March Newsletter

IN THIS ISSUE
Pacific Contact - March 27th – 29th
Pre Conference Professional Development - Managing & Leading In Turbulent Times - sold-out!
Showcase Schedule
In-Conference Workshops, Meetings & Networking
Sponsorships & Advertising Deadline
Silent Auction Fundraiser – Community Connections
ArtsOnTour Directory – E-Blasts and Website Registration Still Available
Job Postings
Members News
Industry News

Pacific Contact - March 28th – 30th - is just three weeks away and you can still register. Come for a day or stay for the whole conference. Showcases, professional development, contact room, networking sessions, dinners and late-night fun!
http://www.bctouring.org/pacific-contact/index.html.

Pre Conference Professional Development Managing & Leading In Turbulent Times is now sold-out!

Showcase Schedules – the fabulous line-up can be found at the following links:
http://www.bctouring.org/pacific-contact/2009/mjfox-schedule.html
http://www.bctouring.org/pacific-contact/2009/studio-schedule.html

In-Conference Workshops, Meetings & Networking – Get More Contact In Pacific Contact - Networking is one of the greatest opportunities and benefits of attending Pacific Contact. Sometimes it may be on the bus to a showcase or in a workshop or during a meal. Check the schedule At A Glance and get ready for a fun-filled conference.
http://www.bctouring.org/pacific-contact/2009/pre_schedule.html

Sponsorships and Advertising - Deadline March 9th to make the Program Guide - Pacific Contact offers a great opportunity to promote and profile your organization. It also shows your strong support for the BC Touring Council, our programs and services and helps offset the cost of many aspects of Pacific Contact. By sponsoring or advertising at Pacific Contact, you make a genuine contribution. Your sponsorships and advertising supports a growing regional network of performing arts professionals. A variety of sponsorships are available including coffee breaks, hospitality events including the Awards Dinner and more.
Please sign on now at:
http://www.bctouring.org/pacific-contact/2009/sponsorship.html
http://www.bctouring.org/pacific-contact/2009/advertising.html

Silent Auction Fundraiser - The theme for this year’s Silent Auction, COMMUNITY CONNECTIONS, celebrates and reflects the diversity of our unique regions across the province. Celebrate the abundance in our amazing province! This fundraiser supports Pacific Contact and mentoring and member support year-round. Let your imagination be your guide! (get-away trips with hotel/B&B and activity, hand-crafts, micro-brewery or winery or tourism items, books, flights and other transportation, advertising space, electronic goods, souvenirs, booths at trade shows, music, chocolate, coffee, preserves, cooking class, dinners and tickets to events). Donor acknowledgement will include the BCTC website, E-newsletters and signage at Pacific Contact. Please, contact us today with your donation so that we can be sure that you are listed in the promotional materials. Will you make a donation? Please go to:
http://www.bctouring.org/pacific-contact/2009/silent_auction.html. We will contact you as soon as we hear from you to make arrangements for your donation to reach us.

2009 ArtsOnTour Website Directory Launched – over 300 artist and agency listings with full descriptions, photos, contact information and links. www.artsontour.com
Artists/Agent Members - Have you taken advantage of listing in ArtsOnTour? Your BCTC membership includes a free listing on the website and you can update information year-round. This year the basic listing includes use of photos/logos and no extra charge. The site looks fantastic! Go on, check it out and if you haven’t taken advantage of this member service - don’t delay! Additional exposure includes weekly E-blasts highlighting artists. www.artsontour.com

Jobs - Check the BCTC website for new job postings http://www.bctouring.org/job-opportunities/index.html

Member News

Congrats to Agence Station Bleue who has received the Prix Rideau Tournée award for the Lizt Alfonso Dance Cuba tour, at the closing ceremonies of the 22nd Bourse Rideau Gala, held in Quebec City from February 15 to 19, 2009.
To bring some of Cuba’s warmth at the heart of the Quebec winter: that was Agence Station bleue’s somewhat daring idea. It was quite a challenge for the agency who was getting involved in it’s first ever Canadian tour with a dance company. Known to represent specialized music ensembles, Station bleue was now sending on the roads of Quebec and Canada a full dance company from Havana, Cuba, including 17 women dancers, 6 musicians and a technical crew of 7 members. The bus was also fully loaded with costumes, equipment and musical instruments. The tour was made up of 22 presentations in 31 days, from Sept-Îles to Whitehorse. Olé!. By putting together this ambitious tour, the Station Bleue team once again demonstrated its concern for bringing top-notch acts to the regions of Quebec and Canada. Don’t miss the Lizt Alfonso Danza Cuba Company as it returns on Canadian soil in the Spring of 2010. www.stationbleue.com

Dancers Dancing is celebrating it’s 10th anniversary this year! See their redesigned website and newsletter www.dancersdancing.com

 LINK Dance Foundation's National Breakfast Dance Tour 2009 - LINK Dance Foundation is excited about the upcoming National Tour in March, visiting New Brunswick, Ontario, Alberta and the Northwest Territories plus a New York City engagement! To keep tabs on the Tour, visit their blog throughout the month of March at www.linkdance.ca.

Industry News

World Theatre Day, March 27th, 2009 - World Theatre Day message will be delivered this year by Augusto Boal. If you have a performance on March 27, the GVPTA ask’s that you consider reading this message on that day prior to your performance. http://www.gvpta.ca/world_theatre_day.html

Artists in Canada's Provinces and Territories. Based on the 2006 Census the 27th report in the Statistical Insights on the Arts series from Hill Strategies Research, highlights key information about artists in the provinces and territories. Artists include actors, choreographers, craftspeople, composers, conductors, dancers, directors, musicians, producers, singers, visual artists and writers. The report shows that, among the 10 provinces, British Columbia has the largest percentage of its labour force in arts occupations (1.08%), the only province above 1% and a figure that is well above the Canadian average of 0.77%. British Columbia has 25,900 artists who spent more time at their art than at any other occupation in May 2006. http://www.hillstrategies.com

Calling all Artists!!
On October 1st – October 4th, Contact East 2009 will be staged in Moncton, New Brunswick. Contact East is currently looking for artists to showcase for provincial, national, and international presenters and buyers of talent www.contacteast.ca and download the artist submission form and send it in. MARCH 15th, 2009 is the deadline for submissions www.contacteast.ca  

Send in your 2009 showcase application for the CAPACOA showcases! You have until April 30, 2009 to apply. www.capacoa.ca/

Check out the list of contact event dates and deadlines on the BCTC website at http://www.bctouring.org/helpful-links/contact-events.html

CCA Bulletin 06/09 - The CCA Publishes its Report on the Regional Forums 2008 - Throughout November and December 2008, I had the great pleasure of conducting Regional Forums in 14 cities across Canada with over 430 participants. These forums enabled a national conversation on the state of the arts and culture sector, the advocacy priorities we should be pursuing, and the necessary strategies which should be harnessed to identify and achieve common goals. http://ccaforums.blogspot.com:80/

Charities Information Sessions - Every year staff from the Charities Directorate of the Canada Revenue Agency visit communities across the country to provide information sessions for registered charities.  This year, they will also be visiting a number of smaller communities. As the federal regulator of registered charities, the Directorate provides these sessions to help registered charities understand their obligations under the Income Tax Act.
Registration for the Spring sessions will open on April 8th, 2009 and for the Fall sessions on   August 10th, 2009. The sessions are free and registered charities are encouraged to send representatives.  http://www.cra-arc.gc.ca/tx/chrts/sssns/menu-eng.html  

12 Minutes Max - a multi-disciplinary performance exhibition - Co-hosted by The Dance Centre and The Firehall Arts Centre. Applications due: March 30, 2009 at 5pm. Audition is April 12, 2009 at The Dance Centre. Performances are June 1 & June 2, 2009. Applications and Enquiries to: Raquel Alvaro, Programming Coordinator
Ph: 604.606.6405 Fax: 604.606.6401
E-mail: programming@thedancecentre.ca

CITT - renewed edition of STAGEWORKS! Just click on this link below for direct access to StageWorks http://www.citt.org/newsletter/2009-03.pdf

2009 Walter Carsen Prize for Excellence in the Performing Arts (Music) Nomination deadline: 30 April 2009 - Prize amount: $50,000. The Canada Council for the Arts announces the opening of nominations for the prestigious Walter Carsen Prize for Excellence in the Performing Arts. In 2009 the prize will be awarded in the field of music. Visit our website for full information on nomination procedures. Nomination forms and related documentation must be submitted by mail or courier directly to Endowments and Prizes, Canada Council for the Arts, postmarked no later than 30 April 2009. For other information, please contact Janet Riedel Pigott, Program Officer, at 1-800-263-5588, ext. 4116 or janet.riedel@canadacouncil.ca. http://www.canadacouncil.ca/prizes/walter_carsen/

Joanna Maratta, Executive Director
BC Touring Council
PO Box 547
Nelson, B.C. V1L 5R3
T. 250-352-0021  F. 250-352-0027
www.bctouring.org
Pacific Contact 2009 - March 27-29