CANMORE – An arts cabaret concert is kicking off the fifth annual Festival of Arts and Creativity in Canmore, Friday (Sept. 18), which takes a personal reflection on parenting – especially during a pandemic.
Being live streamed on artsPlace’s Facebook page at 7:30 p.m., the Bow Valley Cabaret’s theme connects the lives of seven artists, their passions and the joys and tribulations of parenthood.
“Somehow, we’re all muddling through this and finding bright spots and moments and this seems like a nice way to celebrate that parent-side connection and just to honour it, honour that it’s beautiful and it’s also really difficult sometimes,” said the cabaret’s curator Ellen Braun.
The theme is parent-based, but dives into the relationships with those who guide us through complicated issues in our lives, said Braun.
“We’re all somebody's children and I think this will be a beautiful event that we can all relate to,” Braun said. “Whether or not we’re a parent, we can see it in that perspective or even just as a grown adult to know that we do have these people in our lives that are our parents, our role models.
“I think it can be uplifting for anyone.”
The collection of Alberta artists performing, mixed with local talent, include musicians Ellen Braun, Sue Chick Denton, Jill Jamieson, John Wort Hannam, and Sonia Deleo; story-based photography from Kristy Wolfe; and poetry from author Doug Saul.
In the spirit of art and parenting, the group will share stories and songs for artsPlace's kickoff to 10 days worth of free programming, live-streamed performances, virtual talks, small-group art workshops, and an outdoor market on the first weekend.
When Braun reached out to artists about collaborating for the project, she said the parenting theme kind of accidently fell into place for it.
“I think it sort of naturally evolved where we were sharing stories [about our children]," she said. "To know that all these people are artists and also parents and it’s a really intense time to be a parent because we are so connected with our children and there is a lot of worry and anxiety about making sure this all goes well for them as we go through the pandemic.”
Visit www.artsplacecanmore.com for a full list of Festival of Arts and Creativity events.
