We’re back to a virtual event list! While we need to avoid social gatherings in the hopes of getting a handle on our COVID cases, our creative arts and events community has moved programming online for our viewing pleasure. Here’s what you can tune into online this weekend (or stroll by if you happen to be in the West End…)
Imagine Van Gogh, theoriginal immersive exhibition from Europe featuring more than 200 of the Dutch artist’s paintings, is coming to Vancouver in February March 2021 to the award-winning Vancouver Convention Centre.
Imagine Van Gogh. Photo by Laurence Labat
Imagine Van Gogh is Coming to Vancouver
Tickets go on sale Friday, January 15 at 9:00am PST
Imagine Van Gogh has sold more than 300,000 tickets in Canada this year in Montreal, Quebec City, and in Winnipeg and is now ready to debut in Vancouver.
With the safety of guests, employees and the community as the highest priority, Imagine Van Gogh will open in February March 2021 in accordance with the public health guidelines in British Columbia.
Created by French Artistic Directors Annabelle Mauger and Julien Baron, famous for their immersive exhibits Cathédrale d’Images in Les Baux-de-Provence, Imagine Van Gogh was presented first by Encore Productions in France, where it amazed audiences with its grandiose and immersive concept of Total Image; the viewer is literally transported on a journey to the heart of the artist’s work. The exhibit brings Van Gogh’s canvases to life in a vivid, spectacular way: the audience will literally enter the artist’s world of dreams.
“Original canvasses are expanded and fragmented, then projected into unusual shapes to emphasize the mesmerizing exaggerations and distortions of Van Gogh’s work. Visitors experience their energy, emotion, and beauty like never before,” says Annabelle Mauger.
During its first Canadian stops in Montreal and Quebec City, the unique Imagine Van Gogh exhibition received widespread praise. Before closing in March, Montreal received close to 200,000 visitors and thereafter 75,000 in Quebec City this past summer – during a pandemic! The presentation is currently underway in Winnipeg and has now been extended to the end of December due to incredible demand despite limitations around COVID-19.
Imagine Van Gogh. Photo by Laurence Labat
Paquin Entertainment Group and Tandem Expositions, in conjunction with Encore Productions (France) are excited to bring this spectacular production to Vancouver for the very first time. Like Montreal, Quebec City, and Winnipeg the show is sure to be an exceptional success and the highlight of the 2021 arts season on the West Coast.
One of the many, many reasons I love this community is that so many people do what they can, in their own unique way to support local causes. I received a note about this event and I just had to share: The 10th annual Fishermen Helping Kids with Cancer Herring Sale is happening December 5th.
Fishermen Helping Kids with Cancer Herring Sale
How it Works:Order online and book your time slot for pick-up on December 5, 2020 — there are just four time slots left at time of publishing.
Pacific herring have soft, off-white flesh with high oil content which offers a wonderful full flavour and lends itself perfectly to many preparations including pickling, smoking, canning and salting.
About FHKWC
The spark for Fishermen Helping Kids with Cancer (“FHKWC”) was the inspirational daughter of a BC commercial fisherman. Moved by her steadfast three year battle with cancer, a fellow fisherman came up with the idea of the BC commercial fishing industry holding a herring sale to help all kids with cancer. Though she helped in the planning, our inspiration died at the age of 17, just a few days before the inaugural herring sale in 2011.
The core founding principle of FHKWC is that 100% of the money is for the kids. So far, FHKWC has raised $650,000. Spending may include money for special food at Christmas; maintaining the video game, book and movie libraries; welcome kits for newly diagnosed patients; and other items or activities normally outside of the hospital budget. On occasion, FHKWC may fund a small capital cost that will directly improve the comfort of kids with cancer. They purchased, for example, a vein finder for testing purposes to see whether it would help reduce the number of times that kids are poked with needles.
Book your herring purchase and pick-up, or you can make a straight-up donation to FHKWC online here. There is also a sale in Victoria on the same weekend, details are on Facebook.
Back in 2009, before “Influencer Marketing” was even a thing, Jen from Cheeky Umbrellas reached out to me – a little local blog – to see if I would write about their product. Eleven years later and I am STILL using the same Cheeky Umbrella, which says a lot given the amount of rainfall we received, and my affinity for walks in said rainfall.
Cheeky Umbrellas
The product line sure has expanded since 2009, they now have a custom collection too with digital prints, even patio umbrellas and shade solutions. In the shop you’ll find their tried and true models, with fashionable designs (they sent me a “Canadian” recently to expand my collection) and a reflective trim option.
Features
Strong, rust-resistant frames: All the umbrellas in our retail collection use fiberglass for the ribs, making them superior in strength and wind-resistance, as well as completely rustproof.
Beautiful designs: Each umbrella has a unique style, design and/or fabric that makes it stand out in a crowd.
Generous warranty: Each product is backed with a one-year no-hassle warranty and a lifetime service guarantee, offering you repair services wherever possible, and when not repairable, offering a discount off a new umbrella.
Supporting mental health: 5% of each purchase is donated to local mental health initiatives, in hopes of helping others find a brighter perspective during the “rainy days” of their lives.
Shipping in Canada for orders under $75 is $9.95. Shipping for orders over $75 is free.
Our 2009 Cheeky has been so great but I love the improvements in design, including these caps on the tips of the frame aka “no eye poking”. Connect with the company on Facebook and Instagram for more info.
Giveaway
I have a Cheeky Umbrella to give away, which the winner can order from the shop for delivery. Here’s how you can enter to win:
In an incredible act of kindness and philanthropy, Ryan Reynolds and Blake Lively are donating $250,000 to Covenant House Vancouver and $250,000 to Covenant House Toronto to support homeless, at risk, and trafficked youth across the nation.
Ryan Reynolds and Blake Lively Match Campaign for Covenant House Vancouver
Ryan Reynolds has been a long-time friend to Covenant House and truly believes in supporting vulnerable young people. He has chosen to use his donation as a special matching gift to encourage others to donate to Covenant House.
“Covenant House provides love, hope and stability for at-risk youth who’ve fled physical, emotional and sexual abuse,” says Ryan.
“They do the work of heroes. For us, helping Covenant House this way isn’t a donation, but an investment in compassion and empathy. Something the world needs more of. The young people who pass through the doors of Covenant House more often than not have a story marked by extraordinary trauma. They are so much more than that trauma. They have so much to offer the world. Matching this gift is saying you believe in them. You believe in the power of compassion to transform the trajectory of a human being.”
The Georgia Straight just named Reynolds the “Darndest Vancouver-Bred Do-Gooder During the Pandemic” in their annual Best of Vancouver issue, for his and Blake’s many random acts of kindness this year: From donating 300 parkas and other gear to students at Inuujaq School in Arctic Bay, to providing a public-service message about COVID-19 to reach young adults in BC, to organizing a BIPOC trainee program for a Netflix film that he’s filming in Vancouver, and donating $10,000 to the Canadian Professional Bartenders Association. They also donated $1 million to food banks in Canada and the United States (and $5,000 to my own Food Bank Fundraiser in April).
What This Means to Covenant House
COVID-19 has presented Covenant House with new and evolving challenges, and the organization continues to provide essential services to youth experiencing homelessness.
The pandemic has impacted every youth in profound ways, but exactly how depends very much on their own individual circumstances. Job losses, increased anxiety, and the Opioid Crisis are just a few of the challenges youth are facing.
