28th Annual |
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August 12–15, 2010 |
Newsletter Archives |
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Audience comments:Our audience was asked what aspect of the Festival they most enjoyed. The comments embraced three main themes. Most were about the quality and diversity of the authors and their subjects, e.g.: “[I liked] the variety of subjects presented, all authors were such good readers”, approachability/friendliness of the writers, “the lively discussions during the Q&A”. There were many comments about Richard Wagamese: “Wagamese – an inspired choice”, “Richard Wagamese really spoke to the intent of the Hutchison Lecture – The Spirit of Canada”. We also asked you to tell us what aspects of the Festival you think could be improved. We depend on our audience to give us honest critical feedback. This year the comments ranged from concern about line-ups and reserved seating, suggestions regarding food and souvenirs to requests for more poets and comments on the authors and their presentations. Ticketing, seating and long line-ups are ongoing issues of concern to many of you, as they are to the board and staff, but when all the requirements for a different system along with our technical and manpower limitations are considered, our present method of ticketing and seating seems to be the most fair and effective for a three-day event. This is, however, an issue we will continue to explore. Some found that broadcasting sound out to the grounds was intrusive and made conversation and quiet reading difficult. Others were very appreciative, especially those who were unable to obtain tickets for sold out events. It has been suggested that outside sound be limited to sold out events. The Board will review all of your concerns and suggestions for improvements at their annual retreat early in the New Year. Fundraising:The Bucket Brigade fundraising project this year was “Raise the Bar”, the intent being to cover the cost of installing security bars over the upper windows in the pavilion. Thanks to the generosity and good will of our audience we raised $2,500, more than enough to move ahead with the installation. We’ll use the remainder of the money to secure the public washrooms in the Festival Office area and do some preventive maintenance on the existing grillwork and gates. Our annual sale of pre-owned and new books will take place at the Trail Bay Mall on November 13 and 14. Donations would be appreciated and may be dropped off at the festival office Monday to Friday. We would ask that the books be in good condition, and please, no textbooks. This is a board fundraiser and will be managed by board members, so come and visit us at the Mall and buy some books! Thanks again to all of you for your ongoing support. You inspire the board and producer Jane Davidson to work hard year round to produce the best all Canadian annual literary festival in the country. One of our survey respondents wrote: “First rate as usual – one of the best yet with no weak performances and some real surprises!” That’s what we aim for. Wendy Hunt THE STATE OF THE ARTSThe news is not good for many organizations. The Festival of the Written Arts is not the recipient of gaming funds so we are not dealing with that loss. We do, however, receive operating funds from the BC Arts Council and we will find out early in 2010 how we will be affected by provincial funding cutbacks. For a look at what’s happening in our province right now, read this statement from the Coalition for the Defence of Writing and Publishing in BC. Read the commentary and follow the links at www.stopbcartscuts.ca for more information. UPCOMING EVENTS ON THE SUNSHINE COASTWe are thrilled to announce that our friends at Coast Cable 11 will broadcast the 2009 Bruce Hutchison Memorial Lecture delivered by Richard Wagamese, on Wednesday, October 28 at 8 pm. See www.youtube.com/watch?v=eQizKkdtxL8 The Sunshine Coast Arts Council Literary Readings series continues with author and storyteller Ivan Coyote on Saturday, November 7. Full details are at www.suncoastarts.com/profiles/scartscouncil/writersseries.html. Sunshine Coast writer Shelley Harrison Rae celebrates the launch of Life Leaves Stains, selected poems and images, on Sunday, November 1 at the Rockwood Lodge from 5-7 pm. Fall Newsletter
FALL NEWSLETTER
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| Poor | Fair | FtoG | Good | GtoE | Excellent | |
| Program Line-up | - | 3 (4%) | 36 (44%) | 1(1%) | 42 (51%) | |
| Sound | - | 1 (1%) | 1(1%) | 26 (32%) | 2(2%) | 52 (63%) |
| Food | - | 6 (8%) | 41 (55%) | 27 (36%) | ||
| Facility | - | 2 (3%) | 20 (26%) | 55 (71%) | ||
| Hospitality | - | - | 14 (17%) | 69 (83%) |
When we ask our audience for feedback we sometimes get conflicting responses. For instance, some people commented that they liked the one-on-one interview format and the panel discussions, while others didn't care for them at all. There were many positive comments on the music and sound system while someone else found it difficult to hear or understand words. This depends very much on the speaker's level of projection or lack thereof and Peter Leitz, our sound wizard, does his best to make them all sound as good as possible. Some people commented on how much they enjoyed certain authors and others said they didn't like these events at all. Most respondents agreed that last year's line-up was a great mix and an accurate representation of literature in Canada today.
Space does not permit all the comments to be reprinted but here are some of the things mentioned.
Aspects some people mentioned enjoying:
Aspects some people thought could be improved:
Some people asked if we pre-sell tickets or sell in blocks. We don't. Tickets are sold on a first come, first served basis. This is the way most ticket-selling organizations work. We are not aware of a fairer, more equitable way to sell tickets. We know some people are very disappointed not to get tickets to see their favourite author but the board feels that this is the only "level playing field" way to handle ticket sales. It is a frustrating situation for all of us on the first day of ticket sales and we are continually pressing Telus to fine-tune the phone system. This would go a long way to alleviating some of the frustrations.
Some of the comments fuel the enthusiasm of the staff and Board and make the hard work and time commitment worthwhile: "Compliments to everyone involved in making this awesome literary event such a joyful, intellectually stimulating, fun, restorative life experience. As always - well done." "Every year I am so grateful for the privilege of hearing all this wonderful talent - the creative energy fills me up! Thanks to all!" "Hard to improve on perfection. Bravo to all the organizers!" "This is my first visit and it is perfect! Especially the way you arranged the weather." (Our pleasure.)
Once again, thank you for taking the time to tell us what you think.
Wendy Hunt
on behalf of the Festival Board
Welcome to Spring at the Festival of the Written Arts. It's been a very busy year and we want to share what we've been up to.
Jane has put the finishing touches on the programming for the 2008 Festival. Once again, we are bringing some of the the best and brightest Canadian writers to Sechelt and we hope you will join us August 14-17. We've kept the website updated so that our patrons can get as excited as we are. Chris has completed the author bios for the brochure and we will have it in the mail by the last week of April. Tickets go on sale at 8 am on Wednesday, May 21, by telephone only (1-800-565-9631 or 604-885-9631). Tickets can be purchased both by phone and in person on May 22 and thereafter.
In the past, the Festival has sent brochures to every postal address on the Sunshine Coast, a practice that has resulted in a significant amount of paper waste. This year we will send addressed brochures to the names on our mailing list (both on the Coast and elsewhere) and distribute through local bookstores, businesses and libraries. Other green initiatives include the use of recycled paper for the brochure and program.
Jane was surprised to find that she was able to print a 2008 ticket on the old ticketing system. (We had been told the program would expire on December 31, 2007.) This has given our Information Technology volunteer, Peter Chapman, time to research the best program for our needs and, thanks to the generosity of everyone who threw coins and bills into the buckets at the Festival last year, we will be purchasing our new program soon. We hope our patrons will have the option of purchasing tickets online by Festival 2009.
Our wonderful pavilion is beginning to show her age and has needed some attention. We are very pleased with our new roof but, as with all renovations, once you do one thing you see all the other stuff that needs fixing. Many people did not realize there was an orchestra pit at the foot of the stage. It was installed many years ago by the Sunshine Coast Music Society for their community musicals. Over the years, the pit has filled with water and the cover and supports began to rot. It was fast becoming a liability. After discussions with the Music Society, the Board made arrangements to fill the pit in. Construction Aggregates generously provided the sand and Laurie Lacovetsky of Sound Construction managed the project. It was an unanticipated and expensive job but Jane and the Board are resting more easily now that the work is done. There are more projects in the future such as shoring up support posts, replacing the black theatrical drapes etc. Board members Dave Sutherland and Clay Hepburn are working with Jane to ensure that our biggest asset is maintained and improved.
Jane has been working with our CABC partners on some exciting literary events for children and young people. CABC is a joint initiative of the Festival, the Sunshine Coat Arts Council, the Sechelt Public Library and School District No. 46 (Sunshine Coast). The goal is to promote books, reading, writing and literacy to local students. Participating writers include Linda Bailey, Ellen Schwartz, C.C. Humphreys, Richard Van Camp, Chieri Uegaki, Donna Joe, Bertha Clarke, Carrie Mac and, coming in May, Barbara Reid. Another component of CABC is the CANSCAIP Collection, an exhibition of original artwork of Canadian children's book illustrators, at the Sunshine Coast Art Centre until April 6. CANSCAIP is the Canadian Society of Children's Authors, Illustrators and Performers.
By June 2008, over 1,000 Sunshine Coast students will have had the opportunity to spend time with a writer. Response to CABC from teachers, students, parents and writers has been overwhelmingly positive and we thank Telus, Vancouver Sun Raise-A-Reader, Starbucks Make Your Mark Program and Construction Aggregates for making it possible.
And that's all for now. We look forward to hearing from you soon and to seeing you in Sechelt in August.
Many thanks to Dale Eichar, Rick Cooney and the board and staff at the Sunshine Coast Credit Union for the donation of three computers and monitors. They are exactly what we need in order to streamline our office procedures. Now we will be able to get the festival's email database up to date, and Jane and the ticket system advisory committee will begin researching new ticketing software options.
Producer Jane Davidson reports that five authors have signed on for the 2008 event so far and negotiations are ongoing with a number of others. Please continue to check here for updates as more authors confirm.
Authors confirmed to date are:
David Chariandy: David lives in Vancouver and teaches English at SFU. His debut novel Soucouyant is attracting lots of attention and is a finalist for this year's Governor General's Award. The novel follows a Canadian-born man as he traces the life of his Trinidad-raised mother who is suffering from dementia. "This is an electrifying novel by an extremely gifted writer" (Alistair MacLeod).
Mary Novik: Her novel Conceit is the story of Pegge Donne, the rebellious daughter of the English poet John Donne. Mary Novik belongs to the writing group SPiN whose members include Jen Sookfong Lee, another much lauded first-time novelist who charmed her audience at last year's Festival. Conceit was long listed for the Giller Prize. (www.marynovik.com)
Elizabeth Hay: Late Nights on Air, her latest novel, set in a small radio station in the North, won the $40,000 2008 Scotiabank Giller Prize. Her other award winning fiction includes A Student of Weather, Small Change and Garbo Laughs. (www.elizabethhay.com)
Will Ferguson and Tom Phillips: The two-time winner of the Leacock Medal for Humour, Will Ferguson has turned serious with his new novel Spanish Fly, set in the dust bowl of the 1930's. Will has teamed up with musician and composer Tom Phillips to create A Soundtrack to Spanish Fly, an audio CD. Both Will and Tom will join us for this year's Festival. Listen to an excerpt at www.willferguson.ca.
Claire Mulligan: Claire Mulligan has won awards for her short fiction both in Canada and the United States. Her first novel, The Reckoning of Boston Jim, is set in British Columbia in the 1830s. The book, long listed for the Giller, "will probably become a classic of BC writing, lifting our history out of the textbooks and making it breathe" (Vancouver Sun). (www.clairemulligan.com)
Every November the festival has a fundraising sale of books and souvenirs at the Trail Bay Mall. This year it takes place November 23 and 24. There will be lots of books in good condition and souvenirs at discount prices. We will also be selling off towels, single bed sheets, pillowcases and duvets left over from the days before the north wing was demolished. Drop by for some great pre-Christmas bargains.
If you find yourself flush with the spirit of seasonal giving, a donation to the Festival is always a fashionable and much-appreciated gift. Tax receipt and a big thank you issued as usual.
The Festival and its community partners - the Sechelt Public Library, the Sunshine Coast Arts Council and School District No. 46 (Sunshine Coast) - celebrated the launch of the Celebration of Authors, Books and Children (CABC) on Wednesday, November 7 with writers Linda Bailey, Ellen Schwartz and Chris Humphreys. Each writer visited two schools the next day and met with over 350 Sunshine Coast students. This was the first phase in a long-term program that will bring writers and readers together to talk about books and writing.
October 22, 2007
Celebration of Authors, Books and Children (CABC) - a joint initiative of the Sunshine Coast Festival of the Written Arts, the Sechelt Public Library, the Sunshine Coast Arts Council and School District No. 46 (Sunshine Coast) - will be launched on Wednesday, November 7, 2007 at the Sechelt Public Library
The goal of CABC is to bring writers and children together, to celebrate books and authors and to encourage reading and writing. The initial phase of this program will see three accomplished writers of fiction for young people visit the Sunshine Coast and make two school visits each on Thursday, November 8. The organizers will continue working in the months ahead to ensure that every school on the Coast receives a visit from a writer during the 2007-2008 school year.
CABC kicks off with Linda Bailey, Ellen Schwartz and C.C. (Chris) Humphreys. Linda Bailey has written extensively for elementary school children of all ages and recently won, with illustrator Bill Slavin, the BC Achievement Foundation Award for Early Literacy for her book, Stanley's Party. Ellen Schwartz has also written many books for both primary and intermediate students. Her most recent books are Abby's Birds, Yossi's Goal and Stealing Home. Chris Humphreys, a prolific writer of historical fiction for adults, is the author of The Fetch and Vendetta, the first two books in The Runestone Saga trilogy. These fantasies are written for ages 12 and up.
CABC represents the first time these community organizations have worked together to plan, develop and deliver a program that will touch and inspire children of all ages through exposure to writers. Other activities planned for the 2007-2008 school year include more writer visits to classrooms to coincide with Family Literacy Day at the end of January, an exhibition at the Sunshine Coast Art Centre in March 2008 featuring children's book illustrations from the CANSCAIP (Canadian Society for Children's Authors, Illustrators and Performers) collection and an event at the Festival Pavilion in May featuring renowned Canadian children's book author and illustrator, Barbara Reid.
Kids of all ages, parents, teachers and the public are invited to attend a reception on Wednesday, November 7 from 3:30 to 5:00 at the Sechelt Public Library to celebrate the launch of CABC. There will be refreshments and activities for the children, a draw for books and, best of all, the opportunity to meet the writers.
The CABC Committee gratefully acknowledges Telus for its support of this community initiative.
For further information about CABC and future plans, please contact:
Jane Davidson
Producer
Sunshine Coast Festival of the Written Arts
Telephone: 604-885-9631
64 people completed our survey. Thank you for taking the time to let us know what you liked and what you would like changed.
The festival survey is comprised of five elements; our responders rated them as follows:
The aspects most responders enjoyed and commented on were the quality and variety of the authors and the opportunity to talk with the authors after their event. Some of the highlights mentioned were Wayson Choy, Margaret McMillan, Camilla Gibb, Caroline Adderson and Michael Crummey. There were numerous positive comments on two special events: Chainsaws: A History with David Lee, Mike Acres and Mark Forsythe was the surprise hit of the festival and A Memoir of Friendship with Blanche Howard, Anne Giardini, Allison Howard and Bill Richardson was a sentimental favourite. Many people commented favourably on the last minute replacement for Wayne Johnston. Hal Wake, Artistic Director of the Vancouver International Writers Festival, hosted 11 authors who read from their work, published or not, for five minutes. This was a literary smorgasbord, followed with a short reception up at the big tent where authors and audience mingled. It has been suggested that this become a regular festival feature.
There were many comments on the setting, the gardens and especially the baskets of flowers. People appreciated the friendliness of the volunteers, meeting old friends, the sound system and Talewind Books.
It is always interesting to see what our audience thinks could be improved. There were requests for more washrooms and wheelchair accessible washrooms. Some would like to see the pavilion cleared faster and something done about the line-ups, especially if it is raining. There were requests for better lighting in the garden and comments on the cool temperature in the pavilion. Some people would like a better selection of souvenirs and clothing.
There was a comment that babies shouldn't be at the events and another that said, "I appreciated seeing babies allowed to come in with their parents". One respondent thought there was too much emphasis on "victim literature" and another said "a good line-up of writers who were entertaining, thought provoking and informative". It isn't possible to please everyone but Jane and the Board appreciate that so many people take the time to offer their comments and observations.
In response to the question "Will you return next year" 54 people said yes, one said no, four said they didn't know and one said, "I hope so".
One comment in particular captured the festival spirit: "Thank you for re-creating the ancient art of storytelling in this beautiful setting, and for keeping it alive."
Response to the website survey was great; thanks to everybody who participated and to our volunteer surveyors -Joan Wilson and Sue Perry - for a job well done.
Of the169 responses, 166 responders have access to the Internet. 121 of them have visited our website. Most were looking specifically for information such as authors, dates, ticket sales information and which events had sold out. Some were just browsing and some were both searching and browsing.
103 responders said they feel fine about receiving festival information electronically and three did not. Many people said they would print the brochure and that it was very important that the online format be printer friendly. Some who said they would use it expressed concern about those people who don't have a computer or are not comfortable computers. Many people said they would want an email reminder when important new information was posted on the website and some asked for assurances that the email list remain secure and confidential. Some valued the opportunity to get up to date information on who was coming and to start reading the books in advance of the final line-up. There were comments on the savings that could be made on printing and stamps and lessening our environmental footprint.
156 people said they would use the website method and nine said they wouldn't. 147 responders said that "website only" wouldn't deter them from coming to the festival and 17 said it would. There were some requests to run the two systems in 2008 so that people would have time to get used to the new system. There were requests to have the option of one or both systems. Some people said they liked to have the brochure to read and reread and consult but most people said they would be satisfied with the website if the format was easily printable.
135 responders would like access to online ticket sales, 28 said they wouldn't use it. Many people said they already purchase tickets for other events online and are comfortable with that. There were comments on the importance of security of the site, concern about giving credit card information online and a wish for a variety of ways to purchase tickets - online, telephone, in person.
157 people gave the festival their email addresses.
Jane Davidson and the Board will consider how we use this information and will keep our patrons informed. In the meantime we will keep our website up-to-date but rest assured that the brochure will be mailed out as usual in May 2008.
May 1/07: With a little help from the weather gods, a lot of great work by Strait Roofing, sizeable grants from the District of Sechelt and the Vancouver Foundation, and a substantial amount of cash donated by Festival lovers and supporters, the roof has been raised. The Festival Pavilion is now sporting a sparkling new, completely weatherproof, cedar shake roof. The Festival Pavilion is an important performance venue for all of the Sunshine Coast. It requires costly ongoing maintenance and upgrading and we thank all of you who responded to the "Raise the Roof" campaign and helped make this happen.
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