 By Staff
November 13th, 2018
BURLINGTON, ON
Culturally Burlington is making the rankings.
 Culture Days— a national, non-profit organization celebrating arts and culture has ranked Burlington’s 2018 Culture Days weekend seventh overall and third among cities with a population between 50,000-500,000.
The celebrations feature local creative organizations, venues, professionals and businesses that host free events throughout the weekend for the community. Independent Burlington artists, the Arts and Culture Council of Burlington, the Art Gallery of Burlington, the Burlington Performing Arts Centre, Burlington Public Library, Museums of Burlington and Tourism Burlington were all involved.
 Some 2.5 million attendees took part in thousands of free activities and performances hosted by artists, cultural organizations and municipalities in 800 communities across Canada.
Beefing up local cultural events is a plus – let’s just hope we don’t get carried away with that ranking stuff – it tends to blow up on you – remember when everyone a city hall drank the Kool Aid with that our being the #1 Best City?
Burlington had over 50 cultural activities registered for the Culture Days weekend this year.
 By Pepper Parr
November 12th, 2018
BURLINGTON, ON
Revised: The Gazette frequently tapes interviews – we should have done that this time. Tammy Fox was very gentle with us when she pointed out that we had mixed up some of the facts. If she handles all the problems she faces the way she handled us – the Performing Arts Centre is in very good hands.
Tammy Fox, the Executive Director of the Performing Arts Centre was born in Lindsay, Ontario, close to a rural community that was certainly small town – went to elementary school in Coburg Ontario.
After graduating from the University of Windsor where she focused her studies on psychology and creative arts she spent the next 12 years in theatre administration and management, first at Port Hope’s Capitol Theatre and later managing Peterborough’s Showplace Performance Centre.
 Tammy Fox – she went to “the dark side” of the theatre world for a period of time. In 2006 she moved to Toronto, taking over the role of Executive Director at ShakespeareWorks, which gave her the opportunity to work with Canadian theatre luminaries RH Thomson and Christopher Newton.
And then Tammy Fox went to what she called “the dark side” of the theatre world.
She formed the Fox Entertainment Agency on her own in 2008. Her husband took it over (after the roster had been reduced dramatically to accommodate his busy schedule as a professional musician) once Tammy joined BPAC in 2017.
Fox Entertainment Agency wqs a full-service interdisciplinary performing arts booking agency which specialized in professional touring theatrical productions, while also representing a select roster of musical artists who are especially suited for soft seat venues.
Her focus at the Agency was to create an artist/audience exchange in which it is recognized that all parties involved are focused on the same goal – to experience and share the wealth of performing arts talent that this country has to offer.
The mission at Fox included
connecting its roster of artists with diverse audiences
supporting and developing the careers of its roster of artists nationally and internationally
obtaining quality performance opportunities for its artists in performing arts centres, festivals and non-traditional venues
managing tours on behalf of its artists, from promoting, booking and routing to post-performance follow-up
fostering and sustaining meaningful long-term relationships with presenters and arts creators
assisting presenters to develop new audiences and enrich the experiences of current audiences.
 Tammy Fox has been on the job for 18 months. If you replaced the word artists with the word audiences in that list you had a woman with a set of skills that were a large part of what the Burlington Performing Arts Centre was looking for when they had to find their fourth Executive Director in a seven year time frame.
Fox was at Ontario Contact, the provincial booking conference, held that year in Peterborough, her old venue Showplace Performance Centre, where she bumped into Brian McCurdy. A combination of nostalgia of being in her former theatre, combined with the opportunity to follow in the footsteps of a man she admired greatly, that drew her to the Performing Arts Centre.
McCurdy, who told her that Burlington was looking for a new Executive Director, had served as the Executive Director for two terms; he was loved and adored but having tasted a bit of retirement, he became partial to making that his full time occupation.
Tammy Fox has been on the job for 18 months. The trick for her was to come up with programming that will draw audiences that more than cover the cost of bringing in the entertainment and have funds left over to encourage the growth of local talent and give them a place to perform.
She is now developing a program that tries to meet the interests of as many people as possible. “You can’t keep everyone happy all the time” she commented during an exclusive interview with the Gazette.
 Performing Arts Centre Executive Director Tammy Fox – an actor at heart. Fox sees her role as being responsible for part of the “cultural diet’ for the city.
The Family Series, Classical Matinees, Holiday programming and the ever-popular Classic Albums Live concerts add protein to the cultural diet.
There are the young audiences that have to be introduced to theatre and grown. The BPAC people have a strong working relationship with the Board of Education that sees a lineup of school buses outside the Elgin street location frequently.
Some of the local productions are superb – as good as you are going to get in Toronto. They usually take place in the Community Studio Theatre and at times draw audiences of less than 50 people. Is the turnout due to the content or poor promotion? Perhaps a bit of both. The work done by Trevor Copp and the Form Community Dance Theatre are drama and dance at its most progressive and moving. The hope is that Tammy Fox won’t give up on this kind of work.
Fox is proud of the “golden ticket” program that assists people with limited means to attend theatre productions.
She is even prouder of the Festival of Trees fundraiser that she developed for ACCOB – Arts and Culture Council of Burlington, to give raise funds to local artists to use the Community Studio Theatre.
BPAC has a stable audience, much of it from the downtown core where people can walk to the theatre.
 Here is the Burlington Teen Tour Band opening up the Performing Arts Centre. The Performing Arts Centre is “home base” to the Burlington Teen Tour Band
The big name headliners are important – Buffy St. Marie and the Bare Naked Ladies do well. Others are a tough sell and at times Fox has to settle for a production that is available and she has a time slot to fill.
Early in her career Fox talks of a lesson she learned. A community group rented a venue for a performance of Oklahoma that did astounding well – they sold out the 650 available seats. That led Fox thinking that the community wanted more of this type of program. What Fox learned was that a community audience isn’t necessarily a theatre audience.
 Later this month Royal Wood returns to Burlington. He was the first performer to take to the stage and eight years later he is back. During that first event there were two older woman who walked out of the performance – they didn’t see Royal Wood as what the Performing Arts Centre was built to present.
When Fox came aboard she had to work with a program that was already in place – some scheduling is done years ahead of time.
In May of 2019 she will present the 2019-2020 program that will be all hers. Her focus is to come up with more ways to engage the community, bring in productions that appeal to the various audiences she needs to serve.
Coming up with programs that appeals to families with several children is a challenge; “I need to come up with something a family can afford” she said – The Nutcracker Suite is part of that offering – but she wants more.
Expect to see more on Truth and Reconciliation.
The biggest part of the job is to shape the program offering that meets the pure entertainment needs and desires of the public and at the same time offer content and experiences that grow the cultural appetites.
 Finding the vision and then creating a mission her Board will live with. This isn’t something that is easily done. It takes time to formulate a vision based on what you ave learned about a community and turn that vision into a mission and convince a Board to support you – hoping that along the way the budget gives you the room to do that.
Where are the gaps in the program?
Is there more the Performing Arts Centre can do to improve that “cultural diet” Fox will tell you that there has to be some broccoli in that diet; some protein as well.
Is a tighter relationship with Sound of Music possible? Peter W. Van Dyk, an insurance executive sits on the BPAC Board. His father is co-executive director of Sound of Music Festival. Fox has been working on that connection and trying to work with them. she hopes that something can happen happen in 2019.
 Ilene Elkaim, vice chair, then chair then vice chair again – the other part of the BPAC Board tag team.  Rick Burgess – Chair – then vice chair and chair again – part of a BPAC Board tag team. A number of people wonder why the Chairmanship of the BPAC Board looks a little like a wrestling tag team with Rick Burgess and Ilene Elkaim taking turns at the head of the Board room table.
The theatre is operated as a separate legal entity; the building is owned by the city and the city has representation on the Board. The organization doesn’t hold annual public meetings – the Art Gallery does – if you look hard enough you will find financial statement. Use https://burlingtonpac.ca/annual-reports/
Could some of the incredibly good work that comes out of the Hamilton Fringe be imported to Burlington ?
Running a “performing theatre” is a challenge; the operation is not a production theatre. The city pumps more than half a million dollars into the Centre and adds a small amount to the ticket price for the capital fund needed to keep the facility modern.
The search for funding sources, looking at what the federal and provincial governments can provide is part of the Executive Director’s job. Provincial funds are likely to be smaller with the Ford government in place.
There was a time when the theatre was dark far too often. Fox reports they “We are only dark for seven days during the Festive Season. It will be even less than that in 2019.
The Festival of Trees which runs from November 23rd to December 20th gets people into the building which has one of the biggest bars in the city.
Fox adds that “We had quite a bit of use last summer. Student Theatre is in the venue for the entire month of July. In August BPAC presents the free Jazz on the Plaza series, and this year Lights Up! Theatre Co sold out a run of Run For Your Wife. Next August we will be extending that with a community theatre festival.
The concerns city council used to have are far less then they were three years ago.
Fox works with what she has to keep most of the people happy. One thing that did stun us was that Fox wasn’t aware of Hamilton’s James Street Crawl.
 Now in its eighth year of operation under four Executive Directors – is the public getting value for the $500,000 plus annual subsidy?
 By Staff
November 11, 2018
BURLINGTON, ON
This might interest some people.
Ken Gass, the Artistic Director of the Canadian Rep Theatre, will be doing a 90 minute workshop during which he will explore the key principles of acting & performance.
 If you have you ever thought that you could be an actor, participate in a practical hands-on workshop and discussion on the principles of professional performance.
The afternoon will include improvisation and other key exercises in a workshop that promises to be both entertaining for the newly initiated and challenging for those with more experience.
Takes place at the Performing Arts Centre in the Community Studio Theatre on November 17th at 3:00 pm
Click to reserve a place for yourself.
 By Staff
November 10th, 2018
BURLINGTON, ON
 At sunset on Sunday, November 11, the City of Burlington will join other local organizations, including veteran groups and churches, to mark 100 years since the World War I armistice with the ringing of 100 bells.
At 4:59 p.m. on Nov. 11, the city’s clock tower will play bells 100 times at five-second intervals – one to mark each year.
One hundred years ago, on Nov. 11, 1918, news of the end of fighting in the First World War travelled through Europe with the chime of church bells ringing out in celebration.
 By Staff
November 8th, 2018
BURLINGTON, ON
Eric Brandon, a Burlington resident has been chosen as a finalist in the Canada’s Walk of Fame competition.
He is one of five chosen by a selection committee of music industry experts
 Eric Brandon, a finalist in the 2018 Canada Walk of Fame competition. Canada’s Walk of Fame announced today that LU, of Ajax, ON is the Grand Prize winner of its 6th annual RBC Emerging Musician Program, as part of Canada’s Walk of Fame Emerging Artists Programs and Scholarships. The program, valued at more than $100,000, provides musicians with the opportunity to grow and develop their skills and industry connections, and take their budding music careers to the next level.
Five talented artists were selected from more than 800 hopefuls from coast-to-coast who submitted applications that ranged across all genres of music. Submissions to the program more than doubled in 2018.
The winners and finalists of this year’s RBC Emerging Musician Program are:
Grand Prize Winner: LU – Ajax, ON
Second Prize Winner: Bones & Bridges – Etobicoke, ON
Finalist: Alexandria Maillot – Courtenay, BC
Finalist: Eric Brandon – Burlington, ON
Finalist: What If Elephants – Montreal, QC
 Don Cherry and Ron MacLean share a star on the Walk of Fame “Our country has had such an impact on the global music stage, and it’s exciting to see the next generation of musicians who are eager to prove themselves on that stage. The RBC Emerging Musician Program is the perfect vehicle for artists ready to take the next step in their careers,” said Jeffrey Latimer, CEO, Canada’s Walk of Fame.
“We’re thrilled with the growth of the program in 2018, and we’re looking forward to working with the winners in the coming months. Thank you to everyone who submitted this year.”
LU will receive $20,000, private studio recording time, introductions to industry executives and album art cover design. She will attend the Canada’s Walk of Fame Awards Show on December 1 at the Sony Centre for the Performing Arts and will perform at the 20th Anniversary Gala at the Fairmont Royal York.
Brandon will receive a cash prizes of $4,000 and will take part in industry mentorship sessions and perform during the RBC Emerging Musician Showcase that took place in Toronto at the Great Hall on November 7th.
 Walk of Fame in Toronto’s Entertainment District RBC’s continued support of the RBC Emerging Musician Program is part of their focus on helping artists in the early stages of their careers through the RBC Emerging Artists Project. “For many hopeful musicians, catching a break in the music industry is challenging, and that’s why we’re thrilled that through the RBC Emerging Artist program we are able to support young Canadian artists as they advance on their career journey,” said Valerie Chort, Vice President, Corporate Citizenship, RBC. “This year, RBC and Canada’s Walk of Fame are celebrating six successful years of working together to shape the future of Canadian artists.”
In addition, Canada’s Walk of Fame announced the two recipients of the Canada’s Walk of Fame Emerging Musician/ Metalworks Institute Scholarship this year. Asmahan Smelt and Abhishek Venkatachalam will both receive $10,000 tuition scholarships towards any full-time diploma program or online certificate course bundle at Metalworks Institute of Sound & Music Production.
Now celebrating its 20th anniversary, Canada’s Walk of Fame is a national platform that celebrates Canadian achievement at the highest level in many fields, fueling our sense of Canadian pride and inspiring the next generation to follow in their footsteps. Canada’s Walk of Fame is the foremost honour for cultural, entrepreneurial, athletic, philanthropic and science/technology excellence in Canada.
 Current programs include the RBC Emerging Musician Program; Canada’s Walk of Fame Hometown Stars, presented by Cineplex; and the nationally televised broadcast designated by the CRTC as a program of national interest. Founded in 1998 by Peter Soumalias, Bill Ballard, Dusty Cohl and Gary Slaight, CWOF has inducted 173 Canadians to date, with their stars having a permanent place of tribute on the streets of Toronto’s Entertainment District.
 By Staff
November 6th, 2018
BURLINGTON, ON
Living and playing in Burlington.
The Parks and Recreation people have announced that Winter registration for Adult programs begins Saturday, November 17th at 9 a.m.
 The online Live & Play Guide allows you to view and share program information as well as register directly from any computer or mobile device. Click for the catalogue.
When December arrives that means the Santa Claus Parade. The 53rd Santa Claus parade on Sunday, December 2nd from 2-4 p.m. The parade rolls down Guelph Line then along New Street on to James and winds around city hall.
 The Santa Claus parade has taken place for more than 52 years in Burlington. Organized by a citizens group that works out of the city’s Festivals and Events office it is the premier holiday event in the city. The day after the parade a new city council will be sworn at the Performing Arts Centre. Is the new council Santa’s gift to the city?
We have all kinds of fun floats and best of all you will see Santa on his sleigh at the end. Remember he is always watching to see if you are naughty or nice. Learn more: burlington.ca/parade.
Recreation Fee Assistance
 If you need assistance in paying some of the event fees funding can be made available to individuals or families who need help paying for City of Burlington recreational programs. Fee Assistance can be applied towards registered and drop-in programs, passes and memberships. Learn more: burlington.ca/feeassistance.
Looking for a place to hold an event?
If you are looking for a place to hold a party or get together you might want to consider using one of the city facilities. 35% Off Ice, Gyms, Auditoriums and Community Rooms from December 1st to January 6th 2019. Terms and Conditions apply. Learn more: burlington.ca/rentals.
Neighbourhood Community Matching Fund – up to $10,000 in funding available.
An opportunity you might want to look into is the Neighbourhood Community Matching Fund that was created to inspire Burlington residents to actively champion for small projects in their neighbourhoods. Up to $10,000 in funding is available to support community projects when matched with an equivalent contribution. Deadline for application is Feb. 28, 2019. Learn more: burlington.ca/matchingfund.
By Staff
November 4th, 2018
BURLINGTON, ON
Suzanne Burchell, Brenda Byers, Marina Lloyd, Sue Ramsay, Bob Tadman and Michael Williams members of the Burlington Storytellers’ Guild will be presenting;
WE REMEMBER
Tales of Peace, Hope and Kindness
At A Different Drummer Books on Sunday November 11 at 2pm
Admission is $15 with all proceeds donated to The Compassion Society of Halton
Burlington’s Storytellers return to the bookshop with their poignant and inspiring tales in a moving Remembrance Day event.
To reserve a seat, please contact us at (905) 639 0925 or diffdrum@mac.com.
 By Staff
November 2, 2018
BURLINGTON, ON
Two Burlington high school student-athletes, Andrew Burrows from M.M. Robinson High School and Brantt Burnstein from Nelson High School were selected from hundreds of applicants in a nationwide search for Canada’s most inspiring young football players, to represent Burlington at the 2018 CFL Grey Cup in Edmonton.
Burlington was the only city to have two applicants selected in the preliminary round.
Gearing up for the trip to Edmonton the two athletes played against each other in season final football game in Burlington on a rainy Halloween day afternoon. WHO WON
 Two Burlington high school football players will be in the stands in Edmonton to watch the 2018 CFL game. For any Canadian high school football player, this trip to the Grey cup game represents the sporting opportunity of a lifetime. Brantt and Andrew‘s selection is part of the Nissan Kickoff Project, which aims to showcase the nation’s most notable high school football players who not only shine on the field, but also off it.
Brantt and Andrew are part of a group of approximately 70 high school football players from across the country that will be part of a Welcoming Dinner and an Exhibition match between that will be played. The 70 young men will be split into two teams and play against each other.
 Brantt Burnstein plays for Nelson high school. Brantt was nominated by his coach for his demonstrated ability to be a respected leader on and off the field, which led to him being named team captain on the Nelson Lords. Additionally, Brantt’s passionate about giving back to the Burlington community by volunteering his time twice a week to coaching offensive skills to younger football players.
 Andrew Burrows plays for MMR Andrew was nominated by his coach for his dedication towards football, school and his family. He is an ambitious student-athlete which is demonstrated in his flawless attendance record at team practices, while balancing his school work and maintaining a high academic average. Moreover, Andrew is admired by those around him for his willingness to support his parents in caring for his younger brother with autism, who also attends M.M. Robinson.
The first 10 All-Canadian TITAN finalists include:
- Andrew Burrows – Burlington, ON
- Brantt Burnstein – Burlington, ON
- Cameron Creechan – Chatham, ON
- Craig Coleman – St. Thomas, ON
- Mason McGriskin – North Bay, ON
- Dominic Hall – Fredericton, NB
- Daniel Velocci – Dartmouth, NS
- Eric Choquette – La Ronge, SK
- Josh Yee – Calgary, AB
- Brandon Martens – Virden, MB
By Staff
November 2nd, 2018
BURLINGTON, ON
Museums Burlington have added to their Speaker Series and will feature Stephanie Finn, the curator, event planner, and one-woman-show behind Burlington MADE, a growing series of modern, highly curated shopping events featuring local artists, makers, and food entrepreneurs.
 She’ll be discussing how she left a cushy corporate marketing job and got her start in the craft industry in 2014, selling natural skincare products that she developed for her infant son’s sensitive skin, and then moved on to planning one-day events that celebrate craft and build community here in Burlington.
The next Speaker Series event with Stephanie Finn, Founder/Director of Stephanie Street Events, Burlington MADE, and Stephanie Street Soap & Skincare will take place on November 8th at Ireland House
 Stephanie Finn Stephanie is the curator, event planner, and one-woman-show behind Burlington MADE, a growing series of modern, highly curated shopping events featuring local artists, makers, and food entrepreneurs. She’ll be discussing how she left a cushy corporate marketing job and got her start in the craft industry in 2014, selling natural skincare products that she developed for her infant son’s sensitive skin, and then moved on to planning one-day events that celebrate craft and build community here in Burlington.
Participants will learn how Stephanie formulates her skincare recipes, and have the opportunity to make and take home a container of lip balm.
Tickets are $20.00 each, include a glass of wine and your take away lip balm. For more information, call 905-332-9888 or email museuminfo@burlington.ca.
This is a licensed event, minors must be accompanied by an adult.
By Staff
November 2, 2018
BURLINGTON, ON
The Burlington Civic Chorale is a mixed-voice community choir formed in 1994 through the collaboration of founder Dr. Gary Fisher and Mary Jane Price, former organist and music director at St. Christopher’s Anglican Church, Burlington, Ontario.
They rehearse on Tuesday evenings, 7:15-9:30, and perform at St. Christopher’s Anglican Church in Burlington, at 622 Guelph Line.
The next performance, their fall concert will take place on Saturday, November 17th at 7:30 pm at St. Christopher’s Anglican Church, celebrating the Armistice of WW I with Handel’s “Utrecht Te Deum”, Parry’s “My Soul There Is a Country”, the Mozart “Requiem” and the premiere of a newly commissioned work by Mark Sirett set with the words from Lester Pearson’s Nobel Peace Prize speech of 1957.
 “Many choral works celebrate victories,” comments the Singers’ director, Dr. Gary Fisher, “but very few celebrate peace – living together respectfully without the winners punishing the losers. The BCCS decided to celebrate their 25th anniversary by addressing that lack.”
Grants from the Hamilton Community Foundation and the City of Burlington Arts and Culture Fund allowed the Singers to commission “Faith in Peace,” an anthem from noted Canadian composer Mark Sirett.
Choir member Janet Gadeski wove the text from snippets of speeches by Canadian diplomat, parliamentarian and future Prime Minister Lester B. Pearson, given when he accepted the Nobel Peace Prize in 1957.
“Sirett has created a powerful, evocative work,” Fisher enthuses. “It portrays Pearson’s grief when, during the Second World War, he saw the devastation of a bombed London neighborhood where nothing remained standing except a plaque in honour of the local men who had died during the First World War. Yet Pearson never lost his faith in humanity’s potential to live in peace. The grants we received for this project have helped to create a work that could be performed all over Canada to lift up the importance of peace.”
Mozart’s Requiem and Handel’s “Utrecht Te Deum” complete the program. Displays by Burlington historian Ed Keenleyside, author of “We Were Just Doing Our Bit,” will show the impact of the First World War on Burlington.
The BCC will be joined by soloists and chamber players with accompanist Jennifer Goodine.
Tickets can be reserved for $20 by calling 905-577-2425.
Tickets are $25 at the door, or $20 in advance by calling 905-577-2425.
 By Staff
November 1st, 2018
BURLINGTON, ON
Twin Flames will return to the Community Studio Theatre for a concert on Friday, November 9 followed by an Indigenous Music & Culture Workshop on Saturday, November 10.
 Twin Flames on stage Twin Flames is a multi award-winning husband and wife duo that combines two accomplished and very unique singer-songwriters Chelsey June, an Algonquin Cree Métis Woman from Ottawa, and Jaaji, an Inuk Mohawk man from Nunavik and Kahnawake. Together they take audiences on a musical journey across Canada and the Arctic.
Twin Flames push the boundaries of contemporary folk, with Indigenous, Inuit stories and traditional styles that incorporate both Western and traditional instruments, with songs written in Inuktitut, English and French. They were awarded Best Folk Album and Best Duo for their Album Signal Fire at the Native American Music Awards on October 12.
 Chelsey June, an Algonquin Cree Métis They will be facilitating an Indigenous Music & Culture Workshop on Saturday, November 10 at 1pm in the BPAC Community Studio Theatre to further their goal of introducing people from around the world to their beautiful cultures, harmonies and powerful songwriting.
The workshop is free of charge and is part of BPAC’s overall commitment to supporting the education and advocacy of reconciliation with Indigenous Peoples.
Twin Flames – Concert
Friday, November 9 at 7:30pm in the Community Studio Theatre
Indigenous Music & Culture Workshop with Twin Flames
Saturday, November 10 at 1pm in the Community Studio Theatre
Register at Burlingtonpac.ca/events/twin-flames/
 By Staff
November 1sty, 2018
BURLINGTON, ON
It gets dark earlier, more of a chill in the air and Halloween is behind us.
 Will the same Sentry’s be set up on Lakeshore Road this year? FEstival lights will be put in Place November 13th and 14th. That means we now move into the Festive Season – which means the lights will be going up along the Lakeshore Road side of Spencer Smith Park.
 One of the many volunteers who show up every year to install the lights in Spencer Smith Park. A lot of people are doing a lot of work to have everything ready for installation on November 13th and 14th.
Watch for it.
 By Pepper Parr
October 29th, 2018
BURLINGTON, ON
This will be the 16th Annual Art in Action Tour; a two day event that takes you into almost every corner of the city to look at the work done by local artists and talk to the men and women who did the work.
If you take the tour, the price is certainly right – FREE – you will meet interesting people and learn what it is that takes them in the direction they have chosen.
Tour runs on both November 3rd and 4th – you won’t miss the locations – there are signs ensuring that you won’t get lost.
As you travel from studio to studio you will find yourself bumping into people you saw at a previous gallery – some fast friendships have been made this way.
Here are the artists – and where they are located. Make a day of it.
         If you think you don’t know enough about art to go on a tour, think again – you don’t have to know anything.
If you see something you like – you get a chance to talk to the artist and you may end up buying the piece.
On my very first tour I saw a postcard of a painting that intrigued me.
 The “stoned” cat. Several years later I got to meet the artist and mentioned the post card I had bought and learned to my delight that the original was available.
Met with the artist, saw the original, bought the original but have yet to frame it. The beauty is in the eye of the beholder and I swear the cat that was done as a “transfer” was stoned – that appealed to me.
And no – my piece of art is not for sale.
That cat and I understand each other.
By Staff
October 28th, 2108
BURLINGTON, ON
We really should have told you about the Diana Thorneycroft exhibit when it opened at the Art Gallery.
It opened in September – the election kept us away from a lot of the cultural life of the city.
 Diana Thorneycroft Thorneycroft is a Winnipeg artist who has exhibited various bodies of work across Canada, the United States and Europe, as well as in Moscow, Tokyo and Sydney. She is the recipient of numerous awards including an Assistance to Visual Arts Long-term Grant from the Canada Council, several Senior Arts Grants from the Manitoba Arts Council and a Fleck Fellowship from the Banff Centre for the Arts.
 It is huge, sweeping from floor level to the height of an average person’s shoulders. Kids will love it – just make sure they don’t touch the ponies. Her exhibit may have been the last one outgoing Senior Curator Denis Longchamps did for the AGB before he headed west to the Canadian Clay & Glass Gallery in Waterloo.
The Thorneycroft work has been the subject of national radio documentaries and a CBC national documentary for television. Thorneycroft’s photo-based exhibition, The Body, its lesson and camouflage was on an eight city tour from 2000 to 2002.
The exhibit at the AGB covers three of her recent works Herd, The Village and Black Forest (dark waters); it is a stunning installation. Over a hundred and fifty toy horses stampede throughout the gallery in Herd, some with morphed appearances. The altered physical representation of the horses highlight a juxtaposition of the animals as vulnerable yet powerful, tamed but wild.
Introducing young children to art is not always easy – they have yet to develop critical skills. The Herd is big and imaginative- the kind of visual that will stretch a young mind. It will be difficult to keep their hands of the hundreds of ponies that are charging up a steep slope.
Thorneycroft is known for creating provocative and controversial photographs that challenge her audience’s viewing experience. Her seemingly comical images composed of innocent subjects-dolls and toy figurines -and set against the landscapes of the Group of Seven and their contemporaries reveal, upon a closer examination, a deeper and darker meaning.
Titled Group of Seven Awkward Moments, the exhibit was at the McMichael Art Gallery in Kleinburg.
 Looking down the ramp the ponies are running up. In one of the pieces in that exhibit she used Arthur Lismer’s 1922 canvas, ‘Sombre Hill, Algoma’ as her backdrop. In the foreground is a model of the Avro Arrow airplane propped up by pontoons that Thorneycroft took from a Cessna model. An interceptor aircraft, the real Arrow in the mid-1950s was celebrated as the cutting-edge of Canada’s aviation industry.
However, in 1959, at the height of the Cold War, its production was cancelled by the Diefenbaker government and all five flying test models and production aircraft destroyed, along with their blueprints. In Thorneycroft’s alternate universe, though, one has survived and been adapted to serve the more prosaic needs of the Great White North.
You will see that imagination at work in the Herd – on at the AGB until the November 18th.
 A closer look at those ponies is the result of an artist’s imagination at its fullest.
By Staff
October 26th, 2018
BURLINGTON, ON
Applications for the Halton Region Community Investment Fund are now being accepted
Non-profit organizations that provide social services or community health programs to Halton residents are invited to apply to the Halton Region Community Investment Fund (HRCIF).
 The Fund provides one-year and multi-year funding to programs and initiatives that support the health, safety and well-being of Halton residents. The HRCIF also supports issues emerging from community safety and well-being planning.
Three categories of funding are available to organizations that meet eligibility criteria, including a stream of funding targeted to programs that address food security. A total of approximately $1,000,000 will be awarded
in new grants through the HRCIF in 2019.
Funding streams include:
Category One: Provides one-year of funding up to $30,000 to non-profit, charitable or unincorporated community organizations for short-term, small capital and/or innovative projects. The deadline for Category One applications is December 14, 2018 at 2 p.m.
Category Two: Provides up to three years of funding to charitable organizations for programs and initiatives. The deadline for Category Two applications is December 14, 2018 at 2 p.m.
Category Three: Provides up to three years of funding to non-profit and/or charitable organizations to enhance food security. The deadline for Category Three applications is December 14, 2018 at 2 p.m.
Organizations interested in applying can learn more about the HRCIF by attending an information session on November 6 or 8.
A collaboration session is also being offered on November 14 for potential applicants interested in exploring collaborative and/or innovative project opportunities with other community partners. For more information about these sessions or HRCIF guidelines, application forms and funding priorities, visit halton.ca or call 311.
By Pepper Parr
October 26th, 2018
BURLINGTON, ON
The Art Gallery of Burlington announced the appointment of Suzanne Carte as the new Senior Curator.
 Suzanne Carte, appointed Senior Curator at the AGB Carte is an award-winning curator and cultural producer. She was recently the Assistant Curator at the Art Gallery of York University (AGYU) working with a dynamic team to produce high-quality exhibitions and public programs for over a decade.
Carte holds an MA in Contemporary Art History from Sotheby’s Art Institute in New York and a BFA from the University of Windsor. Carte was also a member of the 2017 Toronto Arts Council Leaders Lab.
Carte will take up her duties at the Art Gallery of Burlington on November 12, 2018.
She is a cultural producer living in Toronto; within her independent practice, she has curated exhibitions in public spaces, artist-run centres, and commercial and public art galleries including You Cannot Kill What Is Already Dead, Video Rental Store, All Systems Go!, Under New Management, MOTEL and Man’s Ruin.
Previously Carte held positions as outreach programmer for the Blackwood Gallery and the Art Gallery of Mississauga, and as professional development and public program coordinator at the Ontario Association of Art Galleries.
Her critical writing has been published in the AGO’s A.I.R. publication as well as in Magenta Magazine, Art Writ, and Huffington Post. Suzanne holds an MA in Contemporary Art History from Sotheby’s Art Institute in New York and a BFA from the University of Windsor, and she is a member of the 2017 Toronto Arts Council Leaders Lab.
By Staff
October 24th, 2018
BURLINGTON, ON
The Burlington Performing Arts Centre will be presenting the Tarragon Theatre production of Cottagers and Indians by Drew Hayden Taylor November 3 & 4 in their Community Studio Theatre.
Wild rice sparks a battle royale between a native farmer and a white cottager, whose increasingly bitter dispute becomes a microcosm for reconciliation. Told with warmth and humour, and encompassing issues of community, respect and ownership, Cottagers & Indians is a tale for our times – and a food fight for the ages.
 Scenes from the Tarragon Theatre production of Cottagers and Indians Award-winning playwright Drew Hayden Taylor exposes the absurdity that comes from these kinds of arguments, and touches on the severity of its historical implications. Cottagers and Indians gives audiences a sincere and pragmatic look at the current conflicts between First Nations’ traditional water usage and property owners in cottage country who are looking to enjoy an undisturbed summer getaway. There will be a post-show chat with the cast of Cottagers and Indians.
“I laughed out loud”, “If you like the jokes in Come From Away, then look into Cottagers and Indians.” – The Globe and Mail
Cottagers and Indians: Written by Drew Hayden Taylor. Original Direction by Patti Shaughnessy. Remount Directed by Melody Johnson. Starring Herbie Barnes & Brooke Johnson. Set Design by Robin Fisher. Costume Design by Sage Paul. Lighting Design by Nick Andison. Sound Design by Beau Dixon. Stage Management by Kate Redding.
The 2018/2019 BPAC season also includes: Canadian Rep Theatre’s Helens Necklace, Canadian Rep Theatre’s How Do I Love Thee: A Staged Play Reading, Evalyn Parry’s SPIN, Ahuri Theatre’s This is the Point.
Tarragon Theatre: Cottagers and Indians
Saturday, November 3 at 7:30pm and Sunday, November 4 at 2pm in the Community Studio Theatre
The Burlington Performing Arts Centre
Tickets can be purchased by telephone, online or in person:
905-681-6000, www.burlingtonpac.ca
www.burlingtonpac.ca/event-listings
440 Locust Street, Burlington, Ontario
By Pepper Parr
October 24th, 2018
BURLINGTON, ON
The Gazette met Alison Braithwaite a number of years ago when she was in the private sector. She had this capacity to pick a point in a conversation when she could shift the direction a conversation with a few words.
I wondered about how she had done that for some time after the coffee meeting we had.
 Alison Braithwaite – “Words powerfully manifest our lives
“Words are powerful. The words we choose to use influence what we manifest in our lives and how we feel in our bodies. This week, I was speaking to someone who is very special to me. She was talking about her life and some of the challenges that she is facing at the moment. What I heard her saying was: “I am in a fight with this. I am fighting that. I need to fight this other thing.” For her, in this moment, everything seems to be a battle.
“The words we choose affect our bodies
“What I observed in her body as she spoke was how she tensed up as she spoke. The more she spoke of her fights, the more her body tensed up. It was like her body was preparing for battle and getting ready to ward off the missiles being launched her way. I could see the energy she was using just thinking of the battle.
“Let go of the fight
“The metaphor of war is used a lot in our culture. It seems that we, for whatever reason, always need an enemy. We battle the bulge, we battle drugs, we battle cancer and mental health issues. This battling an enemy becomes a big problem when the enemy we are battling is a part of ourselves.
“Shift the metaphor
“We need to shift our metaphors. The metaphor I like to use is that of a kayaker, skillfully navigating white-water. We all have white-water in our lives at times, fighting the water is not going to get us through it.
Reading the water, feeling the water, dancing with the water and skillfully navigating through it works much better.
“Embrace the messiness
 “A kayaker does not run from the messiness of the whitewater, she sees it, recognizes it, accepts it and moves through it. There is no fight there. Her body becomes as fluid as the water as she chooses her path, navigates her way through and celebrates with euphoria when she is through the tough parts.
“Let’s embrace the messiness of our lives. Accept it without fighting and navigate our way through.”
Questions for self-reflection
1. Over the next week start to notice the words you use. You may want to get some help with this. It is always easier to notice what someone else is saying than hearing what we say ourselves.
2. Notice what metaphors you are using. Are you struggling, fighting, stuck, challenged or moving through things?
3. How is the language you choose limiting or expanding you?
4. What shifts could you make to use more empowering and expansive language?
Remember, you are amazing, you are capable, you are skillfully navigating through life and that is worth celebrating every step of the way.
By Pepper Parr
October 23rd, 2018
BURLINGTON, ON
The man who opened the Performing Arts Centre in 2011 will be back on the stage on the 18th of November.
 Royal Wood signing CD’s after the first commercial event at the Burlington Performing Arts Centre. They loved him. Royal Wood was the first performer to go before a paying audience at the Performing Arts Centre
He released his latest EP “Love Will Linger:, a fresh collection of songs from the vaults of his recent album “Ever After The Farewell”.
“While making my last album, I was left with a handful of songs that meant a great deal to me, but didn’t fit the overall sound of the album,” says Royal. “They were songs of love and loss, taken deep from within my heart and soul. Written during the days of losing my father to Alzheimer’s and falling in love with my now wife – it’s a collection of songs I wanted the world to hear.”
That contrast of love and loss dominated the entire creative process of the making of the music .Recorded in London with Jamie Scott (Niall Horan / Calum Scott), the aim was to capture the rawest possible sound, with most of the songs being recorded the day they were written.
 Royal Wood To heighten the emotion, the music was recorded on the Beatles EMI console that made Abbey Road possible. “This EP contains poignant songs like ‘Photograph’, a song that examines the treasure my family now finds in the old photographs of my father. As well, songs like “Make Your Mind Up” tell the story of the exuberance and uncertainty of newfound love and lust.”
Tickets can be ordered at the Performing Arts Centre Box office.
 By Marty Staz
October 20th, 2018
BURLINGTON, ON
Really, How Do We Want To Grow
Being involved in a municipal election campaign for the first time has certainly been an eye opener. What started out as a bucket full of presentable ideas has now morphed into a collection of defined plans, processes and objectives. The more you talk with people, the more you research and the more you think.
This eventually provides you with something that you truly believe is the right plan.
 An election campaign was an eye opener for Marty Staz. Without a doubt, the most talked about and the most focused topic in our city is intensification, or as I often refer to it over-intensification. So to begin, let’s look at a definition of intensification. From the website Neptis.org intensification is defined as any new residential development within the existing built-up urban fabric. By this definition, intensification may occur on undeveloped or on previously developed land; what makes it “intensification” is its location within the area defined as already urbanized. This definition is the one used by the Ontario government. So, keeping this definition in mind, let’s explore what is really going on in Burlington.
In Ontario, The Growth Plan for the Greater Golden Horseshoe (2006) has policies designed to contain the urban footprint of one of the fastest-growing metropolitan regions in the developed world. Research has shown that if the Toronto region, which includes Burlington, continues to grow as it has in recent decades, its residents will experience a decrease in their quality of life. This last sentence is where I think we have to push the pause button and determine how we want Burlington to grow.
After looking at the various development projects on our city’s website, either proposed or underway in our city, I determined that there are 28 projects with a proposed height of 8 stories or more stretching to 25 stories. Eight of those projects are proposed for Ward 1. Also, let’s keep in mind that this number is what is current. With the recent approval of 23 stories across from City Hall I can only imagine what future proposals will look like. So this brings me back to the question of how we want to see our city grow. When going door to door and listening to what people have to say I would suggest that the answer is a resounding no – but growth is inevitable. I know we have growth targets in place as mandated by our provincial government but that’s an argument for another time. In my opinion achieving those targets is a non-issue.
So how do we want to grow?
 There is a very interesting concept referred to as “The Missing Middle”. The illustration below gives us a good visual interpretation of what the missing middle means and if you want a good real-life example of this just look to Mississauga. This city started out as a bedroom community for Toronto full of single family homes. When growth started to occur their local politicians decided that the solution was to grow up, so now it’s either single family detached or high rises that stretch forever.
To be perfectly clear, any design that reflects the Missing Middle still must adhere to specific density requirements and accommodate the proper parking, green space, parkland, etc. Just look at the proposed townhouse development at 2100 Brant Street as an example where these standards have been ignored.
“Well-designed ‘Missing Middle’ buildings unify the walkable streetscape as they greatly diversify the choices available for households of different age, size, and income. Smaller households tend to eat out helping our neighbourhood attract wonderful restaurants. Diverse households keep diverse hours meaning we have more people out walking our streets at more varied hours—keeping them safer.” — Ellen Dunham-Jones, professor at the Georgia Institute of Technology and co-author of Retrofitting Suburbia: Urban Design Solutions for Redesigning Suburbs
So this is a call for architects, planners, and developers to think outside the box and to begin to create immediate, viable solutions to address the mismatch between the housing stock and what the market is demanding—vibrant, diverse, sustainable, walkable urban places. Missing Middle housing types are an important part of this solution.
The City of Burlington is at a crossroads and I honestly think that this could be a solution to growing our city, meeting our provincial mandates and creating a great place to live.
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 Marty Staz is a candidate for the ward 1 city council seat and is a former president of the Burlington Chamber of Commerce.
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