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by Rebecca BollwittDisclosure: Review — Our stay was compliments of Tigh-Na-Mara. Views and opinions are my own. Please review the Policy & Disclosure section for further information.
When I asked John what he wanted for his birthday this year he had only one reply: “A massage at Tigh-Na-Mara.” I immediately got to work planning a couple of days in Parksville/Qualicum Beach that involved nothing but spa time for him, walks in the forest, beach strolls, and good food. Here are my top 5 things to do when you’re in the area, making the beautiful, award-winning Tigh-Na-Mara Seaside Spa Resort & Conference Centre your home base:
Tigh-Na-Mara sunset
1. The Grotto Spa
The Grotto Spa at Tigh-Na-Mara is consistently named the title of the top resort spa in Canada, and it’s where John has also consistently had the best massages – and it had been far too long. His treatment provider even mentioned that he’s got a “permanent resident” knot in his shoulder that they tried their best to deal with. He came back to our room a complete pile of mush, he must have floated back across the resort on a cloud of bliss.
Note: There are BC vaccination card requirements and other COVID safety measures in place which you can read about here.
John is also a runner so he always scopes out the best routes around places we visit. One morning he went over to Rathtrevor Provincial Park and then after dinner that evening we retraced his steps. It’s a stunning park (and campground) with sand flats at low tide and sky-high evergreens. There’s a wide beachfront trail that will take you right back to Tight-Na-Mara along the shoreline.
The winners of the Salt Spring National Art Prize (“SSNAP”) have been announced! As one of Canada’s largest visual arts competitions, SSNAP offers both emerging and established artists the opportunity to submit works directly into a national juried art show where only their art and a short artist statement are judged. This unique and inclusive process has helped promote artists worthy of artistic merit across Canada.
Salt Spring National Art Prize Winners
Early 2021 promotion of Kriss Munsya’s art exhibition at the Pendulum Gallery
The 2021 recipient of the Salt Spring Prize – The Joan McConnell Award is Kriss Munsya of Vancouver, British Columbia.
The work titled “Dream Tonite. Highway Reflection, The Eraser, Edition 3 of 3” captivated the jury due to its beauty, complexity, depth, colour and composition. It addresses issues of how supremacy, white supremacy and patriarchy, have to be undone in all of us no matter what background we are from.
Kriss Munsya is a graphic designer, photographer and award-winning film maker. Originally from the Democratic Republic of Congo, he was raised in Brussels and is now living in Vancouver. In “Dream Tonite. Highway Reflection” Munsya speaks to the trials and tribulations of race, gender and identity, as well as his personal experiences with discrimination and trauma as a Black man.
Winning the Salt Spring Prize – The Joan McConnell Award came as a complete surprise to Munsya, “When my piece was named the winner, I thought it was someone else’s work with the same title as mine; it took me a few seconds to accept I had won.”
Munsya adds, “I’ve been doing my art practice for a few years and I lost a lot of friends because I was approaching some topics about racism. Being someone that is discriminated against and making art makes me a kind of activist. People may not understand that being an activist is not always about being on the front lines. Sometimes, being an activist can be about buying art or producing art or making art possible, or organizing art exhibitions. So in fact, we can all be activists.”
“I’m happy to share something that speaks to people and I am looking forward to seeing how my work can go out into the world.”
Founding director, Ronald T. Crawford says the fourth biennial SSNAP has demonstrated the creative fortitude of artists across Canada even during a global pandemic.
“I’m thrilled to see such a diversity of themes, ranging from COVID-19, to reckoning with the past and exploring personal identity both by Indigenous artists and those from immigrant communities. It’s wonderful to see the commitment of artists to experiment, to explore, and to share their stories.” Crawford adds, “We saw an unprecedented forty per cent increase with over 2,750 works submitted. This speaks to our resounding appeal amongst Canadian artists and our ability to amplify the voices of artists to expand their boundaries.”
This year’s talented jury included former SSNAP winner Judy Anderson, who is an Associate Professor in the Canadian Indigenous Studio Art Department of the University of Calgary; Senior Curator of the Art Gallery of Nova Scotia David Diviney; Ydessa Hendeles, Director of the Ydessa Hendeles Art Foundation, and Michelle Jacques Chief, Curator of the Remai Modern.
Kriss Munsya – Photo Submitted
SSNAP 2021 Award Winners
Salt Spring Prize – The Joan Mcconnell Award & Residency For Outstanding Work $20,000 ($15,000 + $5,000 Salt Spring artist residency) Donated by Joan McConnell Kriss Munsya | “Dreams Tonite. Highway Reflection, The Eraser” Vancouver, British Columbia
Jurors’ Choice Award – Judy Anderson $3,000 Contributing donors John and Nina Cassils Virginia Morgan | “Raven Steals the Sun” Hazelton, British Columbia
On November 27, 2021, local female artists will perform at the Cultch’s historic theatre in Vancouver for Voices for Hope: A Benefit for Women in Afghanistan to help raise funds for at-risk women and girls in response to the crisis in Afghanistan.
Voices for Hopewill feature live performances by Afro-Canadian and Cherokee blues singer Dalannah Gail Bowen and hip hop, soul, and R&B duo Laydy Jams. Bowen, often referred to as the “matriarch of Canadian blues,” was a member of the Feminine Touch—one of the first all-female bands in Canada. The artist and activist was awarded the Key to the City in 2017 for her contributions to culture in Vancouver. Laydy Jams is comprised of femcee Missy D and violinist-vocalist Sejal, two women of colour who find inspiration in their diverse cultural backgrounds to create a unique sonic blend that aims to empower youth and spark joy.
The beneficiary of funds raised from Voices for Hope is Canadian Women for Women in Afghanistan (“CW4WAfghan”), a charitable organization with a longstanding history of promoting the human rights of Afghan women and girls through access to education, and now, in response to the current humanitarian crisis, distribution of basic necessities to internally displaced people, and assistance with efforts to provide safe passage for refugees.
100% of proceeds from Voices for Hope’s concert ticket sales and audience donations will go towards financing efforts to support women fleeing Afghanistan and CW4WAfghan’s educational programs. Custom-made Dither & Etch ornaments will also be available for purchase in addition to an online silent auction.
“When we see a small, barefoot girl in a crumbling classroom who comes from a family where no-one can read or write, we don’t see a victim—we see a child poised to fight for her right to be there, burning for change,” says Lauryn Oates, Executive Director of Canadian Women for Women in Afghanistan. “If she gets the tools to learn, the guidance of trained teachers, and awareness that even outsiders are prepared to defend her, she will prove to be everything the Taliban fear: a defiant, smart, imaginative, and even revolutionary leader.”
Proof of vaccination is required for in-show attendance at the Historic Theatre in compliance with BC’s COVID-19 public health regulations. Voices for Hope will also be livestreamed for maximum accessibility.
About Canadian Women for Women in Afghanistan
Operating in Afghanistan since 1998, Canadian Women for Women in Afghanistan works in partnership with Afghan women and communities to advance human rights, gender equality, and peace-building through access to quality education for women and girls. The charity and non-profit engages Canadians as global citizens to work in solidarity with Afghans in order to raise awareness and create opportunities for women and girls to live with dignity, certainty, and purpose.
The Vancouver Podcast Festival, presented by DOXA, returns for a one-day, virtual experience on Saturday, November 20th. The focus for 2021 is on education in the form of workshops and panels, serving the local and national podcasting community. The conference-style day will feature two social/networking events, two masterclasses, and two roundtables.
One-day festival features acclaimed creators, hosts, and producers including Garvia Bailey, Nana aba Duncan, and Hannah Sung (Media Girlfriends), Liv Albert (Let’s Talk About Myths, Baby), Laura Palmer (Island Crime), and Paul Bae (The Black Tapes, The Big Loop).
“Our focus this year is on bringing together the local podcasting community, while also creating opportunities to learn from experienced podcasters across the country,” says Hannah McGregor, Vancouver Podcast Festival programming committee member. “We’ve all been craving connection, so we’re making sure everyone will have plenty of opportunities to interact with our fabulous presenters, and each other.”
Masterclass: Why We Started A Podcast Company In A Pandemic with Media Girlfriends
What does it mean to bet on yourself? That’s what Hannah Sung, Garvia Bailey, and Nana aba Duncan did when they started Media Girlfriends, a podcast production company led by women of colour working towards more inclusion, diversity and perspectives in media. Between the co-founders, they have half a century of award-winning journalism and storytelling excellence with CBC, The Globe and Mail, Hot Docs, The Walrus Lab, Huffington Post, MuchMusic, RBC, Historica Canada and more. This masterclass is a unique opportunity to hear Media Girlfriends discuss their origin story, share insights, and answer questions about radically reimagining new futures in media.
Masterclass: Building An Audience for Your Indie Podcast
With Liv Albert (Let’s Talk About Myths, Baby) and Laura Palmer (Island Crime). So you’ve started a podcast, and now you need to figure out how to build an audience. Learn about the approaches that actually work from BC-based indie podcasters Liv Albert and Laura Palmer, who have turned their passion projects into successful shows with massive fan-bases.
Panel: Podcasting Climate Change (free to the public)
The events of this summer (heat, fires, floods, storms) have brought home the reality of climate change like never before and the urgency to make media addressing the crisis couldn’t feel greater. But how do we talk about the climate emergency in ways that move us away from despair and disaster coverage? How can podcasts shift the conversation in ways the mainstream media cannot or refuses to do? How do we talk about climate justice, Indigenous sovereignty, and de-colonizing media? Hosted by Below The Radar’s Am Johal.
Panel: The Expanding Universe of Podcasting with Kelly&Kelly Adaptations of podcasts continue to explode — developing into scripts, movies, and digital series. We’ve watched the first waves of Hollywood adaptations (Homecoming, Dirty John, The Shrink Next Door) but what does development look like for our local podcasting scene? How is the world of IP development, podcast creation and adaptation evolving — and what should creators know? Join Kelly&Kelly’s Lauren Bercovitch and special guests Paul Bae and Allison Brough for an in-depth panel conversation.
For podcast creators, fans, businesses, and other attendees looking to connect further with the community, the Vancouver Podcast Festival will kick off the day-long program with a VanPodFest Virtual Welcome and end the day with the VanPodFest Virtual Happy Hour hosted by Hannah McGregor (Witch, Please and Secret Feminist Agenda) and Andrea Warner (Pop This!). These events will provide a fun online hangout opportunity for attendees and guests to get to know each other.
Chor Leoni Men’s Choir returns to live performance with Breathe in Hope, the ensemble’s 30th annual Remembrance Day concerts at the spectacularly renovated St. Andrew’s-Wesley United church in Downtown Vancouver.
Breathe in Hope offers a program full of beauty and consolation to all who have experienced loss. The emotion-packed program features six world premieres from the choir’s Composer-in-Residence Don Macdonald as well as from Katerina Gimon, Ken Cormier, Marques L.A. Garrett, Melissa Dunphy, Shruthi Rajasekar.
Chor Leoni photo by David Cooper
Chor Leoni Breathe in Hope
When: November 10 at 7:30pm and November 11 at 2:00pm and 7:30pm
Where: St. Andrew’s-Wesley United church (1022 Nelson St, Vancouver)
Chor Leoni’s most beloved tradition, singing for Remembrance Day, is also the choir’s longest. Chor Leoni’s very first concert commemorated the day and began a tradition of singing on Remembrance Day that has resonated across Canada.
“Remembrance Day contains opportunities for many types of reflection,” says Artistic Director Erick Lichte. “It offers a chance to not only contemplate wars and those who fought in them for our wellbeing, but also to consider the world each of us makes with our actions and attitudes. This year, as we all grieve the time, connection and lives lost in this pandemic, I wanted to create a musical offering which honours those lost in war as well as tend to some of the shared and unprocessed grief many of us are still holding in our hearts. I hope that with this concert, all who attend might breathe in hope and exhale some of the fear and pain of the past 19 months.”
Breathe in Hope will be the first public concerts in downtown Vancouver’s spectacularly renovated St. Andrew’s-Wesley, the choir’s new home. Completely revitalized with state of the art lighting and easily reached by transit, the light-filled venue boasts comfortable chair seating and is the perfect venue to enjoy Chor Leoni.
Chor Leoni adheres to all COVID Public Health Orders, including required masking and proof of double vaccination upon entry. Capacity is currently limited to 50 percent of the venue’s capacity, and a full list of Chor Leoni’s COVID protocols is available on the choir’s website. Full of soaring music, connection, and emotion, Chor Leoni’s Breathe in Hope offers an opportunity to reflect and remember as we commemorate Remembrance Day together.
Known internationally and loved locally, JUNO-nominated Chor Leoni is recognized as one of the vanguard male vocal ensembles in North America. Founded by the late choral luminary Diane Loomer and now led by Artistic Director Erick Lichte, Vancouver’s Singing Lions have enriched and transformed people’s lives through singing for thirty years. With stylistic grace and an adventurous spirit, Chor Leoni performs in many languages, styles and genres, always aiming to communicate, engage, and entertain.
Win Tickets
I have a pair of tickets to give away to the opening performance on November 10th. Here’s how you can enter to win:
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[clickToTweet tweet=”RT to enter to win tickets to @chorleoni’s return to live performance! Breathe in Hope is November 10 & 11 for Remembrance Day http://ow.ly/pImS50GxY5N” quote=” Click to enter via Twitter” theme=”style6″]
I will draw one winner at random from all entries on Monday, November 1, 2021 at 12:00pm. UPDATE The winner is Fiona!
