West Kootenay Regional Arts Council

An Evening with Michael Kaeshammer
2023-10-28 19:30 - 21:30 (America/Vancouver) | The Capitol Theatre, 421 Victoria Street, Nelson, British Columbia, V1L 5R2, Canada
Michael Kaeshammer has invested a lot – countless hours at the keyboard, hundreds of recordings, thousands of live performances, millions of miles in the air and on the road – all in pursuit of a mastery of 12 notes across 88 keys. But for the acclaimed Canadian pianist and singer, there is no set destination, no achievable end point on his path; it’s all about the journey itself, and that journey will always be ongoing.

Hallow Zine: a Ghostly Zine Workshop w/ Renée Harper
2023-10-29 13:00 - 16:00 | Nelson Museum, Archives & Gallery, 502 Vernon Street, Nelson, V1L 4E7, Canada
Museums and archives are home to all kinds of ghosts, as they hold the remnants of lives lived. What stories are hidden in the Nelson Museum? Explore the answer through writing and art with Selkirk College instructor Renée Harper.
This program is FREE but space is limited. Register by email to programs@nelsonmuseum.ca. Presented with the Elephant Mountain Lit Fest.

Beginner-Intermediate Wheel Throwing Class with Sarah Barr
2023-10-30 10:00 - 12:30, 2023-11-06 10:00 - 12:30 | VISAC Gallery, 1501 Cedar Avenue, Trail, V1R 2J5
When: Mondays, 10:00am – 12:30pm
Duration: 6 weeks ( October 16 – November 20, 2023)
Class fee: $250 for VISAC members ($280 for non-members) plus $18 for clay
Join us in the pottery studio to begin, or further develop, your skills on the wheel. We will explore throwing, trimming, making handles and glazing. Enjoy a hands-on experience with clay during this messy and meditative six week session

Mister Mojo’s Halloween Spooktacular
2023-10-30 18:00 - 19:00 | The Capitol Theatre, 421 Victoria Street, Nelson, British Columbia, V1L 5R2, Canada
Families, get into the Halloween spirit with Mister Mojo! On October 30, from 6-7pm at the Capitol Theatre. he will be singing some spooky favourites as well as some Mister Mojo originals like ‘Halloween Night’ and ‘Monster Party’. Audience is encouraged to dress up!

Mister Mojo: Halloween Spectacular
2023-10-30 18:00 - 19:00 | The Capitol Theatre, 421 Victoria Street, Nelson, British Columbia, V1L 5R2, Canada
Mister Mojo Presents His
Halloween Spooktacular.
Join in the fun as Mister Mojo celebrates Halloween with a special concert for young audiences. From 6-7pm at The Capitol Theatre in Nelson, he will be singing some spooky favourites and also some Mister Mojo originals like ‘Halloween Night’ and ‘Monster Party’. And you just never know… maybe some other creatures will join the party that night! Audience is encouraged to dress up.

WKRAC AGM
2023-11-02 13:00 - 14:00 | Zoom
We enthusiastically invite you to join us at our 2023 Annual General Meeting, to be held via Zoom on Thursday, November 2, 2023, at 1 p.m. Pacific / 2 p.m. Mountain.
We look forward to reflecting on the past year and sharing what we’ve heard during this summer’s Kootenay Art Connect events.
Member organizations are also invited to share updates with their colleagues. This is the perfect time to become a member; you’ll have full voting status at the meeting.
Register for the AGM.

Visual Exploration Club – Teen (15-18)
2023-11-02 15:30 - 16:30 | VISAC Gallery, 1501 Cedar Avenue, Trail, V1R 2J5
This bi-weekly club encourages creative growth and exploration, with supportive and themed topics that allow for participants to develop their own visual identity. Instructor, Erin Shuttleworth, focuses on a process-based practice, so she will help encourage members to experiment, research and make mistakes, leading to new and exciting outcomes as the year progresses.
When: Thursdays (bi-weekly) 3:30pm-4:30pm
Duration:
Fall session: Sept 21-Dec 14
Winter session: Jan 11-May 16
Age: 15 – 18
Class fee: $150 for 17 classes (September – May); or $10 drop-in per youth

Are You Listening? A one-woman show by Zaynab Mohammed
2023-11-02 19:00 - 21:00, 2023-11-03 16:00 - 18:00 | Nelson Museum, Archives & Gallery, 502 Vernon Street, Nelson, V1L 4E7, Canada
“Zaynab opens her heart and soul to you,” observed Meg Stewart, who was in the audience for the first performance of Zaynab Mohammed’s one-woman show Are You Listening? in the Cold War Bunker. “Her vulnerability allows you to reach into your own.”
The Nelson Museum, Archives & Gallery and the Nelson & District Arts Council are presenting two additional performances of Are You Listening?, on November 2 at 7 pm and November 3 at 4 pm.
Are You Listening? is the story of a woman reflecting on what she has learned by leaning on the art of listening to herself, to others, and to the earth. It is the story of a young woman who loses her innocence at a young age due to cultural inequity, and how she finds freedom from centuries of colonization and displacement,

The Jessica McMann Trio: Prairie Dusk
2023-11-02 19:30 - 21:00 | The Capitol Theatre, 421 Victoria Street, Nelson, British Columbia, V1L 5R2, Canada
Jessica McMann is an Alberta -based Cree (Cowessess, SK), multi-disciplinary artist. She interweaves land, Indigenous identity, history, and language throughout her dance and music creation/performance practice. A classically trained flutist, she holds a Bachelor of Music degree from the University of Calgary and an MFA in Contemporary Arts from Simon Fraser University. Her work fuses together traditional language and dance with her own contemporary experiences as an Indigenous woman and Two-Spirit person.
Her upcoming album release is on October 29th. Her new album evokes the sounds and stories of the prairies and includes commissioned work as well as new originals. “Prairie Dusk” will be available on all platforms. This is a follow-up album to her award winning first album “Incandescent Tales” which was released in June of 2021. This Indigenous classical album won the 2022 YYC Music Classical Album of the Year and Gold Medals in the Global Music Awards. A WCMA 2022 and 2023 Nominee, she is working on a new alt-pop recording to be released summer for 2024.
Her musical, composition, and soundscape work focuses on land-based creation and ideas of connection, disconnection, and home. “Too Good; That MAY Be”, an immersive soundscape performance was shown at the Urban Shaman Gallery in Winnipeg as part of “The 60’s Scoop; A Place Between” in 2017. Her compositions include “Muskwa’s Mountain Home” (2021),”Inni” (2018) and soundscapes including “beguiling (the) land” (2020).
Jessica has played and performed at venues and festivals across Canada, as well as toured in Sweden, Netherlands, and Belgium. She has created soundtracks for the ITWE Collective, performed with the Ambrose University Chamber Orchestra and the Foothills Philharmonic Orchestra in Alberta, and was a guest musician for Arcade Fire at the JUNOs. She has performed regularly with Laura Vinson and the Free Spirit as a dancer and musician.
Jessica currently resides in Cochrane, Alberta, where she works for the City of Calgary as Curator of Indigenous Art. She is also co-founder and co-director Wild Mint Arts, an Indigenous arts company and is a Laureate of the Hnatyshyn Foundation REVEAL Indigenous Art Awards (2017).
Learn more about Jessica McMann at www.jessicamcmann.com. Listen to some of Jessica’s music at https://jessicamcmann.bandcamp.com/track/inni-radio-edit.
Holly Bhattacharya was born in Durham, U.K. to two musician parents and she began leaning the violin at the age of four. She was a pupil at Chetham’s School of Music in Manchester and later studied at the Royal Northern College of Music under the tutelage of Richard Deakin, Wen Zhou Li, and Christopher Rowland (chamber music). Her college quartet performed regularly throughout the U.K. and won the Hirsch Prize for Chamber Music in 2005. She toured Europe and Kasakhstan as a member of the European Union Youth Orchestra, with whom she played for four years.
Since graduating from college, Holly has enjoyed a varied career, spanning orchestral, chamber, theatre, and commercial music as well as teaching, coaching, and invigilating for music competitions. She has been a regular player with many of the UK’s top orchestras including the London Philharmonic and Royal Philharmonic Orchestra. Holly also performed as part of the Bowdoin Summer Music Festival (Maine, USA) and MusicaRiva Festival (Lake Garda, Italy).
Theatre work has included almost eight years of performances with “The Phantom of the Opera” in London’s West End, (U.K.) “Quadraphenia” on tour, “Thursford Christmas Spectacular” and The Independent Opera Co. (Old Vic Theatre, London). She also worked regularly at Glyndebourne Theatre and took part in several education projects and workshops.
Pop work has seen Holly record and perform with the likes of Take That, Jarvis Cocker, Gorillaz, MikeOldfield, Neneh Cherry, De La Soul, Florence and the Machine and Kylie Minogue.
Chamber music has taken Holly to the International Chamber Festival of Music in Alcala, (Spain) and all around the Mediterranean and Norwegian Fjords as a guest entertainer for SAGA cruises. She has led workshops at Lancing College and BHASVIC, Brighton, as well as regular concerts with Ensemble Reza around the South of England. Holly taught violin for four years at Brighton College (UK Independent School of the Decade) and was a judge for the music competitions at Hurstpierpoint College, Worth School and St. John’s, Leatherhead.
Holly is enjoying making Canada her new home and already has a busy class of violin and piano students. She loves performing and is looking forward to more concerts and collaborations in the future.
Perri Lo is a pianist and vocal coach, working in opera, chamber music, and dance. She has worked with opera companies across Canada including Montreal’s Institut Canadien d’Art Vocal, Toronto’s Opera Atelier, and at the Banff Arts Centre’s Opera in the 21 st Century Program. Since her role as apprentice coach with the Vancouver Opera’s Young Artist Program (’18-19), Perri has music directed and coached singers with West coast companies including Pacific Opera Victoria, City Opera Vancouver, Re:Naissance Opera, Burnaby Lyric Opera, and Sound The Alarm Music Theatre – both in traditional and contemporary repertoire.
She was most recently Principal Coach and Répétiteur with Pacific Opera Victoria’s production of Die Vögel (February 2023) and debuted with Opera Kelowna’s concert series with soprano Melody Courage.
Perri is a company pianist for Ballet BC and Arts Umbrella Dance Company, and recently collaborated with dancers and mezzo-soprano Emma Parkinson in performance with Ballet BC’s Momentum Gala.
Show Length: 75 min. No intermission.
This show is made possible thanks to the support of our sponsors Prestige Lakeside Resorts, The Bridge FM, Yum Son Night Owl Hospitality, Nelson District Credit Union, Kootenay Co-op, Nelson Star and Hall Printing and our funders Creative BC, Canadian Heritage, and the Government of Canada. We also gratefully acknowledge the financial support of the City of Nelson and the Province of British Columbia.

DIRT FLOOR w/ RENA VEE
2023-11-02 20:00 | The Royal, 330 Baker Street Nelson, BC V1L 4H5, Nelson, British Columbia, V1L 4H5, Canada
Nestled in the mountainous communities of BC’s southern interior, Dirt Floor is a band that lays its foundation in North Americana and Roots music.
Rena Vee is a current local songwriter with country and folk inspiration.

Christmas Craft Fair
2023-11-03 10:00 - 19:00 | fruitvale memorial hall, 1968 Main St, Fruitvale, BC, V0G 1L0, Canada
Friends of the Beaver Valley library annual Christmas Craft Fair in Fruitvale Friday, Nov 3 10a-7p and Saturday, Nov 4 10a-4p at the Memorial Hall $3 admission

Spirit Moves ART OPENING
2023-11-03 18:00 - 21:00 | SOMA Sound & Events, 444 Baker St., Nelson BC
This exhibit will feature Mexican/Canadian artist, Arturo Arcos, currently living in Squamish, BC, originally from Mexico.
You are invited to experience an evening that is moved by Spirit during a time when the veil thins.
A story of death, life & the human experience depicted by the artist is emotionally engaging, mysterious and contemplative.
Donations are welcomed
Tea and snacks available

Conversations with Poets: Jane Byers, Leesa Dean, Rayya Liebich
2023-11-03 19:00 - 21:00 | The Langham, 447 A Avenue, Kaslo, BC, V0G 1M0, Canada
Join award-winning authors Jane Byers, Leesa Dean and Rayya Liebich for a lively and thought-provoking evening of readings and discussion. Each author will read from a mix of published and forthcoming work. The readings will be followed by a discussion on art, poetics, and the role of the poet in today’s here and now.

Conversations With Poets
2023-11-03 19:00 - 21:00 | The Langham, 447 A Avenue, Kaslo, BC, V0G 1M0, Canada

Casting Off by A Good Catch
2023-11-03 19:30 - 20:30 | Charles Bailey Theatre, 1501 Cedar Ave, Trail, British Columbia, V1R 4C7, Canada
The Trail & District Arts Council presents Casting Off by Australian intergenerational circus group A Good Catch on Friday, November 3 at 7:30 pm at The Bailey Theatre in Trail. In this award-winning, joyful and witty family-friendly show, these dynamic women tumble, talk, and balance precariously.
5 stars “…a multi-faceted gem of a spectacle” – Edinburgh Festival

Finley’s Afterwork Dance Party with White Lightning Blues, Rock and Boogie Band
2023-11-03 19:30 - 22:00 | Finley’s Bar $ Grill, 705 Vernon St, Nelson, BC, V1L 4G3, Canada
White Lightning Blues, Rock and Boogie Band returns to Finley’s Bar and Grill, voted Best Pub in Nelson 2023, promising another night of great dance music- classics from Little Walter to Chuck Berry and The Beatles, plus an ever increasing collection of Kootenay themed originals. Suggested Cover $10.

Mural Workshop with Jessica Semenoff
2023-11-04 10:00 - 15:00, 2023-11-05 10:00 - 15:00 | VISAC Gallery, 1501 Cedar Avenue, Trail, V1R 2J5
Age: 15 + (adults welcome!)
When: November 4 and 5 (10am – 3pm)
Where: the VISAC Gallery in Trail, BC
Duration: Two full days of instruction
Class fee: $150 for VISAC members; $180 for non-members
Join us for a two day mural course for beginners, led by muralist Jessica Semenoff. Learn about the basics of mural painting including tools, materials, and techniques. Students will get to try their newly acquired skills through a collaborative mural.
All materials will be provided.

Guided Cold War Bunker tours
2023-11-04 11:00 - 12:00 | Nelson Museum, Archives & Gallery, 502 Vernon Street, Nelson, V1L 4E7, Canada
During the height of the Cold War, in the 1950s and 1960s, nearly 50 bunkers were constructed across Canada. In 2017, the Nelson Museum began work on restoring the space and opening it to the public. You can join a tour of one of the Museumʼs best-loved spaces!
From iodine pills and Geiger counters to board games and ashtrays, visitors get a glimpse of the vast measures taken to create normalcy in an extraordinary time.
Email info@nelsonmuseum.ca to register. Adult admission required – children under 18 are always free!

Día De Muertos Cultural Celebration
2023-11-04 16:30 - 18:30 | Nelson Studio 88, 402 Victoria St., Nelson, BC, V1L 4K5, Canada
Join us for a heartwarming, family-friendly event that delves into the rich traditions and history of Dia de los Muertos, the Day of the Dead!
We welcome and appreciate any donations to support our celebration.
Event Highlights:
– Altar Creation:
Join us to witness this beautiful tradition and add your own tributes if you wish.
– Paper Flowers Workshop:
Contribute to our communal altar by placing a paper flower in memory of your cherished ones. Purchase paper flower kits for $2 at Cowan’s or create a simple paper flower at the event.
-Presentation on Día De Muertos:
Come learn about Día De Muertos – a celebration which honours the lives of our dear departed souls.
-Poetry Workshop:
Learn the beautiful art of crafting “calaveritas” – short poems dedicated to loved ones who have journeyed beyond.
– Live Music and Dance:
Immerse yourself in the vibrant rhythms and movements that celebrate life and honor those who have passed.
– Storytelling:
Share your personal Dia de los Muertos traditions and stories in a special storytelling space. Let’s carry on these cherished traditions together!
Purpose:
This event is a bridge to connect with the multicultural aspects of Dia de los Muertos and offers a wonderful opportunity for the community to come together and celebrate the lives of those departed souls we hold dear. It’s a day to honor and remember, to create, to share, and to connect.
Date: Saturday, November 4th 2023
Time: Drop-in anytime between 4:30-6:30 PM. Feel free to come and go as you please; the listed activities will be happening throughout the event.
Location: Studio 88, 402 Victoria St, Nelson BC
Donations can be done by e-transfer to info@tapatiacollective.com or by cash the day of the event
We want to express our heartfelt gratitude to the Columbia Kootenay Cultural Alliance, Colombia Basin Trust, and Polka Dragon Arts Society for their invaluable support in making this event a reality.

Casting Off
2023-11-04 19:30 - 21:30 | The Capitol Theatre, 421 Victoria Street, Nelson, British Columbia, V1L 5R2, Canada
Intergenerational circus with lots to say: the personal is political, fury is fun and the acrobatics downright dangerous – especially when life gets in the way. Casting off stereotypes, these dynamic Australian women tumble, talk, fly, and balance precariously. A disarming, hilarious show about living on the edge and talking about it; and how it’s easier done than said. Circus that makes you laugh and cry simultaneously! Relaxed, personal and fantastically inappropriate.
With Opening Act: Acromada
Acromada is a multi-modality circus performance troupe based in the Kootenays that blends dance, partner acrobatics and aerial arts to create stories of the human experience. Our members have diverse skill sets that allow us to blend a unique variety of movement into our creations.

Museum Mash!
2023-11-05 10:00 - 15:00 | Nelson Museum, Archives & Gallery, 502 Vernon Street, Nelson, V1L 4E7, Canada
Museum Mash returns this fall with another round of singalongs, dance performances, circus troupes, writing workshops, and sock puppet shows, designed with kids in mind and for the whole family to enjoy at the Nelson Museum, Archives & Gallery.
The doors open at 10 am on Sunday, November 5, with activities and performances scheduled throughout the day, until 3 pm. Performers include the Red Fox Puppet Theatre, Circus Acts Insomniacs, cardmaking in the Archives, the Nelson Writers’ Salon, and much more. Activities and performances will take place throughout the building, including both galleries, the 2nd Floor Museum Exhibit, and the Shawn Lamb Archives.

Jessica McMann Trio – Classical Series Afternoon Tea
2023-11-05 15:00 - 17:00 | Charles Bailey Theatre, 1501 Cedar Ave, Trail, British Columbia, V1R 4C7, Canada
The Trail & District Arts Council presents the Jessica McMann Trio, a classical musician who looks to elevate new Indigenous classical music, performing in The Griff at The Bailey Theatre on Sunday, November 5 at 3:00 pm.
The Jessica McMann Trio is the instrumental musical project of Jessica McMann, an Alberta -based Cree (Cowessess, SK), multi-disciplinary artist, who works with diverse musicians to share lesser-known repertoire based around themes of ecology, spirituality, and language recovery. A classically trained flutist her work fuses together traditional language and dance with her own contemporary experiences as an Indigenous woman and Two-Spirit person.

KCR Fundraiser & Comedy night TAKEOVER
2023-11-08 08:00 - 17:00 | The Royal, 330 Baker Street Nelson, BC V1L 4H5, Nelson, British Columbia, V1L 4H5, Canada
? Kootenay Coop Radio – Comedy Night TAKEOVER & Fundraiser! ?

Join us on November 8th at the Royal for a night of laughter, camaraderie, and fantastic performances as Kootenay Coop Radio presents Comedy Night TAKEOVER & Fundraiser!

? What to Expect:

Live performances from your favorite KCR programmers!
Discover new shows and talents.
Indulge in a delicious dinner.
Enjoy a refreshing pint with friends.
Exclusive access to NEW KCR merchandise!
? Hosted By lil’ Mikey:
Our fabulous host, lil’ Mikey, will guide you through an evening of hilarity and fun.

? Date: November 8th
? Time: 6pm
? Location: The Royal

Come together with fellow KCR enthusiasts, support your community powered radio station, and have a blast at this unforgettable event!
Your presence and contributions make a difference.

Seniors’ Workshop Series at the Rossland Museum: Preserving Family Heirlooms
2023-11-08 13:00 - 15:00 | Rossland Museum & Discovery Centre, 1100 Hwy 3B | Junction of Hwys 3B & 22, Rossland, BC, V0G 1Y0, Canada
The Rossland Museum & Discovery Centre has organized a hands-on, beginner workshop to help you preserve your family heirlooms. We will be focusing on textiles, photographs, paper, and objects You will learn how to store textiles properly, do basic repairs on objects, do basic document repairs, and encapsulation. You can bring documents from home to repair or encapsulate or you can practice on some pieces from the museum’s education collection.
Entry is by donation with coffee/tea & treats will be provided; space is limited, so please RSVP with Skylar at community@ rosslandmuseum.ca or call 250-362-7722

Visual Exploration Club – Youth (7-10)
2023-11-08 15:30 - 16:30 | VISAC Gallery, 1501 Cedar Avenue, Trail, V1R 2J5
This bi-weekly club encourages inquisitiveness and exploration, with a supportive environment and monthly topics to focus activities. Participants will experiment with materials, style and subject matter to develop their confidence and support future artistic growth.
When: Wednesdays (bi-weekly) 3:30pm-4:30pm
Duration:
Fall session: Sept 13-Dec 6
Winter session: Jan 17-May 22
Age: 7 – 10
Class fee: $150 for 17 classes (September – May); or $10 drop-in per youth

Kootenay Co-op Radio Fundraiser & Comedy night TAKEOVER
2023-11-08 18:00 | The Royal, 330 Baker Street Nelson, BC V1L 4H5, Nelson, British Columbia, V1L 4H5, Canada
Kootenay Coop Radio – Comedy Night TAKEOVER & Fundraiser!

Join us on November 8th at the Royal for a night of laughter, camaraderie, and fantastic performances as Kootenay Coop Radio presents Comedy Night TAKEOVER & Fundraiser! Our fabulous host, Lil’ Mikey, will guide you through an evening of hilarity and fun.

What to Expect:

Live performances from your favorite KCR programmers!
Discover new shows and talents.
Indulge in a delicious dinner.
Enjoy a refreshing pint with friends.
Exclusive access to NEW KCR merchandise!

Come together with fellow KCR enthusiasts, support your community powered radio station, and have a blast at this unforgettable event!
Your presence and contributions make a difference.

Tickets available here: https://www.theroyalnelson.com/events

Visual Exploration Club – Preteen (11-14)
2023-11-09 15:30 - 16:30 | VISAC Gallery, 1501 Cedar Avenue, Trail, V1R 2J5
This bi-weekly club encourages creative growth and exploration, with a supportive environment and monthly topics to investigate and ask questions about. Participants will be tasked with finding their own style, experimenting with materials, and starting to develop their own art-making process.
When: Thursdays (bi-weekly) 3:30pm-4:30pm
Duration:
Fall session: Sept 14-Dec 7
Winter session: Jan 18-May 23
Age: 11 – 14
Class fee: $150 for 17 classes (September – May); or $10 drop-in per youth
