In April 2020, just weeks into the COVID-19 pandemic, we launched Dear Rona – Letters from Lockdown, a story collection project aimed at exploring life in the time of a worldwide pandemic. The idea was simple. We wanted to hear from you – our friends – to learn how everyone was coping with this unexpected turn of events. Part social documentary, part collective therapy, the project was an attempt to stay connected with our audience while providing a creative outlet for the panic, fear and uncertainty weâve all experienced over the past many months. The response was incredible.
During the five month submission period (April – August) we received numerous responses in the form of emails, handwritten letters, postcards, collage art, photos, recorded messages and a few videos. We even received a pair of pandemic inspired scripts! Spanning the full range of human emotion, this project helped reinforce the fact that no two people have had the same experience.
When we launched the project, we had no real concrete plan for what to do, if anything, with the stories we received. Our original call for submissions stated that all submitted work may be used to inform a future project. We just didnât know what that project would look like until now.
As we near the one year anniversary of this pandemicâs arrival, and begin to see a glimpse of light at the end of this tunnel, weâre excited to announce Post Script, a unique work of theatre delivered directly to your mailbox in the form of weekly postcards from an unknown friend.
Audiences can choose one of three storylines to be delivered through the mail over the course of six weeks, beginning the week of April 5 â one year after the launch of Dear Rona.
Choose A Story
Post Script #1: Self-Love and Solitude
In this script, we follow one person’s journey to self-love. After the dissolution of their marriage, they are forced to cope with the aftermath of change. COVID further disorients their routine and introduces them to a world of solitude. How do we find meaning in isolation?
Post Script #2: So Much Time = So Much Art
The timeline is neither short nor certain. Each of us are separated but globally connected through a shared experience. In this story, a young artist struggles with their own creativity, senselessly comparing their productivity to others, while searching for meaningful connection.
Post Script #3: Just Slow Down!
We live in a fast-paced society that prides productivity and hard work. Sometimes itâs easy to dismiss the subtle pleasures in our environment and be fully present. In this piece, our character finds the space to slow down and reflect on what they are grateful for while searching for ways to engage with nature and keep their mind sharp.
Buy Tickets
Due to the handwritten nature of Post Script, this production series is limited to just 100 tickets.
Tickets are $25 (plus taxes and fees = $31.67) can be purchased through Eventbrite. Don’t miss out!
Developed by Joanna Bryson, Matt Carter and Natasha MacLellan Inspired by stories collected through the story collection project Dear Rona – Letters From Lockdown
Note: This project is not available outside of Canada.
Weâre so excited to open up our call for artists for this yearâs Cross Cultural Creation residency! This yearâs residency will be a return to the roots of creation, bringing ten artists together in Kouchibouguac National Park to create art in a low-technology setting.
The paid residency, which will take place from May 31 to June 9, 2021, is now accepting applications for artists of any discipline who are interested in leaving their high-tech set up behind and spending ten days surrounded by the beauty of New Brunswickâs Acadian Coast.
Ten artists will be selected: three Anglophone artists, three Francophone artists, and three Indigenous artists, as well as one juryâs choice. Artists of all disciplines are welcome to apply as long as their proposed work fits within the limitations of the setting (no ultra high-tech setups that need the internet and multiple plug ins).
The residency is a collaboration between ArtsLink NB, the Association acadienne des artistes professionel.le.s du Nouveau Brunswick (AAAPNB), and MawiâArt: Wabanaki Artist Collective. Applications are open until Friday, February 26, 2021.
MNB is launching a new pilot project aimed at Indigenous musicians. The initiative, sponsored by Mi’kmaq Hip Hop artist Wolf Castle, was created to provide one emerging Indigenous artist from New Brunswick with the tools, support and guidance to achieve a new musical project. One recipient will be chosen by an all-indigenous jury and will receive a $3000 grant to complete a music-based project. Artists can propose a project before January 29. +++ info >
The Jane LeBlanc Foundation has created an award for New Brunswick resident composer-singers or composer-singers who are also musicians to assist them in the recording and mastering of one of their original songs (must be ready for finishing) as well as helping them to create their album art and brand to distribute their mastered track to all online music platforms. +++ info >
Final Breath, the new single from the upcoming album The Duel combines Zachary Greer’s cinematic composition style with genre bending duo Pallmer to wonderful effect. The beautiful string work and chilling vocals are but one track in an otherwise instrumental album detailing the dark tale of New Brunswick’s last fatal duel. Look for Final Breath on Bandcamp and all streaming platforms Wednesday, January 13! +++ info >
SHIVERING SONGS 2021
Shivering Songs is excited to announce artists for 2021. Artists include Polaris Music Prize and The JUNO Awards winner Jeremy Dutcher, Fredericton mainstays grand theft bus and The Hypochondriacs, and more. Tickets for Jeremy Dutcher (Jan 22) and Grand Theft Bus (Jan 23) are ON SALE NOW exclusively through The Fredericton Playhouse Box Office. Visit them in-person or call (506) 458-8344 to purchase your bubble tickets. +++ info >
Roots & Soul will be sending their favorite singer songwriters on a tour through New Brunswick. Jan 14 // saint John // Five & Dime With Brent Mason Jan 15 // Perth // Oak Tree pub with Aaron Crain Jan 16 // Fredericton // Grimross Brewing Co. With Josh Bravener of The Hypochondriacs  Jan 22 // Miramichi // Miramichi Kin Center With Wade Hallihan & special guest Jessii The Artist +++ info >
SYMPHONY NB
The next Virtuoso Series Concert is Sticks and Strings, at which percussion and string bass join the Saint John String Quartet in an eclectic concert that mixes things up a bit. January 22, Fredericton Charlotte Street Arts Centre January 23, Moncton Community Peace Centre January 24, Saint John Arts Centre +++ info >
NB ARTISTS SING WITH SOUND OF POP
Sound of Pop is pleased to announce they have signed a publishing deal with New Brunswick award winning producer / Livetronic artist Elephant Skeletons.  The deal encompasses his complete catalogue, including his recent albums âLamp of 3xodusâ and âSleepâ. They have also signed a publishing deal with New Brunswick based Pop singer-songwriter Dan Verner.  The deal includes select songs from his debut recording âFrom the Foldâ, along with new music heâs working on with producer Nick Fowler (FWLR). +++ info >
NEW BODY PAINT RELEASE
Our new single Mirage has been a work in progress for over a year and we finally have it ready for streaming on all platforms. This song is jam packed with energy, passion, and of course riffs and solos galore. Whether you’re vibing out or partying, Mirage is sure to please. +++ info >
ROBERT THOMAS SINGLE RELEASE
Robert Thomas and the session men will release a new single âTwilightâ to worldwide streaming and North American Radio on January 11, 2021. The release has been prepped with an ongoing social media ad campaign and posts by the band that rolled out on Instagram, Twitter and Facebook in November and will be further supported by a YouTube âTwilightâ Video release, insider studio video release and Live streamed social media performances. +++ info >
NEW FLO DURELL SONG
Here Comes Trouble is a song she wrote for her 2nd solo CD entitled Listen to Your Heart and was released on January 4, 2021 to radio stations.  Her music is available on Itunes, Google Play, Spotify and CDs available through Distributions Plages/Propagandes. +++ info >
Open Strum helping some wolves
Open Strum is teaming up with the non-profit âLiving with Wolvesâ this January to help some wolves! Open Strum will be releasing a new song at the end of January, and anyone who gives âLiving with Wolvesâ a donation will receive the song before itâs released. The donations need to be made to the non-profit, Open Strum will not accept any funds. +++ info >
Bridges Releases “Tides”
Bridges new single “Tides” is out now, on all streaming services. “Tides” encapsulates the essence of melodic house through a palatable section of trance timbres and chords. Bridges manages to create an epic, yet lush and beautiful atmosphere throughout the tracks runtime. +++ info >
@ THE CAP
JAN 14 // Rock’N’Roll Bingo JAN 15 // Marian with Klarka Weinwurm JAN 29 // Hip Hop Night MAR 12 // Kylie Fox with Jerry-Faye & Dylan +++ info >
23 JAN //Â Envol Edmundston 18+19Â FĂV // Mario Jean 27 FEV // Ballet Atlantique 20 + 21 MAR //Â Jamais trop tard pour rien faire 29Â MAI // Ăvasion Classique+++ info >
JEDI’s VIRTUAL PROGRAM
Are you an Indigenous Artist living in NB? Have you been practising your art for three (3) or more years? Do you want to take your Art to the next level? JEDI is offering the virtual Indigenous Art Business Accelerator Program. Starting January 25th, 2021!
Deadline to apply is January 15th, 2020 by 4:30PM, fill out your application today by following this link:Â +++ info >
Canada’s Music Incubator 2021
Hereâs the 2021 Programs Calendar:
Artist Entrepreneur: March 9-April 30 (Virtual); August 3-September 24Â Â Â Â
Artist Manager: May 4 -June 11 (Virtual); October 5-November 26Â Â
Itâs time to apply for the Artist-in-Residence Program! The deadline is coming up on February 1st, 2021. This program is intended for New Brunswick public or private institutions and organizations that wish to host professional artists in order to enable them to pursue specific projects relating to their creative work +++ info >
Envelope Funding for Music Companies: The application window for the Envelope Funding for Music Companies program is open until January 28, 2021, 5:00 pm EST. The program returns to its original design of a revenue and investment model, with some modifications in acknowledgment of the continued impact of COVID-19 on the music industry. Applicants are advised to review the program guidelines, and in particular, note the updated applicant eligibility points.+++ info >
The UNB Art Centre celebrates Black History Month with a special project that brings portraits of Black New Brunswickers to the streets of Fredericton. In partnership with the UNBâs Bi-Campus Standing Committee on Equity, Diversity, Inclusion and Human Rights and the City of Fredericton, banners featuring Black New Brunswickers will be displayed on Queen Street throughout the month of February. This project recognizes the achievements and experiences of Black New Brunswickers and their significant contribution to shaping contemporary New Brunswick.
As part of this yearâs celebration, we are listening to the voices of young black artists from the New Brunswick Black Artists Alliance in the UNB Art Centreâs online galleries. Poets Chevelle Malcolm, Thandiwe McCarthy and Emmanuelle Jackson will perform works written by themselves as well as other black writers.
This online exhibition also features Dr. Mary McCarthy reading and discussing the letter written by Mary Matilda Winslow to her classmates in 1954 for their 50th class reunion. Mary Matilda Winslow was the first black woman to graduate from UNB in 1905 and her letter chronicles her experience of racism as a black educator.
Dr. Mary McCarthy is well known activist, writer, and educator who has worked tirelessly to restore and uncover New Brunswickâs Black histories and honour the communityâs ancestors. Her research is focused primarily on forgotten and segregated graveyards across New Brunswick. In addition to her scholarship, McCarthy also served as the president of the New Brunswick Black History Society for six years. In 2015, McCarthy won a human rights case against Shoppers Drug Mart for an incident of racial profiling that occurred in 2011. McCarthyâs work is featured in the 2019 collection, Black Writers Matter, edited by Whitney French with a foreword by Afua Cooper. McCarthy holds a Bachelor of Arts in sociology from York University, two Masterâs degrees from the University of New Brunswick, and is currently completing her Ph.D. in the department of Social Justice at the Ontario Institute for Studies in Education of the University of Toronto. When asked why she is so dedicated to preserving the histories of Black New Brunswickers, McCarthy stated, âI want my ancestors to be revered and respected. I have to tell their stories.â
As well, throughout the month of February, the University of New Brunswick will present a number of informative films, lectures and events to highlight the historical and contemporary presence of Black Canadians in New Brunswick. More information about these events can be found at www.unb.ca.
The UNB Art Centre galleries at Memorial Hall on the UNB campus are currently closed for renovation until March 2021. Please follow our exhibits and programs on-line.
Sarah Jones (BA, MA Art History, Queen’s University) is a visual artist, art historian and curator. She has participated in solo and group exhibitions across Canada and abroad, and her work is held in the public collections of the University of New Brunswick and the New Brunswick Art Bank. Sarah is a recipient of numerous grants and awards, including funding from ArtsNB and Canada Council for the Arts. Sarah and her brother, Caleb Jones, are co-owners of Jones Gallery in Saint John, NB.
The Jones Gallery Lecture Series is generously supported by the Sheila Hugh Mackay Foundation and by our viewers. If you enjoy our videos and want to help us in our grand mission of creating free, accessible, and understandable art history resources for everyone, please consider contributing to the Lecture Series. Donate here. â
Shivering Songs is excited to announce artists for 2021. Artists include Polaris Music Prize and The JUNO Awards winner Jeremy Dutcher, Fredericton mainstays grand theft bus and The Hypochondriacs, and more. Tickets for Jeremy Dutcher (Jan 22) and Grand Theft Bus (Jan 23) are ON SALE NOW exclusively through The Fredericton Playhouse Box Office. Visit them in-person or call (506) 458-8344 to purchase your bubble tickets. +++ info >
Roots & Soul will be sending their favorite singer songwriters on a tour through New Brunswick.
Jan 14 // saint John // Five & Dime With Brent Mason Jan 15 // Perth // Oak Tree pub with Aaron Crain Jan 16 // Fredericton // Grimross Brewing Co. With Josh Bravener of The Hypochondriacs Jan 22 // Miramichi // Miramichi Kin Center With Wade Hallihan & special guest Jessii The Artist +++ info >
SYMPHONY NB
The next Virtuoso Series Concert is Sticks and Strings, at which percussion and string bass join the Saint John String Quartet in an eclectic concert that mixes things up a bit. January 22, Fredericton Charlotte Street Arts Centre January 23, Moncton Community Peace Centre January 24, Saint John Arts Centre +++ info >
NB ARTISTS SING WITH SOUND OF POP
Sound of Pop is pleased to announce they have signed a publishing deal with New Brunswick award winning producer / Livetronic artist Elephant Skeletons. The deal encompasses his complete catalogue, including his recent albums âLamp of 3xodusâ and âSleepâ. They have also signed a publishing deal with New Brunswick based Pop singer-songwriter Dan Verner. The deal includes select songs from his debut recording âFrom the Foldâ, along with new music heâs working on with producer Nick Fowler (FWLR). +++ info >
NEW BODY PAINT RELEASE
Our new single Mirage has been a work in progress for over a year and we finally have it ready for streaming on all platforms. This song is jam packed with energy, passion, and of course riffs and solos galore. Whether you’re vibing out or partying, Mirage is sure to please. +++ info >
ROBERT THOMAS SINGLE RELEASE
Robert Thomas and the session men will release a new single âTwilightâ to worldwide streaming and North American Radio on January 11, 2021. The release has been prepped with an ongoing social media ad campaign and posts by the band that rolled out on Instagram, Twitter and Facebook in November and will be further supported by a YouTube âTwilightâ Video release, insider studio video release and Live streamed social media performances. +++ info >
NEW FLO DURELL SONG
Here Comes Trouble is a song she wrote for her 2nd solo CD entitled Listen to Your Heart and was released on January 4, 2021 to radio stations.  Her music is available on Itunes, Google Play, Spotify and CDs available through Distributions Plages/Propagandes. +++ info >
Open Strum helping some wolves
Open Strum is teaming up with the non-profit âLiving with Wolvesâ this January to help some wolves! Open Strum will be releasing a new song at the end of January, and anyone who gives âLiving with Wolvesâ a donation will receive the song before itâs released. The donations need to be made to the non-profit, Open Strum will not accept any funds. +++ info >
Bridges Releases “Tides”
Bridges new single “Tides” is out now, on all streaming services. “Tides” encapsulates the essence of melodic house through a palatable section of trance timbres and chords. Bridges manages to create an epic, yet lush and beautiful atmosphere throughout the tracks runtime. +++ info >
@ THE CAP
JAN 7 // Rock’N’Roll Bingo JAN 8 // Shrimp Ring with Dumpster Cub & HUMAN BRAINS JAN 9 // Capital 6 JAN 6 // Roast in Peace 2020! A Comedy Roast @ CSAC JAN 15 // Marian with Klarka Weinwurm+++ info >
23 JAN // Envol Edmundston 18+19 FĂV // Mario Jean 27 FEV // Ballet Atlantique 20 + 21 MAR // Jamais trop tard pour rien faire 29 MAI // Ăvasion Classique
Envelope Funding for Music Companies: The application window for the Envelope Funding for Music Companies program is open until January 28, 2021, 5:00 pm EST. The program returns to its original design of a revenue and investment model, with some modifications in acknowledgment of the continued impact of COVID-19 on the music industry. Applicants are advised to review the program guidelines, and in particular, note the updated applicant eligibility points.+++ info >
This exhibition reconfigures works sent in for a pop-up exhibition called Cut/Paste/Resist, co-created by UNBâs 2020 Writer-in-Residence R.M. Vaughan and Dr. Ken Moffatt, the Jack Layton Chair in Social Work at Ryerson University. This exhibition was presented at UNBâs Student Union Building February 10-12 just before the COVID-19 pandemic forced a total shut down of the UNB campus.
According to R.M. Vaughan âIn times of protest and social upheaval (and social rejuvenation) artists and activists turn to collage to make a point.â The call for submissions specifically stated that the project was open to everyoneâ artists and non-artists alike, using collage as a democratic medium âbecause collage is a fun accessible way to make art.â
As part of this tribute, The UNB Art Centre in collaboration with Dr. Ken Moffatt has invited friends of R.M. Vaughan to select a passage from one of his many works of poetry, prose and criticism. These readings will be released on social media throughout the month of January as a way to honour R.M. Vaughanâs memory and to mark the tremendous loss to the cultural community of this gifted Canadian artist.
Tickets for the presentations are on sale online on the Compagnie DansEncorps website at https://www.ciedansencorps.com/creation-danse . Family tickets and individual tickets are available as well as an option including a financial contribution to the DansEncorps Company for the realization of this event.
One Toy Per Thousand is a concept art project. A priori, a simple idea. A ball Christmas “Made in China”, toilet paper “Made in Canada”, New Brunswick and a title inspired by the lyrics of the songPetit Papa NoĂ«l . This project took form in order to immortalize the year 2020 while stimulating reflection on social behavior during the COVID-19 pandemic.
The ball, coming from China, makes a link with the city of Wuhan where the disease was detected for the first time in November 2019. Here, a reflection is necessary in front of the massive importation of goods, which arrive from this country per thousand.
At the start of the pandemic, the behavior towards the purchase of toilet paper and the feeling of security that goes with it provokes questions. The transparency of the ball acts as a reference to an object that can be broken in an emergency (âIn case of emergencyâ), often associated with red.
On February 14 offer the perfect gift: Art. This year, Art en Boite will be a little different. To make sure we all stay safe, we will not be having our annual get together. Tickets are available on our website (www.atelierimago.com/aeb2021) or by phone or email with e-transfer starting December 15th. Ticket holders will be able to come pick up their boxes at a predetermined time on February 13th and 14th at the Aberdeen Centre, or have their box delivered directly to their door. Like last year, we are offering postage anywhere in Canada for an extra 20$. We will also be offering at-home delivery for residents of Moncton, Dieppe and Riverview at a 5$ fee. These options are available at checkout. We will not have our usual âTrading Post,â so we will have a new way to make sure you can get your favourite artwork: from February 5th to the 12th, two (2) copies of each 2021 print will be available on our website at a âBuy it nowâ price of 125$. View the works here; Artworks 2021 starting February 5th. Donât forget that Art en Boite is a fundraising event for Imago, your local non-profit artist-run printmaking studio since 1986. Contact Christine at (506) 388.1431 or direction@atelierimago.com for more information.
Christmas print sale! A few prints from past editions of Art en BoĂźte are available for sale until January 15th.
