Arts Council for the South Shuswap
4051 Myers Frontage Road V0E 1H0 Tappen, BC, Canada

Happy Friday Everyone!

I bet you can’t quit watching.

Happy New Year! Wishing everyone a safe, healthy and happy 2021!

Fostering Shuswap Musicians! A virtual Festival is being planned for April 2021! Performance registration opens January 11th and closes January 31st, 2021. The purpose of the Shuswap Music Festival is to encourage, support, challenge and celebrate music students and amateur musicians by providing opportunities for learning and performing on the road to musical excellence.... In addition, the Festival provides the opportunity for constructive and professional evaluations of musical performances. The Festival is produced by a not-for-profit society managed by a volunteer board of directors. The board of directors is working hard to design a festival that is safe yet continues to encourage the development and celebration of young musicians in the Shuswap.

Crannóg Ales will be having a December Open House as part of their 20th-anniversary celebration. Save the date! December 19, 1 - 4 PM A handpicked group of local food and craft vendors will join Crannog Ales outside on the farm for an afternoon Open House. Enjoy the bonfire and get stocked up on gifts and growlers for the holidays! https://bit.ly/2K5e4qf

Happy Boxing Day! Too much turkey and good cheer? Why not head out to one of our numerous trailheads for a good hike or a snowshoe? Did you know that we have 20 trailheads just in the South Shuswap alone? Check out the Shuswap Trail Alliance map and pick the perfect trail to explore with your family and take in our breathtaking wilderness. https://bit.ly/347rdYN

One of the greatest things that we can do during the pandemic is to get outdoors and exercise! What better way to do that than joining the Ski Skmana - X Country & Snowshoe Trails! Ski and snowshoe through the amazing wilderness just 20 minutes from Chase. Day-use fee is $10 but annual memberships are $50 per adult, $30 per youth 13-18, $25 per child 12 & under or $160 per family. For more info and trail map check out their website. https://bit.ly/3lva81v

Still looking for that unique gift to give this Christmas? Why not give the gift of a class or workshop? The Arts Council has two great workshops planned for January. Here's one of them! January 23rd 9:30 am to 12:00 pm OR 1:00 to 3:00 pm Two sessions available. Class limited to 8 each. Watercolour Funky Birds Facilitator: Deb McKinnon... Cost $50 includes all supplies Age 14+ please. Spots available on a FCFS basis. Little to no experience necessary! TO REGISTER: https://www.shuswaparts.com/workshops-and-events.html See more

The Board of Directors and Instructors wish you all a very Merry Christmas with your families. Stay warm, safe and happy.

Meet Miss Chloe Lennon, a young girl with some serious acting skills. So well done ...

We are pleased to announce the Arts Council of the South Shuswap’s first annual 'Home for the Holiday's Virtual Gingerbread Contest! Stay cozy at home as you build your masterpiece! We have many age categories to enter into. ALL children who enter will receive a complimentary hot chocolate at a local coffee shop or cafe! A photo submission of your gingerbread creation must be sent back to us no later than December 10th. The top 3 with the most votes in each category will w...in a cash prize of $50, $30, and $20 respectively. Entry details are set out in the contest rules. Please read through the same, and fill in the online entry form. Winners will be announced on December 20th! Click here to enter: https://bit.ly/36Ns1Dp

Shutterfly offers up the top family Christmas games to get you through the holidays. With the pandemic keeping things low key this year, these games are sure to help put smiles on your faces along with some jolly belly laughter. How about Santa Limbo or Christmas Carol Pictionary? Or the Human Christmas Tree or the Waddling Penguin? Lots of great ideas here to brighten your spirits while spending quality time with your family.

TODAY IS THE LAST DAY to PreRegister for the virtual gingerbread contest! Make sure you submit your online entry form by 11:00 pm tonight. Visit: shuswaparts.com/home-for-the--holidays.html to register and read the contest rules. Photos of your gingerbread creation do not need to be sent at the time of registration. When your creation is ready, send a photo along with the entrant's name to: [email protected]. All creations must be received no later than Sunday December 13th at 11:00 pm. All contest entries will be posted HERE first thing Monday morning. This will allow the community to vote for their favourite in each category. Winners will be announced December 20th! Good luck!

This looks to be a great event that can be viewed on Saturday December 12th at 5 pm PST. We encourage you to keep our local food bank in your thoughts not only during the holidays, but all year round.

Great class coming up in Sorrento on November 28 at AMixedbagofArt. Seats available first come first served. Register early!

Just three days until Serena Ryder and The Trews will headline CP's 2020 "Holiday Train at Home" concert, which will stream on CP's Facebook page on Dec. 12. The event will raise money and awareness and help local food banks collect much-needed donations. The Dec. 12 concert, scheduled for 6 p.m. MT/8 p.m. ET, will also feature performances by JoJo Mason, Logan Staats and Kelly Prescott. CP Holiday Train fans will be able to view the concert by visiting Canadian Pacific at the show's start time. An archived version of the show will remain on the page for later viewing.

FACES Art, Dance, Music & Theatre Programming offers Art Explorers for kids ages 3 to 5. This class uses a range of mediums and every tool from brushes and pencils to your fingers! Get messy and learn the basics of colour theory, form, and shape. Beginner Art is for students ages 6 to 11. This class will explore the use of different mediums in both 2D and 3D projects. Advanced Art is open to students 12 and up. This workshop style class will offer students the opportunity to explore their creative process. Projects in a wide range of mediums both 2D and 3D will be completed. For more information on our class offerings visit our website https://bit.ly/2PtPUIr

We are working hard to create opportunities for safe community engagement. Some class offerings we are exploring are healing yoga, watercolour basics, drawing, calorie torching, belly dancing and silk scarf painting. What classes would you like the Arts Council to offer?

Nicholas Najda is excited to take on the role of Director for the Arts Council for the South Shuswap. He is a recognized leader within the South Shuswap community and is frequently called upon for his expertise in government relations, non-profit administration and community development. In previous roles, Nicholas has managed municipal arts and culture files, including: public art, large community events, arts programming, and overseeing the operations and funding of civic cultural assets such as performing arts centres, museums, art galleries, and cultural non-profits. Nicholas believes that the arts play a critical role in achieving healthy, resilient communities. He looks forward to working with the board and community members to enhance and expand the role that arts play in the South Shuswap. Welcome, Nicholas!

A huge thanks to Josh + Bex Music for sharing their beautiful music with us at the Sunnybrae Community Hall last night, for our first installment of the Small Hall Music Crawl. As our first live music event since the beginning of the pandemic we would also like to thank the Sunnybrae Community Association and the audience for their collaboration in practicing all protocol and making for a safe and comfortable evening! Keep connected with us by following us on Facebook or the ...event page "Small Hall Music Crawl" where we will soon be posting updates for December's installment of the series. Last but not least a big thanks to our sponsors: Sunnybrae Vineyards & Winery, BC Arts Council, BC Touring Council, Creative BC Columbia Shuswap Regional District, SASCU

Check out Larry & Jane Stephenson's newly released cover of Gold Dust Woman! They are FACES Art, Dance, Music & Theatre Programming's talented guitar, banjo, mandolin, and ukulele instructors.

Flashback to the Small Hall Music Crawl last winter! Who are some of your favourite local artists? Would you like to see some of them perform at a small or virtual event?

Our FACES Art, Dance, Music & Theatre Programming Classes are underway! It’s not too late to register, so hurry and head over to our website to secure your child’s spot. https://bit.ly/2MK3ckg

As we head into fall, we are reminiscent of livelier times last summer at Music in the Bay. But fear not our resilient community will continue to support one another and get through this. The Arts Council Board of Directors are busy working on new event ideas to serve and entertain the community going forward. Are there any small or virtual events you’d like to see happen in the South Shuswap this fall and winter?

Are you a teen aged 12 to 18 who has always wanted to try dance but feel you missed your chance? FACES now offers Senior Ballet and Contemporary classes at the introductory levels. Enjoy time with your own peers while learning a new dance form! Senior Ballet Beginner Tuesdays 7:15-8:00 pm $369 / 30 classes Senior Ballet Contemporary Fridays 4:15-5:00 pm $369 / 30 classes... To register, visit: shuswaparts.com

Did you know that FACES Art, Dance, Music & Theatre Programming offers private music lessons and that registration is now open?! We offer private lessons for children and adults in piano, guitar, mandolin, bass guitar, violin, cello, flute, saxophone, clarinet, oboe, trombone, hand drums and clawhammer banjo. We also offer voice lessons in both traditional and contemporary styles. All of our music teachers are extremely qualified in their respective fields and through the... FACES programme, we strive to create a comfortable environment in which to learn. Private lessons are 45 minutes in length. This leaves 15 minutes for our instructors to thoroughly clean and sanitize their space in between students. Beginner students only are offered the option of 30-minute lessons. Lessons are taught in three 10 week blocks and run from September to May. https://bit.ly/2EPdtsQ

Do you know the story behind the Shuswap Artisan Market in Sorrento? The Shuswap Artisans Market started as a dream of Debbie Reeves and Rose Collin. Their goal was to create and provide Art for the Community and a Community for Artists. It came to life in the spring of 2017 when they opened the first artist-run market in Sorrento. It was a great success and so with the support of all the artists involved they decided to open their shop year-round.... Their purpose continues to be to support the vibrant community of artists in the Shuswap region by providing an opportunity to exhibit and sell regional art and to enhance professional development among artists. Having the storefront has proven to be a great way for artists to connect with their community and the community to have access to the artists among them. Visit their website to meet the artisans and see some of their work! You can visit the store as they have a COVID-19 health & safety plan in place. https://bit.ly/2sHgHIA

Did you know that the Okanagan Regional Library, South Shuswap branch offers a whole series of online events such as Pajama Storytime, Weekly Book Club Readings, Online Computer Coding and more?! Check out their September Calendar for more info.

Meet Arts council Director, Rose Collin. Welcome to The Ever Changing Palette of Rose Collin, the co-founder and co-manager of the Shuswap Artisan Market. Prior to moving to the Shuswap she facilitated groups of artists and artisans in local community Christmas markets, as well as participating in outdoor markets and large Christmas Festivals in and around Calgary. When moving to the Shuswap, Rose was fortunate to have an on- site studio, where she provided workshops in til...e and glass mosaics. Currently, the studio is used for the production of fabric items as well as fusing glass and occasionally painting with acrylics (thus, the ever-changing palette)! Stepping into the studio is like being in a candy store (bright and colourful)! Promoting local artists and artisans has always been of utmost importance to Rose, so becoming part of the Arts Council was a great fit.

Contemporary Dance... what is it? Contemporary is a relatively new form of dance that has exploded in popularity over the last little while. TV Shows such as So You Think You Can Dance and World of Dance have beautifully showcased many styles of contemporary dance through stellar choreography and execution. Contemporary is very expressive, the dancer’s facial expressions are equally as important as the quality of their movement in telling their story. Contemporary combine...s ballet, lyrical, jazz, and modern in a free and fluid dance form less structured than ballet. It uses many components of ballet, such as turns and leaps, but also incorporates a great deal of floor work. Contemporary classes at FACES Art, Dance, Music & Theatre Programming are offered at the Junior, Intermediate, and Senior levels, with a Contemporary Technique class available as well. Go to shuswaparts.com for more information and for registration details!

What a great first day to classes! Registration is still open for ballet, contemporary, private music and art lessons. Visit shuswaparts.com for more information. You may be wondering ....'What happens if COVID19 escalates causing the studio to close?' Like last year, all monies for tuition, costume fees or festival fees will be promptly refunded to families. That is our guarantee - you will not pay for private lessons or classes that you do not receive. Guaranteed.

The Salmon Arm Arts Centre is currently showcasing a virtual Photography Gallery called the Forecast. Artists use photography to explore evidence of climate change. On September 17th at 2:00 PM, view their Youtube page as the artists speak about and explain their photography. The photographers include Kristal Burgess, Patrick Hughes, Myrna Button, Aaron Leon, Mary Thomas Kenneth Whyte, Zev Tiefenbach and Vanessa Skotnitsky. https://bit.ly/3lT7pR0

Did you miss the 28th Annual (Online) Roots & Blues Festival this year?! No need to panic you can catch all three days of full performances online through the Salmon Arm Observer Get the snacks & drinks ready and set-up an at-home concert with the entire family! https://bit.ly/34Us8Od

Ballet Is it for me? Ballet is a classic, structured yet beautiful form of dance that has been around for hundreds of years. Not sure if it’s the right class for you? Well, read on for a more detailed look at this traditional form of dance. Ballet can be taught in many different styles, Miss Beth and Miss Brooke teach the ISTD method of Ballet. Imperial Classical Ballet promotes the English Classical Style of dance. Though no formal exams are taken at the FACES studio, dance...rs will still learn parts of the Imperial Classical Ballet Syllabi. Ballet is a strong foundation for many other forms of dance, such as Contemporary that is also offered at FACES. Ballet promotes strong, correct posture that is beneficial not only to dancers, but also to skaters and gymnasts as well. Every exercise in Ballet helps to strengthen muscles, lengthen the body, and teach dancers to move safely and with grace. FACES Art, Dance, Music & Theatre Programming currently offers Pre School Ballet, Beginner Ballet, Junior Ballet, Intermediate Ballet, Senior Ballet, and Ballet Technique. Private lessons are available as well. Go to shuswaparts.com for more info and registration details!

Meet Arts Council Director, Robyn Cyr. Robyn Cyr has been involved in Economic Development and Tourism Development for over 19 years. Robyn started her Economic Development career in Squamish working for Community Futures Howe Sound. Robyn has taken her career throughout the province working for Community Futures, Regional Districts, and First Nations in Squamish, Williams Lake, and the Shuswap region. Robyn is currently the owner of Brabyn Business Solutions and has two cont...racts with CF Shuswap Manager of the Secwepemc Lakes Tourism project and the Communications Coordinator of the Tsuts’weye Women’s Entrepreneur and Innovation Network. In her most recent position with the Columbia Shuswap Regional District, she was the Economic Development Officer, a position she held for 11 years, and she managed Shuswap Economic Development, Shuswap Tourism, and the Columbia Shuswap Film Commission. Robyn also sits as a board director on the Splatsin Development Corporation, and the BC Economic Development Association. Robyn currently lives in White Lake (Shuswap) with her husband and together they have 4 daughters and 5 grandchildren. She spends her spare time with her horses, five dogs and one cat, in addition to hiking, kayaking, cycling, snowshoeing, and Nordic skiing in the beautiful Shuswap region of BC. Robyn joined the Board of the Arts Council for the South Shuswap to bring her knowledge of the Tourism industry, and the importance of a vibrant community arts and culture program, to the Board and to assist with developing community arts events and projects. Arts and culture make considerable and necessary contributions to the well-being of communities. Arts and culture are powerful tools with which to engage communities in various levels of change. They are a means to public dialogue, contribute to the development of a community’s creative learning, create healthy communities capable of action, provide a powerful tool for community mobilization and activism, and help build community capacity and leadership.

FACES Art, Dance, Music & Theatre Programming is now accepting fall registrations! Read The South Shuswap Scoop's full post below!

This year FACES Art, Dance, Music & Theatre Programming has a new class offering for Ballet and Contemporary a Technique Class. So what is a Technique Class anyway? Proper technique is fundamental in developing and growing as a dancer in all dance forms. It is also crucial to ensure you're moving your body safely and keeping your bones, joints, and muscles happy & healthy. Our 45-minute studio classes are GREAT because not only do they cover technique and form but you ...will learn a routine to perform with your class at the end-of-the-year recital. In the Spring as you approach the recital, a great amount of class time will be dedicated to learning and cleaning up your routine for the show. This is where a Tech class is especially beneficial. We’ve scheduled a 30-minute Tech class for Contemporary and Ballet directly following each Senior class. This means you’re already warmed up and ready to work. Miss Beth will focus closely on body alignment and posture, then move into leaps, turns, and other areas of each discipline - there is no choreography taught in these classes. This is a perfect opportunity to work on specific areas you'd like to improve on as a dancer. If you’d like to take your dancing to the next level, a Tech Class may be for you! Visit www.shuswaparts.com for the complete schedule.

FACES Art, Dance, Music & Theatre Programming Dance Registration is now open! We have a health & safety plan in place and are excited to welcome back students and get to movin’ again! See full class descriptions and schedules on our website and follow the link to register today: https://bit.ly/2NFgzBL

A little throwback to Music in the Bay last summer featuring The Shawn Lightfoot Band! We were so sad our signature summer event, Music in the Bay, wasn’t possible this year but we can’t wait to be able to gather for some amazing music once again! Would you be interested in any virtual events? Let us know in the comments below!

For the health & safety of all our students, parents and instructors, we have implemented a COVID-19 health & safety plan for the FACES Art, Dance, Music & Theatre Programming studio. New guidelines such as occupancy limits, taking temperatures and more will be followed to ensure a safe and fun environment for the kids! Read the full plan here: https://bit.ly/3lFhcdc