95th Anniversary of Tragic Balsam Lake Accident Recognized With Film Screening

Today marks the 95th anniversary of a tragic accident on Balsam Lake. Brotherhood, a film depicting the event will be nationally broadcasted on Super Channel Entertainment Network at 7:15 p.m.

Newspaper clippings from 1926. Photo courtesy of Brotherhood1926.com.

In 1926 the Brotherhood of St. Andrew leadership camp located on Balsam Lake encountered a freak summer storm. Eleven boys died when their canoe was overturned by a large wave and they could not make it back to shore.

“It’s a transformative story about boys becoming men over the course of an evening,” said Director Richard Bell.

Crews began filming in 2017 and the first screening was on July 20, 2019 at Balsam Lake.

When the pandemic hit Canada screenings of the film were slowed due to theatres closing. When they re-opened briefly in the summer months the film was screened 127 times.

Image from the film Brotherhood - 2020 winner of the Canadian Screen Award for Achievement in Visual Effects. Photo Courtesy of brotherhood1926.com

Director Richard Bell says the COVID-19 pandemic has caused him to look at this film in a completely different way.

This film takes place ten years after the Spanish Flu pandemic and touches on themes like brotherhood, loss, grief, guilt, and trauma.

Director Richard Bell wears a shirt with the names of the boys lost in 1926. Photo Courtesy of Brotherhood1926.com.

“I didn’t know when I released the film that another pandemic was coming,” he said.

Bell recalls a line in the movie in which a character in crisis says ‘We can’t go back. We can only go through.’

“This last year has been so divisive,” he said. “I’ve seen neighbour turn against neighbor and people divide. What I want to say is the same as this character - we can’t go back we can only go through.”

The broadcast is poignantly timed to begin at 7:15 p.m as the boys would have been gathering on the dock to prepare for their adventure across the lake in 1926.

Super Channel titles are also available to access via Amazon Prime. Brotherhood is available to rent on Apple TV (iTunes), You Tube, Google Play and can be accessed on-demand through Shaw, Bell and Telus.

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Showplace Launches New Initiative to Raise Funds for Renovations

Showplace Performance Centre is getting a new look after being open for 25 years.

Linda Kash - Ambassador, Pat Hooper - Champion, Beth McMaster - Champion, Megan Murphy - Ambassador. Photo Courtesy of Showplace.

The Take a Seat for Act II project is underway and aims to replace the tired seats that Showplace reports millions of spectators have sat in.

This initiative is led by Showplace Champions Pat Hooper and Beth McMaster and Ambassadors Linda Kash and Megan Murphy and hopes to allow community members to enjoy a space where music, live theatre and professional presentations will come to life for many years to come.

A donation of $1000 will allow donors to have their name or the name of someone they would like to honour on a seat. Donations will also go towards floor replacement, lighting and electrical work and painting.

Donations and seat purchases can be made by calling the box office at 705-742-7469 or by clicking here.

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Electric City Works Opens In Old GoodLife Fitness Location In Downtown Peterborough

Chalk Therapy owners Tara and Adam Genge announced the Grand Opening of their newest business venture, Electric City Works, on Friday, November 15th.

The new space is located in downtown Peterborough at 200 Charlotte Street in the old Goodlife Fitness building and offers a fully licensed 5,000-square-foot marketspace to browse one of a kind products. Electric City Works will be the new home to Chalk Therapy, along with a selection of other local makers and artists, creating a one of a kind marketspace.

Photo courtesy Electric City Works

Electric City Works will act as a potential incubator for small businesses to build their brands by providing makers and artists space to display, create, and sell their products while utilizing workshop space to teach others their techniques.

Chalk Therapy will continue to provide the same great products and service you’ve come to expect, including refinishing, redesigning and upcycling old, vintage, and antique furniture.

Photo courtesy Electric City Works

This unique space will provide an opportunity for the public to watch artists and makers at work, and attend workshops to learn the techniques directly from the artists. It is also available to rent for special events and functions.

Photo courtesy Electric City Works

Electric City Works welcomes customers to check out the new location during regular store hours Monday to Friday from 10 a.m. to 5:30 p.m. and Saturday 10 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. For the month of December, Electric City Works will be open 7 days a week, open Sundays from 10 a.m. to 4:00 p.m.

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Local Artisans Raise Funds for Jamaican Projects Through Annual Event

Jamaican Self-Help (JSH) is hosting the 13th Annual Artisan Show and Sale on November 23rd and 24th with proceeds supporting youth and educational projects in Jamaica. The event brings together over 20 of the community’s finest artisans who will be at Mark Street United Church showcasing a diverse selection of quality art and craft. Artisans will donate 20 percent of their sales to JSH.

At the show, you will find an impressive variety of hand-crafted items including pottery, textile and fabric arts, knitted and woven items, beeswax products, metal and wood work, photography, silver and gemstone jewelry, fresh wreaths and much more. A variety of baked goods and preserves will also be for sale. Admission is free but donations at the door are greatly appreciated. Debit, Visa and MasterCard accepted.

Photo courtesy Jamaican Self-Help

Over its 12-year history, The Artisan Show and Sale has raised more than $38,500, directly funding projects located in Kingston, Jamaica that are developed and managed by partner schools. Fundraising for the show is dependent on local artisans who donate a generous portion of their sales. A number of artisans who will be exhibiting this year have been supporting the show since its inception in 2007.

All are welcome to enjoy the Artisan Show & Sale on Saturday, November 23 (10 a.m. to 4 p.m.) and Sunday, November 24 (11 a.m. to 3 p.m.) at Mark Street United Church (90 Hunter St. East.)

For more info, click here.

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Help Make A 14-Foot Textile Canoe At Canadian Canoe Museum With Artist-In-Residence Vanessa Coplan

Members of the public are invited to weave, tie, pull, wrap, knit and sew textiles to create a 14-foot canoe over the course of the next couple of weeks at The Canadian Canoe Museum.

The museum is welcoming Ottawa artist Vanessa Coplan to lead the unique community art project, which will begin on August 22nd and culminate in a temporary exhibition at the museum starting September 21st.

This activity is suitable for participants ages eight to adult, and younger children will be encouraged to take part with parent/guardian supervision and assistance.

Artist-in-Residence Vanessa Coplan

“It is truly a unique opportunity to work with Vanessa and as a community to create this collaborative sculpture,” says Karen Taylor, Director of Public Programs. “Participants are welcome to bring pieces of fabric that have personal significance or, they can use the recycled fabric we’ll have on hand for all. We look forward to seeing this canoe take shape before our eyes.”

Members of the public are invited to join in the project, included with admission to the museum, on the following dates:

• August 22nd – 5:00-8:00 p.m., with the artist (free admission Thursday evenings)

• August 24th – 10:30 a.m.-1:30 p.m., with the artist

• August 25th – 12:30-3:30 p.m., with the artist

• August 29th – 5:00-8:00 p.m. (free admission Thursday evenings)

• August 31st – 10:30 a.m.-1:30 p.m.

• September 1st – 12:30-3:30 p.m.

• September 2nd – 10:30 a.m.-1:30 p.m.

Registration is not required, but space is limited. If you would like to reserve, contact Karen Taylor, Director of Programs at the Canoe Museum, at 705.748.9153, ext. 219.

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Watch: Peterborough Artist Jason Wilkins Creates Illustration That Was Retweeted By The Rock

It was a surreal week for Peterborough-based artist Jason Wilkins. He created an illustration that got retweeted by Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson, who has more than 13 million followers on Twitter…

I see you’re ready to play 👏🏾😂#Jumanji https://t.co/FZnf11saRd

— Dwayne Johnson (@TheRock) February 14, 2019

The illustrator/caricaturist/muralist—check out his Instagram page here—was on the StudioPTBO podcast talking about what that experience was like, as well as giving practical advice for artists that are looking to build their brand on social media.

Illustration Jason Wilkins created

Watch the episode with Wilkins below in conversation with hosts Cody May and Neil Morton…

Listen to more StudioPTBO marketing podcasts here.

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Watch: Take A Tour Of Alex Bierk's Art Studio On "PTBOCanada" Show

On Episode 36 of PTBOCanada, we take a tour of the Hunter Street studio of artist Alex Bierk.

Alex Bierk in his studio: February 6th, 2018

In the show, our Neil Morton speaks with Alex about creativity, culture, melding art and commerce, upcoming projects, the opiod crisis, addiction recovery and how his late father, renown artist David Bierk, was a huge inspiration to him and his siblings…

Watch the episode below…

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Lansdowne Place's Canada 150 Call For Artists: Deadline Fast Approaching

Lansdowne Place is looking to find a local artist to do a one-of-a-kind installation as part of their Canada 150th anniversary celebrations. Submissions are due February 17th and they are picking the winning applicant on February 24th.

These installations will celebrate our country’s 150th birthday and are to be reflective of Canada’s past, present and/or future.

The winning artist will have their installation displayed at Lansdowne Place for two months leading up to Canada Day celebrations. The installation will serve as a focal point and Canada 150 landmark in Lansdowne Place as well as a photo backdrop for a Canada 150 “selfie” contest. 

The selected artist will receive the following:

-> An honorarium of $1,500 f­or the artist’s time and material supplies

-> In-mall promotion of installation and display in high traffic area for two months at Lansdowne Place

-> Promotion across Lansdowne Place’s social, digital, mobile channels + E-newsletter database

-> PR support and promotion for the Canada 150 Artist Installation, the artist and the “selfie” contest

The winning mural will hang at Centre Court...

To apply for 20VIC Management Inc.’s Canada 150 Artist Installation at Lansdowne Place, artists must submit their complete application by Friday, February 17th at 5 p.m. local time by email here. More details on submission process can be found here.

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