ArtSpirit Festival – May 23 to June 1
ArtSpirit Festival is a festival of celebration and we’d like you to join in!
For 10 days in May, Holy Trinity Anglican Church will open its doors to community artists and audiences in honour of our 100th anniversary.
Believing creativity and spirituality are closely related, we’ve invited actors, painters, dancers, writers, filmmakers and musicians to share their talents with all of Edmonton. Most events are free.
Come. Be Engaged. Be Provoked. Be Inspired. Join us at ArtSpirit 2013!
All events are at the historic Holy Trinity Anglican Church in Old Strathcona – 10037 84 Avenue.
Check out ArtSpirit on Facebook!
Thursday, May 23 – Visual Arts Exhibit and Opening Reception – 6-7:30pm, Upper Arts Space – Host John Richardson
In his exhibit My Village, John Richardson creates intimate portraits of the ordinary but extraordinary inhabitants of his Edmonton, will polite suggestion that we each consider or reconsider our own Village. Exhibition is open through entire ArtSpirit Festival.
Thursday to Sunday, May 23 – 26 – Live Theatre – 7:00pm Thursday, 7:30pm Friday to Sunday, Sanctuary- Host David Belke
Director and playwright-in-residence David Belke will remount his wildly successful Fringe show, A Final Whimsy in honour of Holy Trinity’s 100th anniversary. Tickets $15 for adults/$12 for seniors and students. Cash bar.
The moving comedy with music will return for a four evening run. Three of Edmonton’s most talented theatre actors are featured in this tale of sisterly love, family loss and the fictions that protect us from the chaos of the world around us. Directed by James DeFelice, the play features equal measures of comedy, tragedy and song played in one of the most beautiful performance settings in the city.
Synopsis: Heather Ames (Anna-Maria LeMaistre) is under a huge amount of stress. Organizing her father’s wedding has proven much more difficult than first thought. Hoping to practice a song for the ceremony with her little sister Astrid (Dana Wylie), what should a simple task becomes almost impossible especially when the announced arrival of a funeral crasher named Dolly (Linda Grass). But the evening at the church becomes the catalyst for tragedy to be revealed and tragedy to be discovered. But hope and comfort may still be found in the whimsies the sisters share. A heartwarming comedy/drama with music from the pen of David Belke, one of the city’s favorite writers.
Cast and Crew
Starring: Linda Grass, Anna-Maria LeMaistre and Dana Wylie
Director: James DeFelice
Design: David Belke
Sunday, May 26 Trinity Sunday – Classical Concert Series – 2:00pm, Sanctuary – Host John Brough
Holy Trinity Concert Series presents acclaimed local pianist Magdalena Adamek in a recital with a focus on literature for the young and young at heart. Free will offering.
Monday, May 27 – Poetry Blowdown – 7:30-9:00pm, Lower Art Space – Host Margaret Macpherson
Exploring/Exploding the Sacred. Six of Edmonton’s preeminent poets explore the notion of what is sacred in a secular and ever-evolving world. Featuring former poet laureate Alice Major, Mike Gravel of the Raving Poets , Mary Pinkoski, National Poetry Slam champion, Patrick M. Pilarski, Jannie Edwards, Douglas Barbour, Dawn Lamothe, and Stephen Visser. Pay-what-you-can. Cash bar.
Tuesday, May 28 – CreativeAging Social – 2-4pm, Upper Art Space – Host Peigi Rockwell
A formal sit-down tea for seniors and near-seniors seeking inspiration on how to keep the creative juices flowing. Featuring readings by published authors Over80 and a performance by GeriActors.
Tuesday, May 28 – Sound Spiritus– 7:30-9:30pm, Lower Art Space – Emcee Kathy Fisher
Savour the interplay of text and music in performance with ten of River City’s celebrated poets and musicians. Featuring Kenneth Brown, Brian Chan, Nancy Mackenzie, Donna Mae Mohrmann, Kerry Mulholland, Patti Sinclair, Pierrette Requier, Galali Star, Alison Grant-Preville and Kim Jorgensen.
Pay-what-you-can. Cash bar.
Wednesday, May 29 – Indie/Under Cabaret – 7:30-9:30pm, Lower Art Space
A variety show for artists under the age of 30. Performances include original musical compositions, stand-up comedy routines and spoken word performances. Featuring Jackals and Wolves (Freya and Darian Selander), April Bloom and Co., Jordan Kaminski, Liam Leroux, Jonathan Crane, and The Peace Riots (Erin Yamabe and Sean Sonego). Pay-what-you-can. Cash bar.
Thursday, May 30 – Edmonton Docs – A mini film festival – 12:00 to 9:00pm, Lower Art Spaces – Host/Curator Terri Wynnyk
Watch cinematic gems by Edmonton film makers who have won acclaim nationally and internationally for their work over the years. Local directors like Ava Karvonen, Lorna Thomas, Rosie Dransfeld, Michael Hamm and others present films that highlight social justice, spirituality, and community.
Pay-what –you can. Concession and coffee, cash bar for the evening screenings.
More about the filmmakers here.
More about the films here.
Film Festival Schedule:
12:00am – 1:30pm – Dramatic Shorts – 83 Minutes
Eva Colmers: Granny Baby – 9:03 minutes – Drama
Ben Babchishin: Breakout of the Masala Kid – 19 minutes – Drama
Terri Wynnyk: Breaking Joan – 18 minutes – Drama
Ryan Lester: One Way Ride – 32 minutes – Drama
Eva Colmers: Autumn – 5 minutes – Drama
2:00pm – 3:30pm – Spiritualism and Religion – 93 Minutes
Terri Wynnyk: Light of the World – 17 minutes
Michael Hamm: Swedenborg, Mystical Cowboy – 48 minutes
Lorna Thomas: Gaden Samten Ling Buddhist Temple – 28 minutes
4:00pm – 5:30pm – Education and Human Rights – 90 Minutes
Yvonne Dubourdieu: Through the Eyes of Artists – 46 minutes
Scott Morison: Ana Falastini – 6 minutes
Pirko Karvonen: Andrea Hansen – 37:30 minutes
7:00pm – 9:00pm Community – 92 Minutes
Rosie Dransfeld: Home Movies – 43:30 minutes
Ava Karvonen: Albert Karvonen: Philosophies on life, etc. – 48 minutes
9:00pm – Feature – 90 Minutes
Ray Harpen: The McDades – 75 minutes
Friday, May 31 – Exporting Alberta Gala and Readings – 7:30-10pm – Upper Art Space – Host Jana Rieger, President, Canadian Authors Association (Alberta Branch)
An open-to-the-public awards gala evening featuring short readings by Alberta authors who published new books in 2012. Evening culminates in an announcement of Exporting Alberta winner. Cash bar, free admission.
Saturday, June 1 – ArtSpirit Festival Wrap-up Dance Party – 7:30-midnight, Lower Art Space – Host Off-Whyte Band
An open dance party with rock and roll, rhythm and blues band Off Whyte in celebration of community, artists and Holy Trinity’s 100-year celebration ArtSpirit Festival. $10 at the door, free admission to performers from the festival. Cash bar.