The Newsletter of the English-Language Arts Network
Director's Message
ELAN's second Annual General Meeting brought together almost 200 members for a lively afternoon of activities at the Kola Note on Parc Ave. The afternoon began with an overview of ELAN's website, demonstrating how the many features interact, and urging members who still haven't sent in their bios or showcase items to do so. Don't be shy! For a summary of how it works, go to the website section About ELAN—Using ELAN Online.
ELAN devoted its first year to building a strong website. The goal for Year Two is to move ELAN from a web-based network to a people-based network. During the course of the past year, many members contacted ELAN suggesting ways they would like to get involved. To begin the process of channelling the ideas and energy of ELAN members, AGM participants broke up into four Action Groups for a brainstorming session. The Action Groups were: Professional Development, PR, Outreach, and Social Events. At the end of 90 minutes, the four Action Groups reported dozens of ideas ranging from simple and practical to elaborate and whimsical. The Action Groups will begin meeting on a regular basis in the New Year. All members are invited to participate and we will keep you posted on where they are meeting and what they are working on.
The formal part of the AGM began with Yvan Gauthier, head of CALQ, addressing ELAN members. During its first decade of operation CALQ has developed policies to ensure fair representation for English-Language artists. The statistics clearly demonstrate that these policies are bearing fruit.
The three major items on the agenda for the AGM business meeting were:
- change the by-laws to create an Advisory Board. (Motion passed)
- change the by-laws to create a standing committee for Advocacy (Motion passed. See report below).
- elect a board of directors. (The slate was unanimously acclaimed. See the list of board members in the website section About ELAN—Board and Staff)
The AGM concluded with a party: entertainment provided by a sound-track of music from Anglo-Quebecois artists and live performance from ELAN members. The general consensus from the AGM was that we need to get together more often than once a year. The new Action Groups will ensure that we do just that, which will strengthen our community and ensure that ELAN becomes a people-based network.
back to topWhat's New?
New Board Members
For the sake of continuity, ELAN board members serve two-year terms. Most of the board stood for re-election this year because they were only half-way through their mandate. Two new board members were elected to replace members who had to retire due to other commitments. ELAN is pleased to welcome: Anna Fuerstenberg (Theatre), well known playwright, performer and arts activist, and Dimitri Nasrallah (Writing), novelist and cultural journalist. (See the full list of board members in the website section About ELAN—Board and Staff)
Next year, a number of board members will have completed their two-year terms so ELAN's nominating committee will be seeking candidates to replace them. If you are interested in serving on the board or know someone who would make a good candidate, please contact the nominating committee.
ASK (Arts Services Kit)
The four employees of the Arts Services Kit (ASK) project have been busily contacting service providers and the data bank is starting to fill up with translators, web designers, accountants, financial planners, entertainment lawyers and many other valuable services specifically relevant to artists. A sample of Service Providers is now on display. (See the Arts Services Kit section of the website.) The full Arts Services Kit—including more than 200 service providers, info on 150 arts organisations which provide a wide array of support services, and info on sources of grants and funding—will be put on-line in the New Year.
Action Groups
Four Action Groups were created at the ELAN's 2006 AGM.
- A Professional Development Group to plan and organize workshops/seminars.
- A PR Group to look at ways to create opportunities for promoting artists, events and venues.
- An Outreach Group to make contact with potential allies like the Education sector and to increase dialogue with francophone colleagues.
- A Social Events Group to organize activities purely on a social, schmoozing networking basis.
If you could not attend the AGM and want to be on the email list for one or more of these groups, please send an email to admin@quebec-elan.org with "Action Group" in the subject line.
Advocacy Committee
Many members have asked what ELAN is doing about federal cuts in funding to the arts, museums and literacy. This is a complex issue that affects many people. ELAN's by-laws were altered at the AGM to create a standing committee on Advocacy. If you wish to participate, or want to be kept informed of its activities, please send an email to admin@quebec-elan.org with "Advocacy" in the subject line.
New Site Functionality
Beginning Dec. 1 professional members will have the opportunity to edit their own bios and update their showcases. Passwords will be sent via email that will allow these members to log in to the ELAN website. You'll find the link under the main navigation list on the left-hand side of each page.
Visit the Using ELAN Online page for more information about how to use this new functionality.
back to topOpportunities for Artists
Calls for Submissions
Art Gallery Accepting Submissions
Editions Mouton Rose Galerie d'art du Quebec in Ormstown is accepting submissions for their 2007 season from professional artists, both established and emerging. Of special interest are works in oil, acrylic, and mixed media; due to space limitations the gallery is unable to accommodate sculpture, video, or installation pieces at this time.
To submit, send an e-mail to clifcaron@bellnet.ca (with "Gallery Submission" in the subject line) with your artist bio or mission statement and two to three .jpg images of your current work. All submissions will be acknowledged. For more information, contact the gallery at (450) 829-3000.
Artisans' Products Wanted for Gift Shop
A new gift shop specializing in the work of Quebec artisans is searching for professional artists with products available immediately. Textiles, toys, gift items, woodworking, pottery, weaving (almost anything created by professional artisans in Quebec) will be considered.
Please E-mail a link to your website if your work is available for viewing online, or send an email to janecaron@bellnet.ca (with "Artisan Submission" in the subject line) with a description of your work, .jpg images, and wholesale/retail prices. For more information, contact Jane at (450) 829-3000.
"Common Magic" Conference—Call for Papers
"Common Magic—The Legacy of Bronwen Wallace" is an interdisciplinary activist/academic conference planned for March 2008 that will celebrate and explore the continued influence of Bronwen Wallace (1945–1989), one of Canada's most important poets, feminist thinkers, essayists, and activists.
The Women's Studies Department of Queen's University is inviting proposals for individual papers, panels, round-tables, poetry and literary readings, performance pieces, etc., that relate to Wallace's work. Submissions must be received by January 15, 2007, and must include a 150-word abstract, short CV, and list of recent positions and publications. Send submissions to:
Common Magic
Women's Studies Department
Queen's University
Kingston, ON K7L 3N6
Phone: (613) 533-6318
Fax: (613) 533-2824
E-mail: common.magic@queensu.ca
Commonwealth Photographic Awards
Entries are now being invited for the 2006/7 Commonwealth Photographic Awards organized by the Commonwealth Press Union (CPU).
The overall theme for the Awards this year is 'Achievement'. This is an open competition for all Commonwealth residents. The photographs will be judged on the interpretation of the theme as well as technical quality.
The overall winner of the Commonwealth Photographic Awards will receive £1000 sterling, and further prizes will be awarded to the regional winners. There will also be several exhibitions taking place in Commonwealth cities and featuring the winning images. The first will be in London in March 2007.
The CPU is an association whose membership includes over 1,500 newspapers and news agencies. It aims to monitor and oppose any measures or proposals likely to affect the freedom of the press; work to improve facilities for reporting and transmitting news; and promote the training of all involved in the Commonwealth's press.
The final deadline is Wednesday 17 January 2007. To see rules, criteria and the full details on the Awards, plus winning photographs from previous years, please visit www.cpu.org.uk and click on the picture link.
Enbridge playRites Festival Seeks New Canadian Plays
Under the direction of the Enbridge playRites Awards, Alberta Theatre Projects (ATP) will award two cash prizes (one to an established Canadian playwright and one to an emerging Canadian playwright) during the 21st Annual Enbridge playRites Festival of New Canadian Plays. The purpose of these awards is to contribute to the development of a new Canadian play.
Submissions are welcome at any time. The Enbridge playRites committee accepts full-length scripts for submission only when they are recommended by a play development organization, director, dramaturge, agent or theatre, or sent by writers with whose work they are familiar. The recommendation can be in the form of a letter, E-mail, or phone call.
For all other submissions, please send a sample package that includes a cover letter describing the play, where you feel it is in its development, any future plans, some information about you, and the first ten pages of your script to:
Amy Lynn Strilchuk, Assistant Dramaturge
Alberta Theatre Projects
#220-9th Ave. SE
Calgary, AB T2G 5C4
For more information, contact:
(403) 294-7475 ext. 1109
amylynnstrilchuk@ATPlive.com
Or visit the ATP's website: www.atplive.com/play_development.html
FemFest—Call for Submissions by Female Canadian Playwrights
Sarasvati Productions' fifth annual FemFest will take place in late October 2007 in Winnipeg. FemFest is currently seeking submissions of scripts, proposals, works in progress, or finished productions written by female Canadian playwrights. The maximum running time for submissions is one hour, and technical and set requirements must be minimal (due to festival setting). A reading committee will assess submissions for their individual quality and contribution to a balanced festival program.
Deadline for entries is December 15, 2006 (postmarked). For entry and submission guidelines, please see Sarasvati's website (www.sarasvati.ca) or contact:
FemFest 2007
Sarasvati Productions
242 Catherdral Ave.
Winnepeg, MB 2PW 0X3
(204) 586-2236
info@sarasvati.ca
Fleurs du Mal Magazine—Call for Submissions
Les Fleurs du Mal (LFDM) is a biannual, bilingual, volunteer-run publication that bridges the gap between emerging and professional artists and reaches out to community at large. LFDM is currently seeking submissions of well-researched articles, interviews, analytical pieces, reviews, artist profiles, and letters to the editor for their next issue. They are also seeking artwork such as photographs, illustrations, and comics (in colour or b/w) for publication.
Submissions can be sent to lesfleursdumal.magazine@gmail.com. The deadline is January 19, 2007.
Film Scripts Wanted
An independent, Vancouver-based production company is actively soliciting scripts for feature-length films. Innovative Productions are looking for scripts that are unique and not formulaic, but still have commercial potential; they are not interested in producing slow, "art house" films. Any genre of film (except for horror or romance) is welcome. If you have a script or an idea for a script that fits these criteria, please send it, along with a brief treatment (no more than one page) to:
Innovative Productions
301-1376 West 14th Ave.
Vancouver, BC V6H 1R1
or E-mail scripts to: innovative.productions@hotmail.com
Herman Voaden National Playwriting Competition
The late Herman Voaden was a Canadian playwright, director, and theatrical innovator. The competition's aims are "to develop a distinctively Canadian art of theatre" and "encourage the writing of Canadian drama."
There are ten awards available: First Prize ($3000), Second Prize ($2000), and eight Honourable Mentions. The two winning plays each receive a one-week workshop and public reading with a professional director and cast. Honourable Mentions receive a written critique from the judges.
Entries must be full-length plays in English. Entry guidelines and submission procedures are available on-line at www.queensu.ca/drama/voaden/Voaden.htm. The deadline for entries is January 31, 2007 (postmarked). For more information, contact the Queen's University Department of Drama:
Herman Voaden National Playwriting Competition
Department of Drama, Queen's University
Kingston, ON K7L 3N6
Phone: (613) 533-2104
E-mail: drama@queensu.ca
Employment Opportunities
Managing Director—Margie Gillis Dance Foundation
The Margie Gillis Dance Foundation, a non-profit organization created to support the artistic works of dancer-choreographer, Margie Gillis, by producing, promoting and disseminating her performances to audiences in Quebec, Canada and throughout the world—seeks to fill the full-time position of Managing Director.
Interested parties can obtain a detailed job posting by contacting info@margiegillis.org. The position commences in February, 2007. The application deadline is december 15, 2006. No phone calls please.
Writer-in-Residence (Toronto)
The Toronto District School Board's "Now Hear This!" program is an outreach program that runs writing workshops for community organizations, literacy groups, and at-risk youth in and around Toronto. "Now Hear This!" is currently seeking ten writers to join the SWAT (Students, Writers, and Teachers) program for the 2007 winter semester.
SWAT writers are placed in secondary schools in Toronto and, together with teachers, develop and facilitate writing workshops based on course curricula. SWAT writers must be professional writers who have experience teaching and/or working with children and youth. The remuneration is $2,250 for the total contract (12 weeks in-school, roughly 4 hours per week plus administration). For more information, or to download the application form, please visit www.nowhearthis.ca/swat2.php
Send application form, cover letter, resume, and references by December 15, 2006 to:
Pash Malla, Program Coordinator
Now Hear This!
Re: SWAT Residency Application
c/o Descant
50 Baldwin Street
Toronto, ON M5T 1L4
(Faxed or E-mailed applications will not be accepted)
Member News
Want to know what your fellow ELAN members are up to? This month, we have info about the following members:
Luca Di Gioacchino
Luca has completed his first short film entitled "Solipsist". It was shot in one day for next to nothing, and may be viewed at: video.google.ca/videoplay?docid=1399967186082610076 or www.ifilm.com/ifilmdetail/2670993
Barbara Florio Graham
An old humor article by Barbara Florio Graham has been published in a new book, Funny Bone Fitness. Guideposts Books paid $250 for one-time rights for this piece, which had already been published many times over the years. There was no contact info on the article, but the editor found Bobbi via her website: www.SimonTeakettle.com.
Shawn Mativetsky
Percussionist Shawn Mativetsky recently returned from some shows on the road. His Trio KALI performed at the Percussive Arts Society International Convention, which is the world's largest gathering of percussionists in the world. This year, the event drew 7000 percussionists to Austin, Texas from November 8 to November 11. Trio Kali's performance opened the event and was met with great audience enthusiasm. As part of violinist Parmela Attariwala's Attar Project, Shawn recently completed a small tour of BC with performances in the greater Vancouver area. Combining new music composition and choreography from both the Western and Indian classical music traditions, the Attar Project is attracting attention in both music and dance.
back to topWorkshops & Seminars
YES Workshops
Accounting: Practical Steps to Keeping Your Records Straight—Dec. 4
Whether you're starting a business or working as an independent artist, keeping track of your transactions is crucial. Meet the accountant and learn how to set up your accounting system: which records to keep, which files to set up and how to manage your cash flow. Cost: $15
Grants & Loans Information Session—Dec. 13
Cost: FREE
Are you an artist wondering what grants are out there? Are you a young entrepreneur looking to start a business? Come to our session, which gives an overview of the grants and loans available.
Legal Information Clinic—By appointment
YES invites you to take advantage of our free legal information clinic for entrepreneurs. Our legal information officer is available to provide information and to answer questions on business issues such as business structures, contract law, taxation or intellectual property. To book an appointment, a $20 refundable deposit is required.
For information regarding any of these sessions, or to register, call: 514-878-9788 ext. 313, or visit www.yesmonteal.ca.
back to topELAN Classifieds
Artist's Business Guides for Sale
Business Skills for Creative Souls: The Montreal Artist's Handbook
This handy guide, published by YES, includes tips based on interviews with over 50 local artistic celebrities, including Steve Galluccio (Author/Playwright), Josée Nadeau (Internationally Renowned Painter), Jamie Elman (Actor) and Lorraine Klaasen (Singer). Topics covered include marketing, accounting, law, employment and business basics, and funding for artists. The handbook also includes a resource listing of over 75 non-profit organizations that provide support for artists, including organizations that offer funding programs. Cost 19.95$. Available at YES or by calling (514) 878-9788 ext. 313.
Rhyming Poet Seeks Opportunities to Perform
Good day! My name is Christopher G. Warren. I am a spontaneous rhyming poet in Montreal who is looking to perform, particularly at an open mic, during the intermission of a poetry reading, a theatre production, a musical evening etc. My "work" consists of no more than 5–10 minute pieces, ideal for a short opening of an act, between acts, or hey, how about the main act. If you know of any such opportunities, or are looking for a poet to highlight or complement a night, please don't hesitate to contact me at poetinaction222@hotmail.com. Thanks very much for your help, Christopher G.
Studio to Share
We have a studio for rent!
Share 400 sq.ft. with a painter; 200 sq. ft. on the ground floor, with 13-foot walls and lots of north light. $181.50 plus heat, starting December 1st.
'WE' are the The Long Haul artists' collective and sometime exhibition space. In addition to quality workspaces, including common washrooms and kitchen/cleanup area, we offer membership in a diverse community of artists and craftspeople that has survived for more than half a decade. Join us! We are located at 454/450 Beaumont ave, in Parc Extension (near metro Parc and bus#80).
Please contact:
The Long Haul
tel: (514) 948-0227
email: vanessayanow@gmail.com
website: vanessayanow.com
Studio Wanted
I am a fine art photographer looking for someone with whom to share a studio darkroom. I have all the equipment. I would be prepared to pay $5.00 a foot for space. Or, do you know of a building at that price? Please contact cytrynbaum@sympatico.ca.
Used Books Wanted
We buy your used hardcover books, and softcover non-fiction books by the box. Please send email to clifcaron@bellnet.ca or call 450-829-3000 for information and pick-up.
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