Arts

With so many venues closed indefinitely across the country, it doesn’t seem like the music scene will return to normal any time soon. But while tours are pushed back on what seems like an almost daily basis, there are a handful of innovative artists who are finding new and creative ways to take their act […]

Truly great art is often created during times of change. This is because great art comes from artists who are inspired by change. For example, Leonardo de Vinci created his famous Mona Lisa during the Italian Renaissance, a time where the very fabric of art was evolving into what we know and love today. 2020 […]

It’s been a Victoria tradition for a long time, and despite the obstacles it’s facing due to COVID-19, Antimatter film festival will indeed be happening this year. Antimatter, now in its 23rd year, celebrates film and other expressions of audio/visual artistry with a non-competitive, community-oriented focus; this year features over 100 films from more than […]

Metz Atlas Vending (Royal Mountain Records/Sub Pop) 4.5/5 Really superb albums are created by musicians who manage to figure out how to get out of their own way. What that means is that the artist must believe not only in their music and its messages but also in the faith to let their final product […]

“Monsters aren’t born, they’re made.” So says Jason Stevens, the sole actor/director/producer of Mary Shelly’s Frankenstein, which will run through October at Craigdarroch Castle in Victoria’s only 130-year-old fourth-floor ballroom. “It’s mesmerizing,” says Stevens of a good monster story. Stevens studied acting in London and worked as an actor in New York, and he has […]

The Victoria Festival of Authors is Vancouver Island’s largest celebration of books and book lovers. This year, it’s celebrating its fifth anniversary, it’s all online, and it’s all free. “It was really important to us that it was free,” says festival producer Laura Trunkey. “We just want to reach as many people as we can, […]

During these dark times, British Columbia’s cultural art community has become one of our most essential sources of entertainment. This is mainly because art is one of the most important parts of our culture, one that shines a light on the human sprit and offers hope. This year, BC Culture Days’ virtual celebration aims to […]

The Victoria Symphony has announced that it is moving all of its concerts online during the COVID-19 crisis. Starting October 1, a performance of Vivaldi’s Four Seasons can be streamed on the symphony’s website. “We’re trying to continue to evolve with the way the world is working,” says Victoria Symphony director of marketing Jill Smillie. […]

Lola Parks No Apologies (Independent) 4/5 Vancouver-based singer/songwriter Lola Parks’ new release, No Apologies, is no dearth of honest ultimatums. Parks—real name Sandy Powlik, who formerly called Victoria home—is truly gifted, with a beautiful voice and the ability to create melodic hooks and insightful yet buoyant lyrics. As euphonious as they are memorable—the folk/blues/jazz/country blend […]

The latest exhibit at Deluge Contemporary Art is a collaborative labour of love. Artists Alex Tedlie-Stursberg and Callum Monteith approached Andrea Valentine-Lewis to curate the exhibit, UTOPOS, and together they designed a show that feels completely relevant for our times. Both Tedlie-Stursberg and Monteith “grapple with ecological themes” in their work, says Valentine-Lewis; she says […]