Faces of Love, Portraits from Our Place by Elfrida Schragen

Faces of Love – Portraits from Our Place by Elfrida Schragen. When artist Elfrida Schragen was approached about a month-long artist-in-residency program at a local resort, she immediately knew what – and who – she wanted to paint. In 2007, Schragen painted a series of portraits featuring people from all walks of life who used the services of Our Place, an inner-city community centre for the most vulnerable of Greater Victoria. When she … [Read more...]

Spooky Arts Events in Victoria BC October – November 2014

Spooky Arts Events in Victoria BC October-November 2014 Hallowe’en approaches. As the days get shorter and dark nights beckon, local Victoria arts groups have submerged themselves with gusto into the spirit of this spooky season, offering up all manner of arts events for your pleasure. Frankenstein by Mily Mumford Inspired by the work of Mary Wollstonecraft Shelley October 17, 18, 23-26, 30 and November 1st 7 and 9 pm. Emily Carr House … [Read more...]

The Raptures of Distress by Dr Stanley K Freiberg, Sept 27/28 in Victoria BC.

The Raptures of Distress by Dr Stanley K Freiberg September 27/28 in Victoria BC I attended Voices from the Four Directions  last year and remarked on the quality, not only of the work but also of  the assembled group of readers and singers, all artists and teachers well-known in the Victoria arts community. It was a most pleasant evening to benefit a local charity. Director Naomi Simpson has once again worked with Dr Stanley K Freiberg, a … [Read more...]

Pacific Northwest Puppetry Festival and Puppets for Peace Celebration September 19-21, 2014. Victoria BC.

Pacific Northwest Regional Puppetry Festival and Puppets for Peace September 19-21, 2014. Victoria BC. If you love puppets, you will be thrilled at the upcoming Puppets for Peace Celebration September 19-21, 2014 (in conjunction with the Pacific Northwest Puppet Festival).  For over a year local puppeteer Tim Gosley (Fraggle Rock, Sesame Park) has been working tirelessly, aided by collaborators and volunteers, to bring this event to fruition.  … [Read more...]

SingYourJoy! Young Adult Chorus Fall Season Start-Up 2014

SingYourJoy! Young Adult Chorus? Fall Season Start-Up 2014 (media release). Victoria's only young adult community chorus is welcoming new singers for its Fall Season. SingYourJoy is a non-auditioned group for young adults from all walks of life, joining their voices together in an exuberant expression of joy, building friendships, and growing community. The door is open for new (and returning) singers, ages 16 – 29, during the first 3 … [Read more...]

Victoria Fringe Festival 2014. My “local” picks.

Victoria Fringe Festival 2014. My "local" picks. The 28th annual Victoria Fringe Festival August 21-31, 2014. I love the Victoria Fringe Festival. I get to applaud local artists I’ve met over the years, and am always on the look out for people whose works is, as yet, unknown to me. Since falling in love with the fringe in 2006, I regularly see between 30 and 40 fringe shows a year, and attend more theatre during the year.  In addition … [Read more...]

First Annual Sophie Pemberton Tea August 10th in Victoria BC

First Annual Sophie Pemberton Tea August 10th in Victoria BC. Can you imagine packing up everything and leaving the cloistered life you'd known to set off, in faith, for the boundless wilderness of British Columbia in 1858? Yet, that's exactly what four Sisters of St Ann and one lay woman did when they arrived in Victoria at the behest of Bishop Modeste Demers to set up a school and care for the sick.  Most were francophone (Victoria included … [Read more...]

Five Hole For Food 2014 Victoria BC July 18th

Five Hole For Food returns to Victoria for the fourth year July 18th 2014 at Save On Foods Saanich Plaze (2-6pm). I first learned about Five Hole For Food through Twitter in 2010 from friends of friends when I started following Dixon Lam, VP media relations. Five Hole For Food (and now—world-wide—Footy for Food) is the brainchild of Richard Loat.  The concept is simple. Register a team to play ball hockey, come to play and bring a food … [Read more...]

Greater Victoria Shakespeare Festival 2014-interview with Karen Lee Pickett, artistic director

Greater Victoria Shakespeare Festival 2014—interview with Karen Lee Pickett, artistic director. Now in its 24th year, the Greater Victoria Shakespeare Festival (GVSF)—founded in 1991 by Clayton Jevne of Theatre Inconnu as a summer festival in downtown Victoria and produced since 2003 by the Victoria Shakespeare Society—presents Henry V and The Taming of the Shrew on the Camas stage at Camosun College’s Landsdowne Campus.  Earlier this year … [Read more...]

Kaleidoscope Theatre 2nd Family Theatre Festival May 1-11, 2014.

Kaleidoscope Theatre 2nd Family Theatre Festival May 1-11, 2014. Media release. After a very successful first season (staged in February 2013 at Royal Oak Berwick House auditorium), the Family Theatre Festival returns with two new venues—May 1-4 in Centennial Square for Somethingville by Snafu Dance Theatre, Runaway by Theatre SKAM, Snow White by the Kaleidoscope Teen Ensemble, Mamahood by Nicole Nattrass; May 10/11 for Robinson and Crusoe by … [Read more...]