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AN IMPORTANT MESSAGE FROM THE CULTCH
By now, dear arts lovers and supporters, you have
likely heard about the BC government's devastating proposed cuts to arts
funding: a 90% cut to arts and culture
investment next year. (That's 90% to a line item that represents less than
%.05 of the provincial budget.)
What do these cuts mean for our community? In a nutshell, organizations that have operated as vital cultural centres in British Columbia
for over 35 years are now threatened with the very real possibility of extinction. And, what does this mean for
The Cultch? Currently, staff positions that are vacated are not being filled (two
so far) and there will be less programming next season.
The Treasury Board will be making budget decisions over
the next three weeks so please don't wait to take action. We need your ongoing support to keep pressure on the government to
reverse these decisions. It is you, the audience, whose voice really counts.
So,
how can you become an arts advocate?
- Make your voice heard! Visit www.creativitycounts.ca. From
here you can easily send an email to the premier, finance
ministers, arts and culture ministers and your own MLA. The Alliance has created an auto-letter
tool for your use.
- Review the Alliance's Advocacy Toolkit
and adapt it to your personal advocacy efforts.
- If you are an arts or
community event manager and have an event coming up, donate some
advertising space in your program to this campaign.
- Consider featuring the
Creativity Counts logo as a hotlink button on your own website and social media pages. Email
communications@allianceforarts.com and you will be provided with the
button's html code and some accompanying text.
- Volunteer to
distribute buttons, postcards and bookmarks at local arts venues and
collect donations for the Alliance Advocacy Fund. Email communications@allianceforarts.com
to express your interest.
- Encourage your
friends, family and contacts to become arts advocates too.
Heather
Redfern
Executive
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COMING UP AT THE CULTCH FOR DECEMBER & JANUARY:
Dec 4 & 5: The Cultch presents John Mann
Dec 10, 12 & 13: The Cultch presents Duplex!
Dec 11 & 12: The Cultch presents Veda Hille
Dec 27 - Jan 16: Blackbird Theatre Society presents Edward Albee's Who's Afraid of Virginia Woolf
Jan 21 - Feb 6: The Cultch presents Nevermore: The Imaginary Life and Mysterious Death of Edgar Allan Poe
Jan 29 - Feb 6: The Cultch, Vancouver 2010 Cultural Olympiad, and PuSh present Best Before
Click here for our full calendar of events!
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Mister Mann strips down to his alt-folk roots at The Cultch
 John Mann, who is performing at The Cultch on December 4 & 5, is the co-founder and lead vocalist of the band Spirit of the West. Born in Calgary, the alt-folk singer lives in Vancouver with his wife and their two children.
After 24 years of countless tours through the UK, Europe and North America, Mann (also known as Mister Mann) returns with his second solo album, December Looms. Released in 2007, this album delivers beautiful melodies with emotionally honest lyrics that capture the intimate moments of Vancouverites and the fragile details of their dysfunctional love and the loss of a city's innocence.
Q & A with John Mann
Where do you find your inspiration? When I write I am very much inspired by my environment. I've written songs in Germany, the USA and the UK that are written from a visitor's perspective. The Spirit of the West songs, "Wishing Line", "Circus", "Five Free Minutes", were all written during a Spirit tour of Germany. When I was writing the songs for December Looms, Spirit was on hiatus.
The songs (for December Looms) were written on Jericho Beach, walking around downtown and in one case, the song "Port Town" was inspired by a documentary created by members of the VPD working on the downtown eastside.
What do you love about Vancouver? I love Vancouver. I walk along the beach at least 3 days a week. I love that nature is so accessible here. I like where I live in Kits. I like my relationships with the merchants on Broadway. I really appreciate living just off an intersection that has 4 bus stops, because if there is anything I dislike about this city it's the traffic. If I'm going downtown, I bus it.
Why did you choose to live here? I moved here from Winnipeg with my family in the summer of 1973. I knew I had won the lottery as our family drove over the Lion's Gate Bridge. It is a staggeringly beautiful place to live. I'm always shocked by how few people take advantage of the hiking opportunities here, and I'm not talking the Grouse Grind. Drive for 20 minutes, walk up a mountain trail and you are on top of the world. Cypress, Grouse and Seymour have stunning views and you don't have to be an athlete to make it to the top.
Mann is also an actor of stage, film and television as he studied at Studio 58 in Vancouver in the early 80's. He will appear in Bruce Ruddell's production Beyond Eden presented by Theatre Calgary and the Playhouse Theatre Company of Vancouver in January 2010.
DUPLEX! NOT ONES TO SHY AWAY FROM HARD TRUTHS
Get ready to blur the lines between kids and adult music with BC's latest (and maybe only) pre-teen sensation. Duplex!, performing at The Cultch on December 10, 12 & 13, stars musicians that range in age from three to much, much older. They are a kids' band, first and foremost, but like all great children's music this band offers lots of good times for the adults too.
This show celebrates the new album Worser (2009) by Duplex! following the cult hit Ablum from 2005. Never ones to shy away from the hard truths, Duplex! will tackle themes spanning evolution, hibernation, same-sex divorce, dogs wearing sweaters, and the making of both sandwiches and mistakes.
MEET THE BAND: Abe Caruso: He likes Bionicles and Blues Clues, 3 years old, plays xylophone and harmonica; Annie Wilkinson: She likes hockey and drawing, 38 years old, plays bass; Justin Kellam: He likes drums, 34 years old, plays drums; Matt Caruso: He likes dog walking, tennis, and reading, 36 years old, plays guitar; Saoirse Soley: She likes punk rock, vicious things and poetry, 13 years old plays keyboards and guitar; Sierra Terhoch: She likes math and potato pizza, almost 13 years old, plays piano and toys; Shaun Brodie: Likes long walks on the beach, 26 years old, plays trumpet; Veda Hille: last but not least, she likes organizing things, 37 years old, plays piano and organ
VEDA HILLE & HER SWELL BAND
The Cultch is thrilled to bring Vancouver singer and composer Veda Hille & Her Swell Band to its newly renovated stage December 11 & 12.
DECEMBER 11: Best known as a songwriter, Veda Hille has a long history of performing startling renditions of songs by other writers. This performance will feature songs from the works of Buffy Sainte-Marie and Neil Young with arrangements by Giorgio Magnanensi. These arrangements were performed in 2007 and 2008 by Veda and the CBC Radio Orchestra as part of the Great Canadian Songbook concerts. The program will be enhanced with other surprising covers from Brecht to Bowie.
December 12: An evening of pure Hille. Drawing from her collected works, Veda and the band will perform gems and highlights from 17 years of songwriting featured on a dozen recordings. The songs have aged well, and in the hands of her large ensemble take on renewed life.
Considered
one of the most adventurous musicians in Canada, Veda travels between
her love for pop, jazz, classical, and art rock.
Veda Hille on vocals, guitar, piano and keyboard; Martin Walton on bass; Skye Brooks on drums and percussion; Peggy Lee on cello; Patsy Klein on vocals and flute; Jesse Zubot on violin; A.K. Coope on clarinet; Shaun Brodie on trumpet; Ford Pier on guitar.
NEWS FROM THE CULTCH'S YOUTH PROGRAM:
The IGNITE! Mentorship Program is currently
accepting applications
This year
we are running five programs for young people aged 13 - 24 who are interested in
pursuing a career in their chosen media. We are offering free one-on-one
mentorship in songwriting, spoken word, directing, play writing, and dance/choreography. Participants also receive skill-building workshops with
industry professionals and a performance showcase at The Cultch.
Our mentors for 2010 are:
Dance/Choreography:
Noam Gagnon
Susan Elliott
Tara Cheyenne Friedenberg
Directing:
Kendra Fanconi
Adrienne Wong
Marcus Youssef
Play Writing:
Amiel Gladstone
Shawn Macdonald
Michele Riml
Songwriting:
Hannah Georgas
Lyn Heinemann
Veda Hille
Spoken Word:
Barbara Adler
Brendan McLeod
RC Weslowski
If you, or
someone you know, is an aspiring artists please visit ignitementorships.wordpress.com
for full program information and to download an application form.
Contact
Youth Program Manager, Corbin Murdoch for more information: corbin@thecultch.com
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LOOKING FOR GREAT GIFT IDEAS?
Ultra-flexible and affordable! The Cultch Gift Vouchers can be used for performances from our season - any time and in any way. Special Presentations excluded.
WEEKDAYS AND MATINEES: $22/VOUCHER (MIN. 4 VOUCHERS)
ANY DAY AND TIME: $30/VOUCHER (MIN. 4 VOUCHERS)
Call The Cultch Box Office to order now: 604-251-1363
NOW ACCEPTING APPLICATIONS: The 2011 Rio Tinto Alcan Performing Arts Award for Opera/Music is now open for applications. The deadline to apply is December 7,
2009.
Click here for our application form.
 FACEBOOK TIP: Sign up as a fan of The Cultch on
Facebook and become eligible for our exclusive Facebook ticket giveaways and
last minute deals!
THE CULTCH BOX OFFICE: Want to buy tickets to shows happening at The Cultch? Call our box office at 604-251-1363 to book now (Mon to Sat from 10 am - 5 pm (closed Sunday). There are no online ticket sales at this time. BUT SOON, IT'S COMING SOON!
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