Vancouver’s leading creatives agree that industry inbreeding is so very old-school (in a bad way). Success as an artist or creative professional requires a diverse skill set and a broad network.

The Vancouver Park Board is now accepting applications for the fall deadline of the Neighbourhood Matching Fund. The Fund supports projects by neighbourhood-based not-for-profit groups who want to make creative improvements to local public land while actively involving people in developing community and building neighbourhood connections.

The Park Board will supply funds up to $10,000 to match the contribution the community makes through other funds raised, donated supplies, or volunteer labour.

Examples of projects are:

This is a difficult message to write as I have so many mixed feelings.  After three years, I am announcing that I will be leaving the Alliance for Arts and Culture in January 2012.  It has been a privilege to serve such a broad arts and cultural community. 

The arts community (that's us!) are cordially invited to an inside look at the Broadway phenomenon Jersey Boys: The Story of Frankie Valli & the Four Seasons, with special guests, cast members from Jersey Boys.

Jersey Boys, the story of four blue-collar kids who became one of the greatest successes in pop music history, was the winner of the 2006 Tony for Best Musical, and Gramy for Best Musical Show Album and the 2009 Olivier Award for Best new Musical.

Mayor Gregor Robertson will welcome Evelyn Lau as Vancouver’s third Poet Laureate at a ceremony on Saturday October 22 at 5 p.m. at the SFU Goldcorp Centre for the Arts (149 W. Hastings St).

This free event will close the Vancouver 125 Poetry Conference (October 19-22) organized by Brad Cran, Vancouver’s outgoing Poet Laureate.

To attend the October 22 event, please RSVP to jonathan.taylor@vancouver.ca.

Another historic City of Vancouver landmark is poised to face the wrecking ball as the city receives an application that seeks to to demolish the Legg Residence, one of the City's three remaining grand estate homes from the turn of the 19th century and an extremely important link to the history of both the West End and Vancouver.

Whatever your connection to theatre – in the audience, on stage, back stage, or off stage – you are invited to Making A Scene. Register now!

The National Summit for the Charitable and Nonprofit Sector is bringing together leaders from across sub-sectors and from across the country to focus on the top four priorities for action identified in a recent national survey:

Sandy Garossino, a former board member of the Alliance for Arts and Culture and past chair of the Alliance's Advocacy Task Force, has declared her independent candidacy for Vancouver City Council.

Ms. Garossino played a key role in the Alliance's advocacy work following the 2009 / 2010 cuts to provincial arts funding and earlier this year was a co-founder of the Vancouver, Not Vegas Coalition and its successful campaign to stop the expansion of gaming in downtown Vancouver.