“I often hear people say you can either be an artist or a business person,” says Crystal Mercredi, “but I think that being good at one doesn’t make you bad at the other.”
Crystal was first exposed to photography when she got a Polaroid camera at age seven, and has been taking photos ever since.
“In retrospect I have had a camera in my hand most of my life, and started by documenting most of my grade school friendships.”
Later in high school, she took Communication Technologies and learned the basics of composition and how to develop black and white film. “I spent those years playing with experimental techniques with friends and laughing at what we had created in the dark room.”
“Being Nowhere”
“Ribbons in the Sky”
“Swimming”
Mercredi is an Alberta girl, having lived in Grande Prairie, Calgary, Edmonton, Killam, and Fort Chipewyan, but she’s been in Fort McMurray since 2008.
“Prior to having children, I was a teacher,” says Mercredi, “however after having my second, I decided to stay at home until they were in school. During that time my plan got sidetracked, because I rediscovered my love for photography and it became an all-encompassing obsession.”
Nowadays, Crystal Mercredi is a well-known local artist and business owner. In 2019, she was nominated for the Fort McMurray Chamber of Commerce Female Leadership Award, and in 2020, she received the Visual Arts Award (Buffy) from Arts Council Wood Buffalo.
“I had never thought of myself as an artist – at least not a visual artist – because I’d had teachers tell me I was a logical thinker, not a creative one, and I believed them. Now I know that it’s okay to be both, and being ‘good’ at math doesn’t make you ‘bad’ at art.”
“I pride myself on continually improving my business capacity along with my artistic ability.”
With this mantra in mind, she has taken her art and turned it into a successful business. Life and Portraits is a digital media studio specializing in headshots and corporate marketing photography while also offering corporate event photography and marketing videography.
“The Night the Ancestors Danced”
The brand was developed with a passion for promoting local businesses and the people behind them.
“This also means Life and Portraits is committed to growing capacity within our region for other small business owners, and giving back to agencies that make this region home,” said Mercredi.
Connect to the local arts community and follow Arts Council Wood Buffalo on Facebook, Instagram, Twitter or LinkedIn (@artscouncilwb), or browse our website for arts information, resources and opportunities.
Courtney Sweeney is a wife, mother of three small children (and a very large Boxer), and loves to go to the gym. She’s also a self-confessed entrepreneur and bead-aholic.
“It started with beaded bracelets,” says Sweeney. “I’d seen so many on Pinterest and I thought, ‘Hey I could do this.’ So I started by making a few bracelets for family and friends, and it took off from there.”
Now she is wrapping up the third year of owning her business, Mind, Body, Soul Beads & Beyond, and despite everything that’s happened in 2020, it’s been one of her best years.
She moved from Calgary to Fort McMurray with her family when she was two years old, and has lived in the region ever since.
“I have always been into the artistic side of things,” says Courtney. “I loved to paint, draw, and write in my younger years. As I became older, my hobbies turned more to fitness, and I really started to go that route. Then my family took precedence and everything else took a back seat.”
Later, the entrepreneurial side of Courtney started to grow and she experimented with different business ideas. “They weren’t for me. There was nothing creative about them, and nothing I could 100% say was my own. So, I started beading bracelets.”
“I have always loved fossils and gemstones, but I never fully understood or appreciated them until recently,” said Sweeney. “I started creating gemstone jewelry for friends and family with the intention of trying to tune my energies into that specific person’s needs and wants. The ability of gemstones to bring intention and awareness into peoples’ lives and help them along their journey gave me goosebumps.”
Sweeney is business savvy and has been partnering with various local businesses to get her products out into the community. You can find her work at Life Force Herbal Healing Centre, Chocolates & Candlelight, and Exhale Yoga & Barre. She’s also been building her product line to include necklaces, key chains, and her newest popular creation is bands for smart watches.
“My love and knowledge is expanding with each piece I make, tuning into frequencies, healing, and meanings for each one.”
Her latest venture includes joining Arts Council’s new online Marketplace. “I was approached by Arts Council to try Marketplace, and to me it seemed like a win-win opportunity. With Marketplace, I get the opportunity to get myself out there more.”
Visit artscouncilwb.ca/marketplace to learn more about Marketplace, buy local arts and craft, or even open your own virtual shop. Marketplace is a free benefit for Arts Council members.
In a world that seems to make less sense every day — especially in 2020 — it’s not surprising that the arts continue to be misunderstood.
“It must be hard for Arts Council with nothing to do during the pandemic.” “I guess there aren’t many people creating art during quarantine.” These are just a few of the comments that Arts Council staff have heard since the world began shutting down in March 2020 to address COVID-19.
To be fair, many have wondered about the future of the arts — including many artists. However, as we approach the end of 2020, it’s reassuring to see that artists have adjusted by expressing their art in new formats: online, through social media, or in physically distant contexts.
So what is the role of art in the time of COVID?
“This is precisely the time when artists go to work. There is no time for despair, no place for self-pity, no need for silence, no room for fear,” says Toni Morrison (Nobel Prize- and Pulitzer Prize-winning novelist, editor and professor).
The Art of Conversation is a perfect example of fearless creativity. In late April 2020, as the world was focusing on quarantine, Arts Council Wood Buffalo began paying to commission local artists to create art based on phone conversations with isolated seniors and Elders across the region.
The project was a collaboration with St. Aidan’s Society, and the idea was to have artists engage in phone conversations with seniors and Elders, then create a new piece of art inspired by that conversation. Arts Council would purchase the artists’ completed pieces, with the goal of having it gifted to the partnered senior or Elder.
Artwork produced includes crafts, paintings, poems and songs. But the most beautiful result has been the new friendships and experiences created through over 36 pairing — 31 artists and 34 attendees (seniors and Elders) — for a total of 65 participants.
Originally, The Art of Conversation was meant to be a series of face-to-face workshops, which would culminate in a collaborative design for a mural to be installed in Fort McMurray’s Arts District. COVID-19 has prevented those in-person meetings (for the time being), but the pandemic made the program more important than ever as art helped participants make personal connections, enhance their health and mental wellbeing, and overcome feelings of isolation — despite physical distancing.
In early December, a virtual exhibit of the art produced during Art of Conversation was released for viewing on Arts Council’s website, along with stories about the project and reactions to the work.
While quarantine and physical distancing became the new reality, Arts Council Wood Buffalo made it their priority to adapt how they support artists across the region.
The first program to be adapted was the Artist in Residency & Mentorship Program (AiR), presented in partnership with Keyano Theatre & Arts Centre in March 2020. Originally, AiR was planned as an in-person series of workshops hosted by award winning, multi-disciplined theatre artist Michelle Thorne, while she directed The Great Gatsby for Keyano Theatre.
The program was quickly adapted into a series of free online workshops. This was the first time AiR had been held in an online format, and participants reported the workshops to be informative, exciting, and an effective strategy for dealing with the pandemic.
Later in the summer, Arts Council hired Geoff Jones (a former Fort McMurray resident) to be the Artist in Residency Project Coordinator and would develop resources to support future AiR programming. Geoff quickly got to work with ACWB Programs Manager, Luay Eljamal, on the second AiR session of 2020, which began in the fall with local humourist and storyteller Carla White.
White’s residency includes writing, publication and creativity workshops offered to the local community while she develops a script dramatizing the events, demographics, learnings, and community-building that arose out of the 2016 Horse River Wildfire. The project will end in a stage reading of White’s final script, which is scheduled for December 11, 2020.
Another example of adapting the arts to a new format was Around the Campfire, hosted in May 2020, and inspired by the traditional Nashville-style guitar pull. This virtual livestream event was hosted in partnership with Friends of Suncor Energy Centre for the Performing Arts (FoSECPA) and Country 93.3, and featured local singer-songwriters taking turns playing songs, and swapping stories and personal recollections.
Performing artists included Éva LaPrairie, Shantelle Davidson, Dan Gillies, Max Noseworthy, Aaron Deslandes, and Mychela. With over 13,000 views, the event was in the style of a traditional guitar pull, as artists shared stories about their songs and their playing style, and engaged with the audience in between performances of their original music.
Arts Council also adapted to artists’ needs by enhancing their connection with rural communities. The first step was to hire two Rural Arts Support Liaisons (RASL): Donna Aubichon, based in Fort Chipewyan, and Jules Nokohoo, based in Janvier. The RASLs’ task is to work with rural residents to co-envision and develop new initiatives, programs, and services to meet their unique artistic needs. Additionally, the RASLs’ goal is to enable communities to engage with the arts, crafts, and traditions of both Indigenous and non-Indigenous peoples.
For many, tradition has been turned on its ear, but the RASLs have been using this as an opportunity. Recently, Aubichon combined tradition with innovation by hosting an online beading workshop in Fort Chipewyan as a way of sharing knowledge and staying creative. Aubichon also coordinated a mask-making workshop as a way of using the arts to mitigate and cope with COVID-19.
The Arts Awards (a.k.a. The Buffys) have become an annual tradition in Fort McMurray, but haven’t typically been as prominent in the rural communities. In October, Fort Chipewyan residents took part in their first Arts Awards watch party (observing health and safety protocols). Residents, artists, Elders and community leaders joined together in a small group to recognize award nominees and recipients in the community.
This watch party was just one of many activities planned to create more inclusivity with the talented artists that live and create in the rural communities.
The Buffys – the local equivalent of the Oscars – was broadcast on October 17 as a free online cinematic experience as a way of respecting the health and safety of the hundreds of artists and supporters that attend the event each year. Instead of inviting people to an awards event typically held at Suncor Energy Centre for the Performing Arts (SECPA), it was broadcast for free to homes across the region and beyond, with an estimated 13,800 viewings (some as far away as Japan).
The awards showcase also featured a number of collaborative performances by local talent and a raucous steampunk storyline written by Elizabeth Wells and Zachary Barrett, who hosted the show. Performances included a diverse range of dance pieces, original and classic music, comedy, and theatre supported by visual arts, functional sets, costumes, props and puppets, all of which were tied together by local video artists Matthew Lorenz, Matthew Piercey, and Neville Video Productions to create a cinematic steampunk experience.
As local businesses and residents have struggled from economic pressures resulting from COVID, and recovery from flooding in downtown Fort McMurray, a special project was created to support artists wishing to build their business know-how in the arts world. In August, Arts Council hosted a series of four online workshops (free for members). The Getting to Sold workshops were designed to help crafters, artisans and new artists get their products to market, and was a huge success with 21 registrants.
The Getting to Sold project will culminate in an online resource called Marketplace. Marketplace is an online portal hosted on the ACWB website where artists can sell their arts and craft, build their following, and develop their dream of getting their art on the market. Art lovers can search, sort and shop for local arts and craft that have been made with community spirit. As an added bonus, it’s an opportunity to shop local, support local, and participate in the arts community.
In August, Arts Council made the call for artists to pre-register and help with populating Marketplace and testing before launching the platform to the community. Over 50 artists registered, ensuring a robust group of vendors would be listed in the Marketplace with their arts and craft to be sold to the community in time for the Christmas holiday season.
While discussions and engagement has been ongoing for a couple of years, the process of creating an Arts Incubator in Fort McMurray began in earnest in early 2020. An Arts Incubator is a community space that can support and nurture a diverse range of arts and culture. The wheels are now in motion to remodel the old Landmark Cinema 6 building in downtown Fort McMurray and transform it into an Arts Incubator space for the region.
After completing a feasibility study and public engagement throughout 2020 — including a public survey with more than 400 responses and dozens of conversations with stakeholders — ACWB has now started creating their funding plan and branding for the facility.
The arts incubator will be located in downtown Fort McMurray, but will be available as a centre for artists from across the region to gather and work. It will also be used as a venue for performances, workshops and showcases, as a community gathering space, and to host events and festivals that offer a broad opportunity for engagement with the arts.
In March, Arts Council began issuing free extensions for memberships that were set to expire. Memberships were extended until November 30, and since March, over 70 extensions were given free of charge.
The goal was to ensure that despite COVID, flooding, or any of life’s challenges, artists still had access to membership benefits, news, artist calls, opportunities, and connection to the arts community. This small gesture was intended to support those who have had other priorities in their lives beyond thinking about paying for membership fees.
Arts Council also created a new Membership Bank as part of the Giving Tuesday campaign in May – and will do so again for December 1 – to make sure memberships are barrier-free, so anyone in the region can have access to the benefits of ACWB membership and be a part of the unified voice for the arts in Wood Buffalo.
Support yourself and others through the arts by being an ACWB member, sponsor, donor, or volunteer. Take part in this regional movement and ACW-Be an Arts Champion for Wood Buffalo. This movement aims to support the ongoing response to COVID-19, recovery from flooding in downtown Fort McMurray, and the well-being of residents across the region.
Arts Council in 2021 and Beyond
To those who have been wondering what the arts community has been up to during 2020, this is just the tip of the paintbrush. The arts have been alive and vibrant throughout 2020 despite the misconception that the arts have stopped to wait for COVID-19 to quietly go away never to return. View the Art in the Time of COVID-19 infographic for further information about how ACWB has been advocating for the arts community in 2020.
Now you might be wondering what’s in store for the arts community in 2021. Canadian cultural icon William Shatner has a simple philosophy: “The good life is one that’s artistically made.”
With that said, from everyone at Arts Council Wood Buffalo, we look forward to supporting the growth and success of the arts in Wood Buffalo for many years to come — especially in the midst of uncertainty. Learn more about local (and beyond) arts initiatives, opportunities and achievements at artscouncilwb.ca or follow Arts Council on social media to stay connected with the arts community: @artscouncilwb.
Arts Council Wood Buffalo (ACWB) officially launched Marketplace today. Marketplace is an online store where ACWB members can sell their artwork, and shoppers can buy local arts and craft made with community spirit.
“The objective of Marketplace is to give local artists an opportunity to develop as entrepreneurs and provides them with a resource where they can sell their work online,” said Executive Director, Liana Wheeldon. “Marketplace is unique for our region because it features only local artists, but anyone from around the world could shop for art made in Fort McMurray Wood Buffalo.”
Pre-registration for Marketplace opened in August following a series of Getting to Sold workshops tailored to help artists get their craft from a hobby to market. Nearly sixty artists pre-registered for Marketplace since August and were invited to begin setting up their shops on November 19.
“Throughout our engagement with the arts community, we learned that artisans needed more places to sell their work,” said Special Projects Manager, Sharon Heading. “Given the current economic climate, selling art has become even more challenging. Marketplace will empower artists to showcase their work and provide healthy opportunities to develop their craft and business acumen.”
Marketplace is free for ACWB members to use, however a 5% commission is charged to cover PayPal transfer fees should artists choose this payment method. Other payment methods are also available.
Marketplace is available to all local artisans. All they need to do is register for an ACWB membership. Membership fees vary by type and timeframe, including individual, non-profit, group or business from one to five years.
One of the benefits of being a member includes having access to ACWB staff as a resource for assistance. Marketplace is available to artists of all experience levels, and those who may need help with their online shop can easily reach Arts Council staff at marketplace@artscouncilwb.ca or at (587) 674 – 1625 ext. 104.
Marketplace product categories include:
Canvas / Paper
Craft
Decorative
Fashion
Functional
Indigenous
Literary
Textile
The Getting to Sold workshop series was a way of taking artisans through the process of getting their craft from a hobby to market. Marketplace is the next logical step and is a tool for artisans to enhance their learning through practical experience. In the coming months, participating artisans can expect an in-depth manual outlining the key learnings from Getting to Sold. Arts Council’s Business of the Arts learning series also ties in with the theme of offering local artists opportunities to build their capacity to compete and thrive as artistic entrepreneurs.
ACWB is a non-profit society and charitable organization that supports the growth and success of the arts in Wood Buffalo. ACWB was established to raise the profile of the arts in the region and provide support to all facets of the arts community.
The awards for this year’s Wood Buffalo Excellence in Arts Awards (also known as the Buffys) were created by local resin artist, Ambreen Ehtisham.
“The awards came out more beautifully than even I had expected,” said Ambreen. “I am honoured that my work has been presented to such amazing local artists in the community.”
“I got my inspiration from natural geode rocks. I designed the sketch of each award according to the categories. Each award mimics the beauty of geode rocks in different color combinations suitable for that specific award category.”
This year’s arts awards showcase was broadcast on October 17 as a cinematic experience featuring award presentations for fourteen categories. A short video of Ambreen’s creative process and work was also aired during the show.
Originally from Pakistan, Ambreen immigrated to the community in 2005 and is proud to call Fort McMurray her home. She has a loving husband and four beautiful children, but is also keeping herself busy as an artist and entrepreneur.
“I have been passionate about the arts for as long as I can remember,” says Ambreen. “I fell in love with resin when I first saw it in one of the workshops I attended during my college life. My parents didn’t have the means to let me learn resin arts along with providing for professional education for myself and my siblings. But they certainly instilled in me the spirit of not letting your passion go.”
“After my youngest child started going to school, I was ready to follow my dreams of working with resin, and currently, most of my work is in resin mixed media.”
Locally, Ambreen has been involved in projects such as the 2020 Timeraiser event by FuseSocial, but she’s also expanding to reach an international audience.
“I recently submitted one of my pieces to the International Open Call from Boomer Gallery in London, UK, and my work was accepted into the first round of the competition.”
She is also proud to be one of six ambassadors from around the world for Mrs. ColorBerry, one of the most prestigious brand names in the resin world.
“This has been a highlight of my work as an artist and is a dream come true,” said Ambreen. “It’s an honor to be a part of this amazing team and represent Fort McMurray and Canada on an international scale.”
Learn more about Ambreen Ehthisham, her art, ordering custom designs, and upcoming projects and events on Facebook (@ambreenehti), Instagram (@ambreen.ehtisham), or her new website: www.ambreenehtisham.com.
Visit artscouncilwb.ca/buffys to learn more about this year’s Arts Awards. Check out the award recipients, nominees, and sponsors. Visit Arts Council Wood Buffalo’s YouTube channel to watch the full awards showcase, including performances from local talent, award presentations, and much more.
Connect to the local arts community and follow Arts Council Wood Buffalo on Facebook, Instagram, Twitter or LinkedIn (@artscouncilwb), or visit the website at www.artscouncilwb.ca for arts information, resources and opportunities.
Arts Council Wood Buffalo would like to congratulate all Buffy Award recipients and nominees, and send out a heartfelt thank you to the sponsors, performers, volunteers, and Arts Champions that made the 2020 Wood Buffalo Excellence in Arts Awards a raving success.
The Excellence in Arts Awards (also known as The Buffys) premiered for free on October 17 as an online cinematic experience. The full broadcast is still available on Facebook and YouTube.
Buffys watch parties were held all across the region in place of a live event this year. In Fort Chipewyan, Donna Aubichon, ACWB Rural Art Support Liaison, hosted a watch party for Elders in the community, observing health and safety protocols.
“The Wood Buffalo region has an incredible amount of talent in all shapes and sizes,”said Luay Eljamal, Programs Manager. “Thank you to everyone who nominated an artist or group for an award and to those who took the time to submit their nomination materials. We also want to thank all the artists and performers who responded to artist calls for this event, and the volunteers who helped while we recorded the show. The Buffys serve as a good opportunity for everyone to reflect on their artistic practice, and be recognized for their contributions to our region.”
Presented by Arts Council Wood Buffalo, the theme for the awards showcase was Midnight Steampunk and celebrated local artists and arts organizations. This year, the arts community recognized 85 nominees through 14 virtual award presentations, including the Lifetime Achievement Award that went to Tantoo Cardinal, and the Arts Champion Award that went to Florence Weber of Points North Gallery.
The Buffy Awards themselves were handcrafted works of resin art created by local artist, Ambreen Ehtisham. Each award mimicked the beauty of geode rocks in different color combinations suitable for each specific award category.
The awards showcase also featured a number of collaborative performances by local talent and a raucous steampunk storyline written by Elizabeth Wells and Zachary Barrett, who hosted the show. Performances included a diverse range of dance pieces, original and classic music, comedy, and theatre supported by visual arts, functional sets, costumes, props and puppets, all of which were tied together by local video artists Matthew Lorenz, Matthew Piercey, and Neville Video Productions to create a cinematic steampunk experience.
Midnight-Steampunk-themed Gear Bags and Buffy Stuffys are still available through Eventbrite. Buffy Stuffys are limited edition, collectible plush toys modelled off each year’s event theme. This year’s Buffy Stuffy is Wendell the Raven, who is modelled off one of the Midnight Steampunk characters designed by local artist Rob Hickey. Canvas Gear Bags are loaded with a candy sack (in the style of the annual candy bar), acrylic drink coaster, ACWB face mask, Buffys pin, event program, and sticker.
Participate by buying this unique memorabilia. All proceeds will go towards supporting future Buffy Award showcase events and celebrations. Opportunities to support the 2021 Buffy Awards through sponsorships or donations are open now.
Check out and continue to share Buffy experiences on social media using hashtags #buffys2020 and #ymmartstogether. For the full list of award recipients and nominees, sponsors and support opportunities, and for more information about Arts Council and the Buffys, visit artscouncilwb.ca/buffys.
The 2020 Wood Buffalo Excellence in Arts Awards are set to air on October 17, and the graphics for this year’s steampunk theme were created by local illustrator and comic artist, Rob Hickey.
“I was very excited to work on the Arts Awards, because steampunk is such a cool and challenging theme,” said Hickey, “but I knew I could nail it. I wanted to find a balance between honouring the chaos and detail demanded for a steampunk aesthetic, while creating graphics that were clear, readable and easy on the eyes.”
Rob Hickey was born and raised in Fort McMurray. “Other than some college courses in Toronto, I’ve lived and worked here my whole life.”
As an artist, the medium that interests Hickey the most is storytelling and comics. “I am an illustrator and sequential artist with a specific focus on telling stories with LGBT characters.”
“I loved cartoons as a kid and I’ve been drawing as far back as I can remember. I was introduced to a large and diverse artist community online as a teen, and I’ve been involved with and inspired by it ever since.”
When Hickey isn’t doing freelance digital illustrations for productions such as the 2020 Buffy Awards, they are also the Art Director for Twisted Gears Studios, a local production company.
“We have two ongoing projects that are returning from COVID-related hiatus. They’re great fun for me because they are ‘actual play’ podcasts, which means the work I create for them is decided by the players’ choices and rolls of the dice.”
“Additionally,” says Hickey, “we are planning to film a short, which I am co-writing and directing.”
Working in a smaller community has allowed Hickey to connect with and get to know folks more personally than they would elsewhere. Hickey is also getting more exposure to different kinds of art.
“I know painters, crafters, musicians, and videographers here. I’ve had the opportunity to try out different things because of this, like the above mentioned short film. This small community has been a great help in regards to looking for work and projects as well. Word of mouth certainly goes far here. That’s how I’ve gotten most of my work.”
“We are facing such tough times here,” says Hickey, “but there are many incredible people pushing for more engagement and connection between different groups of artists and with the city at large.”
Visit artscouncilwb.ca/buffys for details on where to watch this year’s cinematic steampunk Buffy Awards experience via Facebook, YouTube, or Shaw Spotlight. Connect to the local arts community and follow Arts Council Wood Buffalo on Facebook, Instagram, Twitter or LinkedIn (@artscouncilwb).
Did you also know that Alberta is the first and remains the only province in Canada to dedicate a month to artists?
Month of the Artist is an annual celebration of artists and the value they bring to the province, both socially and economically.
Now let’s take a few minutes to do what artists do best: use our imagination!
Can you imagine space in Wood Buffalo that is a dedicated centre for artists to gather and work on their craft? What if that same space was also a venue for performances of all disciplines? How about a workshop space for artistic and professional development, a place to showcase the creations made by local talent, and for the community to gather and celebrate creative energy?
Are you still with me?
Now let’s imagine that same place could also be used to host events, festivals, markets, and offer opportunities for the community to engage in the arts together.
Can you envision that?
What we have just imagined is an arts incubator. Wouldn’t it be amazing if our community had an arts incubator that could support the arts in the ways we’ve just imagined?
You can help by exercising your imagination and sharing your thoughts in ACWB’s Arts Incubator survey. Open until October 6th, 2020, you can take the Arts Incubator survey and share it with your friends, family, colleagues, and social media followers. Your feedback will help identify what is needed in this arts incubator and who will use it. This information can then be used as we study the former Landmark Cinemas theatre on Manning Avenue to see if that space could be re-purposed into an arts incubator for the community.
Your feedback will help show potential funders, community leaders and decision makers that we need an arts incubator in the community. Your feedback will help Arts Council Wood Buffalo when we apply for grants, funding opportunities, sponsorships and other support needed to realize this arts incubator we have just imagined.
Let’s celebrate Month of the Artist by showing Alberta and Canada that it’s a year-round event in Wood Buffalo.
From Sept. 16 until Oct. 6, Arts Council is inviting artists, residents, businesses and industry to take a short survey and share feedback on an arts incubator facility proposed for the Landmark Cinema 6 building in downtown Fort McMurray.
The survey runs until Oct. 6, and feedback will help inform plans to remodel the old cinema into an arts incubator space that can support and nurture a diverse range of arts and culture.
“An arts incubator is a purpose-built space that can be used as a centre for artists to gather and work,” said Special Projects Manager, Sharon Heading, “but it’s much more than that. We envision it as a venue for performances, workshops and showcases, as a community gathering space, and as a place to host events and festivals that offer a broad opportunity for engagement with the arts.”
“Earlier this year we began working with Akron Engineering on a feasibility study,” said Executive Director, Liana Wheeldon. “Funding has been provided by Community Foundations of Canada via the Investment Readiness Program (IRP) to determine if and how the cinema building could be repurposed for an arts incubator. Now we’re ready to engage with the public to get feedback on the project and evaluate the benefits for everyone in our region.”
Feedback from the community will help identify ways to complement strategic goals and priorities for economic development and downtown revitalization, enhance artistic and cultural outlets, and provide more local options for education and entertainment.
The survey will also help Arts Council learn more about the demographics of the arts community, assess needs for programming and infrastructure, and share information about how arts incubators can benefit communities and local economies. Examples of arts incubators include cSPACE King Edward in Calgary, or Cape Breton Centre for Craft and Design.
ACWB is not able to include feedback made on social media in the engagement results. Everyone is encouraged to provide feedback in the survey, so it can be included in engagement results and help inform decision making.
Next steps for the proposed arts incubator include evaluating feedback from the community and the feasibility study provided by Akron Engineering due in fall 2020. Results will be shared when available.
Follow ACWB on social media (@artscouncilwb) or visit the Arts Council Wood Buffalo website regularly for ongoing updates and news about the proposed arts incubator.
FAQs
Q – What’s an arts incubator?
A – An arts incubator is a purpose-built space that can be used as a centre for artists to gather and work, a venue for performances, workshops and galleries, a community gathering space, and even host events and festivals. Examples include cSPACE King Edward in Calgary or Cape Breton Centre for Craft and Design.
Q – Where will the arts incubator be located?
A – The feasibility study is based on the former Landmark Cinemas building in the heart of downtown on Manning Avenue.
Q – Why did you choose that location?
A – The former movie theatre building is no longer in use and up for sale. The property presents many options and opportunities that are closely linked to the arts incubator concept, including theatre, movie and rehearsal space, large rooms, and outdoor space for parking, markets and events.
In addition, the building is located in the downtown area, which has been identified by local government as an area for redevelopment. Findings from the municipal government’s public engagement has shown that this area is ideal for arts and cultural space as well as economic development.
Q – What is a feasibility study?
A – A feasibility study will help determine if and how the cinema building could be repurposed for an arts incubator, identify opportunities and challenges, and begin the process of envisioning and designing the project.
Q – Where did you get funding for the feasibility study?
Q – Where do you plan to get money to pay for the arts incubator?
A – Part of the feasibility study is determining the cost of this project. From there, Arts Council will create a Fund Development Plan and Capital Fundraising Campaign.
Additionally, there are a number of grants available provincially, federally, and through private corporations that support the development of arts infrastructure. Examples of potential funders could be Canadian Heritage and Alberta Foundation for the Arts.
Q – Will any you be using Municipal tax dollars or funding to pay for the arts incubator?
A – Arts Council has not requested or received municipal funding to pay for this project. However, Arts Council is always open to discuss opportunities, synergies and ways to complement strategic planning for the benefit of everyone in the region.
Q – I live in a rural Indigenous community. How will the arts incubator benefit me?
A – Arts Council has proposed an arts incubator to be located in Fort McMurray, but we welcome participation from all communities and groups from across the region.
Once established, the arts incubator will use the “spoke and hub model” to provide services to rural and Indigenous communities. The Artist in Residency program could be inclusive of the rural areas. For example, artists would spend time mentoring residents in rural communities, but the artists would create their work at the incubator facility in Fort McMurray.
Q – How can I help make this project a reality?
A – Anyone wishing to donate to this project or other ACWB initiatives may do so through our website – donations $50 and over are eligible for a Charitable Donation Receipt and donors can specify which program, project, or service they wish their donation dollars to support, including the Arts Incubator.
You can also help by participating in the Arts Incubator Survey (open until Oct. 6, 2020) or in any other potential public engagement opportunities. Follow Arts Council on social media (@artscouncilwb) or visit the ACWB website regularly for updates and information.
Q – How much will the arts incubator cost to build?
A – Part of the feasibility study is determining the cost of this project, including renovations, purchasing the property and operations.
Q – How much does the cinema property cost?
A – Fair market value will be assessed if the feasibility study indicates that this project is viable.
Q – How much will the arts incubator cost to operate?
A – It is difficult to know what the operation costs would be before a detailed design of the arts incubator has been finalized. We are working with funding professionals to better understand costs in greater detail.
Q – Will the arts incubator earn revenue? If so, how much?
A – Yes. One of Arts Council’s financial goals for this project is that this arts incubator be self-sustaining within 4-5 years of opening doors to the community. This means that the arts incubator would eventually operate based on revenues earned from serving the community, sponsorship and donors.
Q – What will happen with the profits/revenue earned by the arts incubator?
A – The arts incubator will be based on a business model known as a ‘social enterprise.’ Social enterprises are revenue-generating businesses with a twist. A social enterprise is a revenue-generating business with primarily social objectives whose surpluses are reinvested for that purpose in the business or in the community, rather than being driven by the need to deliver profit to shareholders and owners. (Definition provided by BC Centre for Social Enterprise.)
When Arts Council Wood Buffalo (ACWB) announced they were looking for a liaison to support the arts in Wood Buffalo’s Indigenous communities, Jules Nokohoo’s interest piqued.
He is now one of two rural arts support liaisons hired in the past two months. The positions are funded with a municipal grant aimed at strengthening the bonds between rural and urban artists.
“As support liaison, I look around and see what I can find,” said Nokohoo, who lives in Janvier and has done liaison work with the municipality. “I’ll showcase people’s art and possibly help them to promote it and to become self-sustaining.”
Liana Wheeldon, executive director for ACWB, said the organization’s small staff makes it difficult for them to give support to rural artists.
Even if they could get out to those communities, Wheeldon said staff lacked local cultural knowledge. Relating to a community that was not their home and finding barriers to practicing the arts would be difficult.
ACWB felt the best decision would be to hire people already living in those communities to act as their eyes and ears.
“We really want the person to co-design and co-envision what the arts programming will look like in their community with the community,” said Wheeldon. “They can leverage all the knowledge and workshops that we have built up in our toolkits if they want them.”
Nokohoo will focus on the Janvier and Conklin area. He hopes the ACWB will pursue a partnership with the Father R. Perin School, which is overseen by the Northland School Division.
Workshops held at the school could give young artists access to a pottery machine, a kiln and a welding machine for woodworking.
“In a small community like this, people can fall through the cracks. Kids have to be engaged,” he said. “We have to find creative ways to make this work.”
Jules Nokohoo, the rural art support liaison for the Janvier and Conklin area, in a supplied image from Arts Council Wood Buffalo. Supplied Image/Sharon Heading
Donna Aubichon, the rural art support liaison for Fort Chipewyan, hopes to bring that same creativity to her own community. She says the hamlet is packed with strong artists with a talent for sewing, beading and music.
“I had a stepping stone coming into my job. I knew who to go to for workshops,” she said. “It’s not like I have a hard time finding an artist to do a job in Fort Chipewyan.”
Activities organized by Aubichon have included a beading workshop that she instructed. Youth in Fort Chipewyan also had the opportunity to write and produce their own music video.
“I never thought picking up two needles and a thread would change my life but it has,” said Aubichon. “I love gathering and bringing people together to make something.”
As a result of Aubichon’s work, Wheeldon said a larger number of artists from Fort Chipewyan have been recognized for the first time in the Buffy’s, ACWB’s annual arts awards.
Aubichon says her position has provided an outlet for local artists to showcase skills in a new way.
“This is how they were raised, this is their culture and it’s their whole life,” she said.
Article published in Fort McMurray Today by Sarah Williscraft Published on: September 10, 2020
Arts Council Wood Buffalo (ACWB) is inviting artists, supporters and residents to order their Buffy Stuffy and Steampunk Gear Bag. Visit Eventbrite to buy Steampunk Gear in preparation for the 2020 Wood Buffalo Excellence in Arts Awards on October 17.
“This year, the Arts Awards are going to be a little different,” said Programs Manager, Luay Eljamal. “Arts Council is hosting a cinematic Steampunk Buffys experience that will be broadcast online through Facebook, YouTube and Shaw Spotlight as a way of as respecting physical distancing while still celebrating and acknowledging all of the amazing talent in the Wood Buffalo region.”
Tickets for the event are free, but viewers are encouraged to visit Eventbrite to reserve their free ticket, buy a Steampunk Gear Bag and Buffy Stuffy (sold separately), or support the Arts Awards by making a donation.
“We know how important the Awards Showcase event is to artists, sponsors and supporters,” said Executive Director, Liana Wheeldon. “We wanted to provide an opportunity for everyone to participate in the Buffys while they watch the event. This year, we are bringing the Buffys to our audience instead of asking them to come out to the event.”
Arts Council is also introducing the Buffy Stuffy, a brand new Arts Awards tradition. Buffy Stuffys are limited edition, collectible plush toys modelled off each year’s event theme. This year’s Buffy Stuffy is Wendell the Raven, who is modelled off one of the Midnight Steampunk characters designed by local artist Rob Hickey.
The Midnight-Steampunk-themed canvas gear bags are loaded with a candy sack (in the style of the annual candy bar), drink coaster, face mask, Buffys pin, event program and sticker. Buffy Stuffy sold separately.
As the October 17 event date approaches, Buffy followers are encouraged to participate by gearing up with steampunk-themed costumes, and sharing photos, congratulations and creations by using #buffys2020 and #ymmartstogether.
Spotlight on Carla White by Will Collins, ACWB Communications Coordinator
Local humourist and storyteller, Carla White, shares her philosophy with this quote from George Burns: “Someone who makes you laugh is a comedian. Someone who makes you think and then laugh is a humourist.”
White is a proud Alberta farm girl who moved to Edmonton for university, then lived and worked in London, England. She settled in Fort McMurray in 1991, where she has had a fruitful career, raised her family, and more recently discovered her artistic side.
As a storyteller, White published her first literary work in 2018, Reignite Your Spark: Simple Steps to Extinguish Stressand Go from Burned Out to Fired Up.
Jack Canfield, co-author of Chicken Soup for the Soul® and The Success Principles™, wrote this about White’s book: “Reignite Your Spark is an insightful and relatable book, in which Carla recounts her journey from the darkness of depression to the light of love and laughter, in which she shares the powerful and meaningful lessons she learned on her search for happiness and fulfillment.”
“For a long time, I never considered myself creative, let alone an artist,” says White. “I did creative projects, but I continuously told myself I wasn’t creative. The idea of self-expression and artistry didn’t happen until I did a LOT of personal development and redefined my idea of both creativity and artist.”
“After writing and publishing my book,” says White, “I attended a writing workshop by Charmaine Hammond in partnership with ACWB. I started to broaden my perspective and realized I was a literary artist.”
Others may know Carla White as the Angry Housewife, her original comedic persona and also the name she gave to her inner critic. Her debut one-woman show called Shut the F❤k Up: Confessions of an Angry Housewife launched in 2018, and is a show of truth, vulnerability and outrageous stories to illustrate the realities and struggles of the modern-day working woman.
White is also the founder of Healing with Humour, a deeply transformational 90-day experience where participants unleash their personal power to heal inner doubts, fears and worries as a way to learn emotional mastery and experience more fun, ease, happiness, and effortless success.
Even in the midst of the COVID-19 crisis, she continues to find opportunity to grow as an artist. “Not being able to have live events has had me pivot to do more online work, which has a bit of a learning curve.”
From September to December, White is ACWB’s Artist in Residency and will be presenting two workshops: Finding the Funny Faster and Writing & Publishing. Plans are in the works for White’s residency to culminate in a staged reading, so stay tuned for more information. Learn more about White’s projects and performances at www.carla-white.ca, or follow her on Facebook, Twitter or YouTube.
