Hamilton Arts Week 2021 — an empowering-packed nine days of events, performances and programming

The Week is strong.

Hamilton Arts Week, that is. From June 3 to 12, it features 20 signature events, many performances and art showcases, and programming keyed to exploring action and ideas around the urgency of diversity as the arts seek to find context, keep relevant, in a swirl of social movements with current strength but historic roots.

It will be the second year that Arts Week has been virtual and online, and once again the week will feature announcements of Hamilton Arts Awards nominees.

We pivoted in March of 2020 and we had a lot of learning to do but it was also really quite successful," says David Hudson, of last year's experience. Hudson is community engagement officer for the Hamilton Arts Council, which puts on Hamilton Arts Week every year.

This year, he adds, there is experience behind them and a much greater comfort, going in, with the technical, logistic and thematic challenges of strictly online" though they're taking nothing for granted.

We're paying more attention that ever," says Hudson, to target audiences and themes around inclusion." There will also be a stress on issues like poverty, guaranteed income, climate change, women in the arts, LBGTQ+ experiences" and art from a diversity of heritages and traditions - BIPOC, Asian, Indigenous and others.

Part of that will be a Hamilton Arts Week BIPOC music series, curated by DeShaun Jones, with funding from Ontario Arts Council and sponsorship by the Hamilton Public Library.

This year Art Week will look at how the arts can support systemic and political change," says Hudson.

Aside from the signature events, Art Week will feature numerous community events - see schedule at hamiltonartscouncil.ca

Hamilton Arts Award recipients in all categories will be announced in an online presentation during Hamilton Arts Week, with times also available at hamiltonartscouncil.ca

The week is also encouraging non-artist businesses and people who can afford to donate to support the groups and organizations delivering arts programing across the Hamilton area by contributing to the Hamilton Save The Arts Initiative - see details at hamiltonartscouncil.ca

There will be a virtual live finale event featuring a concert by Wax Mannequin.

The 20 signature events on the schedule are:

• Harmony In Hamilton - Bel Canto Strings Academy, with music from classical favourites, repertoire by black composers, Irish fiddle tunes and pop songs, as well as an Indigenous straight song created just for the academy and the premiere of two songs by local composer, The Aviv; going online June 3, 5 p.m.

• Prospects - Aeris Korper, an evening of dance and discussion, exploring creative choreographic works-in-progress; June 3, 8 p.m.

• Encore: A Musical Review - Curtain Call Performing Arts Company, performing an array full-scale musical numbers, June 4, 6 p.m.

• Workin' Womxn: Dialogue with Juno Rinaldi, featuring a short film and Q&A, June 4, 8 p.m. For womxn only.

• Hamilton Paints Our Backyard - Cheryl-Ann Hills. A paint-along experience; June 5, 2 p.m.

• Creativity Unlocked - Carolyn Grisold & Innings Gate Co., in a guided self-reflective writing workshop; June 5, 5 p.m.

• Scribe & Onglish Aren't Perfect - S.O.A.P., a dynamic performance by rapper/producer duo Onglish" and Joshua Scribe" Watkis; June 5, 8 p.m.

• Humans of Basic Income - Jessie Golem, stories from recipients of the prematurely cancelled Ontario Basic Income Pilot focusing on the power and art of storytelling in activism and political change; June 6, 5 p.m.

• Can Nude Art Be Feminist? - Meighan West, in an exploration of feminist nude paintings and a facilitated critical dialogue that examines themes of systemic female oppression; June 6, 6 p.m. For women only.

• Slam Poetry: Streams That Lead Somewhere - Fareh Malik, a BIPOC poet and spoken word artist in a reading/slam of spoken work poetry influenced by living experiences of one raised in society as a minority; June 6, 8 p.m.

• Introductory Songwriting Workshop - Michael Johnston of MJMS The Music School, in an energetic introductory session, including Q&A; June 7, 6 p.m.

• Live from Our Zoom Room! - Sultans Of String in a live online concert with a five camera shoot and digital sound, with Chris McKhool (violin), Kevin Laliberte (guitar) and Drew Birston (bass) and guests; June 7, 8 p.m.

• Whale Fall - Same Boat Theatre Company, in a workshop of original play by Stephen Near exploring environmental themes; June 8, 5 p.m.

• Moving To Climate Change Hours - Ross Belot, in a live reading/ video compilation, June 8, 6 p.m.

• That's Not Just A Hobby - Seres Singers classical choral quartet of Chinese Canadians, exploring their passion for choral music and themes of cultural heritage in the arts; June 9, 5:30 p.m.

• Steel Woman: Virtual Concert - Camie, entwining acoustic music, monologue and multimedia with intimate queer-feminist storytelling; June 9, 8 p.m.

• Live in Concert - Nicole Christian presenting original songs celebrating Hamilton's rich musical tapestry and female empowerment in the music industry; June 10, 6 p.m.

• The ADHD Project - Carlyn Rhamey & Squirrel Suit, sharing trials and triumphs of growing up special, featuring live Q&A, June 11, 6 p.m.

• Steve Deeps & The Lowdown - Steve Deeps and his band out from the thunder of the pandemic, revealing two new songs for the summer and original videos debuted exclusively for Hamilton Arts Week; June 11, 8 p.m.

• Water, Water, Everywhere - Tottering Biped Theatre, in a physical theatre work; an arrogant man on a yacht tosses out a water bottle and wakes to discover the ocean replaced by empty plastic water bottles; June 12, 5 p.m.

• Out Of Sync - Julia Garlisi & Christopher McLeod, in a collaborative movement project exploring the nature of our decisions; June 12, 6 p.m.

Jeff Mahoney is a Hamilton-based reporter and columnist covering culture and lifestyle stories, commentary and humour for The Spectator. Reach him via email: jmahoney@thespec.com