Calgary Herald: “For 60-something Brian Brett, who grew up on the east side of Vancouver but now calls the pastoral idyll of Salt Spring Island home, that extends all the way to what language you perform your poetry in. That’s because this past week, where Brett is one of the faculty members of the Spoken Word Workshop at the Banff Centre.”
Federal government funds WordFest: Banff-Calgary International Writers Festival
Marketwire: “The Government of Canada has provided funding of $210,000 for the 2011–2012, 2012–2013, and 2013–2014 editions of WordFest through the Canada Arts Presentation Fund of the Department of Canadian Heritage.”
Sundance Institute announces projects selected for 2011 Theatre Lab to be held at Banff Centre
We Are Movie Geeks: “The Theatre Lab is a three-week developmental retreat designed to provide a private, creative environment for playwrights, directors, composers and librettists to devise and refine new work with the support of creative advisors, full casts and rehearsal space. This year, Sundance has 31 fellows or generative artists, including playwrights, composers, directors and creative teams. Sundance Institute is grateful for the assistance of the Performing Arts Residency program at The Banff Centre.”
Cincinnati State names Nick Nissley dean of business technologies
Cincinnati.Com: “Cincinnati State Technical and Community College has named Nick Nissley the new dean of its Business Technologies Division. Nissley, a Pennsylvania native, previously worked as executive director of leadership development programs for the Banff Centre in Alberta, Canada.”
John Vaillant’s The Tiger takes B.C. non-fiction prize
The Globe and Mail: “John Vaillant’s real-life thriller about a man-eating Siberian tiger has won Canada’s richest prize for non-fiction. The Tiger: A True Story of Vengeance and Survival was named the winner of British Columbia’s National Award for Canadian Non-Fiction on Monday. The prize is worth $40,000.” Vaillant’s book was awarded a Special Jury Mention at the 2010 Banff Mountain Book Festival.
Elementary school students explore art with Anthony Burnham
Banff Crag and Canyon: Anthony Burnham, whose exhibition Even Space Does Not Repeat is at the Walter Phillips Gallery until March 27, recently conducted workshops with Banff Elementary School students.
Banff Centre people involved with Bramwell Tovey opera The Inventor
The Globe and Mail: Calgary Opera presents the world premier of Bramwell Tovey’s opera The Inventor at the end of January. The libretto was written by John Murrell, former artistic director of theatre arts at the Banff Centre, and the production is directed by Kelly Robinson, current director of theatre arts.
Federal government announces funding for Presenting Series
PR-CANADA.net: “The Government of Canada will be providing funding of $373,350 over three years to support the 2011–2012, 2012–2013, and 2013–2014 seasons of The Banff Centre Presenting Series through the Canada Arts Presentation Fund of the Department of Canadian Heritage. This program gives Canadians increased access to the variety and richness of Canada’s culture through professional arts festivals, presentations of live professional performances, and other artistic experiences.”
Jill Barber discovers new sound — in Banff
Calgary Herald: “If you are going to radically reinvent yourself as a Canadian artist, the picturesque mountains of Banff seems as good a backdrop as any to help kick-start the metamorphosis.
“Singer-songwriter Jill Barber spent a few head-clearing, revitalizing winter weeks there as part of the Banff Centre’s Leighton Artist Colony nearly three years ago, writing many of the songs that would appear on her 2008 album Chances.
“In fact, her time in Banff — where she penned tunes with songwriter Ron Sexsmith and guitarist-producer Les Cooper, among others — proved so essential to the process that she did it again last March to prepare for her newest collection of songs….”
Leslie Vanderzwet elected treasurer of IACC
Travel Daily News: “Leslie Vanderzwet, general manager of conferences at The Banff Centre, was elected treasurer of the International Association of Conference Centers of The Americas for a two-year term beginning January 1, 2011.”