The FirstOntario Performing Arts Centre in St. Catharines has introduced the small print for Artwork in Motion: Local weather (AiA), a brand new competition of arts, concepts, and trade that extends throughout the Niagara Area. Highlights embody work from famend photographer Edward Burtynsky, the Avanti Singers, and Kaha:wi Dance Theatre.
Together with performances, the ten-day competition features a movie competition, discussions, instructional applications, and a one-day Local weather Symposium. Artwork in Motion takes place from January 30 to February 1, 2026, bringing collectively artists, Indigenous Data Keepers, scientists, native companies, and members of the neighborhood.
“We designed the primary Artwork in Motion competition as a part of our tenth anniversary season to supply our consideration, assist and sources to inspiring artists and specialists whose work focuses on the setting.
“Not solely will Artwork in Motion present distinctive experiences for the general public, however it is going to even be a catalyst for connection and dialog regarding native and world local weather points that may transfer us in the direction of extra purposeful motion,” says Colleen A. Smith, FirstOntario Performing Arts Centre CEO and Government Producer of Artwork in Motion.
Artwork in Motion: Local weather at FirstOntario Performing Arts Centre — Highlights
Kaha:wi Dance Theatre: SKéN:NEN (Partridge Corridor) (January 30 — Opening Night time)
The Kanyen’kéha (Mohawk) phrase skén:nen (Sgah:nah) interprets as imply peace and steadiness. By creator, director, designer, and dance artist Santee Smith, SKéN:NEN is a multi-layered, immersive efficiency expertise infused with cultural information, and a story that extends past time and house in an imagined post-apocalyptic world. It blends choreography, storytelling, and imaginative projections to inform the story of a younger Kahnyen’kehàka woman named Niyoh and different local weather survivors.
Edward Burtynsky: Within the Wake of Progress (Robertson Theatre) (January 30 – February 8)
Edward Burtynsky’s multimedia exhibition Within the Wake of Progress anchors AiA. Burtynsky has develop into well-known all over the world for his massive format images of commercial landscapes. They present places throughout the globe, and characterize the influence of industrialization on each the pure world and human life. He’s a famous environmental advocate, and his work has been the topic of documentary movies.
Within the Wake of Progress represents 4 many years of the acclaimed photographer and St. Catharines-born artist’s work. The multimedia venture was conceived, directed, filmed and photographed by Burtynsky, and co-produced by Canadian music luminary Bob Ezrin. The 22-minute work makes use of video and images from all the span of Burtynsky’s profession, horeographed to an award-winning unique rating composed by Phil Sturdy, with vocals by award-winning Cree Métis artist iskwē and performances by musicians of The Glenn Gould College at The Royal Conservatory of Music.
Avanti Singers: Creation/Extinction (February 7)
Creation/Extinction is a musical contemplation that displays on each the fantastic thing about the earth, and the environmental challenges that threaten it. This system opens with a brief piece by Sherryl Sewepagaham (Cree-Dene), providing an ode to Mom Earth, and contains excerpts from The Misplaced Birds by Christopher Tin, together with Haydn’s The Creation oratorio carried out by a full orchestra, with soloists Claire de Sévigné, soprano, Yanik Gosselin, tenor, and Tyler Duncan, bass.
Dr. Rachel Rensink-Hoff leads the Avanti Singers, a Niagara-based neighborhood chamber choir. The ensemble is thought for a various repertoire, that, whereas it blends outdated and new, incorporates a deal with music by residing composers, and storytelling by way of track.
Avanti Inventive Director Dr. Rachel Rensink-Hoff notes, “Haydn’s oratorio displays a deep sense of surprise on the pure world and presents the Earth as a spot of steadiness and risk. Once we hear it immediately, that optimism is sophisticated by what we now learn about environmental loss and injury. This distinction is admittedly on the coronary heart of this system. The Misplaced Birds is a up to date response — a musical memorial to chook species which have gone extinct resulting from human influence. Tin units lovely poetry by writers similar to Emily Dickinson, Christina Rossetti, Edna St. Vincent Millay, and Sara Teasdale, giving voice to what has disappeared, and implicitly asking what our accountability is shifting ahead.
“Our presentation of Creation/Extinction is a little bit of a reimagining or “re-contexutalization” of an 18th-century classical work throughout the context of immediately’s environmental realities. Artwork — and choral music particularly—has a approach of serving to us really feel issues which may in any other case stay summary. Knowledge and science are essential, however music speaks to us on a human stage and singing fairly actually permits us to “give voice” to essential points and tough feelings. It engages our creativeness and might gently nudge us towards taking accountability. Once we sing, we hope we’re creating an area wherein individuals would possibly pause, mirror, and really feel extra related to the world we share and take care of.”
Kaha:wi Dance Theatre’s SKéN:NEN trailer from its 2024 presentation in Toronto:
The Full Program
AiA Movie Competition (The Movie Home) (January 31 – February 8)
This week-long competition presents each documentaries and options, extensively acclaimed works and new voices, together with associated conversations that join the dots between artwork, science, and neighborhood.
AiA Local weather Symposium (varied venues on the FirstOntario PAC) (January 31)
This full day presents the chance to be a significant a part of the dialog round making a sustainable future. Subjects embody: Potential Futures — Innovation and Vitality Science, Sovereignty, Sustainability, Shortage — Analyzing our Waters, Generative AI and Local weather Change, and The Starting — Niagara’s Imaginative and prescient.
Fireplace Chat with Edward Burtynsky (Partridge Corridor) (January 31)
On the identical day because the Symposium, you possibly can attend an unique chat with artist Edward Burtynsky that may body the dialog in a world context, and permit for reflection on how Niagara connects to the remainder of the world.
Niagara Sustainability Change (January 31)
A free occasion, the Change invitations entrepreneurs, makers, companies and neighborhood organizations who’re engaged on options that put local weather issues first to exhibit their revolutionary methods. Contributors will have the ability to meet the native local weather innovators from the vitality, building, meals techniques, and conservations sectors, and ask questions. Discover out how one can carry easy however efficient modifications to your property or office.
imPACt Schooling Sequence (The Recital Corridor) (February 2 – 6)
The FirstOntario Performing Arts Centre invitations faculty teams to expertise Edward Burtynsky’s Within the Wake of Progress in a program that may embody a presentation, a dialogue, and a hands-on exercise designed to encourage.
Youth in Motion: Subsequent Gen Speaks (The Recital Corridor) (February 7)
Artwork in Motion Youth Ambassadors will share their reflections after every week of actions and inquiry by way of quick shows and a dialogue. Friends will expertise how the subsequent technology is contemplating the intersections of local weather, neighborhood, and creation.
+Artwork in Motion: Local weather Past the PAC
Arts Companion Occasions Throughout Niagara (January 30 – February 8)
Satellite tv for pc experiences past the PAC embody exhibitions, cabarets, screenings, talks, excursions and extra. Regional arts companions embody: Femmes du Feu Creations at The Financial institution Artwork Home in Welland, Rodman Artwork Institute of Niagara and the Niagara Artists Centre in downtown St. Catharines, the RiverBrink Artwork Museum in Niagara-on-the-Lake, and The Change in Niagara Falls.
Culinary and Vineyard Experiences (January 30 – February 8)
Companions for AiA provide the chance to expertise the most effective of the area’s lodging, culinary and wine experiences. Lodging companions embody Coronary heart of Niagara Lodges and White Oaks Resort & Spa, with native vineyard and restaurant companions that embody Southbrook Vineyards, Fats Rabbit, Wellington Courtroom Restaurant, Bolete restaurant, Treadwell Delicacies, and others.
- Discover tickets and registration particulars for Artwork in Motion occasions [HERE].
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Anya Wassenberg is the Toronto Metropolis Editor at Ludwig Van. Beforehand, she was a contract author with a specialty in tradition and journey for 3 many years, and a artistic writing teacher for Ontariolearn.
