Art Gallery of Peterborough Acquires Late Artist David Bierk’s Painted Portrait of Queen Elizabeth II

The Art Gallery of Peterborough (AGP) announces the recent acquisition of the late David Bierk’s Portrait of Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II to its Permanent Collection.

David Bierk and Members of the Major Bennett Chapter of the IODE as his portrait of Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II was installed at the Memorial Centre on Jan. 9, 1980. Photo courtesy of Trent Valley Archives from the Major Bennett IODE Fonds.

The painting was made for the Peterborough Memorial Centre and was installed on Jan. 9, 1980, where it presided over countless sports games, concerts and events until the State Funeral of Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II on Sept. 19, 2022.

The painting was commissioned by the Major Bennett Chapter of the IODE for the Memorial Centre to commemorate the group’s 60th anniversary with matching funds from a Wintario Grant.

David Bierk was selected from a list of potential artists by jurors Illi-Maria Tamplin and Zoltan Temesy, then director and chair of the board of the AGP. The original commissioning documents, which are held at Trent Valley Archives, state that if the painting ever needed to be removed it should be donated to the Art Gallery of Peterborough, or the Peterborough Public Library, whichever was preferred.

With these documents the City of Peterborough provided information to the AGP that was reviewed by the AGP Acquisitions Committee. The Committee considers all collection offers and makes recommendations to the AGP Board of Directors, which is the owner of the AGP’s Permanent Collection.

Councillor Alex Bierk, chair of the City’s Arts, Culture and Heritage Portfolio, shared “Growing up, I saw my dad’s massive painting of the Queen at Pete's games, high in the Memorial Centre. My brother Zac told me how players tried to aim for it with pucks during practice. I find it special how the painting intersects my dad's love of sports and his life as an artist, and how it hung over my brother Zac’s head in goal as he played for the Petes. The public reacted strongly when it was taken down. I'm so happy that it ended up in the collection of the Art Gallery of Peterborough to be kept safe and continue to live on in our community.”

The Art Gallery of Peterborough received designation as a Category A Collecting Institution by the Department of Canadian Heritage in 1981. Chair of the board and acquisitions committee, Catharine Blastorah says, “The AGP makes collection decisions very carefully following best practice standards. Whenever we accept a work into the Collection, we make that decision for our and future generations. This painting, which is based on a photograph of the Queen taken during her Silver Jubilee visit to Canada, is a welcome addition to the gallery’s collection, which holds very few early works by the artist.”

The AGP Board of Directors approved the acquisitions committee’s recommendation to accept the donation on Dec. 15, 2022. Gallery staff and the AGP board of directors worked with staff at the City to safely relocate the work from the Memorial Centre to the AGP’s Collection storage vault. There it will be cleaned and integrated into the gallery’s Permanent Collection where it will join over one hundred works by Bierk.

David Bierk (1944-2002) was born in Appleton, Minnesota, and grew up in the San Francisco Bay Area. David immigrated to Canada and in 1972 took up a teaching position at Kenner Collegiate and Vocational Institute. After two years teaching high school art he moved on to teach at Fleming College, where he remained for 5 years.

In 1974 David became a founding member of Peterborough’s artist-run-centre, Artspace, of which he was the Director until 1987. In 1998 he was elected to the Royal Canadian Academy of Artists.

David was posthumously awarded the Queen’s Golden Jubilee Medal and his work is held in numerous public and private collections including the National Gallery of Canada, the Art Gallery of Ontario, the Canada Council Art Bank, and the Art Gallery of Peterborough.

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Jason Wilkins and Peterborough Arts Collective Present Canvas Combat Event

The Peterborough Arts Collective (PAC) is hosting their first big event outside of the Jason Wilkins Factory; presenting the head-to-head artist battle ‘Canvas Combat’ on March 11.

Photo courtesy of Jason Wilkins.

From 7 p.m. to 11 p.m. at Farmhill Weddings and Events, 10 artists will battle it out in three 30-minute rounds of live painting.

PAC members and other community artists will also be showing work during the event, displayed on the exposed brick wall next to the combat zone.

“This is a really passion project of mine, and giving artist’s a platform that they can use to promote their work, sell their work and sort of elevate themselves as artists is kind of what the Arts Collective is all about,” says Wilkins. “Events like this really just bring that whole idea to the next level.”

The Peterborough Arts Collective, founded by local illustrator Jason Wilkins, is a group of multi-disciplinary artists from Peterborough working to better themselves and the community through art.  

PAC has gained momentum since it's inception in 2021. With community support, the group of artists continue to come together to make art and collaboration accessible to all.

Photo courtesy of Jason Wilkins.

Wilkins says five of the 10 spots are already spoken for, but those interested in battling or showing off their work can reach out to him via email.

Tickets are $75 dollars each, which includes one drink at the bar (or non-alcoholic beverage) and a personal charcuterie board (or vegan/vegetarian option), as well as travel to and from the venue by Pascal Bus Co., leaving from 188 Hunter St W. at 6:15 p.m. March 11, with two retiring trips downtown at different times throughout the evening. 

All pieces will be up for auction post-battle with 100% of the proceeds going to the artists.

During the rest of the month the collective hosts workshops, First Friday events, artist drop-ins and PAC meetings at the Jason Wilkins Factory. Those interested in learning more can call Jason, or drop in during business hours at Unit #7, 188 Hunter St W).

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4th line Theatre Holding Auditions For Two Upcoming Summer Productions On Feb. 4

4th Line Theatre is holding auditions for two of their summer productions, D’Arcy Jenish’s ‘The Tilco Strike’ and Robert Winslow’s ‘The Cavan Blazers’ announced on Wednesday.

Cast members from Alex Poch-Goldin's The Great Shadow in 2022. Photo courtesy of Wayne Eardley and 4th Line Theatre.

Auditions and interviews are held at The Theatre on King located on 171 King St. (entrance at the back of the building) on Feb. 4 from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m.

Meetings are conducted based on the order of arrival. Prior acting experience is not required. The Theatre encourages those with limited acting experience but has an interest to consider auditioning.

“Volunteers have been the cornerstone of 4th Line Theatre’s creative activities for 30 years since its inception in 1992,” said Kim Blackwell, managing artistic director. “This is where the community and art meet. This is a real opportunity to express yourself, learn and grow and join our team.”

Cast members from Ian McLachlan and Robert Winslow's Crow Hill: The Telephone Play of 2018. Photo courtesy of Wayne Eardley and 4th Line Theatre.

The Tilco Strike is written by D’Arcy Jenish and is directed by Cynthia Ashperger.

It recounts the year-long fight between 35 poorly paid women and their hard-nosed male bosses at Tilco Plastics in Peterborough who were determined to crush the women and their union according to 4th Line Theatre The strike began in December 1965 over a $25 bonus and escalated into an epic battle between organized labour and strike-breaking employers. The women lost their fight but changed labour relations in Ontario forever.

Cast members from Robert Winslow's The Cavan Blazers in 2011. Photo courtesy of Wayne Eardley and 4th Line Theatre.

The Cavan Blazers was written by Robert Winslow and directed by Kim Blackwell. 

It is a gritty, intense play that has the audience on the edge of its seat from start to finish. This drama chronicles the religious conflict between Catholic and Protestant Irish settlers in Cavan Township in the early to mid-nineteenth century. Violence erupts when a Protestant vigilante gang known as the Cavan Blazers tries to stop a Catholic settlement from being established as stated by a press release.

Any questions about auditions can be directed to 4th Line Theatre’s artistic administrator Emma Hale at 705-932-4505 or emma@4thlinetheatre.on.ca.

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SPARK Photo Festival Welcoming Submissions From the Community, Celebrating Ten-Year-Anniversary

April 2023 marks the 10-year anniversary of the SPARK Photo Festival, and plans are underway to celebrate the past decade and focus toward the future of photography through Open Call Exhibits.

Photo courtesy of SPARK Photo Festival.

Each year since 2013, photography exhibits are displayed in public places throughout Peterborough, Northumberland and City of Kawartha Lakes and the festival has become a much-anticipated arts event.

All photographers are welcome to the Open Call Exhibits, whether you shoot with high-tech equipment, smart phone or a vintage film camera. Displays can be printed, framed, on canvas, posters or even a projection project, as long as it features still photography, it fits into SPARK.

“The SPARK Photo Festival exists for the community. Our free-to-visit festival is accessible to all and highlights the local photography talent that abounds in the region,” says Ken Powell, chair and board of directors member. “We are delighted to be marking this 10th anniversary and have many favourite festival components returning, plus new innovations.”

The Juried Exhibit has been growing each year with a record number of entries from photographers across Ontario for 2022. SPARK is now accepting photographers’ entries for next year’s theme of Water.

The competition is open to all Ontario residents, and each photographer is eligible to submit up to 3 images. All submitted images are judged by a jury of photography professionals. The top 25 images will be exhibited at Chasing the Cheese in Peterborough, and the best of the best will be awarded with cash prizes. Submissions close Feb. 1.

Photographers interested in showing their work but don’t know where to start will have the opportunity to apply for a program for first-time exhibitors. Full details of the new Emerging Artists Exhibit program are to be released soon.

For all details for the Open Call Exhibits and Themed Juried Exhibit and online entry, visit the SPARK website.

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Nominations Open For The 2023 Peterborough Poet Laureate

Nominations are now open for the 2023 Peterborough Poet Laureate Program, announces the Electric City Cultural Council (EC3).

Photo courtesy of EC3.

The Peterborough Poet Laureate is a position that has been established to recognize the achievements of professional poets, both in print/page and spoken word, in Peterborough and Peterborough County.

The poet laureate acts as a community advocate for poetry, spoken word and the arts in general, composing works to be presented at City Council meetings and other Peterborough events. The poet laureate receives an honourarium of $2,000.

The program was launched as a pilot in 2021. Curve Lake spoken word artist Sarah Lewis was named as Peterborough’s first-ever poet laureate. Following the success of the pilot, Peterborough’s City Council approved the Peterborough Poet Laureate as a permanent program.

"The arts are one of the key components to what makes a city vibrant and lively. Humans create art, music and poetry to protest, to disrupt and to express their love, passions and the things we care about in this life. Not to mention that the arts have played a vital role in all thriving cultures and societies across the globe,” said Lewis.

Nominations are being accepted until Dec. 16 and will be assessed by a panel of individuals in the poetry and spoken word community, a City representative and local citizens.

The Poet Laureate Program guidelines and nomination form can be found here.

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Local Artists Receive Funding Through New Grants For Individual Artists Program

20 local artists have been awarded a total of $47,720 through the Grants for Individual Artists program from the City of Peterborough and the Electric City Culture Council.

File photo.

The program’s open call is said to have received 40 applications. A peer assessment jury awarded grants to 20 artists, including 11 artists in component one (totalling $16,500) and nine artists in component two (totalling $31,220). This program is funded by both EC3 and the City of Peterborough and is designed and administered by EC3.

The Grants for Individual Artists program is divided into two components. Component one is mini development grants of up to $1,500 for for individual professional artists’ research, development, workshopping etc. of original new works, as well as for professional development and mentorship opportunities.

Component two is project production and presentation grants of up to $3,500 for the production and presentation of specific projects, and supports costs such as artist fees, production materials, venue rentals, technical equipment, costumes, publication etc. for individual professional artists. Artists working in every discipline and medium were eligible to apply.

“We are grateful to the City of Peterborough for their ground-breaking support of this program. These investments in the work of our very talented and hardworking artists means more artists can realize their visions, contribute to our cultural and social well-being and make Peterborough a more vibrant, dazzling city for all of us,” said Su Ditta, executive director at EC3.

Grants for Individual Artists 2022 grant recipients:

Component One: mini development grants for individual professional artists

• Kim Blackwell - The Auction

  Development of a theatrical new work exploring hording, difficult relations between a father and daughter set against a backdrop of 1970s nuclear proliferation, the Cold War and the soundtrack to "Jesus Christ Superstar."

• Kathryn Durst - First Lady of the Accordion: Mine White Research Project

  Biographical and visual research about Canadian folk music icon Minnie White of Newfoundland, with the goal of illustrating a new book based on her life.

• Lesley Givens - Moving: Beyond Comfort Zones

  Veteran arts educator revives her personal practice, building upon her body of work as a visual artist with dance and movement to create a new performance work. “To occupy space with my 50-year-old body is an authentic and powerful expression of freedom.”

• Sarah Elise Hall - Stacks

  An accomplished sculptor and installation artist explores the state of our environment, pollution, climate change and our global future, using recycled and discarded plastic containers to create large sculptural pieces that reflect natural minerals and erosion.

• Jon Hedderwick - One City Community University: Storytelling and Spoken Word as Advocacy

  Outreach to those experiencing homelessness, precariously housed and economically marginalized members of our community to engage in writing, storytelling and recording.

• Julia Huỳnh - nhạc xuân, ở đây và ở đó (Spring Music, Here and There)

  Exploring Vietnamese migration and cultural preservation through re-imagined archives, photography, sound, and plants, leading to the creation of sound and video works.

• Nicole Malbeuf - Aerial Arts: Hair Suspension Practice

  Circus artist explores techniques in ‘hair suspension,’ acts flying high in the air suspended only by the performer’s long hair, through professional instruction, culminating in a workshop performance of a new performance piece.

• Justin Million - Carry It All (Poetry Manuscript)

  Following years of performing and releasing chapbooks with the Show and Tell Poetry Series, the artist will research and write their first book-length poetry collection of unpublished work.

• Ireni Stamou - Media, Medusa, Cassandra Unearthed

  Experimenting with texts and devised theatre for a new choreographic creation inspired by feminine archetypes found in Ancient Greek theatre and mythology.

• Kate Suhr - Grace

  Development of a new autobiographical show that uses music and storytelling to describe the effects of addiction on children in the home.

• Ziysah von Bieberstein - Manuscript Mentorship

  Engaging professional edits, revisions and consultation for the artist’s next manuscript and publication process, while simultaneously mentoring an emerging poet to develop their first self-published chapbook.

Component Two: production and presentation grants for initial professional artists

• Brad Brackenridge - The Lear Project

  Dance, puppetry, and song come together for a theatrical production based on the life and work of Victorian nonsense poet Edward Lear (for presentation at the Market Hall).

• Jennifer Elchuk - Weathering and Waiting

  Evolving their work with the flying ‘aerial canoe,’ including expansion of technical and narrative techniques, culminates in a circus arts performance at the Canadian Canoe Museum's grand opening.

• Karol Orzechowski - Enantiodromia

  Local musician Garbageface (Karol Orzechowski) releases a new album, exploring the polarized nature of our society, with a unique, one-time, live performance at The Theatre On King in Fall of 2023, which will be documented for later digital release.

• Kaz Rahman - Experimental Documentary Film: Digital Dervish (working title)

  An experimental documentary featurette that mixes performance footage of the internationally touring Digital Dervish dance performance, with interviews, verite-style sequences and animated shots.

• Elisha Rubacha - Loop

  Workshop process and work-in-progress performance at The Theatre on King for a stage play about ambiguous family history, intergenerational trauma, mental illness, and fascism.

• Matt Snell - Fortune Cookie

  In this unique and comedic short film, a man attempting to live without a smartphone, finds himself increasingly addicted to fortune cookies instead. A new work from this award-winning director.

• Kate Story - Anxiety

  A one-person devised theatre/dance performance work from this GG nominated artist exploring the Old English epic poem “Beowulf,” the current rise of white supremacy, language, the artist’s childhood and her father’s work as a Newfoundland lexicographer

• Lynda Todd - Tap: Please Touch (Tactile Art Project)

  Creating accessible, tactile art designed for diverse audiences, including blind and visually impaired audience members, with a live exhibition at The Mount Community Centre, online, and on social media.

• Gillian Turnham - Interlaced

  Visual artist shares her explorations of traditional Islamic geometric art with three non-gallery popup exhibitions, connected to an online gallery with instructions on drawing each pattern using ruler and compass.

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Electric City Culture Council Cancels Upcoming Artsvote Meeting

The Electric City Culture Council (EC3) has cancelled the Artsvote Peterborough candidates meeting for this Tuesday due to COVID-19.

Open Mic poetry at the Silver Bean Café on May 4. Photo courtesy of EC3 and Andy Carroll.

This decision comes as Peterborough Public Health raised the COVID-19 Risk Index to ‘very high’ on Wednesday and recommends people avoid indoor social gatherings.

EC3 staff are currently dealing with COVID-19-related illnesses.

Due to the nature of the event, where the public and candidates sit together face-to-face to have discussions, EC3 says they felt it is best to make this call.

EC3 and the Artsvote Peterborough Coalition are currently developing an alternate plan for candidates to speak on these important issues, with more details to come.

The Electric City Culture Council is a not-for-profit organization supporting the arts and culture community in Peterborough.

They provide strategic leadership, research, grants, professional development and partnerships that build and strengthen the arts sector in our community.

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Fall for Dance North Sparks Magic with Return of Stunning Outdoor Performance Series: Heirloom

Fall for Dance North is back at the end of September to the Peterborough Square Courtyard with their performance series Heirloom.

Photo by Bruce Zinger.

In partnership with Public Energy Performing Arts, Fall for Dance North (FFDN) brings Toronto’s premier international dance festival to Peterborough.

Featuring performances from Montreal artists Zack Martel and Santiago Rivera, the show is set to include dance, juggling and musical performances from The Royal Conservatory musicians.

“What was born out of creative necessity in 2021, due to indoor gathering restrictions dictated by the global pandemic, grew into an inspirational and acclaimed outdoor performance series that we are all incredibly proud to be a part of,” said Fall for Dance North artistic director Ilter Ibrahimof. “We are overjoyed to return with a new highly imaginative, full-length performance that promises to delight the senses in a beautiful new outdoor space in downtown Peterborough.”

Attendees can experience this pay-what-you-can contemporary art experience at the Peterborough Square Courtyard at 340 George St. N. on Sept. 25 at 4 p.m.

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Peterborough Theatre Guild Announces Line Up For 2022/23 Season

Peterborough Theatre has released their full 2022/2023 season of shows and are now selling tickets.

File Photo.

After two years of COVID restrictions, cancelled shows and a quiet stage, Peterborough Theatre guild has announced a full season of live theatre and music.

Constellations by Nick Payne (a staged reading) – September 16, 17, 18(M)

Our Place by Terry Gabbard (one act) – October 14, 15, 16(M) / 20, 21, 22, 23(M)

Rumors by Neil Simon - November 4, 5, 6(M) / 10, 11, 12, 13(M) / 17, 18, 19

The Little Prince, book by Antoine de Saint-Exupéry, adapted by Rick Cummins and John Scoullar – December 2, 3(M), 4(M) / 6, 7, 8, 9, 10(M)

The Crucible by Arthur Miller – January 20, 21, 22(M) / 26, 27, 28, 29(M) / February 2, 3, 4

Gibson and Sons by Kristen Da Silva – February 24, 25, 26(M) / March 2, 3, 4, 5(M) / 9, 10, 11

Something Rotten! by John O’Farrell and Karey Kirkpatrick (Musical) – April 28, 29, 30(M) / May 4, 5, 6, 7(M) / 11, 12, 13

The Long Weekend by Norm Foster – July 5, 6, 7, 8, 9(M) / 12, 13, 14, 15(M), 15(E)

*M = Matinee Performance * E = Evening Performance

Ticket prices:
Full Length: Adult $25.00, Seniors $22.00, Students $15.00
Musical:
Adult $32.00
Seniors $28.00
Students $20.00
One-Act:
All Tickets $15.00
Family:
All Tickets $10.00

Tickets for all shows are available now for season subscription holders. Individual show tickets available approximately six weeks before opening night.

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