Press Release: RMG Brings Oshawa into CBC Radio 1 Competition

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE – Oshawa, November 29, 2011

The Robert McLaughlin Gallery brings Oshawa into CBC Radio competition for live broadcast of Jian Ghomeshi’s “Q”.

It all started as a conversation at last week’s successful creative class event the Art of Transition Tourism Summit. With so much happening in Oshawa and Durham’s creative culture scene, the desire to bring attention to the various projects and opportunities in the area has never been greater. Staff from The Robert McLaughlin Gallery suggested this idea on twitter, and the tweet was recognized by CBC Radio 1 personality Jian Ghomeshi. The Q host has recently been promoting a campaign that cities could enter to bring his show to their community.

Never one to back down from a challenge, RMG CEO Gabrielle Peacock took up the cause, issuing more tweets and imploring staff to get on board. “We’ve got a lot happening here, just 35km from the city. Q shines a light on culture: music, art, theatre and more. This is why we want Oshawa selected — it’s not about what people know about us, it’s an opportunity for Jian and the Q listeners to discover some cultural assets in their own backyards. We’re joining the contest later than other cities, but we’ve got a lot of heart and think we have a shot at winning,” Peacock told staff. Staff jumped on board in just a few days a Facebook page has emerged as well as the promise to guests at the RMG’s monthly cultural event series “First Fridays” that this week’s event (December 2, 7pm) will include a way to get involved and show support.

“First Fridays has become a staple in the local culture diet,” says RMG Manager of Communications and Social Media, Jacquie Severs. “It’s the right place to promote this campaign. This week we feature Jazz performers The Gillian Margot Trio, alongside the photography exhibition “Susan Dobson: By Design” and the AIDS Committee of Durham Region’s “POZitive Portrayals” that features work by HIV Positive artists. We’ll have a photo booth with local photographer Marina Osmond. The event shows how diverse our cultural offerings are here. We wish Jian could come and see it for himself, we aren’t just a car town anymore!”

The RMG needs community support to make the campaign more powerful. Having already received votes of confidence from PFLAG Durham and Durham College’s Downtown Oshawa News, the RMG now needs ‘likes’ on its Facebook page, tweets with the hashtag #QinOshawa and community partnerships. Local record label Get Bent Records has offered to bring bands to perform for Q. The RMG hopes other local arts & culture staples will get on board.

Oshawa’s mayor John Henry issued a statement of support, highlighting the RMG as an important asset in the campaign. “With the public’s support we can bring into the light one of Oshawa’s best kept secrets.”

“This is a grassroots effort, we need all the support we can get! The RMG is prepared to donate 20 memberships to community groups and businesses who offer support and services,” says Gabrielle Peacock.

To stay on top of the campaign please visit and like: www.facebook.com/QinOshawa

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THE ROBERT McLAUGHLIN GALLERY

72 Queen Street, Civic Centre, Oshawa, Ontario L1H 3Z3

905-576-3000

www.rmg.on.ca

Q in Oshawa

Yesterday we were at the Art of Transition Tourism Summit and Creative Awards. An electric atmosphere was in that room; it was filled with like-minded individuals, those that care about Durham Region’s transition from a manufacturing economy to a creative economy. Artists, business people, musicians, dancers, chefs, writers, art galleries, museums, crafts people, engineers, students, filmmakers, ski hill operators, sustainability advocates, farmers, designers, communicators and more came together to highlight the importance of arts and culture in our community.

It is appropriate that it was during this event that we decided to lead the charge to bring Jian Ghomeshi and his CBC show Q to Oshawa.

Q is an energetic daily arts, culture and entertainment magazine that takes you on a smart and surprising ride, interviewing personalities and tackling the cultural issues that matter.

Hosted by Jian Ghomeshi, with his trademark wit and spontaneity, Q covers pop culture and high arts alike with forays into the most provocative and compelling cultural trends.

From music icons like Van Morrison and Neil Young; smart conversations with everyone from Al Gore to Barbara Walters; CNN operas; to the branding of politicians… Q brings you big names, big ideas, and those paving the way on the cultural landscape.

Q is your cultural intervention!

Learn more and get involved!

Join the Facebook Fan Page Q Live in Oshawa Campaign and share it with your friends.

Tweet it! Official hastag #QinOshawa – follow @jianghomeshi and include him on your tweets.

Stay tuned! More updates on how to get involved coming soon!

The Durham Art of Transition Creative Awards & Tourism Summit

This Friday staff from the RMG will be at the UOIT/Durham College campus in Oshawa at the Durham Region Tourism Summit, which is followed by the DATCA’s, (Durham Art of Transition Creative Awards). We’re proud to be part of this event as an exhibitor and a DATCA nominee!

Two of our projects were nominated this year. One is our First Fridays event series, the other our public art installation by Douglas Coupland. We are so proud of both of these accomplishments and we look forward to learning about all of the other interesting and exciting projects that have happened in Durham Region that led to other businesses, artists and organizations being nominated.

We hope you will be attending the event!

November 25, 2011
TIME: 10:00 a.m. – 7:00 p.m.
PLACE: Durham College/ UOIT Campus Recreation and Wellness Centre
ADDRESS: 2000 Simcoe St. N., Oshawa, Ontario
ADMISSION: FREE

Links From the Art of Transition:

Summit and Awards

Nominees

YouTube Page with many speaking about the importance of this project

The Art of Transition on Facebook

Facebook Event Page – Tourism Summit

Facebook Event Page – Creative Marketplace

The Curator’s View: Diverse Art Experiences

Curator Linda Jansma discusses some recent art experiences and how their diverse natures created three unique experiences.

I’ve had three distinct art experiences over the past four days. The first was this past Friday when I attended the 12^th annual Toronto International Art Fair at the Metro Convention Centre.

Art fairs are primarily about selling art, its commoditization. From $600 8cm square paintings to large works closing in on $200,000 this is much more about business than what happens in a public gallery setting such as the RMG. Past art fairs are compared with this one; dealers woo both experienced and new collectors; lectures help the novice into the world of buying art for both pleasure and investment. Toronto-based artist, Kent Monkman’s installation maze spoke to the life of the artist: grants, dealers, curators, biennales, etc. Words were linked by four tableau rooms representing the artist, curator/museum director, collector, and galleriest, all with actors playing roles. Art imitating life right outside of the walls of the maze.

The second experience was the grand finale of the Office of Identity Collects on Saturday afternoon. Two Saskatoon-based artists, Heather Cline and Michele Sereda, spent a week at 16 King Street East, just east of Oshawa’s four corners. The 27 people who attended the “Citizenship Ceremony” were some of the people who had participated, earlier in the week, in Cline and Sereda’s art performance where they were photographed and interviewed as part of a piece that will result in an exhibition of Cline’s paintings and video work in September, 2012. Saturday’s group was sworn in and then asked to walk up and down King Street while Cline recorded the events from the opposite side of the street. As artists—for whom this was their first Oshawa visit—they revealed as much about Oshawa and those of us who live or work here, as they learned from us. I’m very much looking forward to September’s exhibition.

Monday morning’s experience was diametrically opposed to Friday afternoon’s. I came into work with my gardening gloves, tools and a tarp taken from my garage. And then I, along with other gallery staff and Sympathetic Hunting Magic’s curator, Gil McElroy, began to strike the exhibition. Striking usually implies wrapping and crating works of art to be returned to the artist or sent on to the next gallery. This was true in the case of Niall Donaghy’s sculpture, but Shelly Rahme’s work was disassembled and will be hauled to a landfill later this week. Shelly spent a week earlier in September assembling/creating three sculptures, primarily with twigs, roots, branches, and clay. They were powerful works that related to consumerism and longing. But they will never end up at Toronto’s Convention Centre, or in anyone’s collection. They are site specific work, meant to exist for the moment and only live on in the catalogue and installation photographs of the exhibition.

For three very different reasons, this has been a good four days.

Invitation to exhibit Art and Culture at Oshawa City Hall

A message from: The Art and History Committee, City of Oshawa

The City of Oshawa invites Durham Region artists and groups to submit proposals for temporary exhibitions to be displayed in Oshawa City Hall.

The exhibition space consists of three locked display cases in the Council Wing hallway of City Hall. Each locked case measures approximately 8’ (height) x 6’-8’(width) x 2’(depth) 2.4m x 1.8 – 2.4m x 0.55m with ceiling hanging devices and glass shelves available for displays.

The display cases showcase community artwork, heritage displays or collections for approximately a six-month period. In 2012, the anticipated exhibition schedule is February – July and July – December.

All proposals should be post-marked no later than December 16, 2011 and should consist of a resume, artist statement or display proposal and up to 10 visuals (no original art works; CD ROM preferred). The submissions will be reviewed by the Art and History Committee comprised of City of Oshawa staff, representatives from the Oshawa Community Museum and The Robert McLaughlin Gallery.

Applicants will be notified of the Committee’s decision in January 2012. At that time, arrangements will be made to coordinate the installation, timelines and details. (All exhibits are to be in a condition suitable for display, e.g. matting, framing, etc…) The City, in conjunction with the Oshawa Community Museum and The Robert McLaughlin Gallery, will assist with the installation of the exhibition.

NOTE: The City of Oshawa and its partners/agents will not be responsible for insurance coverage of the works of art while they are on display.

We look forward to your creative submission! Please forward proposals to:

The Art and History Committee
c/o Service Oshawa
City of Oshawa
50 Centre Street South
Oshawa, Ontario L1H 3Z7

For inquiries contact
Linda Jansma, Chair of the Oshawa Art and History Committee
905.576.3000 ext. 111 or [email protected]