Fourteen individuals and one business are the recipients of the 2013 Mayor’s Arts Awards for having made significant contributions to creative life in the city of Vancouver.

Mayor Gregor Robertson will present the awards at a ceremony this Friday, November 22, at TELUS World of Science, to honourees who represent a wide variety of disciplines, from performing and visual arts to literary and culinary arts.

Honours are also awarded in the categories of Volunteerism, Business Support, Philanthropy, Arts Board Member of the Year and Lifetime Achievement.

Date & Time: Wednesday, December 4, 2013 / 9:30 a.m. - 12:00 p.m.

Venue:  Alliance Board Room, 100-938 Howe Street, Vancouver.

In September 2014, Canadian Theatre Review will be publishing an issue looking at the current state of acting training in English Canada, as well as proposals for the future. The editors, Diana Belshaw (Humber College) and David Fancy (Brock University), believe that the input of recent graduates of acting-training programs is an essential part of this overview.

The City of Vancouver is seeking submissions for capital funding for infrastructure projects that will secure and develop multi-artist production spaces in Mount Pleasant.

Examples of possible projects could include:

• Purchasing or upgrading existing artist production spaces
• Purchasing and developing new properties
• Implementing a reserve fund to cover a portion of facility operating costs

The City is looking for projects that:

Attend part 2 of this business dialogue to support growth and innovation in Surrey's arts and culture industry.

The Surrey Board of Trade and the City of Surrey are continuing their partnership focused on recognizing the economic and social value of fostering a thriving cultural industry in Surrey.

 Date: Wednesday, November 27, 2013 

Time: 
7:30 a.m. - Registration and Breakfast
8:00 a.m. - 11:00 a.m. - Program

Want to host pop-up performances in studios, warehouses, factories, shops and wholesale spaces? Find out more about Vancouver's arts event licence pilot program.

Join @VanCultureBC for a noon hour Q+A on Twitter, Tuesdays at noon, November 19 and 26.

The Canada Council for the Arts announced the 14 winners of the 2013 Governor General's Literary Awards today (November 13), including Sandra Djwa of West Vancouver for Journey with No Maps: A Life of P.K. Page (McGill-Queen’s University Press). 

On November 1, 2013 WorkSafeBC approved three new policies dealing with workplace bullying and harassment. 

To help employers, supervisors and workers better understand and comply with the new policies, WorkSafeBC has released the following factsheet: 

What is the definition of workplace bullying and harassment according to WorkSafeBC’s policies?

In this issue: Summaries of three recent reports that examine direct and indirect spending on culture by provincial, territorial, and municipal governments. Also included is a report on broader trends in the not-for-profit sector, based on a national survey of charity leaders.

The Burnaby Art Gallery is currently seeking members to serve on the Burnaby Art Gallery Advisory Committee (BAGAC) an appointed body of volunteers acting at arm’s length to assist the Director/Curator in the development of the Burnaby Art Gallery with respect to programming and collection services. 

Nominations must be submitted by November 30, 2013.

The arts advocacy campaign #Arts308 kicked off this week. The Alliance strongly encourages all arts advocates on Twitter to share with their MPs the value and significance of arts and culture in Canada!

Vancouver-based Goh Ballet Academy, led by director Chan Hon Goh, is formalizing partnerships this week with the National Ballet of China, Guangzhou Ballet Company, and Guangzhou Art School of China, creating an opportunity to foster dance between the two countries. 

You are invited to join Mayor Gregor Robertson and Vancouver City Council for the presentation of the 2013 Mayor’s Arts Awards at 6:30 p.m. on Friday, November 22 at the TELUS World of Science.

The evening also features the announcement of the winner of this year’s City of Vancouver Book Award.

Admission is free, but RSVPs are required. (Nov. 9: Please note that tickets are now sold out!)

The City of Vancouver council has unanimously approved a request from Bard on the Beach and the Arts Club Theatre Company to move into a new home at West 1st Avenue.

The Key Events List (pdf), compiled by your Alliance for Arts and Culture, lists upcoming events in and around Metro Vancouver through the next 12 months. The list is designed to be a guide for event planners, who will find the roster helpful in avoiding scheduling conflicts. The list includes major cultural dates, arts and culture conferences, opening nights, festivals, gala fundraisers and significant community events and activities.