SHAUNAVON — Students in Eastend and Shaunavon were entertained and educated by several artists during Culture Days Sept. 23 to Oct. 11.
Sept. 23, Wilbur Sargunaraj met with Shaunavon High School students to share his Cultural Intelligence exhibit and messages through interactive activities and discussion. Sargunaraj was in Shaunavon as part of the Multicultural Festival the day prior, sponsored by the Grand Coteau Heritage and Cultural Centre, and has previously toured Saskatchewan schools through the Organization of Saskatchewan Arts Council’s (OSAC) School Show tour.
There are two active arts councils in the region, in both Eastend and Shaunavon. Each group was instrumental in providing access to performances to local schools this fall through OSAC’s School Show Tour and their independent winter/spring line-ups will provide a steady stream of concerts and performances for southwest arts enthusiasts.
“It’s very important to have the arts council support live performances within the school," offered Shaunavon Public School principal Dale Ross.
"They provide students an opportunity to view and experience live theatre, to learn about dramatic and visual arts, and to learn about different cultures and ways of life. Their support is greatly appreciated by everyone at Shaunavon Public School.”
Kung Jaadee: Haida Stories or Squamish Stories is a performance made available through the OSAC’s school tour program featuring Roberta Kennedy, a professional storyteller, educator and published author belonging to the Haida, Musqueam and Squamish First Nations. Her Haida name, Kung Jaadee, means Moon Woman. Oct. 4, Kung Jaadee shared traditional Haida legends and vivid personal stories about her clan's survival of the smallpox epidemic and the history and culture of her people with elementary students in both Eastend and Shaunavon.
Kung Jaadee was the second performance in the same week for Eastend school students. Oct. 2, Eastend Arts Council also brought in another OSAC school show with a one-day dance residency by Jess Dexter: Jess Dance.
The two arts councils are collaborating for a spring performance featuring Burnt Thicket Theatre’s “Every Brilliant Thing” by Duncan Macmillan and Jonny Donahoe, starring Sarah Robertson.
Every Brilliant Thing is a play revolving around a seven-year-old dealing with his mother's depression by listing everything wonderful about life. Two decades later, the list takes on a life of its own. This remarkable comedy explores depression and the lengths we go to for loved ones, blending humour with emotional depth. The performance involves the audience in naming items on the list, creating an unscripted connection. The April 4 performance will invite students from throughout the Southwest to Shaunavon’s Darkhorse Theatre for an afternoon performance sponsored by Eastend Arts Council, followed by an evening performance for the general public, organized by Shaunavon Arts Council.
The Shaunavon Arts Council has just one other performance booked for their 2024-25 season on March 10 featuring The Prairie Sons with cellist David Liam Roberts and pianist Godwin Friesen. Prairie Sons is touring through OSAC and Prairie Debut, an organization that links Canadian classical and global music artists to communities of all sizes in the prairies. Both musicians have strong ties to their prairie roots and have been featured in CBC's Hot 30 Classical Musicians Under 30.
Eastend Arts Council is expanding their regular concert offerings and will feature two OSAC performances in the new year with dates that land between the Shaunavon concerts. Charms will headline the annual Stegner Celebration fundraiser Feb. 8. The musical duo features Denis Dufresne and his wife, Meg. Dufresne has roots in the Southwest and has made multiple appearances in the area through OSAC tours in the past.
The Misery Mountain Boys will perform in Eastend May 3. Eastend Arts Council presented the inaugural Big Flat Folk Fest in July and continues to focus on The Wallace Stegner House with monthly Under the Roof artist talks as part of its artist-in-residence program, the yearly Stegner Celebration and various other arts programming throughout the year.
Shaunavon Arts Council collaborates with the Grand Coteau Heritage & Cultural Centre to present visual arts exhibitions but has reduced its concert series offerings following the pandemic. There is waning interest among current members in continuing to operate and they are urgently seeking new members. Interested individuals can reach out by email to [email protected] or contact them on Facebook.
Information on tickets for the spring concerts presented by each local arts council will be available later this fall.
