1 Tribute to Carnegie’s 40th Anniversary, featuring special guest Libby Davies

Join us in paying tribute to the most extraordinary community centre in Canada! The opening of the Carnegie in 1980 was a transformative event in the history of the Downtown Eastside. Libby Davies, along with Bruce Eriksen and DERA (Downtown Eastside Residents’ Association), was front and centre in the community-led initiative to establish the Carnegie Community Centre. Libby will read selections from her book Outside In, A Political Memoir, and in conversation with Am Johal, recount stories of why and how the Centre was established. As Libby says: “Opening day of Carnegie was quite the drama.” Tell us more!

Wednesday October 28, 7:30pm
Interactive livestream with pre-recorded segments
Register (to participate in this Zoom event and to receive email reminders)

2 Workshop with Libby Davies: How to use the Political Structure to Make Change

The Festival is thrilled to present this wonderful opportunity to learn from Libby Davies - writer, activist, community builder, organizer, and longtime Member of Parliament for Vancouver East. Libby says, “Supporting and learning from each other to bring about transformative change means getting beyond the cynical views we are often influenced by, about the world of politics. We know what we want, but how do we navigate the political institutions to get it?" In this online workshop you will explore the question “what can I do?” and come up with one idea for action.

Thursday October 29, 11am
Interactive livestream. Maximum 15 participants
Register (required)

3 The Art of Water Sleeves
燕鳳鳴粵劇團 / 鳳舞雲裳

Vancouver Cantonese Opera presents The Art of Water Sleeves, a virtual opera party with live performance and interactive water sleeve lesson led by performer Rosa Cheng. As a dynamic stage technique, water sleeves are used to convey emotions using hundreds of moves such as quivering, throwing, wigwagging, and whisking. Bilingual – in English and Cantonese.

這個頻道是 燕鳳鳴粵劇團 在演出前的化粧、戲服穿戴及各種幕後花絮剪影。此外、 燕鳳鳴粵劇團 藝術總監兼台柱花旦應國鳳亦親自示範粵劇基本做手及水袖運用等程式。這個免費的老少咸宜的合家歡頻道；希望能夠提高觀眾欣賞粵劇的認識和興趣。（英語和粵語)

Thursday October 29, 2pm – 3:30pm
10月29日, 下午2時至3:30時
Interactive livestream
Register (to participate in this Zoom event and to receive email reminders)

4 An Evening with Dalannah Gail Bowen: Looking Back & The Returning Journey

Featuring longtime Downtown Eastside resident, blues matriarch, and Blues Hall of Fame Inductee Dalannah Gail Bowen. The DTES community is very proud of Dalannah, both for her exceptional artistic practice, and for her commitment to activism, social justice and community building. This evening features two sets. The first set, Looking Back, features Dalannah and her exceptional band performing songs from her recent CD Looking Back. The second set, Songs & Poems from The Returning Journey, features Dalannah and pianist Michael Creber performing songs and poetry that recount Dalannah’s journey in which she overcame child-abuse, addiction and homelessness to arrive at a place of becoming whole.

Thursday October 29, 7pm
Pre-recorded at KW Studios and Firehall Arts Centre, presented online, followed by live Q&A with Dalannah
Register (to participate in this Zoom event and to receive email reminders)

5 Grounds for Goodness Downtown Eastside: Adventures in Digital Community Art Making

Grounds for Goodness Downtown Eastside is a virtual residency that artfully explores why and how people sometimes do good things towards others. We’ve all grown up with and inherited evidence that people, especially in groups, do harmful things to each other. But what about times that people have come together to help, protect and rescue others from harm? These stories are there if we look – hidden in history, tale and memory – showing that social goodness may be difficult, rare and fragile, yet possible. The Jumblies artistic team in Toronto (including lead artist Ruth Howard and composer Martin van de Ven) are joined by Vancouver artists Savannah Walling, Olivia C. Davies, Beverly Dobrinsky, Khari Wendell McClelland, Renae Morriseau, Rianne Svelnis, and ten Downtown Eastside-involved participants. The public is invited to take part via multiple online events. Stay tuned for details.

Ground for Goodness is a national project produced by Jumblies Theatre + Arts. Grounds for Goodness Downtown Eastside is co-produced with Vancouver Moving Theatre.

Friday October 30 to Thursday November 12
Live stream with participant and audience interactive (story-sharing, art-making, workshops, evolving gallery), as well as Downtown Eastside window displays
Visit schedule page to register for events

6 Survivors Totem Pole

In 2016, the Survivors Totem Pole was carved by Downtown Eastside resident and activist Skundaal Bernie Williams, then raised at Pigeon Park in a powerful pole raising and potlatch witnessing ceremony attended by Elders, VIPs and over 1,000 residents. This moving film by local filmmaker Susanne Tabata follows the extraordinary community-led journey to create and raise a monument to survivors: a tribute to the enduring inclusivity, strength, resistance and persistence of the Downtown Eastside community.

Friday October 30, 7pm
Existing film, presented online, followed by live Q&A with Susanne and Skundaal
Register (to participate in this Zoom event and to receive email reminders)

7 DTES Front & Centre Showcase:
All Together Now!

It’s All Hallows’ Eve! And it’s also time for a big celebration of the talented community performers of the Downtown Eastside in our annual DTES Front & Centre Showcase. It’s a tradition! In this time of uncertainty and self-isolation, the Festival has invited a wide variety of local performers to come together to share their stories and songs with the community and the wider world. This gives us strength; we’re all together! Enjoy performances from some of our favourite musicians, storytellers, dancers, poets, writers, singers, actors, and spoken word artists who live and create in the Downtown Eastside.

Saturday October 31, 7pm
Pre-recorded at the Firehall Arts Centre, presented online
Register (to receive email reminders)

8 Spotlight on the East End

Spotlight profiles the compelling creativity and strength of Vancouver’s Downtown Eastside-involved artists and residents who illuminate the vitality, relevance and resilience of our neighbourhood and its rich traditions, cultural roots and music. Curated by Festival Artist-in-Residence Khari Wendell McClelland (Sojourners/Freedom Singer), Spotlight on the East End features five culturally diverse and exceptionally talented artists and groups: soul and gospel musician Khari Wendell McClelland and his band, interdisciplinary musician Rup Sidhu, art-folk musician Hannah Walker with friends, Shon Wong with friends, and klezmer-punk accordionist Geoff Berner.

Friday October 30, 8:30pm
Pre-recorded at the Afterlife Studio, presented online
Register (to receive email reminders)

9 we the same

A reading of scenes from a new play by Sangeeta Wylie, with Vietnamese danh tranh music, and guest speakers between scenes. Produced by Ruby Slippers, we the same is inspired by the true story of a mother with six young children separated from their father. Fleeing Vietnam in 1979, the mother and her children endured pirate attacks, typhoons, shipwreck, starvation and more.  After over forty years of secrets, is reconciliation possible between a mother and her daughter? For ages 18 and up.

Monday November 2, 8pm
Pre-recorded at the Firehall Arts Centre, presented online, followed by live Q&A with the artistic team
Register (to participate in this Zoom event and to receive email reminders)

10 My Art is Activism, Part II

Long time DTES documentarian and organizer Sid Chow Tan shares selections from his extensive archive of self-produced video journalism. Sid’s choices of videos will highlight Asian Canadian social movements and direct action in Chinatown and in particular redress for the Chinese head tax.

Tuesday November 3, 3pm
Existing videos, presented online, followed by live Q&A with Sid
Register (to participate in this Zoom event and to receive email reminders)