Yellowkife's First Holiday Art Retailer Tour (HART)

---------- Forwarded message ----------

From: Colin Dempsey <colinATtheartofconsultingDOTca>
Date: 8 December 2010 09:40
Subject: Holiday Art Retailer Tour (HART)
To: Colin Dempsey <colinATtheartofconsultingDOTca>

Good Morning,

I would like to invite you all to participate in the 1st Annual Holiday Art Retailer Tour (HART) beginning this Saturday. 

Of course, our downtown has a vibrant and ecclectic mix of art, but how often do we take the time to connect with the artists and businesses that make up our city's cultural identity?  Yellowknife is known for the quality and variety of our locally produced art and crafts, so let's get out to appreciate what so many travel great distances to experience.  Local art is the heart of downtown Yellowknife and this is a great opportunity to support our community's artists and art based businesses. 

Got any last minute gifts to buy?  Is that one person who has everything still on your shopping list?  Done shopping for everyone else, but still haven't picked up anything for yourself?  This is your last chance to finish up all your gift purchasing and to do it while supporting the community we all love and earning a chance to win great prizes.

Attached you will find a poster with all the details regarding this great new event.  Also, you will find the HART Passport, which is your ticket to join in on the fun.  All you have to do is bring your passport to each of the listed locations to collect stamps.  Completed cards can be dropped off at The Gallery on 47th Street (formerly the Dawn Oman Studio) for your chance to win a basket of gift cards and prizes provided by HART participants.  Let's all get out and show our local artists and art retailers that Yellowknife has HART!

Any questions should be directed to myself at colinATtheartofconsultingDOTca or at 867-445-2017.  Please feel free to distribute this poster and passport to anyone who enjoys local art or a fun day of shopping around town.

Thank you,

Colin Dempsey
Dempsey Consulting & Business Services
"The Art of Consulting."

Hart Poster

Hart Passport

Art Demos & Workshops Aurora Arts Society Arts Week 7

Art Demos & Workshops Aurora Arts Society Arts Week 7
Prince of Wales Northern Heritage Centre Café
Five artists demonstrate their work. Meet the artists, ask questions, and get close to the action as you learn about materials and techniques seen in works of art and in some cases try your hand in creating art. This is an opportunity to find out what the art process is all about.
Douglas Witt - Mask (Yellowknife)
Lorette Gregoire - Painting and Drawing (Quebec)
Laura Ettagiak Orchard - Sewing with fur, beadwork,mukluks & more (Yellowknife)
Roger Bisson - Caribou Antler Carvings & Soapstone Carvings (Yellowknife)
Diane Mercredi - Monoprint making (Yellowknife)

Now archived online at
http://www.ustream.tv/recorded/9819285

Migratory Passages ~ Passages Migratoires video online part of Culture Days in Canada

Migratory Passages ~ Passages Migratoires

http://www.ustream.tv/recorded/9766750

The Prince of Wales Northern Heritage Centre (PWNHC) and the NWT Arts Council present “Migratory Passages ~ Passages Migratoires”, a bilingual exhibition featuring aboriginal art and design from northern Quebec. The public exhibition opening and reception took place on Friday, September 17th at 7:00 pm at the PWNHC.

This travelling exhibit shares results of a partnership project between First Nation communities and academic researchers to stimulates creativity through networking and exchange. The exhibit, on display until November 30th, includes stunning handcrafted objects combining traditional aboriginal craftsmanship skills with contemporary design. Produced by the Chicoutimi-based art organization La Boite Rouge Vif, the exhibit portrays the creative works of 23 Aboriginal artists from three aboriginal Québec communities: Odanak, Mashteuiatsh, and Uashat mak Mani-Utenam.

This video includes documentation of the travelling artist's visits to the N'Dilo K'alemi Dene School, l'Association Franco-Culturelle de Yellowknife, the opening of the exhibition and images from the exhibition.
Total Running time: 01:45:44;20

Produced by
George Lessard, video artist
http://mediamentor.ca

Spark Box Studio / Accepting Residency Applications / Picton, ON

Announcement / Spark Box Studio / New Art Studio Accepting Residency Applications / Picton, ON

Spark Box Studio, an art studio, print shop and artists' residency that offers unique opportunities to emerging and professional artists, writers, and students, has just opened up in Prince Edward County, Ontario.

About Us:
Spark Box Studio provides space for artists to live, research, investigate and experiment in a focused environment. We aim to encourage discovery and the cultivation of new ideas, provide career-building opportunities and resources for artists at all stages, and promote engagement with the local community through the arts.

Artist Residency Program
Spark Box Studio's Artist Residency Program provides live/work space to accommodate both emerging and professional printmakers, photographers, painters, illustrators and writers, as well as those currently undertaking studies in fine art. Artists-in-residence have access to our professional studio and resource library. The Residency Program affords artists the space, time and resources to support the advancement of their careers and to strengthen their practice. Artists-in-residence stay in a charming Victorian house located by the historic Picton Harbour. 

For more information about Spark Box Studio Residency Program or to learn about other programs we offer, visit www.sparkboxstudio.com.

Spark Box Studio
206 Main St.
Suite 2M
Picton, ON
T. 613.476.0337
E. info@sparkboxstudio.com 
www.sparkboxstudio.com
 

 

Arctic Film Festival Nominations

 North House Folk School [ http://www.northhouse.org ] has issued the followingcall for film nominations:

>Arctic Film Festival Nominations
>
>Greetings,
>
>I write from the North House Folk School here in Grand Marais, Minnesota (USA), aspiring to connect with a variety of Arctic related organizations as we are now accepting nominations for this year's Arctic Film Festival.
>
>The Arctic Film Festival is in its 5th year and has been the fulcrum that's connected our educational mission for teaching traditional northern crafts (www.northhouse.org), independent film makers, and Arctic research organizations and individuals with a focus on traditional circumpolar cultures, the arctic environment and the historical landscape of the Arctic.
>
>Attached is a nomination form, in the event that you or your organization has a film that you would recommend for a screening.
>
>If you have questions or would like to learn more about the nominating process, don't hesitate to ask or call.
>
>Best regards,
>Scott Pollock, Program Director
>
>- - - - - - - - - - - - -
>Scott Pollock, Program Director
>North House Folk School
>PO Box 759 - 500 W Hwy 61
>Grand Marais, MN   55604
>Phone: 218-387-9762
>Fax:   218-387-9706
>E-mail: spollock@northhouse.org
>Web:  http://www.northhouse.org
>

Winterer's Gathering & Arctic Film Festival
November 19-22, 2009

>
>The North House Folk School, an educational non-profit organization located in Grand Marais, Minnesota, USA, is now accepting film  screening nominations for the Winterer's Gathering & Arctic Film Festival. This multi-day educational event is a celebration of the crafts, customs, landscape, history and stories of winter travel and traditional lifeways in the north. Winter travel enthusiasts and northern culture admirers merge on the North House campus for four days of winter travel seminars, courses and workshops complemented by a number of inspiring thought-provoking international films about life in the arctic.

>The aim of the Arctic Film Festival is to celebrate the traditions, customs and lifeways in the circumpolar global arctic region represented in the media arts. The nomination process for Arctic Film Festival seeks to establish a network of arctic enthusiasts, organizations, businesses and film makers interested in arctic education, travel, history, art and culture. Connecting the film audience to the film makers to the educators promoting the films is a key element of the Arctic Film Festival.

>The Arctic Film Festival is a non-competitive, non-cash awarding festival. An independent committee reviews films and screening selections will be based upon distributor's consent and the overall content as it relates to the category in which it was nominated.

>As a non-profit educational organization and in respect to the non-competitive educational atmosphere North House wishes to instill, the film festival aspires to screen up to eight films related to the following categories:
>Environment – This category includes films that reflect on the arctic natural environment.
>Ethno-Historical – Films that reflect on the cultural landscape of the arctic region and the peoples who inhabit that region.
>Expedition – Films that relate to adventure travel expeditions.
>Shelter, Clothing, Food – Films that specifically address traditional arctic shelter, clothing and foodways.

>As part of the nominating process, individuals and/or your organizations are asked to:
>1. Nominate up to three films to be shown at the festival.
>2. Provide information about your organization or agency as it relates to the films nominated.
>3. Provide source information for obtaining the film, including key contacts such as director, filmmakers, producers, etc for screening rights and distribution
>4. If available, provide film information that includes availability of film, length of film, format of film (35mm, DVD, video cassette, etc.) and a brief summary of the film.
>5. Submit film nominations no later than October 1, 2009 using enclosed film nomination form. Fax, e-mail, or direct mail is acceptable.

>If you or your organization have any questions regarding the Winterer's Gathering & Arctic Film Festival, or specific questions related to the Film Festival, please contact Program Director, Scott Pollock, at North House Folk School.

You do not need to be in attendance for your nomination to be considered. Nominations will be considered by an independent committee by October 30, 2009 and screened during the Festival dates.
 

Re: ITI and GNWT's NWT Arts release form and artists rights in the NWT

Mario Villeneuve
National President
Canadian Artists Representation / le Front des artistes canadiennes
P.O.Box 31256
Whitehorse, Yukon
Y1A 5P7
867-393-4515
Website: http://www.carfac.ca
carfac.yukon@hotmail.com

Mario,

Thanks for your interest in this issue here in the NWT.... as a long time member of Canadian Artists Representation / le Front des artistes canadiennes and the Canadian Artists Representation Copyright Collective, this issue, the lack of payments to artists by the Government of the Northwest Territories for their exhibition rights and the lack of education for artists on all of their artistic rights is of great concern to me, especially as the government's Department of Industry, Tourism and Investment is mandated to assist our artists in the development of the arts sector in the territory

"... Building on partnerships, our vision is to foster a diversified economy that provides all communities and regions of the NWT with opportunities and choices.

The Department of Industry, Tourism and Investment is working to meet this vision by: promoting development that reduces regional and community disparities; working with regional business corporations and other partners to identify new economic opportunities; Advancing alternative energy initiatives and supporting the development of sustainable local economies through small businesses and community-based sectors such as tourism, agriculture, arts and crafts, and the traditional economy. ..."
http://www.iti.gov.nt.ca/about-iti/

"... A valued reflection of the culture and history of the NWT's Aboriginal people, the production of traditional arts and fine crafts is also an important element of the Northwest Territories' economy.

This vibrant cottage industry is one of the key areas in which the Government of the Northwest Territories is working to promote economic activity in smaller communities and to expand and diversify sectors like tourism and the traditional economy.

The Department of Industry, Tourism and Investment supports the arts and crafts industry with a variety of programs and services developed and guided by the NWT Arts Strategy. Read more... ..."
http://www.iti.gov.nt.ca/artscrafts/

A little background....

About four years ago, when I lived in Fort Smith NWT, The Department of Industry, Tourism and Investment (ITI) http://www.iti.gov.nt.ca/artscrafts/ held its first (I believe) public workshop concerning its NWT Artists Database http://www.nwtarts.com/NWTArtist.aspx and during that workshop it became clear that they required a release for any images images an artist would contribute to their own entry in the database that would release it, automatically, for any use by any sector of the territorial government.  See the text of the release here
http://www.nwtarts.com/pdf/Releaseformpackage.pdf

The lady presenting this workshop was / is Carla Wallis Manager, Arts & Fine Crafts...  CARLA_WALLIS@gov.nt.ca (867) 920-6130 who also is listed as serving as NWT Film Commissioner  (867) 920-8793 in the governments phone directory at
http://directory.gov.nt.ca/utility/directory/index.html

When I queried this provision of the release, pointing out that would automatically remove any potential for licensing (and realizing income from) these submitted images to any NWT government department (especially the tourism campaigns run by their department) I was told that their lawyer had told them that this was the only way that they could do this and if I had a problem with it I should talk to their lawyer...  I did do this and the lawyer simply said... in effect, that I did not know what I was talking about, and as a lawyer, this person knew more than I did and I had the choice of not participating... but the release could not change because it represented the requirements of the law.

I suggested to the group that they should go to the CARFAC and Copyright Collective websites to learn about their rights as artists.

About a year ago, here in Yellowknife, Ms Wallis gave a very similar presentation and the same release form with the same conditions attached was included in the package of information and I brought up the same question concerning the apparent rights grab by the territorial government... this time there were several other artists in the audience who were also equally concerned with the "license" and the potential loss of revenue to the submitting artists.... The reception our queries received was as frigid as an Arctic night in February and we were once again told the same platitudes expressed to me in Fort Smith.... One individual was even motivated to bring it to the attention of CARFAC as I had also done..

This brings me to the most recent ITI presentation at the Great Northern Arts Festival...
Well... four years later... same old same old... no change... still the same rights and income grab from a government department that is supposed to be helping artists with the same defensive attitudes of the department's position.

Any help you and CARFAC can offer to the artists of the Northwest Territories to protect their rights and incomes against what seems to me as a rip-off, would, I'm certain, be welcome by the artists... and any understanding / implementation of policies recognizing / protecting these rights you and CARFAC might be able to help ITI and the GNWT with would, I'm also certain, be greatly appreciated by the artists and their heirs.

FYI .... I am CCing this to INDUSTRY, TOURISM & INVESTMENT's Ms Wallis and

ITI Minister......................Bob McLeod................ (867) 669-2388  BOB_MCLEOD@gov.nt.ca
ITI Deputy Minister...............Peter Vician............ (867) 920-8048 PETER_VICIAN@gov.nt.ca
and the MLAs of the NWT.

I am also releasing this e-mail to the NWT media and Artists organizations.... four years is too long for this issue to have remained hidden and for NWT artists to have been treated in this deplorable way by their government.

Yours truly,

GEORGE LESSARD
Information, Communications and Media Specialist
451 Norseman Dr.
Yellowknife, Northwest Territories
X1A 2J1, Canada

Yellowknife Land Line # (867) 873-2662
Yellowknife Cell # (867) 445-9193
SKYPE: themediamentor

Member:
Canadian Association of Journalists http://www.caj.ca
Canadian Artists Representation / le Front des artistes canadiennes http://www.carfac.ca/
Canadian Artists Representation Copyright Collective http://www.carcc.ca/

Online Business Card:
http://lessardcard.notlong.com

E-mail: mediamentor@gmail.com

Home Pages: http://mediamentor.ca
My panoramic images
http://panoramas-by-george.notlong.com
My YouTube:
http://www.youtube.com/user/mediamentor
Online Activities: http://www.web.ca/~media/index.html
Photos: http://photosbygeorge.notlong.com
Photo Illustrations: http://www.flickr.com/photos/george-lessard/sets/72157603627797568/
Etcetera:  http://www.flickr.com/photos/george-lessard/sets/459582/

My Public Bookmarks: http://del.icio.us/themediamentor

2009/7/21 YT CARFAC <carfac.yukon@hotmail.com>

Thanks (...),
I will look into this, it is a bit of a broad request of rights. An other case of people just put legal jargon on a for without knowing what it means. I will get in touch with George via e-mail tonight, to see what we can do.
Thanks again for the head-up.
later
Mario

 

C/O Yukon Representative
National President
Mario Villeneuve
P.O.Box 31256
Whitehorse, Yukon
Y1A 5P7
867-393-4515
Website:www.carfac.ca