This is How We Jew It: The Chutzpuah! Festival

A Jewish cultural festival is coming to Vancouver between November 21st and 28th. The 19th annual Chutzpah! Festival: The Lisa Nemetz Festival of International Jewish Performing Arts will feature amazing international dance performances, music, theatre and comedy. This festival is a part of the Vancouver West Side Theatre Society.

Check out last year’s promo.

Jews often ask amongst themselves, Who is a Jew? Someone who practices the Jewish faith, with all its ancient traditions and values, or simply someone with Jewish heritage? The answer is both. One can be religiously or ancestrally Jewish, or both. The term “Jewish” to most North Americans is a religion, while to most Europeans, it is an ethnicity. While the concept of linking a religion to ethnicity leaves some dubious, keep in mind that we are a relatively small population that married within the faith for centuries. Thus, the religion, over time, has taken on characteristics of an ethnicity, not unlike Amish communities. While I don’t practice the religion, I am proud to be a part of this vibrant culture. That makes me Jewish.

Most Jewish people in Vancouver, like myself, are Ashkenazi Jews, meaning their ancestors are from Central and Eastern Europe. Many Ashkenazi Jews made their way in the performing arts after emigrating to Canada and United States; music, dance and theatre have long been important aspects of this culture marred by historical oppression hardship. The Chutzpah! Festival will feature Jewish performers from many different cultural backgrounds.

Performances at will be told through the lived experiences of Jewish people, which represent a small but significant minority in the city. Recent estimates say there are just over 25,000 of us in Vancouver. The Chutzpah! Festival gives you the opportunity to observe the cultural richness and diversity within the Jewish community. Some performances are more contemporary, others more traditional. The Jewish diaspora is widespread, spanning throughout the Americas, Europe, the Middle East, North Africa and East Asia. Witnessing this diversity is crucial in the path toward breaking cultural barriers.

Select from an array of events and purchase tickets here. Many events are streamed online, and a few are live. https://www.goelevent.com/ChutzpahFest/e/Search.

#jewishvancouver #vancouverarts #chutzpahfestival

VanPodFest: Pitch Your Podcast Idea Next Week!

Your podcast. You talked about during the lockdown with friends and classmates. Perhaps you wanted to discuss hockey, gaming or politics for an hour each week? Now, as your school schedule occupies most of your days, the Great Podcast Plan has slowly lowered on your priority list. But, now is your chance pitch your idea! Powerful producers in the city are looking for new ideas. Between November 18th and 22nd, the Vancouver arts organization DOXA will present a virtual form of the VanPodcast Festival. Learn how to make a knockout podcast in this five-day event,

This festival will include discussion panels, workshops and the festival’s first live pitch session.  Each session is filled with useful information from experienced professionals. Learn how to record studio quality audio from home, market your podcast, build your brand and pitch to producers effectively. Receive feedback from producers and creators that work for some of Canada’s biggest networks—CBC, Telus and Canadaland. Chat with experienced podcasters that cover a wide range of topics, including true crime, international news and pop culture.

Watch actor and content creator Kurt Long discuss his podcast festival experience in 2018.

Let’s be honest for a moment: more people study and work from home, so listeners are not tuning in quite as ravenously as last year. However, top podcasts have retained their popularity. Best to use your spare time to plan at home now; use the coming months to prepare for the millions of Canadians that will inevitably return to their long commutes. The Great Post-COVID Return will be one epic case of the Mondays. Listeners will devour content that distracts them from heinous Vancouver traffic.

Podcasting is an excellent way to expand on topics where most popular mediums do not. In the age of thirty-second soundbites, three-second Twitter videos and timed responses in debates, we are developing the attention spans of goldfish. What if we want to delve deeper, know the ins and outs of the 1953 Stanley Park murders, but crave the animated voices and sound design elements that a book cannot provide? Enter the glorious podcast. Learn how make yours stand out with the VanPodFest. Purchase tickets online here. vanpodfest.ca Prices are very reasonable and student discounts are available.

#vanpodfest #canadianpodcasts #podcasting

“Search and Rescue,” A New Series

If you admire the work of first responders, here’s your chance to dive into their world. The Knowledge Network will screen a five-part documentary series called Search and Rescue: North Shore on Nov. 10th at 9pm. North Shore Search and Rescue, or the NSR team, bravely heads into natural and urban environments to search for people in trouble. Their primary mission is to locate and medically stabilize. If you watch news clips from major Vancouver stations on YouTube and Twitter, you’ve probably heard a journalist refer to the NSR.

Check out the trailer here.

The term “NSR” usually conjures images of workers in navy blue uniforms and helmets emerging from the woods with a weakened, lost hiker on a stretcher. That is part of their work, but the NSR works with a broad range of people; missing children, seniors with dementia and homeless residents. The team also works closely with K-9 units that receive rigorous training. You witness the dogs’ vital importance to the NSR’s work; a keen sense of smell and hearing are crucial in locating missing people.

You observe how the urban environment influences operations. Search and Rescue highlights the dangers of a large city surrounded by advanced hiking trails and camps sites. A high population, swarms of visitors and rough terrain create serious safety hazards. Millions of tourists travel to Vancouver from around the world each year; some are minimally experienced hikers and overestimate their abilities. Many underestimate the amount of food and water required for their excursions. The NSR has plenty do to.

This series offers a glimpse inside the stressful work endured by BC first repsonders. Most media depictions only offer snippets, often the very end of a rescue mission. Few realize the enormous effort put into locating and saving human beings. This hidden work is now available to you. You will also witness the psychological torment experienced by workers that must contend with death and serious injury. Search and Rescue fosters a deeper appreciation of the NSR, and serves as a warning to people that dare to assume nature is a forgiving place.

#searchandrescue #northvancouver #canadiantv

#ArtProject2020: A Virtual Expo

The pandemic has left some of us feeling isolated and lost in a virtual void. But a string of socially distanced events has granted us more access to cultural and professional events than ever before. Where we were once deterred by poor weather and long commutes, we can comfortably take part in important discussions from the sofa.

A quick intro.

It’s almost time for #ArtProject 2020, a virtual art and technology exposition that features digital art and the latest gadgets and gizmos making waves in the art world. If you love digital art, web design or gaming, this is your event. #ArtProject2020 will run from November 11th to the 15th through Vancouver Biennale and it is completely free. This is the organization’s first display of artwork that has been tokenized. “Tokenized” means that the work is owned by multiple people, similar to shares in the stock market. Art tokenization allows people with average incomes to invest in art; most students don’t have fifteen million for a Matisse, now.

This expo will include discussions panels, workshops, games and more. Speak with the leading experts in the exciting new field of digital art; discussions range from overcoming technical challenges, marketing your art and investing in tokenized pieces. You will have the chance go head-to-head with other participants in timed art competitions. Explore virtual galleries. Comb through the multitude of activities and book your slot here. artproject.io.

This expo is all online and technically open to the world, but it is based on a piece by New York-based Colombian artist Jessica Angel. Titled Voxel Bridge, this massive art installation is hopefully coming to Vancouver in the spring of 2021. Voxel Bridge will sit under the South Cambie Bridge. If you attend this virtual expo next week, you will learn more about Angel’s great undertaking. #ArtProject2020 gives Vancouverites interested in digital art the unique chance to develop their artistic and professional skills. If you are remotely interested in this field, do not miss your chance to take part.

More on Jessica Angel.

#vancouverart #digitalart #tokenization

Gone But Not Forgotten: Black Strathcona

Get to know Vancouver with another free, self-guided tour to watch from your mobile device. Strathcona’s Creative Cultural Collaborations Society and Vancouver Moving Theatre have created this awesome digital map to learn about your city’s history. Watch from anywhere at www.blackstrathcona.com, or scan QR codes as you pass street signs and download videos about a community of black Canadians that breathed life into Vancouver’s Strathcona neighbourhood during the first half of the twentieth century. Of course, the map’s creators strongly suggest you complete the walking tour, but the website is very insightful. Learn of the memorable people that made East Van a vibrant place through beautifully edited videos, old photos and vivid storytelling.

Black immigrants first settled in Vancouver around the turn of the twentieth century, fleeing persecution in the States, and built homes in Strathcona. A few decades later, homesteaders arrived from Alberta, originally from Oklahoma. By the 1940s, Strathcona had nearly eight hundred black residents. Yet they often faced housing discrimination. The media negatively portrayed the neighbourhood as poor and crime-ridden; thank goodness, nothing African Americans and Canadians deal with today, right? Construction projects would eventually force residents out of the area. Today, you would never know that Strathcona was home to a thriving black community, even as 20,000 black residents call the city home now.

A story about Jimi Hendrix, one of Strathcona’s most famous residents.

These videos are especially useful for newcomers in the Vancouver metro area. A new city, new province and perhaps a new country can feel unfamiliar and isolating as you adjust. These lessons and deeply personal videos foster an appreciation for this area. As a US citizen, it warms my heart to read that newly freed African Americans made their way to Canadian shores. We never learned of “freeman” emigrating to BC or Alberta in our history lessons. Hearing of their struggles in Vancouver leaves a sting, a city that prides itself in welcoming people of all cultures. Discrimination and stereotypes continue to plague this community, and discovering this historical pattern only increases your desire for positive change.

#blackhistory #strathcona #vancouverhistory

360 Riot Walk: Facing One of Vancouver’s Darkest Hours

You are invited to the 360 Riot Walk, a virtual walking tour created by local artist Henry Tsang. Born in Hong Kong, Tsang arrived in Canada at a young age and now works at Emily Carr University of Art and Design. He is known for incorporating digital media, photography, video and language into his art pieces. This tour invites you to learn about a monumental day in Vancouver’s history. And it’s completely free.

On Labour Day in 1907, the Asiatic Exclusion League (AEL), backed by the Knights of Labour, gathered to protest immigration from Asia in Vancouver. They marched to City Hall and burned Lieutenant Governor James Dunsmuir in effigy. Dunsmuir had hired Asian immigrants to work for his coal mine. He refused to accept calls for exclusionary policies. The mob marched into Chinatown and smashed store windows. Shocked and terrified, residents locked their doors and barricaded their homes. The angry citizens of the AEL advanced to Japantown, though Japanese residents were prepared and fought back.

A brief history by Canadian History Ehx.

The incident, now known as the Anti-Asian Riots, would affect the politics of Vancouver for years after. The documentation of this day is a painful reminder of Vancouver’s racist past, one that the city has recently started to face with more sincerity. According to scholars, learning about these incidents is a necessary step in the journey toward combating racism. Textbooks, exhibits and films must describe historical events from multiple perspectives.

The 360 Riot Walk allows you to learn your city’s history through an interactive map that can be viewed on your iPad or smartphone. Stroll through Vancouver’s downtown neighbourhoods as narrators discuss the political environment and provide more context to understand this occurrence. Don’t have time to leave your apartment? You can move through the entire map through your web browser here: https://360riotwalk.ca/ Audio is available in four languages, English, Cantonese, Japanese and Punjabi. Henry Tsang created the 360 Riot Walk with the backing of Dr. Sun Yat-Sen Classical Chinese Garden and Emily Carr University.

Learn more about Henry Tsang here. https://henrytsang.ca/

#walkingtour #vancouverhistory

Resurgence: An Exhibition of Two-Spirit Artists

Through January 24th, the Bill Reid Gallery of Northwest Coast Art will feature the works of four up-and-coming two-spirit indigenous artists—Levi Nelson, Jaz Whitford, Morgan Whitehead and Raven John. The exhibition is called Resurgence: Indigiqueer Identities.

The term two-spirit is used by indigenous people of North America to describe transgender, gender non-conforming and other queer identities. Two-spirit people often state that this identity is exclusively for indigenous people; the concept has existed within various nations for millennia. Gender non-conforming people have been historically accepted and honoured within certain communities, such as the Stó:lō of the Fraser Valley. The two-spirit identity differs from emerging Western ideas about gender and sexuality, as it incorporates ancient First Nations traditions and spiritual practices.

A breakdown of the two-spirit identity.

Jordana Luggi curates an exhibition that features the struggles, celebrations and emotions of these artists, each representing a different nation. Resurgence features work from multiple mediums: brightly coloured self-portraits, hand-crafted jewellery, traditional clothing with contemporary flair and dynamic sculptures. Each piece tells an intimate tale of their lives, often blighted by the struggle for acceptance but characterized by a spirit of hope and resilience.

From a 2017 exhibition of the Vancouver Queer Arts Festival.

The wide range of art echoes the diversity within the two-spirit community, a group that receives little attention in LGBTQ media and is mostly unknown to the world. Two-spirit voices are often eclipsed by Western presentations of gay and transgender life, images that do not challenge prevailing ideas about gender and culture.

As queer citizens worked to achieve tolerance in mainstream society throughout the first two decades of this century, many were afraid to appear unusual to the world. A conservatively dressed, white queer person is more likely to earn the respect of the masses and win her rights through legislation. Two-spirit individuals may dress and interact in ways we are unaccustomed to, ways that challenge decades of our own cultural training. This extraordinary year has been marked by social unrest and historical reckoning. The masses are beginning to listen to voices that have been previously pushed to the perimeter. Resurgence highlights a group of artists that comfortably sits centre strange while honouring its culture.

Buy tickets: https://www.billreidgallery.ca/products/regular-admission

#vancouverart #twospirit #indigenousart

The 24th Annual Eastside Culture Crawl!

Attention, all art fans! Between now and November 22nd, get inspired by the 24th annual Eastside Culture Crawl, a completely free event. This is a rare opportunity to visit the works of local Vancouver artists in their own studios. The Culture Crawl will feature the creations of more than 250 studios in town. It isn’t all red velvet ropes and oil on canvas; no shade if that’s your thing. Fall down the rabbit hole of contemporary sculpture, captivating photography, elegant period fashion, whacky furniture, Viking swords, glistening jewels and realistic sketches. This is a perfect cultural event to bring a date, your bestie or all on your own, independent you!

Magnus, owner of Drawbridge Props and Armoury, makes some amazing Viking-inspired crafts. His work has been featured at the Culture Crawl.

 

This year will be a tad different, like every major event around the world in 2020. You can book an in-person appointment to visit studios. This makes for a more intimate experience, anyway. You will be able to see these works of art where they are actually created, and you will be shielded from the elements. But, but, I ride transit and won’t have time to visit multiple studios in one evening! Not a problem. There will be rental cars and bike shares aplenty.

Artists have been struggling under the pandemic. It is too easy to stay inside all day with COVID-19 restrictions, the long evenings and cold weather. But, so much awaits outside the walls of your apartment. You live in a metropolis with decent winter weather; don’t let the rest of the year go to waste. With a few extra precautions, you can enjoy the city safely. The best way to cure the pandemic blues is to get out and soak in some wonderful local artwork.

Keep in mind that different studios may be open at different times. Strict social distancing measures will be in place. Not sure which studios to visit? Check out all of the incredible artwork here. culturecrawl.ca/artists

#eastsideculturecrawl #vancouverart #vancouverculture