Welcoming Year Two

Habitat for the Arts is a year old.

Since November 10th 2010 the big space located on the corner of Hazel and Patricia Streets in downtown Jasper has been home to the Yellowhead Regional Creative Campus, Library Film Nights, music jams, painting workshops, beading and knitting afternoons – heritage arts, author readings, information sessions from the Banff Centre and Volunteer Alberta, public gallery shows from the Alberta Foundation for the Arts collection, regular meeting space for over six community arts related orgs including a startup for Jasper’s Toastmasters, square dancing, childrens theatre games (lots and lots of children), adult theatre practices, video classes, pottery classes, multimedia art exploring, NFB webcasts, language arts for outreach education, Whats On Jasper wall, volunteer store and centre, afterschool programs, annual cultural celebrations like Celtic Hour, lunch bag programs, studio for visiting artists…

…we were hoping to create a SPACE for community to engage, teach and demonstrate arts and culture.  It looks like ‘it only took a dream’.

Photos of the past year can be seen on our the link to the right here called ‘A Photo History’ – it will take you to a Flickr photo site.  Or catch some sidewalk cinema as we showoff the year on the window screens at Habitat this month…hey – if it’s going to get dark at suppertime…we are going to use the dark!!

The Habitat has been supported by many and supports many arts programs in Jasper.  In 2011 over $20,000 was spread through the community for three culturally related arts ‘festivals’.  Artists were employed, musicians were hired, art was purchased, instructors taught, restaurants and hotels were booked – are we bragging…you bet we are!  In 2010 the social return on a ten day festival was calculated to be a 200% spin back of dollars into the community…we haven’t finished this years SROI.

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But we can tell you:

The ANNUAL JASPER CHRISTMAS FAIR – November 20…make a gingerbread house for Santas Anonymous and maybe you will win a day in the JPL Fairmont Bakery…secrets will be shared I have heard!  To be on the voting ballot please register your house by the 18th..and deliver it to the Activity Centre on Sunday morning between 9:30 and 10:30 please.

And Go to the FAIR!!

ITS ANIMATION MONTH! 

NOVEMBER 21 and 28 – animation NFB short films at 4pm and animation projects for Christmas gift making workshops, $5 and $10 drop in fees for the Craft Stations (might be good to phone and let us know you are coming so there is enough materials!  Hate to turn anyone away)

Facebook page:  https://www.facebook.com/event.php?eid=269452783090366

Habitat will have a wish tree outside this year.  We will decorate on the 28th with some of the items we have made in the workshops.

Lantern Making workshop with Ursula is November 16.  And a lantern walk…with her other students…

There are Friday noon hour music jams at the Habitat as well…just until the sun returns to shine on the outdoor ones with some heat!

NOVEMBER 16 – Food Society Film – check out Jasper-Food Local-Society on Facebook.

And while you are on Facebook don’t forget to become Friends of the Jasper Community Habitat for the Arts!

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DECEMBER 10– the Habitat will be open from noon-4 or later for its first birthday party.  Come by for cake and check out Jasper’s very own Jazz Band (I would say High School Jazz Band…but if I don’t tell you how old these musicians are – you would never know by their skill!).  Joel Cultur of Art of Street will do a live demonstration of his art during their music…Amber Hayward will read to us from her latest book…Shara will have some awesome handmade dolls for sale as well as Paintings by Paula and Jewelery by Sandra!  Both of the Art of Street artists Joel and Ryan will have some artworks on display…

Door prizes, and open stage for busking and tours through the building…

 

Habitat’s office is open Tuesday to Friday – noon to 5 in November.  780.852.4747

Capturing the spirit…with music and community

Our little community puts on the most amazing Christmas Fair…has for the 20+ years that I have lived here.  The past few years the folks running the fair have changed.  And as with any shuffle of administration things change…new ideas get brought to life.  We were pretty happy to see this great seasonal community event grow again this year with more new ideas!  Like decorating and advertising…with even two versions of posters to catch the eyes of crafts patrons.

Its all about connections!

Rides to the fair were provided by Marmot Basin…a little green initiative in the season of white!  Santa and a couple of his helpers did an afternoon circuit through the town to get visitors and locals to the fair and home.  When I stepped out to see how the bus was doing, the carols were playing and the antlers were on!

Choirs and piano music rounded out a day of gingerbread houses and the gifts that can’t be bought.  Fair organizer Greg Van Tighem was awarded  for his long days of planning with one of the crafts from the childrens area.  After all are children not the real reason why we celebrate this holiday.  A season of hope, a reprieve from the daily grind where spirit and grace are not foremost in many minds?

Lets see…children, crafts, gingerbread, Santa bus, unexpected gifts, choirs, piano music, decorations, community organizations…oh yah! – the most amazing collection of artisans and bakers…pottery, jewelry, First Nations art, fabric arts, stone mosaics, woodwork, metalwork, cookies, chocolates, pet treats…

And we thought it was just a Christmas Fair!