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Fall 2010 Newsletter
President's Report
By all accounts Festival 2010 was an artistic and financial success. The Board and Jane appreciate you taking the time to fill out an Audience Survey (see a synopsis of the results below). We read every comment and take your suggestions and complaints into consideration as we prepare for next year's festival.
Coast TV is already broadcasting some of the events that were taped at the festival. You can check out the program schedule at www.coastcable.com/ch11/community.html. Thank you, Steve Sleep and crew!
The Programming Committee met at the beginning of October to start the process of building Festival 2011. We are excited about the possibilities and as authors accept our invitations, their bios will be posted on our website so you can share our enthusiasm.
Our annual Book and Souvenir Sale will be held on November 12 and 13 at Trail Bay Centre in Sechelt. We will be including CDs in the book sale this year, so please donate your used books and CDs in good condition (no textbooks or really old books please), then come to the mall on the 12th or 13th and shop for more! Used books and CDs may be dropped off at the festival office. Please deliver the books by November 8 at the latest and call ahead (604-885-9631) to make sure someone is at the office to receive them.
See details below about our upcoming event with Richard Van Camp. And don't forget: the dates for the 2011 Festival have moved to August 4-7.
Audience Survey Results
As you can see some of you added new categories when rating the festival!
| Poor | Fair | Fair-Good | Good | Good-Excellent | Excellent | Excellent+ | |
| Program Line-up | 2 | 16 | 1 | 49 | 1 | ||
| Sound System | 14 | 1 | 53 | ||||
| Food Services | 1 | 23 | 2 | 30 | |||
| Facility | 1 | 15 | 1 | 49 | 1 | ||
| Festival Hospitality | 8 | 56 | 2 |
When asked what aspect you appreciated the most, many of you said you were
happy with the mix of authors, excellence of presentations, format, the
opportunity to mingle with friends and chat with the authors, and the food
vendors. You also loved the environment and the weather. Authors you
singled out as exceptional included Lawrence Hill, Jowi Taylor, Ian Brown,
Louise Penny, Denise Chong, Ryan Knighton and Nino Ricci. We are gratified
and encouraged by your support of the poetry event, "The Meter's
Running." Many who filled out the audience survey form singled this
event out for praise.
Here is a sample of some of your comments:
"Our whole family attends - 8 of us this year - so we loved being able to share this event with them. There are authors for each person's area of interest."
"I liked the variety of authors (new and veteran) and balance of fiction, non-fiction, poetry and the format for each hour."
"It's all wonderful. Kudos for the green initiative."
There were comments on what aspects of the festival could be improved. Often we get conflicting responses to this question. Many said they liked the format used most often this year--where the author took questions about two thirds of the way through the hour and then ended with a reading--while a few said they preferred the Q & A at the end. Some people prefer that authors read more from their books and others prefer that they read less. While the Producer and the stage managers make format suggestions to the authors, each author decides (within some general guidelines) how to use his or her allotted hour.
Some of you wanted more food choices on site, but most food comments were positive. Some lamented the loss of the salmon barbecue, but that is no longer a viable and cost- effective option. The sit-down salmon dinner hosted by Pebbles Restaurant, however, was sold out and, by all reports, enjoyed by all who attended.
There were comments about lining up for events and getting in and out for back-to-back events. We have tried to make the line-up area more "friendly" for people with disabilities by providing some chairs, and we provide umbrellas for protection from the rain or sun, but the line-ups will remain a part of the festival experience.
The other recurring comment is about the ticket sales system. The FWA is a small arts organization and our ticket system is affordable and reliable. There are only about 350 single tickets available for each event and 125 weekend/day passes. No matter what system is used some people will be disappointed. The system is taxed to the max for about three hours, one day a year, and works quite efficiently the rest of the time. There won't be any changes to the ticket sales method in the near future. Some have suggested that we engage a Ticketmaster-type of service. This would result in higher ticket prices and a significant expense for the Festival.
Your comments and concerns will be considered when Jane and the Board meet for our annual retreat in the New Year. This is a day-long retreat where we review the previous year's events and develop short and long term goals for the festival.
Thank you all for your ongoing support of the Festival of the Written Arts.
Best wishes,
Wendy Hunt
President, Board of Directors
* * * * * * *
Upcoming Events
The Sunshine Coast Festival of the Written Arts and the Sunshine Coast Arts Council, with the support of the Poetry Gabriola Festival, present Richard Van Camp at the Sunshine Coast Arts Centre on Monday, November 15 at 7:30 pm. Van Camp is a member of the Dogrib (Tlicho) Nation from Fort Smith, NWT and is a renowned storyteller and accomplished author. Admission is by donation.
The Sunshine Coast Arts Council Literary Reading Series continues with George Bowering on Saturday, October 30 and Michael Turner on Saturday, November 27. Both events begin at 8 pm at the Sunshine Coast Arts Centre. Admission is by donation.
Bowering, Canada's first Poet Laureate, is the author of more than 80 books of poetry, fiction, criticism, biography and history. His latest book of short fiction is The Box and he co-edited, with Jean Baird, the anthology The Heart Does Break: Canadian Writers on Grief and Mourning.
The recipient of many awards and award nominations, Turner's books include Company Town, Hard Core Logo, The Pornographer's Poem and, his latest, 8 x 10. He is currently writer-in-residence at Simon Fraser University.
The Gibsons Live Poets Society presents Halifax poet John Wall Barger on Tuesday, November 2 at 7:00 pm at Wheatberries Bakery/Bistro in Gibons. His first book of poems, Pain-proof Men, was published by Palimpsest Press in September 2009. His next book, Hummingbird, is coming out with Palimpsest in the spring of 2012. Admission is free.
Sunshine Coast writer Shelley Harrison Rae will lead a Memoir Writing Workshop at Rockwater Resort, November 22-26. More information is here: http://rockwatersecretcoveresort.com/site/retreats-and-workshops/memoir-writing-retreat.html.
Don't forget our Book & Souvenir Sale, November 12 and 13!
Meet Voyageur: 64 pieces, 6 strings, 1 Canada, 1 Guitar
July 15, 2010
The Sunshine Coast Festival of the Written Arts proudly presents Voyageur, the Six String Nation Guitar. Built almost entirely of pieces of Canadian history, the guitar features a piece of Pierre Trudeau's canoe paddle, Paul Henderson's hockey stick, a tiny piece of Maurice “Rocket” Richard's first Stanley Cup ring and even a piece of the sacred Golden Spruce of Haida Gwaii.
The history of the guitar goes back to 1995, the eve of the Quebec Referendum, when CBC Radio host Jowi Taylor was looking for a way to pull stories together from across the country in the spirit of national unity. With the help of luthier George Rizsanyi, he spent 10 years assembling 64 historically significant pieces of wood, bone and metal.
Since the guitar's debut on Parliament Hill on Canada Day in 2006, it has been passed from hand to hand across the country, and held and played by over 50,000 Canadians. Jowi Taylor's book Six String Nation (Douglas & McIntyre, 2009), features stunning portraits by Doug Nicholson and chronicles the conception, creation and adventures of this remarkable instrument.
Jowi Taylor, Doug Nicholson and Voyageur will be at the Festival of the Written Arts. Come have your photograph taken with the guitar on Saturday, August 14 (10 am to 1 pm) and Sunday, August 15 (11 am to 1 pm and 2 pm to 6 pm). Photos will be taken in the Rockwood Lodge, Sechelt, on the festival site.
Jowi will share the story of the guitar at the Festival's closing night event (Sunday, August 15 at 7:30 pm) with CBC radio host Sheryl MacKay and local musicians Joe Stanton and The Rakish Angles. Tickets to this event are $15 and available by calling the Festival office at 604-885-9631.
“In 1995, I set out to find something that would reflect us better, more fairly, more interestingly, more uniquely—something that would be at home wherever it was in Canada, something that could be Aboriginal and English and French and Immigrant all at the same time, that could put prime ministers and rebels and sculptors and hockey players and inventors and oyster shuckers all on one stage singing different tunes and have it sound like one voice.” (Jowi Taylor, Six String Nation, Douglas & McIntyre, 2009)
Best of Canada's literary festivals: a list
July 14, 2010
Best of Canada's literary festivals: a list - from the Canadian Tourism Commission website. "The Sunshine Coast Festival of the Written Arts is the most blissfully summery festival in all of Canada, taking place in August in the luxuriant confines of the Rockwood Centre in Sechelt, BC." read full article
Summer 2010 Newsletter
FESTIVAL OF THE WRITTEN ARTS
SUMMER 2010 NEWSLETTER
Five weeks to go! It's an exciting time of the year for us as the festival draws nearer and our plans begin to take shape. We're very excited about the line-up of writers and ticket sales indicate that our audience is too. All passes, with the exception of two Sunday passes, are sold out! There are lots of single tickets available with only two events (Lawrence Hill and Senator Larry Campbell) sold out.
You can purchase your tickets in person at the Festival office (5511 Shorncliffe Avenue in Sechelt, Monday to Friday, 9 am to 4:30 pm) or by telephone at 604-885-9631 or 1-800-565-9631.
Six String Nation
The Sunshine Coast Festival of the Written Arts proudly presents Voyageur, the Six String Nation Guitar. Built almost entirely of pieces of Canadian history, the guitar features a piece of Pierre Trudeau's canoe paddle, Paul Henderson's hockey stick, a tiny piece of Maurice "Rocket" Richard's first Stanley Cup ring and even a piece of the sacred Golden Spruce of Haida Gwaii.
The history of the guitar goes back to 1995, the eve of the Quebec Referendum, when CBC Radio host Jowi Taylor was looking for a way to pull stories together from across the country in the spirit of national unity. With the help of luthier George Rizsanyi, he spent 10 years assembling 64 historically significant pieces of wood, bone and metal.
Since the guitar's debut on Parliament Hill on Canada Day in 2006, it has been passed from hand to hand across the country, held and played by over 50,000 Canadians. Jowi Taylor's book Six String Nation (Douglas & McIntyre, 2009), features stunning portraits by Doug Nicholson and chronicles the conception, creation and adventures of this remarkable instrument.
Jowi Taylor, Doug Nicholson and Voyageur will be at the Festival of the Written Arts. You are invited to have your photograph taken with the guitar on Saturday, August 14 (10 am to 1 pm) and Sunday, August 15 (9 am to 1 pm and 2 pm to 6 pm). Photos will be taken in the Rockwood Lodge, Sechelt.
On Sunday evening, in the Festival Pavilion, Jowi will share the story of the guitar at the Festival's closing night event (Sunday, August 15 at 7:30 pm) with host Sheryl MacKay and local musicians Joe Stanton and The Rakish Angles. Tickets to this event are $15 and available by calling the Festival office at 604-885-9631.
"In 1995, I set out to find something that would reflect us better, more fairly, more interestingly, more uniquely-something that would be at home wherever it was in Canada, something that could be Aboriginal and English and French and Immigrant all at the same time, that could put prime ministers and rebels and sculptors and hockey players and inventors and oyster shuckers all on one stage singing different tunes and have it sound like one voice." (Jowi Taylor, Six String Nation, Douglas & McIntyre, 2009)
Writers in the News
Ian Brown, currently eating his way across Canada (you can read about his culinary adventures at www.theglobeandmail.com/life/food-and-wine/ian-brown-eats-canada), has won the Trillium Book Award, his third major award for The Boy In The Moon: A Father's Search for his Disabled Son.
The Sunshine Coast is so proud of Sarah Roberts! Sarah, one of our New Voices (with Craig Boyko on Sunday, August 15 at 2:30) has won the $10,000 Danuta Gleed Award for a first collection of short fiction. Wax Boats was published by Sunshine Coast publisher, Caitlin Press. Not only that, we hear she's been tweeted by Margaret Atwood!
Lawrence Hill's The Book of Negroes, published in the US as Someone Knows My Name, has been included on Oprah's 2010 Summer Reading List. This is a shot in the arm for a book that has already sold over 400,000 copies in Canada and still sits on the Canadian Booksellers Association's bestseller list.
Meanwhile, new books (with great reviews) from Ryan Knighton, Adam Lewis Schroeder, Joan Thomas and Jack Hodgins were launched this spring.
Green Initiatives
Please support our efforts to reduce waste by bringing your own water bottles and coffee cups. Bottled water will no longer be sold on the festival site but drinking water will be available. We will also have snazzy stainless steel water bottles for sale.
Our food vendors will be using compostable products. All food waste, compostable plates and cutlery, paper and cardboard will be sent to Direct Disposal's commercial composter instead of the landfill. We will use up our existing stock of plastic beer and wine glasses but they will be collected separately and delivered to the recycling depot. (Next year: compostable drinking cups all the way!) Returnable drink containers will be collected by Habitat for Humanity. Empty wine bottles and organic kitchen waste will go to the Sunshine Coast Association for Community Living. Clearly labelled recycling bins will be set up throughout the site. And, once again, the Festival program will be printed on 100% post consumer recycled paper stock.
Festival Food Fair
Saffron Restaurant and Pierrot To Go will be joined this year by Feastro, The Rolling Bistro. They will be serving their delicious fare from 11 am to 7 pm on Friday, Saturday and Sunday. The Festival will have a booth to sell baked goods, juice and pop; Carol Cairns will be back with freshly brewed and specialty coffee (locally roasted, fair trade and organic) and, last but not least, our charming bartenders will be pleased to quench your thirst with beer, wine and cider.
Less than a handful of tickets are left for the Pebbles Restaurant Salmon Dinner that will be served on Sunday evening at 5:30 pm. Tickets are $15 and can be purchased at the Festival office. Please note: the dinner will be served at Pebbles Restaurant, and not on the Festival site.
Parking
Parking can get very congested around the festival site. If you drive and are feeling fit, please park further away and leave the spots closest to the festival for people for whom a long trek is challenging or even impossible. Read the street signs! There are no parking areas on some of the neighbouring streets and you risk being towed if you park in the wrong spot. There is limited parking available next to us at St. Hilda's (Thursday to Saturday only) and there's a large parking lot at Chatelech Secondary School, just up the hill behind us. Consider using public transit. The schedule is online at www.transitbc.com/regions/sun/.
Introduce a Friend to the Festival
We will be holding "Two for One" ticket promotions for select Festival events on the following dates and at the following locations:
- Saturday, July 24 from 10 am to 2 pm outside the Sunshine Coast Credit Union in Madeira Park
- Friday, July 30 from 2 pm to 6 pm at the Sunnycrest Mall in Gibsons
- Saturday, August 7 from 10 am to 2 pm at the Trail Bay Centre in Sechelt
Festival Board members will be there to take your order for tickets and answer your questions about the Festival. This ticket offer will be available for certain events and only during these promotional events. Drop by and say hello and enter our free raffle for a Festival gift basket.
It's Quintuplets!
Congratulations to the Rockwood Gardens raccoon, proud (and very protective) mother of five kits. They seem to have taken up residence in the tall cedar tree beside the Festival Pavilion. As cute as they may be, we are seeking advice from a raccoon expert to find out if our raccoon family can peacefully co-exist with hundreds of visitors to the gardens. It's all in a day's work!
All for now. We look forward to seeing you August 12-15 in the Rockwood Gardens in Sechelt.
Cheers,
Jane
Celebration of Authors, Books and Children
Report on 2009-10 Activities
Celebration of Authors, Books and Children (CABC), a joint initiative of the Sunshine Coast Festival of the Written Arts, School District No. 46 (Sunshine Coast), Sechelt Public Library and the Sunshine Coast Arts Council, has wrapped up its third successful year of bringing Canadian writers and Sunshine Coast students together.
CABC goals are:
- To present writers of diverse genres and cultures including Canada's First Nations
- To promote reading, writing and literacy
- To inspire, encourage and support the students' development as readers, writers and storytellers
- To support the curriculum and literacy goals of SD 46 and the BC Ministry of Education
January 2010
The first phase of 2009-10 CABC programming took place during Family Literacy Week, with writers Nicola Campbell and Ivan Coyote.
Nicola Campbell visited Gibsons and Kinnikinnick Elementary Schools on Friday, January 29. Nicola Campbell is a writer of Interior Salish and Métis ancestry. Both of her books, Shi-shi-etko and its sequel Shin-chi's Canoe, are poetic and moving accounts of life in a residential school, written for the primary grades. Shin-chi's Canoe won the TD Canadian Children's Literature Award. Both books were illustrated by Roberts Creek resident, Kim Lafave.
Ivan Coyote met with students from the Sunshine Coast Alternative School in Gibsons and Sechelt on Tuesday, January 26. The students of the Culinary Arts Program provided lunch at the Sechelt school. Ivan Coyote was born and raised in Whitehorse, Yukon Territory. An award-winning author of four collections of short stories, one novel, two CD's, four short films and a renowned performer, Ivan's first love is live storytelling, and over the last thirteen years she has become an audience favourite at music, poetry, spoken word and writer's festivals from Anchorage to Amsterdam.
Spring 2010
Award-winning Canadian poet George Elliott Clarke read at Chatelech on Friday, April 9. Clarke was brought to the Sunshine Coast for a public reading by the Gibsons Live Poets Society, led by local poet and teacher, Susan Telfer. CABC funded a school visit to Susan's Grade 11 English class.
Toronto-based First Nations dance-theatre company, Red Sky Performance brought their production of Raven Stole the Sun to the Raven's Cry Theatre on Thursday afternoon, April 22. Students from Kinnikinnick and Sechelt Elementary Schools as well as the Sechelt Language students from Chatelech attended. The play is by Drew Hayden Taylor, based on a traditional Tlingit story as recounted by Sháa Tláa Maria Williams.
CABC programming continued with Maggie deVries on May 3 and 4. deVries is the author of a number of books for children including Tale of a Great White Fish (about the Fraser River sturgeon) and her new book, Fraser Bear: A Cub's Life. This book follows a black bear cub's life from birth to his first salmon catch, uniting the cycles of bear and salmon. Maggie visited Roberts Creek, Cedar Grove, Langdale and Madeira Park Elementary Schools.
Finally, Brad Cran and Gillian Jerome, co-authors of Hope in Shadows, a collection of profiles of residents of Vancouver's Downtown Eastside, were on the Sunshine Coast on Friday, May 14. Hope in Shadows won the Vancouver Book Award and was nominated for a BC Book Prize. Brad and Gillian are also poets. Brad is Vancouver's Poet Laureate and Gillian's book, Red Nest (Nightwood Editions) was recently nominated for a BC Book Prize. Brad and Gillian visited both Chatelech and Elphinstone Secondary Schools.
CABC reached over 1000 students this year thanks to the financial
support of:
The McLean Foundation, the Sunshine Coast Literacy Council, and the Rotary
Clubs of Sechelt and Gibsons. Doug and Deborah Proby, the managers of
Raven's Cry Theatre, donated the use of the theatre for Raven Stole
the Sun.
Spring 2010 Newsletter
FESTIVAL OF THE WRITTEN ARTS
SPRING 2010 NEWSLETTER
The festival line-up is complete and we hope to have the schedule of events posted on the website in the next week or two. Please keep checking back. The festival brochure will be ready to go in the first week of May. Tickets go on sale by telephone only at 8 am on Wednesday, May 26 at 1-800-565-9631 or 604-885-9631. Tickets can also be purchased in person, May 27 and onward, at our office (5511 Shorncliffe Avenue, Sechelt). Office hours are 9 am to 4:30 pm.
New this year
A limited number of day passes will be available at $85 each for Friday and Saturday and $75 for Sunday. The day pass provides admission to all events for that day only. The full Festival pass ($250) provides admission to all 21 Festival events. Remember: pass holders have access to events covered by their pass, even if an event is flagged as sold out.
We're going green. Please help us reduce waste by bringing your own reusable drinking bottles and coffee cups. Bottled water will not be sold at the festival this year but drinking water will be available. We are committed to adopting “green” practices whenever possible and have begun the process of making changes to how we do things, one step at a time.
The Wild Salmon Dinner: It's the end of a festival tradition. The Sunday evening salmon dinner will no longer be offered on site. We're pleased to report, however, that our food vendors – Saffron Restaurant, Pierrot to Go and Feastro – will remain open and drinks will be available at the bar. Pebbles Restaurant will offer a salmon dinner for $15 at the Driftwood Inn. Tickets must be purchased in advance and will be available through the Festival office.
Transportation and Parking: Parking can get very congested around the festival site. If you drive and are feeling fit, please park further away (there's a big parking lot at Chatelech Secondary School) and leave the spots closest to the festival for people for whom a long trek is challenging or even impossible. Read the street signs! There are no parking areas on some of the neighbouring streets and you risk being towed if you park in the wrong spot. Consider using public transit. The schedule is online at www.transitbc.com/regions/sun/.
And here's a “heads up” to those of you traveling to the Sunshine Coast for the Festival. The BC Ferries website shows that reservations are already closed for two sailings from Horseshoe Bay to Langdale on August 12!
Upcoming Events
The Words & Image series, a collaboration between the Gibsons Public Art Gallery and the Gibsons Public Library, continues on Saturday, April 3 at 1 pm at the gallery with readings by local poets Joe Denham, Susan Telfer and Sheila Weaver.
The Gibsons Live Poets Society presents George Elliott Clarke on
Friday, April 9 at 7:30 pm at St. Bart's Hall in Gibsons.
Admission is by donation.
The Sunshine Coast Arts Council's Literary Reading series continues with
Annabel Lyon on Saturday, April 10 and Sunshine Coast writer
Theresa Kishkan on April 24.
Both events begin at 8 pm at the Sunshine Coast Arts Centre in Sechelt. Admission is by donation. You can find more details at www.suncoastarts.com.
Ten of the Sunshine Coast's finest writers will read from their work on Saturday, April 17, at a benefit for the Sunshine Coast Arts Council at the Arts Centre in Sechelt. This Chorus of Coast Writers will include Jancis Andrews, Joe Denham, Jo Hammond, Rebecca Hendry, Rosella Leslie, Michael Poole, Sarah Roberts, Andreas Schroeder, Andrew Scott and Gwen Southin. The evening will include raffles, door prizes and a book auction conducted by Andreas Schroeder. Doors open at 7:00 pm. Tickets are $10 and are available at the Wind Song Gallery in Sechelt, Gaia's Fair Trade Gifts in Gibsons and the Arts Centre.
The Sunshine Coast Independent Writers will read and share their writing experiences on Sunday, April 18 from 2-5 pm at St. John's United Church (downstairs, 5085 Davis Bay Road). Everyone is welcome. Coffee and goodies will be served.
The Powell River Writers Conference takes place April 30 and May 1. For more details, go to http://prwriters.org/
Fall 2009 Newsletter
FESTIVAL OF THE WRITTEN ARTS
FALL 2009 NEWSLETTER
PRESIDENT'S REPORT
Many of you have told us that you thought this year's festival was the best one yet. That is in large part due to the commitment of our audience, business partners and volunteers and I thank you all for your continued and much needed support.
The Program Committee has met, reviewed your suggestions, looked at the publishers' catalogues and started the process for 2010. Producer Jane Davidson has already begun inviting authors to join us August 12-15, 2010 for the 28th annual Festival, and we are pleased to report that, so far, Lawrence Hill (The Book of Negroes) and mystery writer Louise Penny (The Brutal Telling) have accepted.
Jane will attend the Vancouver International Writers Festival where she will meet with, and extend invitations to, more Canadian authors. The Vancouver festival runs from October 18-25, and Artistic Director Hal Wake has put together another eclectic line-up of writers from around the world.
Audience Survey:
68 surveys were submitted. Some respondents completed the entire survey and others completed specific sections. The results are as follows:
| Poor | Fair | Good | Excellent | |
| Program Line-up: | 0 | 3 | 25 | 39 |
| Sound System: | 0 | 1 | 11 | 54 |
| Food Service: | 0 | 2 | 26 | 31 |
| Facility: | 0 | 1 | 13 | 54 |
| Festival Hospitality: | 0 | 0 | 10 | 55 |
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
President, Board of Directors
THE STATE OF THE ARTS
The 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 COAST
We 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 2008 Newsletter
October 2008
Autumn greetings from the board and staff of the FWA and congratulations to all of you for helping us to make the 2008 festival such a great success.
The Program Committee has met and Jane has started sending invitations for next year's event. The committee has reviewed your suggestions from our festival survey, scanned book reviews in newspapers and read industry publications such as BC Bookworld and Quill & Quire. We've also been hearing from writers and publishers from across the country. And, of course, committee member Bev Shaw of Talewind Books has up-to-the-moment knowledge of the latest publications.
We know our audience likes to know who's coming, and we will be posting biographies as authors are confirmed.
We are very pleased that Richard Wagamese is our first confirmed author for 2009. Richard is an Ojibway from the Wabaseemoong First Nation in Ontario. His latest books, One Native Life and Ragged Company, were reviewed in the Oct. 25 edition of The Vancouver Sun. Watch our website for more information.
Our annual Book and Souvenir Sale will take place November 14 and 15 at the Trail Bay Mall and we are asking our Sunshine Coast supporters to do two things. First, please donate books that are in good condition and not too outdated and then come to the Mall and buy some books and souvenirs! Donations may be dropped off at the festival office Monday to Friday, 10 am to 2 pm. Please, no textbooks! Thanks for your help and see you at the Mall.
83 people completed the 2008 Audience Survey and we received lots of feedback. Thanks to all of you who took the time to let us know what you thought. We consider every comment, observation and suggestion.
The ratings were:
| 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:
- Chantal Hébert - outstanding; best Bruce Hutchison ever!
- Shayne Koyczan - amazing; unforgettable
- Variety - humour; politics; drama; romance; varied line-up with authors so willing to chat with readers, younger/older; male/female; established/newer
- Question period; making connections through their talks; engaging in discussion
- The setting; flowers; the organization
- Friendly staff; thoughtful and courteous volunteers
- Sound system; music selection
Aspects some people thought could be improved:
- Improved facilities for handicapped persons
- Handrail on pathway and better lighting on paths
- Opening day for ticket sales
- Better souvenirs
- More discussion time for non-fiction authors
- A source of potable water
- New food offerings
- Avoid date conflict with Pender Harbour Chamber Music Festival
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
Spring 2008 Newsletter
April 2008
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.
Festival Update
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.
Festival Pavilion
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.
Celebration of Authors, Books and Children (CABC)
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.
Fall 2007 Newsletter
FESTIVAL NEWS
November 15, 2007
News Flash!
Credit Union Donates Computers
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.
2008 Festival Lineup Takes Shape
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)
Annual Fundraising
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.
CABC Launch A Success
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.
Celebration of Authors, Books and Children on the Sunshine Coast
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
2007 Survey Summaries
Festival of the Written Arts
Audience Survey 2007
A Summary
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:
- Program Line-up: Fair - 3%; Good - Excellent - 97%
- Sound: Fair - 3%; Good - Excellent - 97 %
- Food: Poor - 2%; Fair - 12%; Good - Excellent - 86%
- Facility: Fair - 6%; Good - Excellent - 86%
- Hospitality: Fair - 2%; Good - Excellent - 98%
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."
Festival of the Written Arts
Website Survey August 2007
A Summary
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.
The Roof is On!
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.