Novelist, translator and poet Genni Gunn, nominated for the Giller Prize in 2011 for her novel Solitaria, has been named as Whistler's 2014 writer-in-residence.
Gunn has published three novels in all. Her novel Thrice Upon a Time was a finalist for the Commonwealth Prize.
Living in Alta Lake Station House, Gunn will help 12 writers with their own projects during her stay. Each writer-in-residence works and stays in Whistler over the fall, working with the students from early September to early November. Gunn will also take part in the annual Whistler Readers and Writers Festival.
Novice, emerging writers and experienced writers of all genres interested in taking part in the workshops with Gunn must register with program director Stella Harvey by email at stella25@telus.net. Once accepted, writers must submit a short synopsis of the project they plan to work on by Friday, Aug. 8.
The writer-in-residency is supported by a grant from the Resort Municipality of Whistler and the Canada Council of the Arts Author Residency program.
Musical Therapy Ride tickets on sale
B.C. musicians, booking agents, record labels, talent managers and concert promoters are raising money for music therapy services.
The 13th annual Music Therapy Ride will bring fundraising motorcyclists from Coquitlam up the Sea to Sky Highway, ending at the Garibaldi Lift Company in Whistler on Saturday, Sept. 13.
In 11 years, the ride has raised $600,000 for the provincial and national Musical Therapy Trust Fund. The money goes to building and maintaining mobile recording studios designed for use by music therapists.
The celebrity guests this year are the country music group, The Road Hammers.
Early bird tickets are $99 until Aug. 1 and reservations can be made at musictherapyride.org.
Emergenc(e) Art Show at The Point
The Point Artist-Run Centre is offering dinner and a night of music by singer-songwriter Aude Ray and piano maestro Doc Fingers on Saturday, July 26.
The theme of this summer's art show is emergence.
"I was fascinated by the many meanings of the word," says organizer Stephen Vogler. "To emerge is 'to rise out or up, bring forth, bring to light.' But it also carries the meaning of an unexpected occurrence, and when you add a "y" to the end, an occurrence that requires immediate attention. There are a lot of exciting new things emerging in Whistler these days, including The Point Artist-Run Centre itself."
Artists showing include Lisa Geddes, Hugh Kearney, Christina Nick, Jeff Heintzman, Marcele Armatage, Wim Tewinkel, Aude Ray and Charlie Doyle.
For more information on prices visit www.thepointartists.com.
The Boom Booms headline Squamish Wind Festival
Vancouver indie band The Boom Booms perform a free concert at the opening night of the Squamish Wind Festival, on July 25.
The festival, which celebrates wind and watersports, takes place until Sunday, July 27. It includes an art expo, kayaking and stand-up paddleboard demos, and traditional canoeing by the Squamish Nation.
For more information visit www.squamishwindfestival.com
Woodfibre history contest
The Squamish Historical Society (SHS) is calling for stories, photos and artifacts from the former town of Woodfibre, located on Howe Sound near Squamish.
The donations will for the make up an exhibit of the history pulp and paper town, which is due to open at the Machine Shop at the Britannia Mine Museum on Friday, Sept. 26. The aim is to shed light on the community in the decades before LNG, spanning from its beginnings in 1912.
The entries will be shared on the SHS Facebook and Twitter pages, with followers voting for their favourites. There are several prizes, including a weekend away at the Executive Suites Resort.
For more information or to send images and stories before the Aug. 30 deadline, contact info@squamishhistory.ca.
