There has been a lot of talk over the past couple of weeks about the importance of the arts. If one thing is clear it’s that there are tons of people in this city who value the arts and artists of this city. That’s why the loss of Michael Green was mourned by people across the country who had never met him. That’s why the news this paper is folding was followed by an outpouring of sorrow. That’s why Coun. Peter Demong’s ridiculous proposal to suspend the public art program for 2015 was met with public outrage before being quickly defeated at council. The number of people speaking up for the arts is heartening. Another way to support the people and organizations creating that art is to go to their exhibitions plays and performances. There is always more going on than will fit in this column — go find whatever appeals to you.
Ronnie Burkett had plenty to say abouts arts organizations in Calgary as well as the city itself at the recent opening of The Daisy Theatre (pictured). Of course most of it was nasty in a hilariously delicious way but it was all in good fun (I think). Nothing was off limits but the targets should consider themselves honoured rather than offended to be part of this cabaret-style show. From the mouths of marionettes the master puppeteer made fun of everything from the “smug” smell of people who didn’t have to pay for tickets (admittedly I was one of them) to the perceived aspirations of Theatre Calgary’s Dennis Garnhum (who lives in Toronto because he wants a job at the Shaw Festival) to the name chosen for Arts Commons and the building itself (which has more brass than a stripper bar in the ’80s) to Calgary (an oil town with no gay bars) Edmonton (where audiences didn’t get most of his jokes) and the U.S. (unlike Britain as he explained in a fun little ditty based on personal experience “you can’t say cunt in America!”). Burkett has the ability to make the entire house crack up at his ribald humour and catty comments but he can also make the entire house still and silent during an emotional and touching monologue from an innocent puppet. The improv show runs at Big Secret Theatre until March 7 and is different every night — I’m tempted to go back just to find out what those marionettes say next.
At the other end of the spectrum the sold-out Mayor’s Lunch for Arts Champions organized by Calgary Arts Development and the Office of the Mayor had nothing but nice things to say about the arts (at least I assume it was all nice since I wasn’t smelling “smug” that day and didn’t attend). This year’s Cultural Leaders Legacy Artist Awards were were presented to: Aaron Sidorenko (ATB Financial Healing Through the Arts Award); Hamraz Salehi (Calgary Catholic Immigration Society New Canadian Artist Award); Nicole Mion (Colin Jackson and Arlene Strom Creative Placemaking Award); Rebecca Northan (Doug & Lois Mitchell Outstanding Calgary Artist Award); Mark Ikeda (Enbridge Emerging Artist Award); Col Cseke (MacLachlan Community Beacon Award); and Studio C (SANDSTONE City Builder Award).
