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Welcome Madeleine Polak, our new Stage Manager!

We’re thrilled to introduce Madeleine Polak as the Stage Manager for the 2024 Vancouver Outsider Arts Festival! 👏

Madeleine Polak (she/her) is a lover of emerging new theatre, name brand sharpies, iced oat lattes, and colour-coded spreadsheets. She’s a queer theatre maker & manager based in Vancouver, where she is in her fourth and final year of the UBC BFA Design and Production program. A firm believer in wearing multiple hats within the industry, Madeleine is active as both a stage manager and costume designer, as well as a fledgling director.

As a stage manager, Madeleine sees well organized spreadsheets as their own artform. She has previously worked with Theatre Terrific on their 2024 Harvest production, ‘Proximity’ and with local queer rock-band ‘Hot Dyke Party’ during their original performance run.

Current creative endeavors include costume design for UBC Theatre’s ‘The Very Book Indeed’ and assistant direction for UBC Musical Theatre Troupe’s ‘Heathers’, both opening in November.

Join us in welcoming Madeleine!

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Volunteer with us!

Join our community of artists, arts professionals, organizations, and volunteers who help bring the Vancouver Outsider Arts Festival to life! We are currently seeking volunteers to help with art sales, public workshops, performances, and more!

Apply by September 22: https://form.jotform.com/242407573753258

If you require assistance completing the form or want to apply over the phone or email, please contact us at either voaf@cacv.ca or 604-682-0010.

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Welcome Annika Walsh, our new Marketing Assistant!

We’re delighted to announce that Annika Walsh is joining the CACV team as our new Marketing Assistant! 

Annika Walsh is an emerging transdisciplinary artist who works with food, cooking, and everything in between to further the notion of connectedness and togetherness. They utilize all things food to create and inform relational and embodied ways of knowing through their experience based work. Annika completed a BFA with a specialization in Media Arts at the University of Ottawa in 2022. Currently working on a Masters of Science in Integrated Studies in Land and Food Systems at the University of British Columbia, their research seeks to investigate the ways in which Chinese-Canadian adoptees’ relationship with food influences their feelings of identity, connection, and belonging.

We are excited to have Annika join us and we look forward to seeing all that she will achieve in this role. Join us in welcoming Annika!

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One week left to apply to the Vancouver Outsider Arts Festival!

One week left to apply to the Vancouver Outsider Arts Festival!

CALL FOR ARTISTS & PERFORMERS✹

This festival celebrates the creativity of Vancouver artists who break the mould. Whether you work in paint, clay, sound, movement, or anything in between, we want to see what makes you an outsider artist. Don’t miss your chance to showcase your unique vision and connect with a community of like-minded folks!

Application Deadline: May 14 at 11:59 pm PT
Dates of Festival: October, 2024

Accessibility: Our staff will work with each artist to meet their needs and make their experience at the festival as comfortable as possible. If you have any accessibility needs for the application process, please contact our team at voaf@cacv.ca or 604-682-0010.

Head to our website to learn more and submit your application: https://www.voaf.ca/

This is your opportunity to shine, to be seen, and to make a statement. Let’s show Vancouver what it means to be an outsider artist!

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Thank you for attending Vancouver Outsider Arts Festival 2023!

Thank you so much for attending our Vancouver Outsider Arts Festival

We are celebrating our most successful festival ever! 🎉🎉
A recap of our festival numbers:

  • 2,400+ attendees
  • $21,600+ in art sales over 5 days
  • 100+ artists (visual artists, art groups, performers and more)
  • 750+ artworks on display
  • ⭐ A bunch of amazing community members (you!) â­

Special thanks to all our our amazing team, generous volunteers who donated their time and our partners and sponsors: Canada Council for the ArtsBC Arts CouncilCity of VancouverCanadian HeritageModo, Roundhouse Community Arts and Recreation Centre, Jamie Poh PhotographyBC Culture DaysDisability Alliance of BCY.P Heung Foundation and our international partners Outsider Art Festival from Helsinki Finland

And we’re going on tour! The first stop on our VOAF touring exhibition is Port Moody Arts Centre from January 11-March 2024. Looking forward to seeing you at our festival in 2024 with expanded programs & events!

Photo of our team: Kaya, Gina, Kristin, Ava, Lizzie, Becca, Ella, Casey, Mary-Anne! đŸ’•

Special thanks to our photographer, Jamie Poh. You can view more photos of our festival here

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BTS

Behind the Scenes: Meet Katalina & Fairything

As the 2023 Vancouver Outsider Arts Festival fast approaches, our team has been hard at work making all the important preparations – including an ongoing video project! Planned to release in early 2024, this project aims to showcase the journeys of talented artists and performers as they participate in the 2023 festival. We are so excited to present you the final product, so until it is completed, here are some behind-the-scenes sneak peeks at what we’ve been up to!

We met with Katalina Guerrero (she/her), one of the many visual artists participating in the 2023 Vancouver Outsider Arts Festival. A Mexican-Canadian artist of both informal and formal training, Katalina uses art to explore her own lifelong journey of learning and healing, while centring the theme of embodied existence. Stay tuned to hear all about what she had to share with us, coming to you early 2024!

Alex K. Masse (they/them), also known as Fairything, is a singer-songwriter solo act you can catch performing in the 2023 festival. We sat down with Alex, whose music reflects synthy, sapphic, and dreamy sounds you’ll want to watch clouds to. Their impressive portfolio of work includes collaborations with local pride events, arts festivals, and more, lending valuable representation to their communities as a neurodivergent, nonbinary lesbian. Be sure to stop by the festival to catch their performance!

See the artists in action at the festival this October 12-17. Learn more about the artists and performers at https://voaf.ca/2023-artists-performers-2/

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Introducing our new Programs Manager, Mary-Anne McAllister

Introducing our new Programs Manager, Mary-Anne McAllister

It is with a heart both heavy and with gratitude that I share the news that I will be moving on from my role as Programs Manager at the Community Arts Council of Vancouver (CACV). These past two years have been a complete joy to work alongside such a dedicated and passionate team and to connect with so many talented artists in so-called Vancouver’s vibrant arts community.

I am excited to introduce the new Programs Manager, Mary-Anne McAllister. Mary-Anne is a creative and cultural producer hailing from South Africa, bringing with her five years of experience in the arts sector. Now residing on the unceded territories of the xwməξkwəy̓əm (Musqueam), Sáž”wx̱wĂș7mesh (Squamish), and SelÌ“Ă­l̓witulh (Tsleil-Waututh) Nations, Mary-Anne is dedicated to fostering collaborative networks that empower young creatives and cultivate growth opportunities. With an Honours Degree in Fine Art from the University of Pretoria, her background in creative producing, fine arts, and curatorial work will undoubtedly enrich our community. Mary-Anne’s involvement in national and international community-driven projects showcases her dedication to the transformative power of art. Her recent co-production of POWER TALKS Durban demonstrates her commitment to facilitating meaningful conversations through creative collaboration. As we bid farewell, I am confident that Mary-Anne will lead the Programs team with passion and innovation, and I can’t wait to witness the incredible impact she will undoubtedly make.

Mary-Anne’s inaugural role at CACV involves leading the upcoming Vancouver Outsider Arts Festival, making its return to the Roundhouse this October 12-17. With her prior involvement as a volunteer in the 2022 festival, Mary-Anne deeply understands the festival’s mission, the community of artists, and our team. Mary-Anne will undoubtedly thrive in this role, and I can’t wait to see all that she achieves.

Join us in welcoming Mary-Anne!

Warmly,
Shannon Goodman
Former Programs Manager

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Welcome Lizzie Shepherd!

Welcoming new Stage Manager, Lizzie Shepherd!

We are thrilled to announce that the talented and multi-faceted Lizzie Shepherd will join our team again for the upcoming Vancouver Outsider Arts Festival this October. As an event coordinator, archival researcher, musician, and graphic designer, Lizzie’s diverse skill set and passion for the arts have made her an invaluable asset to our festival in the past. We can’t wait to have her back as the returning stage manager to showcase a diverse array of talented artists on these unceded territories of the xwməξkwəy̓əm (Musqueam), Sáž”wx̱wĂș7mesh (Squamish), and SelÌ“Ă­l̓witulh (Tsleil-Waututh) Nations, also known as Vancouver.

As we gear up for the 2023 Vancouver Outsider Arts Festival, we are thrilled to have Lizzie Shepherd back on board as our returning Stage Manager. With her unparalleled passion for the arts, remarkable organizational skills, and commitment to inclusivity, we are confident this year’s festival will be another resounding success.

Mark your calendars for October 12-17, 2023, and join us as we celebrate the incredible talents of artists from diverse backgrounds and abilities. Together, we will continue to foster meaningful connections and build a stronger, more vibrant arts community here in Vancouver.

We can’t wait to see what Lizzie Shepherd will bring to this year’s festival, and we hope you’ll join us for an unforgettable celebration of creativity and expression. See you there!