Where: Christ Church Cathedral, Fredericton NB When: Friday October 15 to Sunday October 17 Music: Rutter Requiem (selections) Bob Chilcott Aesop’s Fables (selections) Robin Bayley Sing Praise to God Who Reigns Above Andrew Balfour Ambe
Clinician: Dr. Kiera Galway, Mount Allison University Accompanist: Thomas Gonder, Christ Church Cathdral
Every year for almost 40 years, singers from New Brunswick, around the Maritimes and beyond, have gathered for the New Brunswick Choral Federation’s Choral Fest to rehearse and perform a significant work of choral music under one of Canada’s leading conductors.
Choral Fest 2020, like choral events everywhere, was cancelled due to necessary public health restrictions. Now, thanks to vaccinations and increasing knowledge of how to prevent transmission, the performing arts are coming back to life.
The coronavirus pandemic continues to limit us, but Choral Fest 2021 will celebrate the music that we can make together.
Singers are asked to pre-register by email or online form, available on our web site. Spaces are limited. A certain number of spaces are reserved for tenor and bass voices.
We are not asking for payment at this time. We will invite registrants to confirm their attendance with payment beginning September, deadline Tuesday, September 14, 2021.
Choral Fest 2021 will follow all public health guidelines, and will incorporate additional expert recommendations specific to choral events. Registrants’ health and safety will be our priority.
The New Brunswick Choral Federation expects registrants to be vaccinated according to the recommendations of New Brunswick’s public health officials.
Dates and details subject to change as we continue to respond to the coronavirus pandemic. We are planning for restrictions of a Yellow phase of recovery. Choral Fest 2021 would not proceed under a more restrictive phase of recovery.
Choral Fest 2021 is supported by the Fredericton Community Foundation, by the City of Fredericton,and by the Department of Tourism, Heritage and Culture, Province of New Brunswick.
ADFDA UNVEILS ITS 2021 PROGRAM ! TICKETS ARE OFFICIALLY ON SALE !
(Moncton, NB – August 3rd, 2021) – The DansEncorps Productions team has unveiled on their website the program for the 16th edition of the atlantic dance FESTIVAL danse atlantique to be held August 12th-22nd, 2021 in Moncton, NB. This year’s program includes indoor and outdoor performances, film screenings, walkabout performances and workshops. Artists are gearing up and tickets are now on sale in our website.
Artists from elsewhere
This year, we are pleased to welcome artists of different origins for our shows. Starting with the Emergence contemporaine show, which will feature Ariane Famelart, Chantal Baudouin, Julien Derrradj, and performer Simone Gauthier. These artists come respectively from Quebec, Acadia, and France. Come and discover the new generation of professional dancers who are touring Canada!
Symbolic works
More than just performances, the Festival is an opportunity for artists to deliver a message through their works. In the choreography Femme fatale 2.0, Ariane Famelart wants to show the paradoxes of a woman who tries to be strong but falls, DIE FORELLE by Julien Derradj questions the symbolism of dreams by wanting to give a meaning to his existence, Réalité deshumanisante by Constance Gadan talks about a character torn and trapped in time by the strings of a stressful society. Come and discover their world through their work!
See you in Moncton, NB, from August 12th to 22nd, 2021 for the 16th edition of atlantic dance FESTIVAL!
Présenté du 15 juillet au 10 août 2021 à la galerie de l’Atelier d’estampe Imago, premier étage, Centre culturel Aberdeen, 140 rue Botsford, Moncton.
Vernissage le jeudi 5 août 2021 de 17h à 19h.
« S’entourer d’herbes médicinales » est une série de sérigraphies imprimée à la main par l’artiste Carole Deveau lors de sa résidence de membre à l’Atelier Imago en avril 2021. Pendant sa résidence, Deveau voulait surmonter le défi d’imprimer en grand format. Avec un motif qu’elle avait dessiné pour une oeuvre d’art en boîte, elle a retravaillé l’image pour qu’elle devienne un morceau “casse-tête” d’environ 10”x12”, qui fut ensuite divisée en cyan, magenta, jaune et noir. Avec ces 4 morceaux, elle imprima section par section les œuvres présentées au mur, imprimant finalement l’œuvre qui mesure environ 4’5”x13’2.5” (oui, 13 pieds)!
Originaire de Moncton, NB, Deveau détient un baccalauréat avec distinction en arts visuels (2000) de l’Université de Moncton. Elle a participé à plusieurs expositions solos et de groupes, travaillant surtout en relief et en sérigraphie à l’atelier d’estampe Imago.
Elle a toujours aimé incorporer le public dans le processus de création en leur offrant la possibilité d’interagir avec ses œuvres. Dernièrement, elle concentre ses recherches sur des manières d’utiliser ses œuvres pour aider les gens.
Les questions ou les demandes des médias peuvent être envoyées directement à l’artiste à l’adresse caroledeveau@gmail.com.
Phase verte :Le port de masque lors du vernissage et toute visite au Centre culturel Aberdeen n’est plus obligatoires à partir du 1er août 2021. Si vous êtes plus confortable avec votre masque, vous êtes bienvenus de le porter.
Pour accéder nos espaces, il existe trois (3) entrées doubles : l’une donnant sur la rue Botsford qui offre une espace d’entrée mesurant 80 pouces en largeur X 78 pouces en hauteur; une autre donnant sur la rue Alma, qui offre une espace d’entrée mesurant 80 pouces en largeur X 78 pouces en hauteur; et une dernière donnant dans le Parc du Sommet (devant le Centre Aberdeen), qui offre deux espaces d’entrée mesurant 34,5 pouces X 78 pouces en hauteur chacune. Par contre, une partition installée entre les deux portes peut être enlevée pour laisser un espace de 72 pouces en largeur.
À l’entrée du côté de la rue Alma, il existe une zone d’embarquement et le bâtiment est muni d’une rampe d’accès. De ce même côté de l’édifice, il y a une (1) espace de stationnement pour personnes à mobilité réduite. Les deux autres entrées sont accessibles par des escaliers équipés de balustrades. Seul le point d’entrée du côté de la rue Alma est doté d’un bouton qui automatise l’ouverture des portes.
Il existe trois (3) salles de toilettes privées et non genrées au même étage. Deux (2) d’entre elles sont situées à droite de l’entrée du restaurant Les Brumes du Coude, dans un corridor plutôt étroit avec un petit rebord au plancher (1 pouce). La troisième – accessible aux fauteuils roulants – est située dans une alcôve située à la droite du bureau de la Galerie Sans Nom, à gauche de la porte du bureau de DansEncorps.
Presented from July 15th to August 10th, 2021 on Imago’s gallery wall, first floor, Aberdeen Cultural Centre, 140 Botsford Street, Moncton.
Join us for a reception on Thursday, August 5, from 5 to 7 p.m.
“S’entourer d’herbes médicinales” is a series of hand-printed screen prints by artist Carole Deveau during a member-residency at Atelier Imago in April 2021. During her residency, Deveau wanted to overcome the challenge of printing in large format. With a design she had drawn for Art en Boîte, she reworked the image into a “puzzle” piece of approximately 10″x12″, which was then divided into cyan, magenta, yellow and black. With these 4 pieces, she printed section by section the works presented on the wall, finally printing the work that measures approximately 4’5″ x 13’2.5″ (yes, 13 feet)!
Originally from Moncton, NB, Deveau holds a Bachelor of Fine Arts degree with distinction (2000) from the Université de Moncton. She has participated in several solo and group exhibitions, working mostly in relief and screen printing at Imago.
She has always enjoyed incorporating the public into the creative process by offering them the opportunity to interact with her work. Lately, she has been focusing her research on ways to use her work to help people.
Questions or media requests can be sent directly to the artist at caroledeveau@gmail.com.
Notes on the accessibility
To access our spaces, there are three (3) double entrances: one on Botsford Street, which offers an entrance space measuring 80 inches wide X 78 inches high; another on Alma Street, which offers an entrance space measuring 80 inches wide X 78 inches high; and the last one on Summit Park (in front of the Aberdeen Centre), which offers two entrance spaces measuring 34.5 inches X 78 inches high each. However, a partition installed between the two doors can be removed to leave a space of 72 inches in width.
At the Alma Street entrance, there is a loading zone and the building is equipped with an access ramp. On this same side of the building, there is one (1) parking space for persons with reduced mobility. The other two entrances are accessible by stairs with railings. Only the entrance on the Alma Street side is equipped with a button that automates the opening of the doors.
There are three (3) private, non-gendered washrooms on the same floor. Two (2) of these are located to the right of the entrance to Les Brumes du Coude restaurant, in a rather narrow corridor with a small (1 inch) floor ledge. The third – wheelchair accessible – is located in an alcove to the right of the Galerie Sans Nom office, to the left of the DansEncorps office door.
Opening online August 1 st and in store August 3 rd
NEW RELEASE – SAINT JOHN, NB JULY 29 2021
A year after our first “Covid-19” exhibition, which featured a new online format of art opening, Jill Higgins is revisiting her “Icons” series.
Jill has pulled focus to our beautiful province in capturing iconic New Brunswick scenes, celebrating primarily the summer season and what often creates the best memories.
“These paintings, these are my summers. This is my cottage.” Jill Higgins. Many of the images are from locations that Jill has a very personal attachment to.
From boats to bonfires, you’ll find Jill has stayed true to her distinct style and palette, using a thick stroke impasto technique. The blasts of fuchsia and turquoise within the compositions have become a signature accent in Jill’s work.
“Last year we released freshly finished paintings one at time over 30 days, with Jill bringing in the works every couple days. They were a little tricky to handle, but the response was amazing. A lot of attention was on New Brunswick over the pandemic, and Jill’s work was collected all over the country by people wanting to have a little piece of this beautiful place. This year, with the long weekend, we both agreed that celebrating our province would be best launched on New Brunswick Day. Most of our clients got very comfortable viewing art shows online and so we’re that’s where we’re opening the show first. It will be accessible to all on August 1 st , from the website. There’s also a 3D gallery that everyone can check out and get a sense of the works’ scale. Then when we reopen on Tuesday, the 3 rd , we welcome everyone to come visit us in person.” Elizabeth Cook, owner of Handworks Gallery.
For anyone passing by, there are posters with QR codes to scan that will take them directly to the exhibition page. Many of Jills works will be placed in the gallery windows for the long weekend.
Handworks Gallery is located at 12 King Street in Saint John, NB. Jill’s works, and other pieces by Maritime artists, can be found at Handworks.ca
The Saint John Arts Centre is a multidisciplinary venue, dedicated to serving the community through arts, educational and cultural programming accessible to all. They strive to be an innovative showcase for all forms of creative expression and multidisciplinary thought.
The SJAC is very busy this summer hosting multiple exhibitions, workshops, and more.
From July 9 to September 3, 2021 the SJAC will show a few different exhibitions every Tuesday and Wednesday from 9am to 5pm.
These include:
Fibre Art Network, ‘20/20 Vision’ in the Port Saint John Gallery, showing art quilts by a collective of fibre artists from Western Canada.
‘Creative Aging: An Art4Life and UNB Project’ in the Upstairs galleries, showing a large show of works by local seniors who participated in a research project about the effects of art activities on health/wellness in senior populations.
Admission is free for all galleries, though any donations are gratefully accepted.
As well, the SJAC and the Saint John Early Music Festival are proud to present a sixth year of the Summer Classics Series, a series of lunchtime classical concerts offered through the summer on Wednesdays in July & August at 12:15 pm (July 7 – August 18). All are welcome, admission is by freewill offering. This series is sponsored by Emera New Brunswick, The City of Saint John Community Arts Funding, and the Province of New Brunswick Department of Tourism, Heritage, and Culture.
Finally, the SJAC is offering a few different workshops this summer, including:
Animal Sculpture in Clay, a four-day workshop where Melissa Kennedy will share her expertise with her students on August 9, 10, 11, and 21 (TBD, based on group needs for finishing), 2021.
Drawing: Classical Portraiture, a weekend of classes taught by Melissa Kennedy, as she instructs participants in portrait drawing with a live modelonFriday, August 13 and Saturday, August 14, 2021.
SPaRT! Summer Camp (Sports/Participation/Art/Recreation/Together!),a fun-filled week of art and recreation designed to foster your child’s creativity and physical activity through the arts, swimming at the Canada Games Aquatic Centre and other fun adventures around town happening August 9 to 13, 2021 (Mon-Fri) 9am to 4pm.
Artists are encouraged to apply to have their work shown in the SJAC galleries at any time, with the goal that the SJAC’s selection committee will meet twice a year on or around April 30th and October 30th.
Spots are limited: first come first serve! Please only sign up if you can attend the weekend sessions as well.
Our first One 2 One series will have you working directly with an accountant to develop your accounting system and establish a regular process for updating your finances. You will have a 30 minute consultation session with Owen Green, CPA, where he will assess your financial needs and identify specific opportunities to help you.
Time slots for initial consultation available (in person or through Zoom):
These will be followed by 3 in person half day weekend group sessions:
1- Financial Budgeting (August 22, 12 pm to 3 pm)
2- System set-up (August 28, 12 pm to 3 pm)
3- Establishing a process (August 29, 12 pm to 3 pm).
The consultant will provide weekly 15 minute check-ins with the participants between sessions and a final 30 minute debrief after the final session to be scheduled after the final session.
Heartfelt Greetings today from Sunbury Shores to All the Folks that Keep Us Thriving:
Our Onlookers and Art-Lovers, Entre-preneurs and Entre-Donneurs, Volunteers of Vision, Animal Nations, Rooted Nations, Nations of the Sea, the Peskotomuhkati Past, Present, and Future, All of us Together with Our Many Stories.
Egret Love (picture above) by Jerome Andrews of Deer Island, and now on exhibit in the Centre’s back gallery, reaches out to celebrate just this kind of inter-species friendship: Whose Water Are You?
Half way through the Dog Days, so much has happened within and without our doors, a feeling we can all relate to! Even still, there is so much more to come here in our lovely village, and at our beloved Arts Centre.
As you read along with us today, we hope the wind brings you through our doors sooner rather than later, in good health and with good spirits.
PRESS RELEASE: NEW ARTISTIC DIRECTOR APPOINTED
(23 July 2021, Saint Andrews, NB) Sunbury Shores Arts and Nature Centre has completed its search for a new Artistic Director. According to SSANC Board President, Catherine Hamilton, the Board is thrilled to announce that Joel Mason, PhD, assumed the role earlier this month.
“Joel Mason brings significant experience as an interdisciplinary artist, researcher, community finance strategist, and curator, and we are very excited to see how that experience will inform the future artistic direction of the Centre”, she says.
where people from the Sunbury Shores community interview beautiful folks working in art and community
ABOVE: Watch Joel Interview Stephen Hutchings about “Generous Feedback that Launches You Forward“
Internationally Renowned New Brunswick-based artist Stephen Hutchings is coming to Sunbury Shores!
How do we circle back around our own practices to see what is actually happening? How does guided reflection give us access to new artistic futures?
In this IPC workshop (In Process Creative), Hutchings will teach participants how to give and receive Generous Feedback that Launches Artistic Practices Forward (see above interview to hear it in Stephen’s words). This 3-day weekend class is made accessible to artists through the smart deep work of the Sheila Hugh Mackay Foundation. Perfect as a gift to yourself or a friend, to anyone who wants to encourage the evolution of their work.
Date: August 20-22, 2021 Cost: $150 Suitability: For Artists with an Active Practice in Any Medium
*IPC is an endeavour conceived by Brigitte Clavette while teaching at Sunbury Shores, with the thought to give artists the space, time, and support to encounter their own work through the lens of process and with the help of fellow artists.
An emergent and non-competitive take on Plein Air, Ecology Interrupts Me/L’ecologie m’interrompt invites all to contemplate their selves and their work as always already an inseparable part of NATURE.
Are you a Plein Air artist interested in participating? Contact Joel at director@sunburyshores.org or call (506) 529-3386
Bone Black Ink, a print collective, is offering up memories of Beach Walks in their latest creative endeavour. You can find their latest handmade lino cut original stringsON OUR WEBSITE or at St Andrews Thursday Markets. Each Beach Walk sale helps support programming at Sunbury Shores.
Aleah Chapin Brings Generosity of Light and Pedagogy to Sunbury Shores
Aleah Chapin came (virtually) to Sunbury Shores this past week to teach students as part of our Critically Acclaimed Artist Program (CAAP). For 5 days, Aleah led the class through an exploration entitled “Figure Painting: Images That Live,” with on the ground facilitation from interdisciplinary artist Ann Manuel, and tech support from emerging artist James Whitehead.
Follow our Instagram account (@sunburyshores) for day-to-day perspectives on art, community, ecology, and the life of sociality.
We post alerts for pop-up events, local and international art news, new digital initiatives like Visiting Fragments, and interviews with fabulous artists and artistic thinkers, as with Stephen Hutchings, exampled above.
The List presents the events of the members of the Association des groups en arts visuels francophones ( AGAVF ), that is to say fifteen artist-run centers and galleries across Canada, and compiles calls for submissions in visual arts, media arts, performance, art. public, residences aimed at artists and curators.
News from AGAVF:
Land to cross: Zine new generation
The AGAVF is pleased to publish New Generation: Laboratoire 27.01.2019, Ottawa , a zine that promotes emerging Francophone artists and curators from 7 Canadian provinces. This joint publication initiative, carried out as part of the Forum 2019 Trajectories in Ottawa on January 27 and that marked the 20th anniversary of AGAVF brings together the voices of 22 artists and curators. The zine, printed in five hundred copies, is part of the comfort package sent to delegates from Terres à travers, the ARCA national conference, organized this year by the Association of Artist-Run Centers of Alberta, and is one of the activities of the program presented in French. READ MORE
Lands to cross: Round table
The AGAVF is proud to present the Round Table Contextualizations: development of the NO Network as part of the Terres à travers conference on Thursday, August 5, 2021 from 10 a.m. to 11:30 a.m. (HAR) which aims to inform the delegates of the Conference of the approach of the networking project, and its achievements since its creation. In the spring of 2017 in Edmonton, the Société francophone des arts visuels de l’Alberta and the Sans-Atelier collective (Sask.), Supported by the AGAVF, invited artist-run centers, galleries and cultural associations from the West and the North of the country to meet. The purpose of the meeting was to reflect on a common initiative that would highlight the work of Francophone visual artists in these regions of Canada. READ MORE
Programming of AGAVF members
House of French-speaking visual artists (Saint-Boniface)
Chris Dorosz – House of Dark Matter June 10 to August 21, 2021
Anne Brochu Lambert, Marie-Hélène Comeau, Virginie Hamel, Patricia Lortie, Michèle Mackasey, Laura St. Pierre and Josée Thibeault – Presence of women from June 30 to August 28, 2021 9103 95th Avenue Edmonton, Alberta www.galeriecava.com
Nadine Belliveau, Dany Sheehy, Jane Melanson, Diane Nadon, Denise Comeau, Claude Thériault, Amy Paradis, Jennie Morrow, Jan Swaren, Dianne Surette, Liz Lore, Noella DeMille, Nadine Blinn, Angélina Comeau, Mona Mc Donald, Claude Chaloux and Jay LeBlanc – On Y R’Baille in July and August 2021 Sainte-Anne University, Nova Scotia www.rendezvousdelabaie.ca/galerie-dart
Galerie Sans Nom (Moncton)
Afterimages on a bicycle July 25, August 22 and 29
Paul Walty, Geneviève Thauvette, Joseph Muscat, Claude Martel, Pascaline Lebras, Samuel Choisy – Virtual exhibition of the artists of the Lab, during the Scotiabank Contact 2021 festival – Look back to move forward Opening talk on our facebook page
Terres à traverser – A gathering of artist-run centers – August 3 to 8, 2021
1.Calls in French from Canada
Sporobole – Sherbrooke – September 20 Revue Ancrages – Acadie – August 15 and November 15 Audio station – Galerie Clark – Montreal – August 15 Lab_artenso – Montreal – August 31 The print shop window – Montreal – September 6 Beauce Art – September 2 International miniature digital print exhibition – Voix Visuelle – Vanier – August 15
2.Calls in English from Canada
Critical Mass x 4 – Port Hope – August 8 Images Festival – Toronto – October 15 The James Black Gallery – August 1 Available Light On-Demand – Yukon, TNO, Nunavut – September 15 Temporary Mural at Daniels Building, University of Toronto – July 31 I SPY – UNIT / PITT / July 26 New Works Grants – August 1 International digital art miniprint exhibition – Vanier – August 15
3.international calls
New Technolgy – August 31 Critical Coding Cookbook – August 15 International Meetings Paris / Berlin 2022 – July 31 Survival Tools in the Age of Ultra Anxiety – August 2 Nomadic artist residencies / La Serre – living arts – August 8 Phileas – a fund for contemporary – Vienna – September 10
4.residences
Doris McCarthy Artist-in-Residence Program – Toronto – September 30
5.public art
Call for Mural Artists for Haliburton’s Wall of Sports Heroes – Dysart – August 13 Town of Banff – August 6 10 Year Commemorative Commission – Woodstock Hospital – August 9 Portal in the community of Vanier – July 26 BUGA 23 – in progress
6.for commissioners
Managing Director of East-North-East – August 30 Artistic Director of East-North-East – August 30 General Manager – Center Caravansérail – Rimouski – July 25 Associate director: collections – Vancouver – September 3 Project coordination – Atlantic Association of artist-run centers (Atlantis) – August 3 aboriginal curator – Galerie Clark – Montreal – August 15Owens Art Gallery’s team as our Colville House Curatorial Intern – Sackville – August 3 Gallery Coordinator – fifty fifty arts collective Toronto – July 31 Assistant curator – Capture Photography Festivals – Vancouver – July 23
Our first One 2 One series will have you working directly with an accountant to develop your accounting system and establish a regular process for updating your finances. You will have a 30 minute consultation session with Owen Green, CPA, where he will assess your financial needs and identify specific opportunities to help you.
Time slots for initial consultation available (in person or through Zoom):
These will be followed by 3 in person half day weekend group sessions:
1- Financial Budgeting (August 22, 12 pm to 3 pm)
2- System set-up (August 28, 12 pm to 3 pm)
3- Establishing a process (August 29, 12 pm to 3 pm)
The consultant will provide weekly 15 minute check-ins with the participants between sessions and a final 30 minute debrief after the final session to be scheduled after the final session.
Sign ups open on Wednesday, July 28. Spots are limited: first come first serve! Please only sign up if you can attend the weekend sessions as well.
About One 2 One: Starting in August, ArtsLink NB will offer artists and arts administrators a number of individualized consultations. These one on one sessions will be led by key experts in a variety of topics relevant to making a living in the arts, including:
• Canada Council funding for groups and individuals • Budgeting and financial management • Taxes for artists, self-employment, small business income • Writing for professionals: artist statements, finding your voice, editing • Proposal overview and project critique
The Association of Francophone Visual Arts Groups (AGAVF) is pleased to publish New Generation: Laboratoire 27.01.2019, Ottawa , a zine that promotes emerging Francophone artists and curators from 7 Canadian provinces. This collective publication initiative, carried out as part of the 2019 Trajectories Forum held in Ottawa on January 27, and which marked the 20th anniversary of the AGAVF, brings together the voices of 22 artists and curators. The zine, printed in five hundred copies, is part of the comfort package sent to delegates from Terres à travers, the ARCA national conference, organized this year by the Association of Artist-Run Centers of Alberta, and is one of the activities of the program presented in French.
This zine, New Generation: Laboratoire 27.01.2019, Ottawa , ephemeral, perishable document, easy to reproduce and always in draft form, seeks to bear witness to the discussions held by the delegates of the new generation of AGAVF members during the Laboratory living of the Trajectoires Forum 2019 . This laboratory was, above all, a networking opportunity and, for many, it was the first contact with the national network of AGAVF. The Laboratory gave the delegates the opportunity to present their artistic and administrative work, and also to meet around a discussion on the challenges faced by the new generation. This discussion sought to chart new trajectories for AGAVF.
Also, discussions around more or less long-term pan-Canadian initiatives have been initiated and many wish to continue the conversation. The impact of the Ford government’s cuts on the Ontario Francophonie also mobilized discussions. The pros and cons of publishing a manifesto at the exit of the Forum have been weighed and finally transformed into personal statements that constitute the images and words assembled here. A manifest? Possibly; but certainly, a manifestation of the exchanges crossed by the amalgam of worries, doubts, certainties and common wills. This document is built with several voices which are interwoven in the fabric of our possibilities of encounter, of our common experience as a generation and as a multitude.
On July 9, Anne Bertrand, communications manager at AGAVF, spoke with Rémi Belliveau, artist and candidate this year for the Sobey Prize, as well as president of AGAVF, to learn more about the production context of the zine, and imagine the impact of this networking experience on his artistic practice and that of the participating artists on the AGAVF and on the French-speaking artistic community in Canada.
AGAVF talks to RÉMI BELLIVEAU artist and president of AGAVF
The AGAVF: You participated in a forum which celebrated the 20th anniversary of the AGAVF on the occasion of which members of the new generation gathered to take and assert a position in the form of a zine / manifesto. In terms of political representation, how can this personal artistic approach be reconciled with the need for a structured and concerted organization?
Rémi Belliveau : In my opinion, more conceptual and / or affective approaches have as much scope as the rational approaches that are normally favored in political language, such as statistics, case studies, viewing exercises, etc. (which are useful anyway). The zine may be conceptual in its form, but above all it contains the feelings of a new generation who dreams of better conditions for artistic creation in French outside Quebec. That’s the strength of this zine I believe – it contains our real desires as we feel them. No sugar coating.
In your opinion, where are the participants in this trajectory, two years later?
RB : Hard to know. We discussed very large issues, such as the lack of post-secondary education in visual and media arts in francophone communities, and since our meeting, the health record of francophone universities in Ontario has deteriorated. It’s not encouraging, but the people who contributed to the zine were writing very enthusiastically. Me that motivates me. I feel like things have improved elsewhere, even if only in our ability to work together as a group, because since the meeting many of us have kept bonds.
And, as president of AGAVF, are you in a position to talk about the impact of this meeting?
RB : The networking was fantastic. For us who live in the East of the country, we were very excited to see so many young Francophones from the West and the Prairies. It is these pan-Canadian ties that have endured, but I would go even further to say that most of us have become friends, that our relationships have been forged closer over time, over time. beyond a simply professional relationship. We are connected on social networks. We support each other in our artistic projects. And besides, I can’t wait to read Alasdair Rees’ collection of poetry which has just been published!
I recognize that the pandemic will have disrupted business, among other things, your exhibition at UQAM. Did this group stay in touch despite this interruption?
RB : The larger group has not formally kept in touch, but a number of members do. During the pandemic, a few of us were part of the editorial committee of the FR magazine which will be launched on September 16, as part of Zones théatrales (Zoé Fortier, Alasdair Rees and myself) and others participated as contributor-author to the review (Elise Anne LaPlante) or as an artist (Annie France Noël).
Rémi Belliveau is an interdisciplinary artist and an Acadian musician from Belliveau-Village (Vallée de Memramcook, NB), an Acadian hamlet located on the Mi’kma’ki, an ancestral territory not ceded from the Mi’kmaq people. Since 2012, his work has been presented in several exhibition contexts in the Maritimes and in Quebec. In parallel with his artistic practice, he co-directed Galerie Sans Nom (Moncton) with Annie France Noël (2014 to 2018), twice played the role of (co) curator (2015, 2018), was in charge of of courses at the Université de Moncton (2017) and contributed texts to the journal Canadian Art.
