As our older seniors will remind you, “at least the pubs were open during The War.” The pubs might be closed, but different times bring us a different threat, and during the war there was no Internet, which is where many pub-style music events are moving for now. Prominent among them this week is Friday Night Live for the Sunshine Coast Food Banks. It will be on Facebook Live and “will bring people together, separately, for a great cause… As we navigate this difficult time, there is an even greater need to ensure that everyone has food on their table.” Sunshine Coast talent will go live on Friday, March 27 from 7 to 10 p.m. To take part, pop Friday Night Live for the Sunshine Coast Food Banks into your Facebook search-bar, then tune in “for many artists coming to you live from their homes and studios.”
Brightening melodies
There are still at least some live, non-digital music events to enjoy. Gibsons piano teacher Arlys Peters takes her electronic keyboard out to her front yard on O’Shea Road frequently these days. When weather permits, Peters offers “melodies to brighten the day during these challenging times,” she said. “It’s been interesting to see the various responses from passers-by.”
Drive-buy
Talewind Books in Sechelt has been in business for more than 30 years, surviving big changes in the book-retailing business, and it’s responsive innovations like this that contribute to that success: The shop on Trail Avenue is now offering a drive-by service to help maintain safe space. Give owner Bev or her staff a call at 604-885-2527 to order your book(s) and arrange a time for your curbside pick-up. They’ll even pop your purchase in your trunk if you prefer. Store hours are currently cut back to 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Thanks for this tip go to author Jan DeGrass, whose new book, The Co-op Revolution, is in stock at Talewind.
Kudos
In addition to mentions last week about local books nominated for B.C. and Yukon Book Prizes, we should note that Carpe Fin, by Michael Nicoll Yagulanaas, published by Pender Harbour’s Douglas & McIntyre, has been short-listed for the Roderick Haig-Brown Regional Prize. It’s awarded annually for contributions to the enjoyment and understanding of British Columbia. Congratulations also to Gibsons’ Nightwood Editions, publisher of Laisha Rosnau’s Our Familiar Hunger, which has won the 2020 Kobzar Book Award. The prize is presented every other year in recognition of outstanding literary works about the Ukrainian-Canadian experience.
Movie treasury
The National Film Board of Canada has over 4,000 films available online for free, including a wide range of documentaries, animated films, short films and cartoons for kids. Some places to start might be The Great List of Everything, an animated webseries produced by three comic book artists, and the documentary shorts The Stories Are in Our Bones by Janine Windolph, and Lucien’s Happiness by Nathalie Hébert. The documentary feature The Artisans by Daniel Léger, is also worth a look. All can be found at www.nfb.ca
Submissions
If there’s an event you’d like considered for Art Beat, please let us know by 11 a.m. Tuesday at arts@coastreporter.net. Space is limited and, regrettably, we can’t list everything. Also check Coast Reporter’s Coast Community Calendar for updates.
