The Downtown Eastside continues to be a hotbed of arts in action, with many projects that give voice to our community’s talents and concerns, provide mentoring and training, and stimulate interest across Canada.
The Association of Chinese Canadians Equality and Solidarity Society (ACCESS) partnered with the DTES Community Arts Network to initiate the Fearless Film and Television Cluster and produced over 32 hours of programs on the trials and triumphs, news and views of DTES residents. ACCESS also partnered with the Heart of the City Festival to train DTES-involved youth in media skills and produce a TV special about the 2008 Festival.
The DTES Centre for the Arts, which provides programs for “the artist in everyone,” recently began their Fabric Arts Program—Community Quilt Project, Seniors’ Move It Program, and an Aboriginal Artists Showcase at the Chinatown Night Market.
Enterprising Women Making Art (EWMA) recently opened their new store at 802 E. Hastings where it offers handmade goods and visual arts from EWMA artisans. A program of Atira, EWMA provides a safe and supportive work space, educational programs, leadership training, mentorship, and a market for artwork by marginalized artisans in our community.
The Firehall Arts Centre provides on-going support for community acting classes, the Downtown Eastside Women’s Writing Group, and opportunities for local artists to show their work at the annual BC Buds Spring Arts Fair.
Over the years, Gallery Gachet has striven for artistic excellence, maintained its socially driven mandate, and supported marginalized artists in their artistic growth with programs like Out of the Rain and Mad Pride. Now with new staff, new vigour, new paint, new shows, they’re presenting workshops, art classes and…loud dance parties!
The St. James’ Music Academy, which provides free music education programs for low income Downtown Eastside youth, had their first public performance at last spring’s Japantown Multicultural Neighbourhood Celebration. The Academy continues St. James’ Church’s 125 year tradition of excellence in music and commitment to the neighbourhood.
Based at Oppenheimer Park, the Powell Street Festival is the longest running community arts festival in the Lower Mainland and has just celebrated its 33rd Anniversary. The festival has often supported artists whose work is centred on the DTES/Japantown community. One such artist is Leslie Komori (taiko drummer and visual artist) whose Lemon Creek Map Project, now on display at the National Nikkei Museum in Burnaby, elicits memories of the internment years.
The W2 Community Media Arts Society operated out of the Flack Block launch pad in 2009 and are producing residencies and workshops as they prepare to open their 8,800 square foot community hub at Woodwards in January 2010.
urban ink productions, in collaboration with the Firehall Arts Centre and the DTES Women’s Centre, re-developed the Downtown Eastside Women’s Writing Group to mentor a new group of emerging writers. The group premiered the multi-media VANISHING: Letters from the Downtown Eastside at the BC Buds Spring Arts Fair, and collaborate with the Aboriginal dance group Raven Spirit at this year’s Festival.
Vancouver Moving Theatre continues to build on a network with national community play producers and partners with Toronto’s Jumblies Theatre to produce the Downtown Eastside Arts4All Institute. This intensive course has been developed in response to increasing demand from local, BC and national artists for apprenticeship, mentoring, training and professional development in community art practice.
The Carnegie Community Action Project is working with DTES residents to develop a spoof on the “real” Olympics. Keep your eye out for mascots Itchy the Bedbug and Creepy the Cockroach, and the message: end poverty “it’s not a game”.
