News and Information

Tia Cavanagh with “Jiimaan’ndewemgadnong (The Place Where the Canoe Heart Beats),” a new pocket park and art installation from the Downtown Vibrancy Project.

In case you missed it, here is a roundup of some of what the Electric City Culture Council (EC3) has been sharing online in the past two weeks.

Be sure to follow EC3’s Facebook page, @ECThreePtbo on Twitter, and @ec3ptbo on Instagram, where we’re posting updates every day.

From the Electric City Culture Council

EC3 published the first a series of articles that will appear in The Peteborough Examiner about the state of the arts in Peterborough. The first, “Raising the curtain: Peterborough’s performing arts organizations confront COVID-19” by Esther Vincent appeared in the September 19 issue of the Examiner. Watch for the next one on Saturday, October 3.

It’s Peterborough Pride, which means the return of EC3’s Art Loves Pride. This year, instead of a float in a parade, EC3 is celebrating the work of local queer artists by commissioning a series of new works, to appear on EC3’s Instagram page @ec3ptbo. The first piece is “Sturgeon Point” by Derek Newman-Stille.

EC3 has been sharing images from our Peterborough Arts Alive initiative, ESSENTIAL, a series of photos documenting the lives of local artists during the pandemic, photographed by Julie Gagne. See the whole project here, and follow KawarthaNOW, who will be releasing images from the project over the next several weeks.

EC3 has been sharing clips from The Electric City Culturecast Reprise, a curated playlist of clips from EC3’s Trent Radio show and podcast, The Electric City Culturecast. Our hope is to highlight some of Peterborough’s talented and fascinating artists and creators, during a time when many avenues for artistic expression and performance remain closed. Read our Bulletin about the project.

Donate today to the Peterborough Arts Alive Fund, a fundraising effort to provide grants for local arts organizations.

Local Spotlight

September 18 to 27: Happy Peterborough Pride! Pride looks a bit different this year, but with the theme ‘Pride in Other Spaces,’ there’s quite a number of events – including the return of EC3’s Art Loves Pride.

September 24 to 27: It’s the Open Spaces Theatre Festival, featuring live theatre at a variety of outdoor locations throughout downtown Peterborough. Find out more, and read KawarthaNOW’s sneak peek.

October 2 to 18: Public Energy is hosting The Pivot Series, a series of site-specific outdoor dance, theatre, and performance works taking place around Peterborough. They are also seeking volunteers for the series.

October 7: local poet PJ Thomas will be hosting an online watch party for the launch of their new book, Undertow.

Job opportunity: Peterborough Musicfest is hiring an Administrative Assistant.

Call for submissions: Curve Lake First Nation is hosting a poetry writing contest. Get your submissions in by October 20.

Call for submissions: The Art Gallery of Peterborough is seeking applications for an upcoming exhibition of works that “resonate with the current moment.”

Peterborough filmmaker Ben Hargreaves has a new documentary, The River, about local publication The River Magazine. It has a number of upcoming screenings.

The Downtown Vibrancy Project officially opens a new pocket park and art installation, Jiimaan’ndewemgadnong (The Place Where the Canoe Heart Beats), featuring work by Tia Cavanagh.

The Peterborough Handweavers and Spinners Guild is hosting a series of classes, starting October 10.

Registration is open for the Peterborough Public Library‘s new Writing Circle.

News and Information

September 30: The Alliance of Arts Councils of Ontario (of which EC3 is a member) is hosting an info session with the Ontario Arts Council about the new Arts Response Initiative series of grants for COVID-19 response.

September 30: The National Collaborating Centre for Environmental Health will host a webinar entitled COVID-19 Risks and Precautions for the Performing Arts.

The Rosa Survey of workplace sexual harassment in Canadian performing arts, film, and television industries is now open to respondents. We encourage workers in those fields to take part.

Orchestras Canada offers excellent advice on Reopening Your Orchestra.

Art and Ideas from Across the Internet

ArtsEverywhere hosts a roundtable on Translation

CBC lists 37 Canadian poetry collections to watch for in fall 2020

Rabble.ca on Pushing Canada’s arts system in anti-racist and decolonial directions

RDVCanada‘s list of Canadian talent at the Toronto International Film Festival (TIFF)

Dear Colleagues,

Recently, the Electric City Culture Council (EC3) joined with members of Peterborough Public Health, the Peterborough Performing Arts Recovery Alliance, and 20 leaders of local arts, culture, and heritage organizations, for a webinar on Health & Safety Guidelines for Reopening the Arts, Culture, and Heritage Sector.

We would like to thank everyone who attended, and in particular we would like to thank Public Health Promoter Keith Beecroft and Health Inspector Matt Faris from Peterborough Public Health, as well as Emily Martin, General Manager at Showplace and member of the Peterborough Performing Arts Recovery Alliance, for their insight and expertise, and for their work in helping make this webinar happen.

Recording

A full recording of the webinar can now be found on EC3’s YouTube page, for anyone who missed it or wants to give it a second look.

Additional resources

Following up on the webinar, EC3 and Peterborough Public Health wanted to share some important resources:

During the webinar, Keith mentioned three publications from Peterborough Public Health on reopening for organizations: COVID-19 Safety Plans: for your Business, Organization or Event, COVID-19 Safety Guide: Community/Recreation Centre-based Activities, and Safely Reopening in Peterborough City & County: Toolkit for Establishments and Businesses.

Peterborough Public Health offers a page of COVID-19 signage, which you can print off and put up at your facility.

Peterborough & the Kawarthas Economic Development is maintaining a list of local Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) suppliers, also including vendors for plexiglass barriers, hand sanitizer, cleaning supplies, and more.

Sign up here to work with the Ontario government on a reopening plan, particularly for organizations who are not able to reopen with Stage 3 restrictions, or who are experiencing significant challenges opening with restrictions in Stage 3.

Explore The National Arts Centre’s Guide to Support the Re-Opening of Canadian Performing Arts Centres and Venues.

Orchestras Canada offers advice on Reopening Your Orchestra: Part 1 and Part 2.

Please stay well and let us know how we can help.
TRACK THE IMPACT.

As always, keep checking the EC3 Facebook page, @ECThreePtbo on Twitter, @ec3ptbo on Instagram, and the COVID-19 Updates page on EC3’s website, where we are providing daily updates on programs and services available for ACH workers and organizations.

Be safe, stay healthy, and please don’t hesitate to reach out.

Su Ditta and the EC3 Board and staff

Contact
Su Ditta
Executive Director
Electric City Culture Council (EC3)
electriccitycc@gmail.com
www.ecthree.org
705 749 9101

EC3 is publishing a series of articles in The Peterborough Examiner about the state of the arts during the pandemic.

The first article, “Raising the curtain: Peterborough’s performing arts organizations confront COVID-19” by Esther Vincent, was published in the Saturday, September 19, 2020 edition of the Examiner.

Read it now.

Bankers Common, featuring the new mural by Kathryn Durst. (Photo courtesy First Friday Art Crawl)

In case you missed it, here is a roundup of some of what the Electric City Culture Council (EC3) has been sharing online in the past two weeks.

Be sure to follow EC3’s Facebook page, @ECThreePtbo on Twitter, and @ec3ptbo on Instagram, where we’re posting updates every day.

From the Electric City Culture Council

EC3 was proud to launch our latest Peterborough Arts Alive initiative, ESSENTIAL, a series of photos documenting the lives of local artists during the pandemic, photographed by Julie Gagne. See the whole project here, and follow KawarthaNOW, who will be releasing images from the project over the next several weeks.

Over the past few months, we’ve been getting more and more hard data about the impact COVID-19 has had on our sector, in the forms of surveys and research reports out of a range of organizations. We’ve organized this information into a new research report, Impact of COVID-19 on the Arts and Culture Sector in Peterborough and Beyond: EC3 September 2020 Roundup.

EC3 has been sharing clips from The Electric City Culturecast Reprise, a curated playlist of clips from EC3’s Trent Radio show and podcast, The Electric City Culturecast. Our hope is to highlight some of Peterborough’s talented and fascinating artists and creators, during a time when many avenues for artistic expression and performance remain closed. Read our Bulletin about the project.

Donate today to the Peterborough Arts Alive Fund, a fundraising effort to provide grants for local arts organizations.

Local Spotlight

Tickets are now on sale for 4th Line Theatre‘s Open Spaces Festival, featuring short plays in outdoor spaces throughout Peterborough.

Art School of Peterborough‘s fall season of classes kicks off September 21.

Atelier Ludmila is holding a writing workshop with John Marris, using their current exhibition as inspiration.

Throwback! Christy Haldane shared a video of a unique art event from back in 2006 in Lakefield, the Sculpture Challenge:

First Friday Art Crawl returned  for the first time since the pandemic this month. Head over to their Facebook page to check out selections from the various shows, as well as the new mural they commissioned for the alleyway leading into Bankers Common.

The Kawartha Autumn Studio Tour returns from September 19 to 20 – with some changes and new rules for COVID safety. Find out more.

Classes are back at the Kawartha Potters Guild. Multiple different days and options.

Submit your applications for Theatre Trent funding for local theatre projects by October 15 at the latest.

Trent Radio is gradually rolling out their fall season.

Check out Word Up Open Mic, an online spoken word event coming September 18 featuring Wordcraft, a.k.a. Saleem Ansari and Jon Hedderwic.

News and Information

Watch the townhall meeting with Minister of Canadian Heritage Steven Guilbeault, run by Business / Arts.

This Wednesday, September 16, CARFAC‘s Webinar Wednesdays series presents Intro to: Universal Basic Income.

Read the new issue of Hill Strategies Research‘s Arts Research Monitor, with updated data about how the pandemic is affecting arts attendence.

On August 31, EC3 commemorated International Overdose Awareness Day. Find out more about this important issue.

Art and Ideas from Across the Internet

Austin Robey on why Artist ownership is the way to fix Spotify’s broken streaming model

Chand John‘s TED Talk, What’s the fastest way to alphabetize your bookshelf?

Gallerie Magazine selects 5 Must-See Films Selected by the World’s Leading Video Artists.

Major Jackson‘s poem, On Disappearing

“Town Ward: Photographs and artists, from a distance” by Naomi Stock, The Peterborough Examiner.

Hello Everyone,

Anyone who has been following the arts this year understands that COVID-19 has had a devastating, and wide-reaching impact on our sector – this is not new information. However, what is new is the increasing number of research reports coming out that turn this understanding into hard data.

These reports allow us to better understand the qualitative consequences of the pandemic and to quantify the depth and breadth of its hard impacts, to assess what areas have the greatest needs, and, perhaps most of all, when speaking to decision-makers who might not understand the situation our sector faces, they allow us to back up our assertions with clear facts.

Over the past several months, the Electric City Culture Council (EC3) has been gathering and compiling results from these surveys and reports, and today we present the results of those efforts.

Our report, Impact of COVID-19 on the Arts and Culture Sector in Peterborough and Beyond: EC3 September 2020 Roundup, compiles extensive data on the impact the pandemic, pulled from multiple surveys from across Canada, and backed up by real-life examples from here in Peterborough. It also includes the results of the series of roundtable discussions EC3 held with local arts and culture leaders back in May, which provide a sense of how this global situation has hit locally, and the types of aid that Peterborough’s arts scene needs. In addition, an Appendix lists nearly 45 surveys and studies relevant to the arts and culture sector, that can be explored for further insights.

This new report details a wide range of the effects of the pandemic: from immediate ones like the cancellation of events and closure of facilities, to reductions in box office and donations, to job and income losses, to long-term impacts like audience attrition and the potential loss of cultural institutions. In addition, it offers an assessment of current support measures, and argues for the supports that are still lacking.

We encourage you to check it out HERE.

Special thanks to EC3 Program Coordinator and Research Lead Gabe Pollock for his exceptional work on this project.

Coming Soon: EC3’s COVID Impact Survey

While there is a growing body of research on the pandemic, we still largely lack hard data about the situation for the arts here in Peterborough. In the coming weeks, EC3 will work to correct this, with a survey about the impacts of COVID-19 on local arts and culture organizations.

Watch out for an email about this soon, and please take the time to fill out the survey when it arrives.

Please stay well and let us know how we can help.
TRACK THE IMPACT.

As always, keep checking the EC3 Facebook page, @ECThreePtbo on Twitter, @ec3ptbo on Instagram, and the COVID-19 Updates page on EC3’s website, where we are providing daily updates on programs and services available for ACH workers and organizations.

Be safe, stay healthy, and please don’t hesitate to reach out.

Su Ditta and the EC3 Board and staff

Contact
Su Ditta
Executive Director
Electric City Culture Council (EC3)
electriccitycc@gmail.com
www.ecthree.org
705 749 9101

Hello Everyone,

Today EC3 is launching ESSENTIAL, the latest project in our Peterborough Arts Alive suite of COVID-19 response and relief programs and services. ESSENTIAL features a series of 17 photos of Peterborough artists during the pandemic by photographer Julie Gagne, accompanied by stories of their lives during this unusual and precarious time.

This Bulletin includes a full description of the project, as well as two sample images at the bottom. You can explore the whole series HERE.

The ESSENTIAL Photography Project

The 2020 COVID-19 pandemic has had a profound impact on both individual artists and arts organizations in Peterborough.  Performance venues and galleries have been closed, concerts cancelled, exhibitions postponed, entire seasons abandoned. Organizations and facilities are trying to grapple with the loss of revenue and an uncertain future. “Reopening” is not straightforward, to say the least.  Finding viable financial models, financing renovations and safety measures are just a few of the challenges.

Individual artists have lost their creative income and the opportunity to work together to create – something that is absolutely vital to them and to their audiences. Many have pivoted, and developed and presented some great virtual and digital projects.  But nothing replaces live performance in front of a live audience and the catalytic energy that comes from being together to rehearse, discuss, and plan projects, to gather at an opening or artist talk.  Isolated at home, cut off from their communities and the lifeblood that is their artistic practice, local still artists found ways to keep our cultural life alive. Silenced and almost invisible, they kept working.  But it hasn’t been easy.

Local photographer Julie Gagne began photographing a number of Peterborough residents in their homes during the earlier stage of the pandemic and posted the photos on Facebook.  The eloquent, haunting images of her Within portrait project included some artists, and those incredibly moving images caught the eye of the Electric City Culture Council’s Executive Director, Su Ditta.

Julie’s photos made us think. We have all benefitted from the work of artists during the pandemic: we’ve listened to music, read books, watched films, toured virtual exhibitions and dived into archives, tuned in to living room and checked out porch concerts. What has it been like for the artists?  Will people remember how essential the arts were to getting through the pandemic when it comes to recovery funding and budget planning?  Will arts organizations be supported in a robust recovery plan?

EC3 asked Peterborough theatre artist Sarah McNeilly to curate and coordinate, and approached Julie Gagne to do a distinct series of photos that spoke to the experience of local artists and what art means to our lives, in good times and in bad.  It’s ESSENTIAL.  The resulting 17 stunning, eloquent photo portraits of 20 artists and their artist statements will take your breath away. This arts awareness project is both a witness to the struggles of, and a testament to, the courage, resiliency, and contributions of this community during the COVID-19 lockdown.  Our heartfelt thanks go out to Julie, the participating artists and everyone in the arts community who have kept us going.

The ESSENTIAL project is available to view on the EC3 website at https://www.ecthree.org/program/essential-project/, and KawarthaNOW will be releasing the images on their website regularly over the next two months.

ESSENTIAL is the latest project in EC3’s Peterborough Arts Alive suite of COVID-19 response and recovery programs and services.  Other programs include the Peterborough Arts Alive Fund, a fundraising effort for strategic recovery grants for local arts organizations; Culturecast Reprise, a playlist of interviews with local artists pulled from EC3’s Trent Radio show and podcast The Electric City Culturecast; Conversations on Art in a Pandemic (Peterborough Arts Alive on SLACK), an online discussion space for and by artists; Digital Uplift, which provided consultations on digital skills development for almost 20 local artists and arts, culture, and heritage organizations; and a series of Micro Subsistence Grants for local professional artists.

The Electric City Culture Council (EC3) is a not-for-profit, arts, culture and heritage (ACH) organization providing advocacy, programs and services that support the ACH sector in Peterborough, Ontario and the surrounding region.

Sample Images

Click for full resolution image

Click for full resolution image

Please stay well and let us know how we can help.
TRACK THE IMPACT.

As always, keep checking the EC3 Facebook page, @ECThreePtbo on Twitter, @ec3ptbo on Instagram, and the COVID-19 Updates page on EC3’s website, where we are providing daily updates on programs and services available for ACH workers and organizations.

Be safe, stay healthy, and please don’t hesitate to reach out.

Su Ditta and the EC3 Board and staff

Contact
Su Ditta
Executive Director
Electric City Culture Council (EC3)
electriccitycc@gmail.com
www.ecthree.org
705 749 9101

Media Release – August 31, 2020
For Immediate Release

Peterborough, ON – The Electric City Culture Council (EC3) launches its latest Peterborough Arts Alive initiative today, ESSENTIAL, a photography project by local artist Julie Gagne. This series of 17 photos, depicting 20 local artists at home during the pandemic, is an eloquent testimonial to the role of the arts in our lives and to the people who create our vibrant cultural life. This crisis has made us aware, as never before, that art is essential.

Each photo in ESSENTIAL features an artist in their home or workplace, captured on rooftops, isolated behind windows, on balconies, in doorways, all at a safe physical distance, and is accompanied by a statement from the artists about their experience of the pandemic.

ESSENTIAL calls attention to the precarious situation that artists and arts organizations face during the COVID-19 pandemic. As Ontario continues in Stage 3 of reopening, many options for live public performance and other indoor gatherings remain unavailable. Organizations and facilities are trying to grapple with the loss of revenue and an uncertain future. Individual artists have lost fees, sales, and jobs.

“Julie’s photos made us think. We have all benefited from the work of artists during the pandemic: we’ve listened to music, read books, watched films, toured virtual exhibitions, tuned in to living room concerts. What has it been like for the artists? Will people remember how essential the arts were to getting through the pandemic when it comes to recovery funding and budget planning? Will arts organizations be supported in a robust recovery plan?” —Su Ditta, Executive Director, EC3

ESSENTIAL was inspired by Julie Gagne’s Within series of photo portraits taken during the COVID-19 lockdown, similarly photographed from exteriors, including one of an artist. These striking images caught the eye of EC3’s Executive Director Su Ditta, and EC3 commissioned Gagne do a similar series focusing exclusively on local artists. Peterborough theatre artist Sarah McNeilly curated and coordinated the project. Rob Wilkes of Big Sky Design is responsible for the project’s layout and design.

“We are all pursuing art in the face of unprecedented challenges. As restrictions continue to lift, most of Peterborough is able to return to work. That is not the case for our local artists; they continue to experience limitations and face challenges. This series is a testament to their resilience.” —Julie Gagne, Photographer

The ESSENTIAL project is available to view on the EC3 web site at https://www.ecthree.org/program/essential-project/, and KawarthaNOW will be releasing the images on their website over the next two months. (Two promotional images are being made available for public release, and are included at the bottom of this release.)

ESSENTIAL is the latest project in EC3’s Peterborough Arts Alive suite of COVID-19 response and recovery programs and services. Other programs include the Peterborough Arts Alive Fund, a fundraising effort for strategic recovery grants for local arts organizations; Culturecast Reprise, a playlist of interviews with local artists pulled from EC3’s Trent Radio show and podcast The Electric City Culturecast; Conversations on Art in a Pandemic (Peterborough Arts Alive on SLACK), an online discussion space for and by artists; Digital Uplift, which provided consultations on digital skills development for almost 20 local artists and arts, culture, and heritage organizations; and a series of Micro Subsistence Grants for local professional artists.

The Electric City Culture Council (EC3) is a not-for-profit, arts, culture and heritage (ACH) organization providing advocacy, programs and services that support the ACH sector in Peterborough, Ontario and the surrounding region.

Promotional images

Joy Simmonds and Colin McAdam (press ready PDF)
Joy Simmonds and Colin McAdam (200ppi JPG)
Elizabeth Jenkins (press ready PDF)
Elizabeth Jenkins (200ppi JPG)

-30-

For Further Information Contact:
Su Ditta
Executive Director, EC3
705 749 9101
electriccitycc@gmail.com
www.ecthree.org

See our COVID-19 Updates page for more COVID-19 updates and resources for artists and ACH workers, and our Peterborough Arts Alive page for our COVID-19 response and recovery programs.

“Impact of pandemic on Peterborough artists documented by photographer Julie Gagne,” KawarthaNOW.

“Something Spatial 1” 2019) by Victoria Wallace. Part of the Kawartha Autumn Studio Tour this September.

In case you missed it, here is a roundup of some of what the Electric City Culture Council (EC3) has been sharing online in the past three weeks.

Be sure to follow EC3’s Facebook page, @ECThreePtbo on Twitter, and @ec3ptbo on Instagram, where we’re posting updates every day.

From the Electric City Culture Council

On Peterborough Arts Alive on SLACK, we continued our series of Conversations on Art in a Pandemic with an interview with Curve Lake textile artist Alice Olsen Williams by artist, writer, and curator Caroline Langill.

EC3 sent out two Bulletins recently, full of useful information for artists and organizations: “Relief, Recovery, Reopening: New Funds and New Guidelines for Artists and ACH Organizations and Venues” and “Curtains Up! Reopening Guidance for the Performing Arts Sector.”

EC3 has been sharing clips from The Electric City Culturecast Reprise, a curated playlist of clips from EC3’s Trent Radio show and podcast, The Electric City Culturecast. Our hope is to highlight some of Peterborough’s talented and fascinating artists and creators, during a time when many avenues for artistic expression and performance remain closed. Read our Bulletin about the project.

Donate today to the Peterborough Arts Alive Fund, a fundraising effort to provide grants for local arts organizations.

Local Spotlight

A number of local galleries have new exhibitions starting soon: Artspace will be reopening their doors in with a new exhibition, Make/Shift by Alexis Bulman, opening September 11 (read their newsletter for more information).  The Art Gallery of Peterborough opened two new exhibitions on August 20: Offering, featuring works from the permanent collection; and an exhibition of selections from the upcoming Kawartha Autumn Studio Tour (see below).  And Atelier Ludmila opens James Matheson’s from inquisition to slapstick on September 4.

The Kawartha Autumn Studio Tour is back for its 36th year, albeit in a modified form to fit health and safety guidelines. The tour still provides the opportunity to visit the studios of dozens of artists across the Kawarthas.  Read more here.

4th Line Theatre is pivoting to altnerate performances that will be presented outdoors, with an open call for the Open Spaces Theatre Festival, coming at the end of September, and Bedtime Stories and Other Horrifying Tales in October.

Trent Radio is now accepting programme proposals for the upcoming fall season

Congratulations to Trent alum Smokii Sumac, who, along with Robyn Maynard and Arielle Twist, is one of three finalists for the Writers’ Trust of Canada’s $10,000 Dayne Ogilvie Prize for LGBTQ emerging writers.

News and Information

Artsboost is a new comprehensive online digital marketing and fundraising course designed for performing arts professionals – and it’s free for the first ‘pilot’ cohort. Find out more.

Job alert: CARFAC is hiring an Interim Artist Services Director.

On Septmeber 16, CARFAC will be hosting an Intro to Universal Basic Income webinar.

ILostMyGig, which has done an excellent job surveying the cancelations artists have experienced during the pandemic, has launched a new survey for organizations.

The Ontario Arts Council annouced a new $1.6 million fund, the Arts Response Initiative, offering grants to artists and organizations to support and adapt artistic practices in the face of the pandemic.

The Ontario Trillium Foundation also announced a new fund, the Resilient Communities Fund, to support not-for-profit organizations with pandemic response and relief efforts.

The UK-Canada Immersive Exchange is a new, £300,000 development and co-production fund for UK and Canadian immersive storytelling artists. Find out more.

Experience Art Online

The Banff Centre International String Quartet Festival is going digital this year. Tune in September 1 to 5.

The Virtual Online Museum of Art is an intriguing project: the “world’s first fully interactive virtual museum. Read more about it.