limits on audience capacity when we reopen. We will post updates on our website and social channels.

Thank you for your trust in ArtSpring.

It isn’t often that a classically trained singer can convincingly spin songs in other genres. One such artist is Irish-Canadian mezzo soprano, Wallis Giunta, who I came across this week. Have a listen to her perform Joni Mitchell’s Little Green, or below, Gordon Lightfoot’s Affair on 8th Avenue, or her TED talk on Singing out of the Box.

With thanks,
Cicela Månsson
Executive & Artistic Director, ArtSpring

At ArtSpring

This year’s events are online only

Silent auction – Wed July 14 – Sun July 18
Live auction – Sat July 17

Treasure Fair 2021 – Call For Donations

Thank you so much to everyone who has donated items so far. Our wonderful acquisitions team, led by Kate Merry, is working hard to catalogue the incoming items. If you’d like to donate furniture, household and hobby items, gift certificates, adventures, services, and more, we’d love to hear from you.

Interesting Links

Capsule at the NAC

Get lost in Capsule, the community-responsive dance video hub from the National Arts Centre. Dance artists from across Canada answered an open call to submit passionate and innovative short film creations made between March 2020 and March 2021. The selection committee chose 60, now available to watch online until August 31, 2021. more>

Salt Spring Elementary Mural Project: Natureplex

A call for new artwork from School District 64 and the Parent Advisory Council. Gulf Islands based artists are invitednto submit concept proposals for two-dimensional artwork that will be displayed at Salt Spring Elementary. Deadline June 14, 2021. more>

Jeanine de Bique – soprano

I was blown away this week by the voice of Trinidadian artist Jeanine de Bique in her video of Rejoice Greatly from Messiah. Her vocal lightness, flexibility and the joyfulness with which she approaches the music is inspiring. I had to look a little further and what I found was this lovely video of her and Concerto Köln collaborating on beautiful music making and conversation. more>

Sylvia Olsen – knitter and storyteller

…and because knitting is a passion of mine, I’m including this wonderful article on knitter and storyteller Sylvia Olsen. Her latest book is called Unravelling Canada: A Knitting Odyssey. While touring for her previous book, Knitting Stories: Personal Essays and Nine Coast Salish-inspired Knitting Patterns, she didn’t realize it would give her the framework for another book by the time she got home. more>

COVID vaccine clinic information

The Salt Spring COVID-19 immunization clinic is being held in the ArtSpring galleries, April 7 to September 15. Entrance is via the rear parking lot only.

To book your vaccination appointment you can use BC’s new online registration system, or you can ring the provincial call centre 1.833.838.2323. Visit the Island Health vaccine site for more information.

Please do not contact ArtSpring as we are unable to help with vaccine clinic inquiries.

The BC Provincial Health Order of November 19 restricting events continues until further notice. We look forward to welcoming you back when we are able.

Fundraising

We were sorry to hear that Thrifty Foods is discontinuing its Smile Card program in its current form. Thrifty’s has been a wonderful supporter to ArtSpring and Smile Cards made it really easy for our patrons to help with our fundraising. The program runs until June 15, so please continue to top up your card until then. After that date we’re able to apply for other community support programs. And let us know if you need a Smile Card – we’ll put one in the mail for you. email us>

The Pandemic Limerick Project book

Limericks In The Time of COVID. Available through ArtSpring and at Salt Spring Books. Every limerick submitted to the contest in the summer of 2020 is included, plus cartoons and illustrations by Jim Dickinson, Susan Benson and Michael Whitfield. more>

ArtSpring acknowledges the unceded territory and the ancestors of Salt Spring Island, the Coast Salish First Nations peoples of Salt Spring and surrounding areas, who continue to use and steward these lands. We at ArtSpring wish to pay respect to the Elders of this land, past and present.