Tag Archives: Pandora’s Collective

2012 Summer Dreams Literary Festival in Vancouver, Canada (volunteers needed)

The last time I mentioned the Summer Dreams Literary Festival (produced by Pandora’s Collective) was in 2010. Not sure what happened in2011 but August 24 and 25, 2012 feature a gala and the festival proper.

On August 24, 2012at 7 pm at the Canadian Broadcasting Corporation (CBC) studios on 700 Hamilton Street, the 2012  Pandora Collective’s Literary Gala kicks off the festival. From the Summer Dreams Literary Arts Festival webpage  on the Pandora’ s Collective website,

Aug 24th – Pandora’s Literary Awards Gala
Pandora’s Collective is proud to announce the recipients of the Pandora’s Literary Awards for 2012. This years awards winners will be honoured at a special gala to be held on Friday, August 24th at CBC Studio 700. (700 Hamilton St.) The night will be be hosted by Charles Demers and will feature a performance by Mount Pleasant’s Inchoiring Minds. Award presenters include George Bowering, Brian Kaufman, Sean Cranbury, Betsy Warland and RC Weslowski.
Time: 7pm (Doors open at 6:30pm)
Location:
CBC Studio 700. (700 Hamilton St.)
FREE!!
Cash bar.
For full details click here.

The next day, Aug. 25, 2012, there’s an event featuring some 90 performers from the literary arts field, from the Summer Dreams Literary Arts Festival webpage  on the Pandora’ s Collective website,

Aug 25th – The Summer Dreams Literary Arts Festival
The Summer Dreams Literary Arts Festival is an annual event established to raise public awareness regarding the on-going literary events, programs and resources available in the community.
Time: 11:00 am – 6:30 pm
Location: Trout Lake, Vancouver, B.C.
For full details click here.

Here’s a partial list of performers (from the Summer Dreams Literary Festival home page),

Barbara Adler & Fang, Charles Demers, Christianne Hayward, Connor Doyle, Daniela ElzaDennis E. Bolen, Eva Waldauf, Ibrahim Honjo, Jabez Churchill, Jacques Lalonde, Jude Neale, Judith M. Atkinson, Leanne Averbach, Lucia Monica Gorea, Marni Norwich, Mary Duffy, Mary Gavin, Max Tell, Natalie Hobbs, Pam Bentley, Sean Cranbury, Steven R. Duncan, Sylvia Taylor, Taslim Jaffer, Thursdays Writing Collective, Tiffany Stone

You can get more information about the performers from the Performer Bio 2012 page on the event website.

Finally, they are looking for volunteers (from the July 12, 2012 news release),

As one might expect, putting on a big event with 3 stages, a children’s area, a market place and 90+ performers is a lot of work, so the more help the festival can have the better.  Volunteers are needed. It’s a great way to meet people and learn more about event planning and Vancouver’s vibrant writing community.

You can go here to sign up. Note: This is a Pandora’s Collective volunteer application which is doing double duty for the  Summer Literary Arts Festival.

Summer Dreams Literary Arts Festival (Vancouver, Canada)

Pandora’s Collective is presenting its Summer Dreams Literary Arts Festival until August 24, 2010. I want to draw your attention to Saturday’s events which will take place at Lumberman’s Arch in Stanley Park, Vancouver. From the Pandora’s Collective website,

The Summer Dreams Literary Arts Festival is a one day annual free event which takes place at Lumberman’s Arch, in beautiful Stanley Park. This event is an outdoor festival which brings together, showcases and celebrates the on-going literary events, programs and resources available in the community. The line up is a combination of literary performances, dancers, local bands, panel discussions, open mics etc. Some of this year’s performers include Evelyn Lau, Betsy Warland, Brad Cran, Ms. Spelt, Vancouver’s own Theatre In the Raw and more. There is also a children’s area with puppet shows, music, story tellers, face painting and craft tables. There will be information tables showcasing community groups and resources.

Here’s the full list of events,

Saturday, August 21, 2010

Main Stage

12:00 – 12:30 Welcome and Opening Reading: Poet, Susan Musgrave

12:30 – 12:45 Poetry Readings: Burnaby Writers Society/Inkspot; Sally Reesman

12:45 – 1:00 Poetry Readings: Christianne’s Lyceum of Literature and Art, Kelsey Savage, Fraser Readman, Christianne Hayward

1:00 – 1:15 Poetry Slam: Vancouver Poetry Slam; Johnny MacRae

1:15 – 1:30 Story Telling: The Writers Studio- Clarrisa Green

1:30 – 1:45 Announcements

1:45 – 2:15 ♫♫: Sandy Bone

2:15 – 2:30 Poetry Readings: Vancouver Artists Collective, Steve Locke

2:30 – 2:45 Poetry Readings: Word Whips, Warren Dean Fulton, Christy Hill

2:45 – 3:00 Feature: Ms. Spelt

3:00 – 3:15 Multi Cultural Readings: World Poetry Reading Series, Ariadne Sawyer and Alejandro Mujica-Olea, Masume Mahasti, Persia, Anita Aguirre Neveras. Philippines

3:15 – 3:30 Announcements

3:30 – 4:00♫♫: Wailin’ Wayne and the Pain (Spike McKinley, Wailin’ Wayne Pattern, Andre Rahut, Michel Drouin)

4:00 – 4:15 Story Telling: Vancouver Story Slam, Clint Father Goose Wilson

4:15 – 4:30 Poetry Readings: Poetry Around the World, Lucia Gorea, Alara Bretanne, Kyle Christensen

4:30 – 4:45 Featured Poet: Heather Haley

4:45 – 5:00 Poetry Readings: Wax Poetics, Diana Itebu.

5:00 – 5:30♫♫: Jess Hill

5:30– 5:45 Poetry Readings: Canadian Authors Association: Ben Nuttall-Smith,

Bernice Lever, Lilija Valis

5:45 – 6:00 Poetry Readings: Word Whips North Shore Edition, Fran Bourassa, Christy Hill

6:00 – 6:15 Story Telling: Vancouver Storytellers, Mary Gavin

6:15 – 6:30 Poetry Readings: Twisted Poets, Bonnie Nish, Daniela Elza,

6:30- 7:00 Radio Show: Theatre In The Raw

7:00-7:30 Feature Poet: Evelyn Lau

Granville Stage

1:00 – 1:20 Welcome and Opening Reading: Vancouver Poet Besty Warland

1:20 – 2:00 Panel Discussion: A Cross Cultural Conversation: As poets, we tend to hang out with poets whose writing and thinking is similar to our own. What happens when poets who differ in their practice and production (such as print-based poets & spoken word poets/book poets & web poets)have a conversation with one another?

Moderator: Betsy Warland Panelists: Jabez Churchill, Susan Cormier, Daniela Elza, RC Weslowski, Alex Winstanley,

2:00 – 2:15 Feature Poet: Catherine Owen

2:15 – 2:30 Open Mic: sign up on site at Granville Stage

2:30 -2:45 Announcements

2:45 -3:15 Spoken Word & Music: Dennis E. Bolen and Soressa Gardener performing The Somme Wheat Field 1989

3:15 -3:30 – Featured Poet: Jabez Churchill

3:30 – 4:10 Panel Discussion: Writing and Healing: Entrance to the Secret Garden of the Self: Poet-Physician William Carlos Williams saw each patient as “material for a work of art,” and called medicine “the thing which gained me entrance to the secret gardens of the self.” Drawing on this tradition, five poets (physicians, nurses and lay healers) will discuss how their poetry has been shaped by their involvement with trauma and healing work.

Moderator: Rachel Rose. Panelists: Wayde Compton, Marni Norwich, Catherine Owen, Nilofar Shidmehr, Karen Shklanka

4:10 – 4:25 Poetry & Music: Spillious Speak and Sing

4:25 – 4:40 Announcements

4:40 – 5:10 Literary Game Show: Host: Warren Dean Fulton

5:10-5:50 Panel Discussion: Panel Discussion: New Media: Surfing the Tsunami Ready to catch the curl of New Media like Facebook, Twitter, & ______? Will you ride the wave, drown in indecision, or just get left behind in the backwash? Explore the currents and calamities of an ocean of marketing potential.

Moderator: Sylvia Taylor. Panelists: Trevor Battye, Dennis E. Bolen, SR Duncan, Lorraine Murphy

5:50 -6:05 Open Mic: sign up on site at Granville Stage

6:05- 6:30 Feature Poet: Brad Cran

Children’s Stage

1:00 – 1:15 Announcements

1:15 – 1:45 Opening Children’s Performer : D’Arcy Stainton

1:45 – 2:15 Author: Tiffany Stone

2:15 – 2:45 Author: Lee Edward Fodi

2:45 – 3:15: Children’s Performer: VPL Puppets on Parade Mary Duffy

3:15 – 3:45 ♫♫ Dancers D’Hercy Dance Co

3:45 – 4:00 Announcements

4:00 – 4:30 Author: James McCann

4:30 – 5:00 Author: kc dyer

5:00 – 5:30 Readings: Vancouver Public Library Book Camp Readers

5:30 – 6:00 Children’s Performer: VPL Puppets on Parade Mary Duffy

You can find out more about the other events including tonight’s tribute to Susan Musgrave at Pandora’s Collective website.

June 2010: upcoming poetry events and a drumming event in Vancouver

Let’s start with the poetry (Note: This is for Vancouver, Canada). On June 1, 2010,

Café Deux Soleils – 2096 Commercial Drive, Vancouver, BC
Time: 8:30pm – 11:00pm
Cost: Suggested donation of $5-10.
Radio Show Recreates Unnatural Disaster of Epic Proportions

Vancouver, BC – Return with us to the thrilling days of 1937, when the Hindenburg and Amelia Earhart had folks rethinking air travel for the first time. In the movies Clark Gable didn’t give a damn and the golden age of radio drama was in full swing.

Wax Poetic Radio proudly takes you there with a one-of-a-kind live event on Vancouver’s Commercial Drive in support of CFRO Vancouver’s Independent Cooperative Radio Station.

Experience the spine tingling glory of “The Chicken Heart” – a frenetic tale about a lab experiment gone terribly wrong, written by legendary radio writer/producer Arch Oboler .

The original “Lights Out” version left such an impression on funny man Bill Cosby, that he recounted his experience of hearing it for the first time on his “Wonderfulness” album in 1966 (You can hear Cosby’s version here).

You can hear the original NBC broadcast of “The Chicken Heart” here on YouTube.

Then keep tuning in to Wax Poetic and hear it broadcast on a future program. Like all our shows, we’ll also be storing the episode online to hear and share at your convenience.

We have an ever growing lineup of cast members including Martin Vansteingburg, SR Duncan, Diane Laloge, Alla Shiskov, Aedan Saint, Norah Holtby, Chris Gilpin, Duncan Shields and RC Weslowski–with music by CJ Leon and sound effects by YOU THE “STUDIO AUDIENCE.”Plus, we’ll have performances by:

Come be a part of radio history and support your favorite spoken word program, Wax Poetic!

Vancouver Youth Poetry Slam team member and Wax Poetic Volunteer Paul Fischer, Duncan Shields, and your hosts Diane Laloge and S.R. Duncan

And a special onstage interview by The Vancouver Storyteller Society’s Naomi Steinberg

Plus, door prizes, 50/50 draw, and SR’s world famous meat draw (guess what he’ll be giving away!)

You can get more information about this event and others at the Wax Poetic website.

Now I have a block of poetry events being produced by Pandora’s Collective,

KEEP THE PEN MOVING:
RELEASING WORDS

TWO WEDNESDAYS + a FRIDAY $50.00

WEDNESDAY June 9th, 16th & FRIDAY 25th
Location: TBA
Time:7-9pm

Workshop Facilitators: Bonnie Nish & Warren Dean Fulton
To register please contact blnish_pandoras@yahoo.ca

This workshop is aimed at the poetry novice, those new to the poetry game, or those wishing to learn some new tricks to get the ink out onto the page. Through exercises developed to get those fingers moving, the words flowing, participants will be encouraged to write, write, write, and edit later. In this workshop, through a variety of approaches and poetic forms presented, by the workshop leaders, in a supportive, tolerant and respectful environment, we will celebrate poetry and overall creative expression.

Sunday June 6th, 2010 – 12:00 noon – 5:00 pm

Pandora’s Collective presents a ‘Poetry Picnic’ Fundraiser
(weather permitting)
@ Trout Lake ( John Hendry Park )

East 19th Avenue side of the park,
(near the lake, playground, concession,& restrooms)
Hosts: Warren Dean Fulton and Bonnie Nish

Featured Readers: Nikki Reimer, Sandy Shreve & Shannon Rayne

An outdoors Word Whips + a picnic + an open mic,

12- 1 Word Whips Take the challenge. We provide the writing prompts and the opportunity for sharing. Ten – fifteen minutes to write to each prompt. See what you can whip up.

1-2 Picnic
2-3:00 Features
3-4:00 Open Mic
4-5:00 Mix and Mingle
Suggested donations sliding scale $10-$20

Nikki Reimer is the author of [sic](Frontenac House, 2010) and fist things first (Wrinkle Press Chapbook, 2009). She is a poet, blogger, curator, arts event planner and photographer of cats in East Vancouver , and a member of the Kootenay School of Writing collective.

Sandy Shreve is the author of Suddenly, So Much, (2005, Exile Editions) has published 3 other books of poetry and edited two anthologies. Her work is widely anthologized, has won the Earle Birney Prize for Poetry and has been short-listed for the

Milton Acorn People’s Poetry Award and a National Magazine Award.

Shannon Rayne is an accomplished performance poet and storyteller who has facilitated creative writing workshops for over five years. She is the workshop facilitator at the Fearless Writers Circle in Vancouver ‘s vibrant Downtown Eastside and has led writing and performance workshops in elementary and high schools in the Greater Vancouver area and in cities across the country when on tour.

Pandora’s Collective and Vancouver Artists Collective present: Word Whips: Inspired by “Child Out of Time”

Thursday, June 24 2010, 7: 30 pm
Sidney and Gertrude Zack Gallery
at the Jewish Community Centre
950 W.41st Ave. Vancouver, BC
Join us for an evening of art and poetry collaboration.

Poetry writing and reading: Featured poets Dennis Bolen, Lisa Richter, Rob Taylor, Natasha Boskic, Warren Dean Fulton, Robin Susanto, Steve Locke and Ryan Fletcher will read poetry inspired by the art exhibit, ‘Child Out of Time’, paintings by Janet Strayer.

The audience will be given time and encouraged to write to the exhibit as well and to share their words during the open mic portion of the evening.

Art Exhibit: ‘Child Out of Time’ emanates from the concept of childhood as enduring beyond time and place: as embodied memory, reverie, yearning, and hope. In this exhibit, Janet Strayer uses a monochromatic palette to convey a sense of timelessness while also emphasizing the subtleties and strengths of tone: the distinctiveness and drama of evocative images rendered solely in terms of shapes, forms, and light.

“My artistic vision is influenced by my personal inclinations as a humanist who is much affected by the imperfect beauty and contradictions of being human and alive to the worlds within and around us.” Janet Strayer

The art exhibit runs from Wednesday, June 9 to June 27. For more information on art exhibit visit www.jccgv.com reisa@jccgv.bc.ca or call Reisa at 604 257 5111 ext 244.

For more details and contact information, go to the Pandora’s Collective website.

Finally, the drumming event,

DRUMS FOR COMPASSION:
A BENEFIT CONCERT FOR HAITI
SUNDAY, JUNE 13, 7 PM
VANCOUVER EAST CULTURAL CENTER, 1895 VENABLES ST.

Chief Leonard George’s drum call and anthem will introduce an enchanting evening of percussion, Drums for Compassion for Haiti at the CULTCH on June 13, 7 pm. Special guest Takeo Yamashiro, born in Hiroshima, Japan, will blow winds of change on Shakuhachi. Talking drum and drum beats, individual solos, and group collaboration in poly-rhythmic syncopation displayed by local and international drummers now living in Canada. An audience participation will top off the evening. Charlie Demers a local author, Comedian and television personality will be the emcee for the evening.

“For the first time in history artists and thinkers of rare ability are LIVING in one country. No other nation could match this claim!” (Harry Aoki, Jan. 17/97)

Tickets are $30+tx. at the door. Or order in advance, information below. Proceeds to Doctors Without Borders and Partners In Health medical relief work in Haiti. For more detailed information, including on performers, go to http://www.drumsforcompassion.com/

They have an amazing lineup (if you’re familiar with the Vancouver drumming community) which includes: Celso Machado, Brazil; Alpha Yaya Diallo, Guinea; Raphael Geronimo, Phillipines; Janet Noade, Canada; Sal Ferraras, Puerto Rico; Fereydoun Faheminia, Iran, etc.  Do check out their website.

Comment(s) on proposed Canadian nanotechnology legislation; UK goverment responds to nanotechnology and food report; skinput: a nanotechnology application some day?; Twisted poets

I solicited comments (on the proposed bill or interview) from a number of individuals  on the Canadian nanotechnology scene representing business, science, and non-governmental organizations on the heels of last week’s interview with Peter Julian, the Canadian MP, who has tabled a private member’s bill for nanotechnology legislation. The first to respond was,

Gilbert Walker
Interim Board Member, Nano Ontario
Professor, University of Toronto

Brief Bio: Professor Walker is the Canada Research Chair Professor for Molecular Microscopy and Nanophotonic Devices at the University of Toronto and Director of its Nanotechnology Network. He is the Scientific Director of BiopSys, the NSERC Strategic Network for Bioplasmonic Systems, which is developing nanotechnology based diagnostics for lung cancer and leukemia. See http://www.biopsys.ca/English/ Walker serves the National Institutes of Health of the United States by reviewing their proposed activities in nanomedicine. He is a founding member of Nano Ontario and has served provincial and federal advisory groups on nanotechnology.

With regard to the details of what is being proposed in Bill C-494, I have not had a chance to examine the Bill in detail so I will have to reserve Judgment on that. However, nanotechnology will impact nearly all elements of industry and society; and Canada clearly needs a strategy for investment and development – a part of which involves a regulatory framework. Nano Ontario is deeply supportive of both Canadian and international efforts to develop standards and appropriate, scientifically informed regulation in nanotechnology. A number of Nano Ontario’s members are involved in standards and, through Health Canada and Environment Canada, efforts to amend the Canadian Environmental Protection Act to provide an evidence-based regulatory framework for nanotechnology. A clear regulatory framework is a critical condition for serious investment and development in nano science and technology.

Thank you Professor Walker for your comments. As other comments arrive I will be posting them here.

Peter Julian interview Part 1,Part 2, Part 3,  Comments: nanoAlberta

UK government responds to House of Lords report on nanotechnologies and food

Julian mentioned in part 2 of the interview that he and his team had reviewed and used some ideas from the select report into nanotechnologies and food from the House of Lords Science and Technology Committee. By coincidence, the UK government responded to the report’s recommendations here on March 25, 2010.

I’ve quickly skimmed the response and the government indicates that the first four recommendations (commercialization of the technology in the food industries) have already been dealt with through a number of initiatives.

The recommendations for filling knowledge gaps were a mixed bag with the government accepting a number of them. There was some hesitation about insisting that food companies report about their nanomaterials research even though the committee recommended that the information be kept in a confidential database so companies don’t lose their competitive advantages.  While the government agreed with the recommendation in principle it was felt that implementation is problematic and they are attempting to address the issue by other means. (Given that Julian’s proposed legislation includes a nanomaterials reporting plan, I wonder how it will be implemented in light of the difficulties expressed by the UK government.)

Recommendations for definitions achieved a much higher rate of acceptance than previous sections. Other recommendations in very brief sections are highly specific to the UK situation but the ones on regulatory frameworks were interesting as the UK is cooperating with the European Union efforts. The report reveals some of the complications arising from regulation when you have to take into account evolving international agreements.

The final section focuses on recommendations for communication and public engagement. At the time I commented on the report, I felt that these were the weakest recommendations. The government agreed with most of these recommendations or noted that they are addressed in the UK National Nanotechnologies Strategy.

Skinput?

The body as a user interface is not an especially new concept but this seems like a very engaging approach to the idea. From the news item on Nanowerk,

Certainly not nanotechnology (yet) but you can clearly see where this could be going with nanoelectronic devices and sensors…

Skinput is a novel, non-invasive technology that appropriates the human body for acoustic transmission and allows the skin to be used as an input surface. Research findings on this always available, naturally portable, on-body finger input system will be presented at the next ACM Computer-Human Interaction (CHI) conference, CHI 2010.

Nanowerk also has a ‘skinput’ video with someone demonstrating what this could look like. The CHI conference will take place, April 10-15, 2010 in Atlanta, Georgia.

Twisted Poets

On the local (Vancouver) poetry scene, Pandora’s Collective is presenting an evening of the stuff on April 1, 2010. I wonder if they’re going to have an April fool theme?

TWISTED POETS LITERARY SALON

Thursday, April 1, 2010

7:00pm – 9:00pm

Cambie Bakery & Cafe
312 Cambie St (north of Hastings)
Vancouver, BC

In the spirit of Vancouver all poets are welcome. Come out and bring your best, favourite, newest, oldest poems, and share in an evening of literary surprises.

Hosts: Bonnie Nish and Sita Carboni

Whether hosting the poetry slams at the Café Deux Soleils, hosting the radio show “Wax Poetic” on Coop Radio 102.7, Wednesday afternoons or performing as part of Vancouver’s Slam Poetry team, R.C. Weslowski has worked hard to advance and promote the art of spoken word in our city.

Poet, author, musician and media artist Heather Susan Haley has been published in numerous journals and anthologies, her poetry collections Sideways (Anvil Press) and Three Blocks West of Wonderland (Ekstasis Editions) described as “supple and unusual,” “brawny and uncompromising.”


ISEA; more about nanoparticle hazards (China); Summer Dream Literary Arts Festival

I am presenting a paper at the International Symposium on Electronic Arts (ISEA) in Belfast next week. Yay! My paper is called, Nanotechnology, storytelling, sensing, and materiality and is being presented as part of the Posthumanism track. The symposium is quite an undertaking as it takes place in several locations; the main conference is in Belfast with events in Derry/Londonderry and Dublin between August 23 and Sept. 1, 2009. This means that my blogging pattern will change as a consequence of  attending the conference and events and if I do blog, I will be focusing on ISEA.

Very briefly, the article in the European Respiratory Journal about the deaths in China due to nanoparticle exposure (mentioned yesterday Aug. 18, 2009) has been published. More detailed information about the article can be found here on Nanowerk News. Dr. Andrew Maynard (Chief Science Advisor for the Project on Emerging Nanotechnologies) has commented extensively on his blogs (2020 Science and SAFENANO) about the study and he has  also posted thoughts from other experts. From 2020 Science,

Professor Gűnter Oberdőrster is considered by many to be the “father” of research into the toxicology of inhaled nanoparticles.  His group at the University of Rochester has led global research in this area for over two decades.

Professor Ken Donaldson, a toxicologist specializing in workplace lung diseases, Professor Donaldson is one of the world’s leading authorities on the health impacts of inhaling airborne nanoparticles.  His group at the University of Edinburgh has conducted extensive research into the potential health impacts of inhaling nanomaterials.

Professor Vicki Stone, editor of the journal Nanotoxicology and a professor of toxicology at Napier University in Edinburgh Professor Stone is a foremost expert on the mechanisms by which nanoparticles potentially interact with the body and cause harm.

Dr. Rob Aitken, dDirector of Strategic Consulting at the Institute of Occupational Medicine in Edinburgh and director of the SAFENANO initiative, Dr. Aitken has a wealth of experience addressing workplace safety and health.  He is a leading international expert in developing safe practices for working with engineered nanomaterials—including nanoparticles.

Dr. Kristen Kulinowski is Director of the International Council On Nanotechnology (ICON) at Rice University, and a global leader in developing safe and responsible nanotechnologies.  Under her direction, ICON has established the foremost on-line database of nanotechnology health and environmental impact research papers, and the GoodNanoGuide—an initiative to enable people share and develop the best possible practices for working safely with engineered nanomaterials.

Please do check out Nanowerk News which offers a summary and links to Andrew’s individual postings (I’ve linked to the front page of his blogs) and do check out Andrew’s postings as it is quite illuminating. I tend to prefer Andrew’s 2020 Science blog but I think that’s because I’m more familiar with it.

Heather Haley will be giving a literary performance of her poetry at the 2009 Summer Dream Literary Arts Festival (Vancouver, Canada) an event produced by Pandora’s Collective. The festival is on Saturday, August 22, 2009 from 12 pm to 7 pm at Lumberman’s Arch, Stanley Park. It’s a free event and Heather is scheduled for 5:10 pm to 5:30 pm. You can read more about the event here (scroll down).