Lots of fun and arts news this week, so let’s get started!
First of all, some housekeeping items. I will be going on holiday, so no columns for the next two weeks after this one. Time to renew and recharge for the fall. This column, therefore, will be covering events into the end of August.
Also, apparently there have been some rumours floating around that Starry Night this year was going ahead. Sorry folks, it’s really not. There would be no way to stay socially distanced in small galleries in this very popular event, so, no Starry Night in August this year, sadly.
Big news in these pandemic times: the Orillia Opera House (OOH) is running a show from Aug. 19 to Sept. 4. On A First Name Basis is a Norm Foster comedy about a novelist suffering from writer’s block, who discovers how little he knows about his long-time housekeeper.
There will be strict COVID safety protocols in place. Audience members will be seated in household bubbles in the large, 700-seat Gordon Lightfoot auditorium, with no more than 50 audience members at each show.
Masks are mandatory. Entrances and exits have been redesigned to adhere to social distancing and avoid crowds. The actors in the show are Viviana Zarrillo and Jesse Collins, who are real life partners and therefore in their own household bubble.
The OOH is well aware that everyone has to be protected, and this safe, small opening is a good way to test the waters to be sure. Hats off to everyone who is working so hard to bring live theatre back, safely, to our area! To buy tickets for the show, click here.
Also speaking of the OOH, a popular music show which normally plays there several times a year is going online. Classic Albums Live is doing an online show each Wednesday through its Facebook page. This week the show is Fleetwood Mac’s Rumours, and it will be livestreamed Aug. 12 at 8 p.m. Admission is free, but tips for the musicians are greatly encouraged! To enjoy the show, click here.
One of Orillia’s other anchors of arts and culture, the Orillia Museum of Art and History (OMAH), has a new show opening as well. Summer in Orillia, running in the museum’s foyer until Sept. 20, showcases Orillia’s rich history of summer fun, including sports, festivals, water play, outdoor dining (French’s restaurant, anyone?), and more.
There are paintings, prints, models, trinkets, and more on display which all speak to the summer fun that has always been part of Orillia. Especially during this summer which is not like any other, it’s fun to look at what has been and will be again. You can book socially distanced visits to OMAH by calling 705-326-2159 or emailing visitors@orilliamuseorg to book your date and time.
And to cover off the third anchor, submissions for the 2021 Leacock Medal Award are now being accepted, until December 31, 2020. To enter, you must have a published work in this year, 2020. It must be a work of humour, and you must be a Canadian citizen or landed immigrant. For more rules and information, click here.
Speaking of submissions and awards, time for a reminder about the Orillia Regional Arts and Heritage Awards. The awards were announced in June, and the deadline of Oct. 2 will be here before you know it.
Nominate your favourites in several categories, including emerging artist, education, heritage, event, and the Qennefer Browne Achievement Award. Your nomination does not have to be limited to this year’s people or events, so let your imagination soar and celebrate your favs in arts and heritage.
All nominations are online only and yes, you will need supporting documentation. For lots more information and the nomination form, click here. All nominees and winners will be celebrated in some kind of event (in person or virtual) on November 25. Start thinking now!
Our beautiful and hard-working local artists are still doing just that, and lots coming up in our arts district each week. Downtown, See You On the Patio is running Friday and Saturday nights until Labour Day weekend at least, and our artists are busy with great events to line up with those street closures.
On Friday, Aug. 21 at 7 p.m. Creative Nomad Studios is hosting a Bring Your Own Bubble Paint Night, with instructor Steph Whalen. $100 tables are limited to four-person bubbles, so only $25 a person, and you get to paint a gorgeous beach scene. Whalen is an amazing instructor and you will be shocked at how good your masterpiece will look. To register, click here.
Also on Aug. 21, but from 6 to 8 p.m., Lee Contemporary Art is having an opening reception for Liz Schamehorn’s show, Human Signs. Lee Contemporary is at 5 Peter St. S. on the upper level, and Liz’s paintings are amazing, so don’t miss out. The gallery plans to have the reception outdoors on the closed street and admit folks to the gallery one bubble at a time. Masks are mandatory. Sounds nice and safe, so come on out!
Of course, all the other galleries on Peter Street and downtown have new exhibits and guest artists and the biweekly Art Walk is running Aug. 21 from 6 to 9 p.m., coinciding with the street closure. Lots of wonderful and unique items handmade by our local artisans, both inside and outside, for you to check out and purchase. Don’t forget your masks!
Hip Chick Design is having a summer Night Market on Aug. 28 from 4 to 9 p.m. With guests Live Edge Forest, Steph Whalen Art, The Tangled Merchant, and Eclectic Café with yummy food for all. The market is in Beth’s large backyard at 32 Penetang St. and you should bring your masks, although physical distancing is going to be happening. Hip Chick has overalls 25% off as well as lots of new items for fall.
Please enjoy the end of our pandemic summer by supporting arts and culture in any way you can, in our area.
Visit your local galleries or go online or through Facebook and contact artists to see what you can bring home from them. Stay safe and take care of each other, and see you in September!
