Arts & Design

Accessible Art: Meet Amy and Lucky

In 2020, with support from the Disability Alliance British Columbia's Accessibility Project, the Salt Spring Arts Council is delivering a year-long Accessible Art Therapy project to provide access to art therapy to members of our community with disabilities. Lead by Artist Stefanie Denz and supported by Talia Peckel, we are proud to work with local organizations G.I.F.T.S., Friends and Choices, as well as with Meadowbrook. Beyond individually and group tailored explorations utilizing the arts, the project also aims to bring visibility to Salt Spring people with disabilities. Project participants' work is on display as part of 'creative expressions' until August 3, in the Mahon Hall Annex Gallery. Meet Lucky:

Lucky started painting after recovering from his 4th open heart surgery in November 2016. He chose to embrace his recovery by expressing his emotions through Abstract painting. He was encouraged by his support staff at…

Accessible Art: Meet Pam and Steve

In 2020, with support from the Disability Alliance British Columbia's Accessibility Project, the Salt Spring Arts Council is delivering a year-long Accessible Art Therapy project to provide access to art therapy for members of our community with disabilities. Lead by Artist Stefanie Denz and supported by Talia Peckel, we are proud to work with local organizations G.I.F.T.S., Friends and Choices, and Meadowbrook. Beyond providing individual and group tailored creative explorations, the project also aims to bring visibility to local islanders with disabilities. Project participants' work is on display as part of 'creative expressions' until August 3, in the Mahon Hall Annex Gallery. Meet Pam: Pam is 39 years old and came to Salt Spring from North Vancouver. She loves going to the pool and participates in the Special Olympics swimming. She loves playing the shaker at music circle on Mondays, and Thursday karaoke at G.I.F.T.S., where she is known for her rendition of “Mah…

Creative Project: Stay Home, Stay Safe

My wife and I were enjoying our fifth year on Salt Spring Island when the pandemic hit. As we hunkered down, like many others in this wonderful community, I looked for a way to use my unexpected free time to give back to the island. Our company, Terrier Marketing, works with manufacturers that supply the entertainment industry, among others. When one of them came up with images that could be projected on the sides of buildings, I knew I had what I was looking for. I needed to find a building that would provide a surface that could be projected on, and a corresponding secure location where I could locate the projector. A careful study of buildings along Fulford Ganges Road found only one pair of buildings that would meet my needs. Dan Spiess at Salt Spring Physiotherapy gave his permission to use his temporarily shuttered clinic and enthusiastic support for what he called “this noble project”. Jeremy Milsom at Salt Spring Inn allowed us to use his exterior wall as a screen. …

The Pandemic Postcard Project - Salt Spring Edition - New Contributions Photo Gallery

The Pandemic Postcard Project, Salt Spring Edition, is a literacy and/or art-promoting project, started by Literacy Alberni, that fosters community connection and legacy-keeping through storytelling and sharing. There have been some remarkable contributions that have been submitted so far. See some of the contributions below. The project is ongoing and more contributions are welcomed. We’re inviting everyone in our community (as individuals or as families, partners, roommates, work teams, etc.) to share their stories, thoughts, struggles, successes, lessons learned, blessings given or received, and resolutions made during this moment in history… on postcards. Why? We’re connected primarily through technology these days through our own profiles and pages. The goal of this project is to celebrate that, while also creating a lasting, physical record of our resilience. Throughout the project, as submissions come in, we will share some of the Pandemic Postcards on the Sa…

COVID-19: Salt Spring Literacy Cancels 2020 Book & Jewellery Sale

The Salt Spring Literacy Board has made a difficult decision: we have cancelled the annual Book and Jewellery Sale, which is held in November. The preparation and planning process for this sale begins in April. The volunteers need seven months to collect, sort, clean, repair and price donated items. We are unable to collect the books due to the need for social distancing and limiting the exchange and handling of goods. The volunteers who contribute the countless hours to make the sale possible would be put at risk should we begin collecting before it is entirely safe to do so. Please hang on to your books as we depend on your donations. We will communicate as soon as we can coordinate a book collection in a safe manner. Jewellery donations are easier to manage in a safe way. Island Savings has agreed to have a collection bin for jewellery in its branch, effective May 1. This bin is a safe receptacle for your treasured donations – simply drop your jewels into a hole at the…

Watch: Fernwood Combined Choir Sing "Scars to your Beautiful" for CBC Music Challenge

These students are a combined choir from the Grade 3/4/5 classes at both Fernwood and Salt Spring Island Elementary Schools, in Salt Spring Island B.C. Each school, lead by music teacher Whitney Walker, was excited to enter the CBC Challenge, but decided to work together to combine their voices, rather than submit two tapes. They have met weekly at noon for the last month or so in their respective schools, to learn their song. “Scars to Your Beautiful,” by Alessia Cara, was the Canadian selection they chose, because of the beauty of the message; “Just Be Yourself.” Then they came together on taping day, meeting for the very first time, to create their tape together to submit to the Music Challenge as one large choir. What a great experience it was singing together! https://youtu.be/tcP8gzNg3u0

Artists from the Fringe: Luke's Story

In this series, we share stories from Art Jam participants. Art Jam - a volunteer-run program of the Salt Spring Arts Council - provides a safe, welcoming space for members of our marginalized community, where they can be defined as creators and artists, rather than by the challenges they regularly face. By celebrating their unique creative accomplishments and reinforcing the value of their work through public exhibitions we promote positive self-identities and help build self-esteem. I’m Luke Thorpe and I’m 26 years old. I have lived on Salt Spring Island for almost 3 years now. I came here to visit a friend who unfortunately passed away. I came for a week and then just stayed. Right now I am homeless, mainly camping. There is a shelter to go to in the winter, but this year I hope to find a place to sleep outside where I can just stay. There is a bunch of us where I am camping right now. We usually pool our money together and buy food. We have a really nice cooking set-up; …

Artists from the Fringe: Lesley's Story

In this series, we share stories from Art Jam participants. Art Jam - a volunteer-run program of the Salt Spring Arts Council - provides a safe, welcoming space for members of our marginalized community, where they can be defined as creators and artists, rather than by the challenges they regularly face. By celebrating their unique creative accomplishments and reinforcing the value of their work through public exhibitions we promote positive self-identities and help build self-esteem. My name is Lesley and I’m over 50 years old. Right now I live in my parents’ home, an old pan abode, in the north end of the island. I had my own place at Murakami Gardens but moved out when I went to take care of my parents. My mom had lived with me for 5 months when I lived at Murakami Gardens, which was difficult because I only had a bachelor apartment. My mom went into extended care and then she died. My parents’ house is falling apart around me. My older sisters thought about selling the p…

Artists from the Fringe: Nick's Story

In this series, we share stories from Art Jam participants. Art Jam - a volunteer-run program of the Salt Spring Arts Council - provides a safe, welcoming space for members of our marginalized community, where they can be defined as creators and artists, rather than by the challenges they regularly face. By celebrating their unique creative accomplishments and reinforcing the value of their work through public exhibitions we promote positive self-identities and help build self-esteem. My name is Nick and I have lived on Salt Spring Island for 5 years now. I’m originally from Barrie, a small town in Ontario. Well it started small but it is the fastest growing city in Canada. I got sick of Barrie, but more importantly I was making bad decisions. I could either leave or continue screwing up, spiraling down. I consider myself a hobo but I’ll find home eventually. I am still looking. Right now I sleep in a tent; nothing British Columbia throws at me weather wise is scary. H…

Artists from the Fringe: Danene's Story

In this series, we share stories from Art Jam participants. Art Jam - a volunteer-run program of the Salt Spring Arts Council - provides a safe, welcoming space for members of our marginalized community, where they can be defined as creators and artists, rather than by the challenges they regularly face. By celebrating their unique creative accomplishments and reinforcing the value of their work through public exhibitions we promote positive self-identities and help build self-esteem. My name is Danene and I just turned 50. When I first arrived on Salt Spring I was parking in front of the Local and some woman yelled, "your kind of people can't park here.” I asked her what kind of people she thought I was and she simply replied with "you know." Back then I was driving a 1986 Toyota van that had stickers all over it. I told her that “you can't make that assumption because you know nothing about me.” At that time the homeless people mostly hung out in Centennial Park. They were…

Salt Spring National Art Prize Announces Five Salt Spring Artists 2019/20 Finalists

Five Salt Spring artists have been named as finalists for the Salt Spring National Art Prize (SSNAP). They are among the fifty or so artists from across Canada to have their work eligible to win one of nine awards, six selected by jurors and three selected by public vote. Local artists are also in the running to take home the prestigious Salt Spring Prize (Joan McConnell Award) of $20,000 as chosen by an independent jury. SSNAP provides both emerging and established artists an amazing opportunity to be part of the same Canadian artistic dialogue. With over 1,200 artists submitting original, two and three-dimensional works from coast to coast, here’s the list of Salt Spring artists selected as finalists: Bronwyn Austin Josephine Fletcher Krysta Furioso John David James Carol Narod Salt Spring’s John David James is the only Canadian artist to be a finalist in all three SSNAP exhibitions. He says he’s thrilled to be able to push the boundaries of his work and c…

2019 Film Festival – Profile: The Issue of Mr. O'Dell

The following article was written by Jennifer Cikaluk as part of a series of articles about filmmakers coming to the Salt Spring Film Festival on March 1-3, 2019. Filmmaker Rami Katz will be attending the festival and leading a discussion about the film following the screening. The Filmmaker series is sponsored by Mid island Co-op. THE ISSUE OF MR. O’DELL: An interview with Director Rami Katz Vancouver based filmmaker Rami Katz’s interest in the visual image first began with still photography. Then in a high school cinematography course, he found his new passion, filmmaking. He enrolled in the Simon Fraser University Film programme and later advanced his studies at UBC to receive his MFA in Film Production. His master thesis film, The Issue of Mr. O’Dell premiered in 2018 and has been very well received. To date he has directed and produced several short length documentaries and his films have been screened at film festivals around the world. The Issue of Mr. O’Dell is…

2019 Film Festival – Profile: Design Canada

The following article was written by Jennifer Cikaluk as part of a series about filmmakers coming to the Salt Spring Film Festival on March 1-3, 2019. Filmmaker Greg Durrell will be attending the festival and leading a discussion about his film following the screening. The Filmmaker series is sponsored by Mid Island Co-op. DESIGN CANADA: An interview with Director Greg Durrell Design Canada is a film which chronicles the becoming of Canada’s identity. When you take a look at Canadian iconic graphic design, it is easy to see Canada is one of the most well branded countries in the world. But where did it all begin? “Did Canadians design these symbols or in fact did these symbols design Canada” (Design Canada) Greg Durrell, a graphic designer and partner of a Vancouver based design firm, first became interested in graphic design in high school. He dreamed about being on the design team for the Olympic Games and eventually that is exactly what he did. Inspired by the de…

2019 Film Festival - Profile: Raven People Rising

The following article was written by Jennifer Cikaluk as part of a series of articles about filmmakers coming to the Salt Spring Film Festival on March 1-3, 2019. Filmmaker Andrea Palframan who resides on Salt Spring will be attending the festival and leading a discussion about the film following the screening. The Filmmaker series is sponsored by Mid Island Co-op RAVEN PEOPLE RISING: An interview with Director Andrea Palframan On October 13, 2016 the tug boat Nathan E. Stewart ran aground off the shores of the Heiltsuk people’s territory in one of the most pristine habitats in the world and one of the last and largest intact temperate rain forests on the planet. The Heiltsuk have been faithful stewards of this territory along the Central Coast of British Columbia for centuries. It’s a place where sea meets the land within the Great Bear Rain Forest. “Heiltsuk territory is a vast and beautiful place. It’s a place which I call home with all my relatives. My home consist…

2019 Salt Spring Film Festival - Program and Schedule

Welcome, one and all, to the 20th Anniversary of the Salt Spring Film Festival! We have a few special things planned for you to mark the occasion, so be sure to take a good look through the program this year. We have added an extra room to allow for more films and more repeat screenings. We know you love the extra value of discussing films with filmmakers. This year for the first time we will give the filmmakers a chance to interact not just with the audience but also with each other at Saturday’s Attending Filmmaker Discussion. The Friday gala is better than ever, with the return of the scrumptious gala hot dinner, plus celebratory wine, beer and special non-alcoholic drink. (And of course we are keeping the wildly popular popcorn, too!) We have also changed the Saturday/Sunday physical layout a little to ease congestion and make it quicker for you to access food and drink. Look for our new food area down the hall past the washrooms. Take a left from there to seek out a comfy …

Interpretive Panels Moves Forward with Boost from Heritage Legacy Fund

Island Pathways is receiving a much-needed boost of $4100 to support its interpretive panels program, which will highlight the history of heritage locations and building along the Ganges Village Pathway Network. The funding comes through the Heritage Legacy Fund, the only provincial grant program that supports heritage conservation, awareness, planning and Indigenous partnership projects. Island Pathways will be partnering with the SSI Historical Society, the Japanese Garden Society, the Museum at the Farmers’ Institute and others who know the history of SSI much better than we do, to create and install historical panels along the GVPN. Many people walk/cycle the GVPN including tourists and other visitors. The pathways are accessible 24 hours a day, seven days a week throughout the year. They are true community spaces and they are well used by the four schools in the area, dog walkers, visitors, seniors living in the many senior’s residences downtown and everyone else who…

Calling for Creative Bus Shelter Designs

Island Bus Shelters is a new group of community volunteers. In collaboration with the Salt Spring Island Transportation Commission (SSITC), we are inviting artists and designer/fabricator teams to submit proposals for creative bus shelters to recommend to the Capital Regional District. Project Philosophy - Salt Spring’s charm lies in its rural character and the absence of homogenized urban features. We are arts and tourism driven. A hand-crafted bus shelter expresses who we are as a community. Salt Spring is not about following the lead of other communities or accepting conventions; we are confident in going our own way. The Official Community Plan provides a clear mandate: “We … accept our responsibility to be the stewards of our island home..... to ensure that it remains rural..... We appreciate the extraordinary artistic and creative talents among our residents.” Bus shelters can be a form of public art and an expression of our unique island home. To source bus shelter…

2018 Salt Spring Film Festival - Who Needs Cannes?

This coming weekend, Salt Spring Islanders gather for film-going ritual at the Gulf Islands Secondary School. The Salt Spring Film Festival is an annual affair and draws much of the community together for an incredible Friday evening gala, two days of documentaries, and the social justice bazaar. After previewing over 100 documentaries over several months, volunteers of the Salt Spring Film Festival Society distilled their choices to about 40 films. They select a variety of films from around the world about the issues of our time. They could be anything from food, art, and music from India to our own back yard; social justice issues from Alberta to Iran; and inspiring films about the environment and human rights. A keen filmgoer could watch nine films over the entire weekend but wouldn’t be merely watching them. The festival is so much more than being passively entertained or educated. Last year, James Cowan, festival manager, shared a story that exemplifies th…

2018 Salt Spring Film Festival Program and Schedule

The Salt Spring Film Festival Society is a non-profit charitable society incorporated in 2008, whose mission is to educate, inspire and activate our community through a Festival of independent documentary film from Canada and around the world. We present films that explore social justice, the environment, art and culture, politics and food security. Filmmakers are invited to the Festival to present their films and lead lively discussions. The Salt Spring Film Festival presents documentary film from Canada and around the world. We show films that explore social justice and human rights, the environment, LGBT and gender issues, First Nations, education, arts and culture, and more. 2018 Festival Program 2018 Festival Schedule

2018 Salt Spring Film Festival: Lund - End of the Road Filmmaker with Tai Uhlmann

The following article was written by Jennifer Cikaluk as part of a series of articles about filmmakers coming to the Salt Spring Film Festival on March 2-4, 2018. Filmmaker Tai Uhlmann along with Co-Director Theo Angell will be attending the festival and leading a discussion about the film following the screening. The Filmmaker series is sponsored by: Stonehouse B&B, Harbour House Hotel and Hastings House. LUND – End of the Road: Interview with Co-Director/Producer Tai Uhlmann Flash back to the sixties: the counterculture social revolution and a time of rebellion against the conservative norm. Youth were seeking greater individual freedom and exploring new expressions through music, drugs, clothing, and their sexuality. Many were politically disenfranchised and mistrusting of the government, bringing rise to the anti-Vietnam war movement in the United States. “It was a very hard time to be in America at the time. The feeling was either we had to get involved and tr…

2018 Salt Spring Film Festival: Meet Beau Dick - Maker of Monsters Filmmaker Natalie Boll

The following article was written by Jennifer Cikaluk as part of a series of articles about filmmakers coming to the Salt Spring Film Festival on March 2-4, 2018. Filmmaker Natalie Boll will be attending the festival and leading a discussion about the film following the screening. The Filmmaker series is sponsored by: Stonehouse B&B, Harbour House Hotel and Hastings House. Meet Beau Dick – Maker of Monsters: Interview with Co-Director/Producer Natalie Boll Meet Beau Dick: Maker of Monsters is an intimate portrait of a man, an artist, an activist, a father, a mentor and a true Canadian legend. Co-directors & co-producers Natalie Boll and LaTiesha Fazakas have created an authentic film that chronicles the life and achievements of master carver and storyteller, Beau Dick. The film provides an honest, candid and in-depth look at his life, his influences, his accomplishments and his struggles. Through interviews with family, community members, students, and the art …