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35th Edition of the International Festival of Autho rs

It’s that time of year again! The 2014 International Festival of Authors (our 35th edition!) will run October 23 to November 2. This year's Festival focus is called Remembering the Story: IFOA@35 Remembers the Great War. This special programme will feature works that explore the societal changes in Canada and around the world following the First World War. Complementing this focus will be a joint initiative between IFOA and Humber’s School of Liberal Arts and Sciences: Representing World War I: Perspectives at the Centenary, a three-day academic conference to be held during the Festival. The year 2014 marks both the First World War Centenary and our 35th anniversary, so as we remember this important historical event we'll also be looking back on our own legacy.

The line-up currently features over 150 authors writing in genres from literary fiction to historical non-fiction, poetry to thriller. Participants include acclaimed poet and novelist Dionne Brand, bestselling American crime fiction writer James Ellroy, buzzed-about debut novelist Roxane Gay, Norwegian sensation Karl Ove Knausgård, CanLit favourite Ann-Marie MacDonald, Baileys Women’s Prize for Fiction winner Eimear McBride, Man Booker-shortlisted author David Nicholls, Irish heavyweight Colm Tóibín and many, many more.

In addition to the opening night PEN Canada Benefit featuring iconic Canadian filmmaker David Cronenberg, special events include a presentation of historian Hugh Brewster’s Canada, Fall In! The Great War Remembered in Words, Images and Song, as well as readings by the authors nominated for some of Canada’s leading literary awards: the Governor General’s Literary Award and the Rogers Writers’ Trust Fiction Prize.

This year’s Festival is shaping up to be a unique celebration of all things literary, and it is with the help of our volunteers that the Festival experience is made so enjoyable and special for each audience member and author who participates.

Geoffrey Taylor Director, Authors at Harbourfront Centre and International Festival of Authors

VOLUME 6, ISSUE 3 June 2014

VOLUME 6, ISSUE 4 August 2014

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Genevieve’s Update

It has been another incredibly busy summer season. The weather on most weekends has been fabulous. All too soon the summer season is nearly over. The stellar line up of festivals from June to August included NXNE, Canada Day Extravaganza, South Asia Calling, China Now, Habari Africa Festival, Classical VI: Voice and Strings, Island Soul, Expressions of Brazil, Hot & Spicy Food Festival, TAIWANfest and Ashkenaz Festival. A huge thank you to everyone for coming down to volunteer each weekend in spite of the challenges with construction at Queens Quay, as well as TTC disruptions.

The new backlit featuring volunteers, located by the WestJet Stage, has attracted quite a lot of attention and increased the visibility of volunteers on site. We have received great feedback from staff and also from the public about our amazing volunteers. Kudos to everyone for the great job each weekend.

As we wind down the summer season, work is in progress for the next busy season: the 11-day 35th annual International Festival of Authors. At the next volunteer meeting on September 20, IFOA staff will provide a presentation on the festival followed by a mandatory training session for those who would like to volunteer at the festival. Please mark this very important date on your calendar.

Another date that you should take note of is the Year End Volunteer Party on December 6. This annual party is organized by the Volunteer Social Activities Committee. Volunteers have requested a festive Christmas-themed party and we hope that everyone will come and enjoy the traditions of a Canadian Christmas with a delicious turkey dinner, followed by fun games and caroling. Tickets will be on sale at the volunteer meeting on September 20 and at IFOA weekends. Invite a guest to celebrate the year end and join in the fun.

Enjoy the rest of the summer! Genevieve Peng Volunteer Coordinator

From left to right: Chester, Dorothy, Emily and Margaret

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Happy 40th Anniversary, Harbourfront Centre!

Among the many events at Harbourfront Centre on Canada Day was a celebration of Harbourfront Centre’s milestone 40th birthday. At the Exhibition Common, a four-piece all-star band presented Fiddling Across Canada: 40 Tunes from 40 Places in Canada. Audiences tapped their feet along to Maritime, Francophone and Metis medleys, presented as a journey from the east to the west of Canada. The programme noted this: “Brought from Europe with the first explorers, traders, farmers, fisherman, sailors and whalers, next to singing itself, the fiddle has been the musical voice of Canada for 300 years.” Of course, there was cake and special recognition of anyone also celebrating a 40th birthday.

Angie and Kelly handing out birthday cake Miranda handing out butter tarts

Jing Li, Florence and Mohini at the crafts area

Lucy and Jing handing out doughnuts Tristan and Emily at the crafts

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Boxcars, Ice and Art?

The original building that housed the Harbourfront Centre Theatre (formerly the Enwave) and the Power Plant, was constructed in 1926. It was created as a storage facility for large blocks of ice used for the cold storage needs of the Terminal warehouse which was built next door and opened in 1927. Items stored included raw sugar, coffee, fish and meat products, plywood and hides At the time, the Terminal warehouse was the first poured concrete building in Canada and one of the largest buildings in the country. Goods were distributed across Canada through the railway network: 16 freight boxcars could be accommodated within the terminal building for loading. These buildings went out of use as the 401 was constructed and trucks became a more efficient way to deliver merchandise. Forty years ago the federal government began to redevelop the waterfront. The old Ice House first became associated with the arts when the Canadian Opera Company used it as a rehearsal hall and carpentry studio in the late ‘70s. Harbourfront Centre first used it as a performance space in 1983. In 1986, du Maurier Ltd. provided a grant for seating, dressing rooms, sound and lighting equipment and acoustic devices. The building was redesigned by Peter Smith of Lett/Smith Architects and renamed the du Maurier Theatre Centre. It opened on November 4, 1986. In 1991, the Ontario Ministry of Culture and du Maurier Ltd. provided funding for the final phase of renovations which included the installation of the three-storey glass envelope creating lobbies on three floors of the theatre. The theatre reopened in February 1992.

Waterglass and the colour blue

In June’s newsletter, Larry Lewis gave us a little background about the colour blue. This colour plays a very prominent role at Harbourfront Centre. Have you ever noticed, for example, all the blue glass wrapped around the sides of the Harbourfront Centre Theatre (formerly the Enwave)? Harbourfront Centre partnered with Enwave to commission a large scale solar glass art installation. This installation by Canadian artist Sarah Hall is entitled Waterglass and envelops the exterior of the building. The art piece generates solar energy through photovoltaic cells on the west side of the building. The electricity that is created is used to light the theatre’s lobby. Waterglass includes 119 art glass panels of hand-painted and fired glass fabricated in Germany and Austria. A series of glass panels on the east wall of the theatre is imbedded with more than 360 photographic images documenting the history of Lake Ontario, visible only from inside the theatre lobby. Take the time to have a close look at Waterglass the next time you are on the site.

Thank you to Morag McDonald, Senior Coordinator, Planning Department for the information.

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Ann Tindal

Ann Tindal was one of Harbourfront Centre’s inspiring founders. She moved to Canada from her beloved Scotland in 1969. At the time she was a young mother of three trailing her husband’s career. Ann was Harbourfront Centre’s Director of Programming for 11 years. She was hired on a chance visit to Harbourfront Centre in 1975. Tindal landed a six-month contract to try and make people aware of Harbourfront Centre and its activities. She is credited with giving Harbourfront Centre its personality and spirit. She boosted attendance from 200,000 in 1976 to more than 3 million by 1986, the year she retired to channel her energy into fighting cancer. Sadly, Ann died at the age of 47.

When asked what her master plan for Harbourfront Centre was, she replied: “When I thought about what Harbourfront Centre should be, I just focused on the things in my life that were sources of joy and improved my quality of life – namely the arts – but in an easy setting where you can wear your Sunday comfies…informality does not mean second rate…it’s in the informal setting that I thi nk the real love of the arts grows.” Ann’s childhood home hosted many travelling musicians who would play in her family’s kitchen. Her father, a concert master, would frequently host impromptu musical sessions around the hearth. “That’s how art should be consumed,” she said. “People should be able to experience the best of th e world’s culture in their comfies. Art is not boring . Art is not elite.”

She put her heart into Harbourfront

– Louise Brown

Toronto Star; December 14, 1986

A Storied Past

– Kate Ray

Toronto Star; June 26, 1986

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Harbourfront Centre and the world

As Harbourfront Centre and the Volunteer Programme observe milestone birthdays, it is a good time to celebrate some of the achievements of the past. Some of our longer-standing volunteers will remember WOMAD, World of Music, Art and Dance , which took place the summers of 1988 to 1991. Maybe you still have the T-shirts! Co-founded by Peter Gabriel in England, WOMAD’s first festival in 1982 brought “World Music” to western audiences at a time when the term itself was new. Harbourfront Centre was WOMAD’s first North American festival. Toronto’s strong multicultural community, allowed many local performers to participate including people of Caribbean, African, Asian and Native Canadian descent. The 1990 edition had a Franco-American theme and included Quebecois and Louisianan performers. It was big and varied. Over 6 days in 1988, there were concerts, both free and ticketed, children’s events (including a Zulu dance workshop), food and more. NOW listed statistics for 1990 (scaled down to four days by this time): 48 groups and 242 performers from 25 countries. They also cited a cost of $450,000. Black Label, a trendy beer at the time, was the major sponsor. A 2006 article in the Canadian Encyclopedia noted, “Of Harbourfront's many festivals, WOMAD has drawn the greatest notice….WOMAD/Harbourfront became Canada's most important forum at the turn of the 1990s for world music.” Many artists were well-known in their home countries, so audiences trusted that they would see great performances and were willing to buy tickets for acts they had never heard of. Names like Nusrat Fateh Ali Khan soon became well-known to Torontonians. More familiar performers sometimes helped guarantee ticket sales, such as Ry Cooder in 1991. The year 1991 marked some major changes in the funding structure at Harbourfront, and was WOMAD’s last year here on site. But, as we all know, the traditions of World Music and world culture remains strong at Harbourfront Centre.

By Sean McCluskey, who kept his WOMAD T-shirts

WOMAD continues in the UK and a few other places around the world. For more information, visit http://womad.org/ Sources: *http://thecanadianencyclopedia.com/en/article/harbourfront-emc/ NOW Magazine archives: http://www.nowtoronto.com/archive/

Lynn Allen on the left Sean McCluskey

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South Asia Calling

The South Asia Calling festival, held July 4 to 6, celebrated ancient customs and skills with a contemporary twist. Highlights included the Killer Curry Cookoff on Friday evening and the Chak de Bhangra Dance competition on Sunday afternoon. Guests in a less competitive mood enjoyed various musical performances, participated in a drum circle, watched films and were entertained by the Maharajas of Comedy. Storytelling, kite making and tea demonstrations rounded out the programming: there truly was something for everybody!

Di Li at Boulevard Tent Lidia at the Studio Theatre

Gladys and Uma in the crafts area Chester helping at Big Games

Christine at HarbourKids Zone Tent

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China Now Volunteer Translators - interviewed by Ly nn Allen

I had the pleasure of working with a group of bright, energetic volunteer translators for the China Now Festival. These volunteers were all bilingual in Mandarin and English. Here is what some of them had to say about the experience:

LU – I helped the most by communicating between the

artist and the stage manager. I helped them to

co-operate better and smooth out small conflicts. My favourite memory was communicating with the

artists and trying to understand what they

wanted to accomplish in China. I tried to think of ways

to promote them.

JAMES – I was surprised that all the artists had been sent by the Ministry

of Culture. They are all the top of their professional fields. I helped

most by not simply translating word meanings, but translating the artist’s

intention.

CATHERINE –

Translating some of the cooking

terms was difficult but I connected

very well with the chef and the

audience enjoyed it.

AVA – I saw embroidery that I had never seen when I was in

China. I learned a lot about unique cultures within China from the artist’s storytelling.

LI – Sometimes I miss my roots.

Seeing the artists on stage brought back memories of my own childhood. Many Canadians

are knowledgeable and curious about

China.

KUN – The public had questions for the artists. They appreciated my translations and the artists

appreciated my efforts.

ALICIA – I come from a small village in Northern China. I was very surprised to meet an artist from the same village!

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China Now – Performances, Cooking Demos and the Art isan Village

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Habari Africa Festival

Co-produced by the Batuki Music Society, the Habari Africa Festival (July 18–20) focused on music and dance in the contemporary African arts scene. Crowds braved the rain to take in performances and participate in workshops, but it did not stop there: Habari Africa also brought us storytelling and cooking demos, which allowed patrons to get a taste of the cultural diversity of Africa.

Sungtae at the crafts area

Irina and Susan at the stilt dancing workshop

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Mark Your Calendars

• Next Volunteer Meeting

Saturday, September 20, 11:00am–1:30pm at Lakeside Terrace

IFOA Presentation and Training – Mandatory Attendance for all volunteers who would like to volunteer for the 35th International Festival of Authors

• Volunteer Year End Party

Saturday, December 6, 5:30pm–9:00pm at Lakeside Ter race

The Volunteer Social Activities Committee has started organizing the Volunteer Year End Party. Tickets at $12 per volunteer/guest will be on sale at the volunteer meeting on September 20, during IFOA (October 23-November 2) and at HarbourfKIDS:Thanksgiving on October 13

Volunteer E-Newsletter Sub-Committee: Lynn Allen, Coordinator/Writer; Lidia Jarmasz, Writer/Editor; Nida Haroon, Design/Layout; Kathleen-Sonja Mooney-Childs, Sean McCluskey, Committee Members; Genevieve Peng, Advisor/Editor. Photos courtesy of Tom Bilenkey, Ricky Yu

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