Ask Whistler stalwart Ace MacKay-Smith what she's doing at the World Ski and Snowboard Festival (WSSF) this year and she laughs.
She is DJing, of course, as anyone who knows her would imagine. Her alter ego, Foxy Moron, is performing at the Silent Disco with pals Kid Kicko and DJ Canosis at the Garibaldi Lift Company on Friday, April 17.
It sounds a bit trippy.
"It's awesome with people dancing with headphones on and they forget the music is in their heads and some of them will be singing," MacKay-Smith says.
DJ gig #2. She'll be the woman in charge of music at the roller derby — Silence of the Slams, also part of WSSF. It takes place at the Whistler Conference Centre on Saturday, April 11.
MacKay-Smith is also assisting around the website, editing a three-minute event-opening video for the festival's 20th year,
"Wrangling everything is a job, lots of spreadsheets," she laughs.
"I volunteered at Multiplicity last year. In the early years I also did some things, and years ago I suggested the closing party that turned into The End."
But the biggest thing MacKay-Smith is involved in this year is that she is, for the first time, organizing the State of the ART exhibition at the foyer of the Whistler Convention Centre as part of the WSSF.
An important opportunity to show off the work of regional artists, it will be open daily for the entire festival, from April 11 to 19.
Its grand opening party is from 8 p.m. to midnight on Friday, April 10.
There are around 40 artists this time out of 80 submissions.
"I've always gone to State of the ART because I love art. I think I've gone every year and I know a lot of the artists, so that part is great," she says.
"The hard part is picking the art and this year we increased the jury to three. I didn't want to be responsible on my own."
Some of the artists taking part include Caia Koopman, Scott Johnston Taka Sudo, Kris Kupskay and Murray Siple.
There will also be performance art and character drawing.
MacKay-Smith has also tried to emphasize the work of photographers this year and is dedicating a full wall to them.
"This is because we have a lot of work offered to us this year because the Pro Photo Showdown was invite only, I think this is why. It's a nice change for us," she says.
There aren't many changes this year, with MacKay-Smith giving full props to the previous curator Kevani Macdonald.
Also back is artwork by students at Whistler Secondary School. The Youth Gallery at State of the ART is curated by Kayley Ogilvie-Turner, and is in its second year.
