Notes from the Rotary Meeting 12.30pm Thursday, April 30, 2026.
President Olaf chaired the meeting and welcomed everyone.
Guest Speaker
After lunch, the guest speaker Ian Locke was introduced. Ian is the Director of the Graham Academy and Co-Artistic Director of Camber Art.
Ian began his talk by speaking of the experience he just had had when he attended a PACTcon conference in Whitehorse, Yukon earlier in the month, sponsored by Rising Tides.
Rising Tides is a skill development and mentorship platform designed for IBPOC (Indigenous, Black, and People of Colour) performing arts administrators and managers. The initiative intends to fill a gap in the Canadian performing arts sector around the training and mentorship of developing and mid-career IBPOC administrators and managers by providing a program specific to their needs. Through one-on-one pairings, five pairs of mentees of which Ian was one, and mentors engaged with each other, focusing on skill development in theatre administration. These pairings met regularly, supported by four virtual meetings for them all and culminating in an in-person event in Whitehorse. This past year the program had focused on applicants from the North and the Atlantic provinces. Ian had had a fantastic experience in being part of this program culminating in his time in Whitehorse.
Ian then spoke of the Camber Arts programming in the coming weeks noting that the Camber Arts works across four major areas of activity: presentation, creation, innovation, and education.
The April Owl Festival was highly successful, and it is hoped to make this an annual event. This poetry and music festival, April 9 – 13th, was a revival and evolution of the March Hare held for many years from the 1980s to 2018.
Next weekend, May 7 – 9 the Next Tide Festival will bring home young artists that have pursued the arts in their education journey, giving them stages to perform upon at home. This festival will also include the Spring Choral Celebration.
The first concert, May 7, - No Place Like Home will feature Lucas Upward. The second concert, May 8 at Corner Brook United Church- All Things Bright and Beautiful: A Spring Choral Celebration with the Camber Arts Chorale, Corner Brook Intermediate School Choir, and others in this celebration of choral music. The final concert – What I’d Give to Return, features Katie Colbourne, Mary Jane Jacobs, Mat Birmingham and Sophie Simms.
At the end of May and beginning of June there will be Graham Academy Shows. The summer be a busy time which will include three productions including a show at the train site, a Newfoundland Kitchen Party Show and a play plus there will also be Summer Camps for students. To finish, Ian answered several questions before being thanked for his interesting and informative talk. The meeting then adjourned.