2012 Arts Congress
2012 Arts Congress Summary
2012 ARTS CONGRESS: MATTERS OF ENGAGEMENT SUMMARY
Friday, May 4th opened with Adrian Stimson performance of Shaman Exterminator: Money. Keynote speaker Margie Gillis discussed art as an essential part of the human experience. During the Felt Experience Panel, artists expressed their ideas on arts literacy engagement and the creative process. Poet Laureate Don Kerr entertained with poetry and was followed by Robert Enright who ended the evening with his address Telling the Laity of Our Love: Current Engagements in the Literacy of Art, which covered a number of topics most notably his concern over what he called “a crisis point for Canadian culture.”
On Saturday, May 5th Kelly Joe Burke argued with Don Kerr in a debate that asked “if there are people who don’t have clean water, why are we funding the arts?” Kerr argued with poetry and Burke incredulously asked moderator Jayden Pfeifer (Red Hot Riot) “You would like me to rebut poetry?”
Lunch time speaker Neal McLeod inspired laughs as he spoke about engaging community youth through art. Robert Enright discussed with University of Regina president Dr. Vianne Timmons their growing concerns over the changing priorities in postsecondary education.
Throughout the Congress, organizations such as SaskCulture, the Saskatchewan Arts Board, and the Canadian Conference of the Arts updated Congress delegates on the latest news and projects both provincially and nationally.
Artist Stories were shared by Dr. Curtis Collins, John Hampton, Melanie Hankewich, Adrian Stimson, Misty Wensel, and Sylvia Ziemann.
For more details on the Arts Congress on May 4th
For more details on the Arts Congress on May 5th
