Arts Northumberland Review - VIA DOLOROSA a Triumph

First stages artistic director emeritus Diana Reis and Robert Latimer on the set of VIA DOLOROSA

The premiere offering of the First Stages’ series of play readings was a total triumph for artistic director Robert Latimer.
In a daring initiative, Latimer essayed a one-man show portraying the playwright David Hare’s sojourn to the Middle East in 1997 and the conflicting views of the Israelis and the Palestinians he interviewed. Hare said,
“the subject of the play is... what is it like for someone whose faith has never been tested to go to a place where faith is absolutely everything?”..
The play has had year-long runs in London and New York, but this is the first time it has been done in Canada.
The play readings usually take place on an austere stage with minimal sets and again for this production the stage showed two large flags – an Israeli and a Palestinian flag, a desk with a mini British flag and a lectern.
Latimer shone in his portrayal of Hare with energy and empathy. His command of accents brought the voices of Israeli and Palestinian artists, politicians and commoners to vibrant life. Latimer confessed that he had misgivings about doing the voices, but felt that otherwise the play would sound like a lecture.
As usual, Latimer fielded questions afterwards and the volume of queries showed that the audience was totally engaged not only by Latimer’s performance, but also by the topicality of the subject.
The audience was ample with plenty of room for more. In the intermission, some patrons stated that the play readings appealed to them more than fully staged productions. “One can concentrate on the words without the distractions of sets and costumes.” At a time when theatrical productions want to imitate the ‘special effects’ of the movies, First Stages bare bones approach is bracing.
Latimer has promised that “this season's programme of is an eclectic mix of comedy, drama and music that is both heart-warming and funny, sometimes intense, always thought-provoking...yet ultimately entertaining!
With Via Dolorosa the 8^th season is off to an excellent start.

Good News For Museums

It appears to be good news for small museums here in Grey Bruce and right across Canada.

The three opposition parties in the commons have banded together to defeat a government proposal that would have seen a reduction of Museum Assistance Grants of almost four and a half million dollars.

Owen Sound City Manager Craig Curtis, who also is the AMO representative for the Municipal Cultural Planning Partnership, says this is good news for local museums that might apply to the MAP program.

Curtis says the vote in the commons of 146 in favor of rescinding the unexpected cuts to114 against shows that the Conservative government has to re-think some of these program cuts.

He says if the government is going to implement changes, then it has to be done gradually so the museum community or culture community can find a way to deal with these changes.

Following the vote earlier this week, the Canadian Museum Association says it will meet with Heritage Minister Bev Oda.

The Association wants to present preliminary recommendations for the long awaited museums policy and funding requirements.

The CMA hopes the Minister will make a commitment to bring in this new policy for the next federal budget expected in February.

Canada Council releases rules for $50M in new funding

The Canada Council for the Arts released guidelines on Monday for how it will distribute $50 million in new funding announced in the May federal budget.

Over the next two years, the council will create one new competition for funding and boost allocations for existing programs.

About two-thirds of the funds will go to what the council described in a statement as "Canada's highest-achieving arts organizations" through a new competitive process.

Symphony orchestras, theatre, dance, music and opera companies, art galleries, artist-run centres, book publishers, arts and literary magazines, and film and video producers will be eligible.

The 900 arts organizations currently receiving operating funding from the council are invited to apply.

They will be required to propose two-year plans showing how the additional funds will strengthen their operations.

The remaining third of the money will enhance existing grants programs and go to both individual artists and arts groups.

One focus of the new money will be to support activities that increase public access to the arts, including touring, circulation and festivals.

The supplementary operating grant funding for organizations will cover 2006-07 and 2007-08. Ottawa has allowed $20 million in the first year and $30 million in the second.

'Key objectives are to enhance the long-term growth potential of the Canadian arts sector and to have a significant impact on Canadians across the country.'-Robert Sirman, the director of the Canada Council

"We will be taking a strategic approach to the allocation of this new funding," Robert Sirman, the director of the Canada Council, said in a statement.

"Key objectives are to enhance the long-term growth potential of the Canadian arts sector and to have a significant impact on Canadians across the country."

The council plans to release detailed guidelines on its website Nov. 6.

Parliament still must approve the Canada Council's plans on how to spend the extra money.