Yes, art is a creative process – but if you’re trying to make a living at it, it’s also a business, and it doesn’t necessarily come naturally.
The Arts Council of New Westminster, 100 Braid Street Studios and the New Westminster Chamber of Commerce are teaming up to present a professional development series for artists and creatives to help them integrate business, marketing and sales knowledge into their creative lives.
The Artovations series kicks off on Thursday, March 10 with artist April Lacheur speaking on Getting Your Art Out There. Lacheur will look at ways for artists to gain exposure and the importance of building an “artist brand,” with a Q-and-A session to follow the presentation.
Tickets are $25 (with discounts for members of the arts council and the chamber of commerce). Pre-register at www.100braidststudios.com, under Classes. See www.artscouncilnewwest.org for more information.Calling all moms who are crafters and artisans.
MAKER MOMS WANTED
New West Craft is searching for “maker moms” to take part in its next Made by Mom Market, Saturday, April 2 at River Market.
The market will feature 25 vendors offering up handmade items – kids’ and baby items, jewelry, fashion, art, toys, gifts and more.
Email [email protected] for more information.
PLAY WITH WORDS
Love writing but find yourself getting a little stuck sometimes? Get out to the Royal City Literary Arts Society’s Wordplay group and free your creative mind.
The free writing prompt group runs monthly on the first Thursday of each month. The next meeting, led by facilitator Alan Girling, is on Thursday, March 3 from 7 to 9 p.m. at the Network Hub, upstairs at River Market.
It’s not a critique group – just bring along your paper and writing tools and have some fun.
See www.rclas.com for more.
ARTS VOLUNTEERS WANTED
Love the arts? Want to lend a helping hand in your community?
The Arts Council of New Westminster has an ongoing call out for volunteers to help in a variety of programs and projects, including ArtsToGo, New West Craft, social media, various committees (fundraising, membership, marketing), as well as people to serve as office and research assistants.
Check out www.artscouncilnewwest.org/membership.volunteer/ for all the details and an online application form.
ACTORS IN DOGFIGHT
Two New West actors are taking to the stage in a new musical at Pacific Theatre.
Semper Fi Collective is presenting Dogfight for five performances, March 16 to 19.
The rock-folk musical is based on the 1991 film starring River Phoenix and Lili Taylor, in which a group of marines compete to see who can bring the “ugliest” date to a party – and, of course, one of them begins to fall for the date in question.
Appearing in the ensemble are two local actors: Lissa Neptuno and Ray Boulay.
Neptuno is a film and TV actor who’s also been seen in such theatre productions as Meat Loaf Jesus at the Vancouver Fringe Festival and Tempus Theatre’s 36 Views.
Boulay, a self-described “late bloomer” in the world of acting who’s chosen to enter the entertainment industry later in life, was most recently seen as Judas in Fighting Chance Productions’ Jesus Christ Superstar.
Dogfight is onstage nightly at 8 p.m., with a Saturday matinee at 2 p.m. Tickets for the show are $25. Email [email protected], buy through pacifictheatre.org.
Follow @dogfightvan2016 on Twitter for more.
CULTURAL CRAWL SEEKS ARTISTS AND VOLUNTEERS
Artists, take note: The 13th annual New Westminster Cultural Crawl is looking for artists, venues and volunteers interested in taking part in this year’s event.
The Cultural Crawl, which is set for Aug. 13 and 14, is a two-day celebration of the arts that people a chance to take a self-guided tour of city galleries and artist studios, with both individual and group participants. It’s presented by the Van Dop Gallery in partnership with the Arts Council of New Westminster and features more than 25 venues, 60 featured artists and more than 3,000 visitors.
You can email [email protected] or see www.newwestculturalcrawl.com if you’re interested in taking part – and don’t delay too long; the deadline is March 31.
Do you have an item for Lively City? Send arts and entertainment ideas to Julie, [email protected], or find her on Twitter, @juliemaclellan.
