Arts Festival in full swing

“It’s gathering young people from all over the province, from from communities that, for instance, someone from Port Coquitlam or Vancouver is not ever necessarily going to meet someone from Prince Rupert unless they happen to be at the same summer school at the same time,” explains Sarah Brewer Clowes, one of the mother of a performer and an adjudicator with the event. And that relies on means and financial backing. That’s not necessarily always there.”

Judy Russell has been doing dance for decades and this is a record year for her in terms of participants in the festival.

“I think what’s happened here is we have a bumper crop of kids who, really love to work hard, and they see the brass ring, and they’re after it.

But its not an easy task getting hundreds of young people where they need to be. Venues are always a challenge.

“Venues are always a challenge,” says McGowan. “We have a lot of stuff up at the University. And then the churches downtown. We have two dance studios involved. We’re at the Playhouse just making sure that we have the facilities. Plus, pianos were a big, a big issue, making sure that we had enough pianos in the community at UNBC.

Only the most promising young performers from each member festival are recommended to the Provincial Festival where they compete and participate in adjudicated sessions, master classes, coaching, workshops and technique classes.

by Cheryl Jahn

Arts Festival in full swing

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