Archived Videos 2021
Enjoy videos that were recorded at earlier events
October 27 | 4pm | Opening Ceremony 2021
Terry Hunter, Festival Artistic Producer, and invited guests at the Festival’s 18th Opening Ceremony. Guided by this year’s theme, Stories We Need to Hear, we take strength from the compelling lived wisdom and creativity of Downtown Eastside-involved artists and residents who illuminate the community’s diverse and rich traditions, knowledge systems, ancestral languages, cultural roots and stories.
Carnegie’s Elder in Residence Leslie Nelson and Carnegie’s Matriarch in Residence Marr Dorvault, joined by Kat Norris, Festival Elder in Residence, lead the ceremony’s cultural work. Diane Wood, DTES poet diva, shares one of her poems, and there is a reading of the powerful poem “Telling Stories” by the late and beloved Sandy Cameron. The Carnegie’s lexwst’í:lem drum group shares a new honour song for the voices of the children being heard across the land. Plus, a special pre-recorded treat for the Festival opening: Larissa Healey and Peter Stillwater present two spirit-lifting grass dances, accompanied by Love Medicine drum group.
October 27 | 7pm | Sandy Cameron Memorial Contest Award
An exciting and inspiring event, this award ceremony features a number of the award-winning writers who will read the work they submitted to the contest. Now in its sixth year, the writing contest was established to honour Sandy Cameron, one of the best-loved writers to publish work in the Carnegie Newsletter. Sandy consistently contributed essays and poetry, sharing stories of the low income neighbourhood's one hundred year struggle for human rights. The contest supports local writers and encourages never-before-published writers to submit their work for publication. The free twice monthly Carnegie Newsletter is available online at www.carnegienewsletter.org.
October 27 | 8pm | The Story of the Carnegie Newsletter According to Paul Taylor
The Downtown Eastside community relies on the Carnegie Newsletter as the source of news from the ground up and this year the newsletter recognizes their 35th year of publication! This evening we join editor Paul Taylor to hear him tell the story of the resilient and undaunted Carnegie
Newsletter. What drives the people behind the newsletter? What newsletter has lasted so long and been so consistent in offering opportunities to community members to publish their writing, artwork, event notices and other information? The fearless and determined Paul R Taylor has been the editor since day one. Current circumstances forced the newsletter to move online and to a one-pager but writers, contributors, artists continue to create and the newsletter continues to publish their work. The free twice-monthly newsletter is available online at www.carnegienewsletter.org.
October 28 | 7pm | In Person: Telling Our Stories
Writers haven’t stopped writing with COVID restrictions and the Festival is pleased to present an evening of readings in person. Musician Earle Peach reads from his newly-published book Questions to the Moon. Earle began by writing down his songs and along the way discovered he had a lot to say about himself and the role songwriting plays in his life. Barbara Jackson, Earle’s lovely partner in life and in the duo Songtree, will join him to bring some of the songs to life. Special appearance by Penny Goldsmith, publisher of Lazara Press, to read a couple poems by the late and beloved Sandy Cameron.
We also welcome writers from the DTES Writers Collective who launched their first anthology Continuum at last year’s Festival and found a way to write together within the limits of COVID. They are pleased to again share writings from the heart of our community. Members of Fire Writers, a writing group based in the Carnegie Learning Centre, will also share their words with us.
October 29 | 1pm | Li Keur, Riel's Heart of the North
Métis poet Suzanne Steele, composer Neil Weisensel, and Métis choreographer Yvonne Chartrand speak about Li Keur, Riel's Heart of the North, a new musical theatre production to be presented in Winnipeg in February 2022. Join the three artistic leads as they converse about artistic process, cross-cultural collaboration, the Métis diaspora, Indigenous languages and protocols, and the implications for Métis communities across Canada, including Vancouver's Downtown Eastside.
October 30 | 7pm | Merlin Cosmos: Magic - It’s Personal
Merlin's approach to magic is as a storyteller in the style of a stand-up comic. Usually we expect magicians to focus on the effect of magic as a source of mystery and wonder. For Merlin, magic is personal and a large part of his view of the world. This makes his magic unique. Much of his magic and stories have been developed during Merlin’s time living in the Downtown Eastside and are presented in a light-hearted fashion with an emphasis on fun. For this performance, you are encouraged to participate. Grab a deck of cards for a magic trick you can do at home. Pre-recorded at the Firehall Arts Centre, presented online, followed by live Q&A with Merlin. All ages can enjoy together. Guaranteed to be fun!
October 31 | 1pm | 50 Years of Creative Collaboration: Terry Hunter and Savannah Walling
Terry Hunter (Nang Gulgaa) and Savannah Walling (hl Gat’saa), co-founders of Vancouver Moving Theatre and Downtown Eastside Heart of the City Festival, invite you to this online sharing to honour a few of the transformational encounters and turning points they experienced over their fifty years creative journey. Joined by special guests including: Michael Clague, Rosemary Georgeson, Karen Jamieson, Renae Morriseau and Mildred Grace German. This event features stories, memories, photos and conversations with long-time colleagues about the impacts of shared journeys: from Simon Fraser University’s non-credit arts program to the avant-garde collective Terminal City Dance; from international touring of drum dance theatre repertoire to theatre co-productions and birth of their son Montana; from the Downtown Eastside Community Play (2003) and Downtown Eastside Heart of the City Festival (2004+) to cross cultural co-productions, from Indigenous led co-productions and cultural work to the community play national network… while living and working on Coast Salish homelands within the Downtown Eastside community from 1979 to today.
November 1 | 4pm | Finding Grounds for Goodness
A selection of short films from Jumblies Theatre (Toronto) and partners across the land on the theme of 'social goodness'. Jumblies multi-year Grounds for Goodness project is an artful exploration of 'social goodness' – why and how people sometimes act in good ways towards each other. As it has adapted to community-engaged art-making during pandemic times, this project has generated a wonderful, varied and whimsical collection of short videos with communities and artists from around Canada. Join us for a sampling hosted by Jumblies staff, including the premiere presentation of Finding Grounds for Goodness in the Downtown Eastside, created during last year's Heart of the City Festival with DTES community members, and Vancouver and Toronto artists. We are delighted to welcome Jumblies Theatre, who have advised and partnered with Vancouver Moving Theatre on projects involving the Downtown Eastside community since 2003.
November 1 | 7pm | Help Win Full Rent Control in the DTES
Join the Right to Remain Collective and friends in a roundtable dialogue about winning rent control in privately-owned single room occupancy hotels (SROs), housing of last resort for 4,700 Downtown Eastside residents. After decades of community advocacy for rent control, this November a final vote is coming to Vancouver City Council that will determine if and how the City will implement rent control in SROs. Find out how we got to this point, how rent control should work in SROs, and what you can do to help win this historic battle for tenants of the Downtown Eastside.
The roundtable of tenants, academics, and community organizers will include: Indigenous opening with Norm Leech (Vancouver Aboriginal Community Policing Centre); tenants Tom DeGrey, Nicole Baxter, Joshua Gillen (Right to Remain Collective); experts in housing, tenants' rights and the law Dr. Alexandra Flynn (UBC), Dr. Jeff Masuda (UVic – Right to Remain Collective), Emily Rogers (Together Against Poverty Society); and community organizers Wendy Pedersen (DTES SRO Collaborative), Tintin Yang (DTES Neighbourhood House).
For more information: www.
November 2 | 12pm | Hearts Beat 2021
Listen to the stories of Hearts Beat, a musical exploration of the shared traditions of drums, dance and song between Indigenous and Irish cultures.
Join us virtually to watch both live stream and pre-recorded performances with lexwst’í:lem drum group, Ceól Abú Irish musicians, and the De Danaan Irish dancers. More artists to be announced soon. We are honoured that Chief Bill Williams, Consul General Frank Flood and Eamonn McKee, Ambassador of Ireland to Canada, will participate in the event.
This afternoon of entertainment promises to foster intercultural learning, spark new connections, and inspire our hearts and minds. Hearts Beat is proud to be part of the 18th Annual Heart of the City Festival and is a collaboration between the Carnegie Community Centre Indigenous Programs, the UBC Learning Exchange, the Irish Consulate, and Carnegie Community Centre Association.
November 2 | 3pm | My Art Is Activism: Part III
Longtime Downtown Eastside documentarian and organizer Sid Chow Tan shares selections from his extraordinary archival video collection of volunteer-produced video journalism. Sid’s choices of videos highlight Chinese Canadian social movements and direct action in Chinatown, particularly community media and redress for Chinese head tax and exclusion. Sid is grateful for the community television volunteers and staff who made possible the production, broadcast and archive of these videos. Sid also thanks the Downtown Eastside Small Arts Grant and Heart of the City Festival for their support. Online presentation followed by Q&A with Sid.
November 2 | 7pm | DTES Front & Centre: In Memory of Joyce Morgan
This special Downtown Eastside community music showcase honours Joyce Morgan, a pianist and longtime beloved Carnegie Community Centre volunteer. Featuring a lineup of musicians and friends of Joyce from the Carnegie Community Centre music program, including Joyce’s daughter Heidi Morgan with Earle Peach, Christie McPhee, Peggy Wilson, Murray Black, Brice Tabish, Mike Richter, John Cote, Shawn Giroux, Marj Gorrell, and the Carnegie Jazz Quintet with Brad Muirhead, Mark Boreen, Terry Hunter and special guests Brent Gubbels and Stan Taylor. Pre-recorded at Firehall Arts Centre, presented online, followed by live Q&A with participating musicians.
November 3 | 7pm | Indigenous Journeys: Solos by Three Women
Three new powerful solos by three extraordinary Downtown Eastside involved women profiling their creative and personal experiences. Chemukh's Dream is written and performed by Priscillia Mays Tait (Gitxsan/Wet’suwet’en) (20 min). Priscillia tells us the magical story of “Chemukh’s Dream” where Chemukh, Annie Sue and the crew travel to the heavens above, meet a special relative and explore the universe. Tell Us When They Came is written and performed by Kat Zu'comulwat Norris (Lyackson First Nation) and directed by Sam Bob (20 min). Kat’s powerful voice takes us on a journey of Indigenous strength, grief, joy and resilience through her own life experience. The dance within the dance is the dance, a work-in-progress written and performed by Gunargie O’Sullivan aka ga'axstasalas (Kwakuilth Nation) (17 min), is an emotional journey with narration and movement that tells how loss of culture, family and land can lead to addictions, and how culture, family and land can also lead us out of addiction to points of recovery.
November 3 | 2pm | The Prop Master's Dream - A Cantonese Opera Workshop
Cantonese Opera presents the behind-the-scenes making of The Prop Master’s Dream, a new fusion opera inspired by the true-life story of Wah Kwan Gwan (1929-2000), an Indigenous Cantonese Opera performer and prop maker who was adopted at birth by a Chinese opera family and raised in Guangdong before returning to Vancouver’s Chinatown. We’ll share Wah Kwan’s story, rare archival images of Chinatown, and our experimental approach to the music! This Cantonese and English Zoom event is free and open to all ages.
November 4 | 2pm | Windows (Theatre Terrific)
WINDOWS is a shared collaborative musical gaze INTO and OUT through windows revealing funny, sad, surprising, cherished stories expressed in poetry, movement, song, puppetry, imagery of all shades and rhythms. This original multimedia theatre work was created through a comprehensive community-engaged process, by, with and for artists of all abilities, and premiered online last month. Following the presentation, join director Susanna Uchatius and other project participants for a live online Q&A. With COVID restrictions, the universe has gifted us with an opportunity to connect with artists who feel more comfortable participating in artistic experiences from their homes. WINDOWS gives us an intimate look into the daily lives of this community during a time of deep transformation, and Theatre Terrific gladly accepted this offering.
November 5 | 10am | 7th Symposium on Reconciliation & Redress in the Arts
The 7th Symposium on Reconciliation & Redress in the Arts, inspired by this year’s festival theme, Stories We Need to Hear, is designed as a training day for settlers and migrants seeking a deeper understanding on applying reconciliation and redress in their own lives, organizations, sector, and community. Produced by Voor Urban Labs and Vancouver Moving Theatre in partnership with the Heart of the City Festival. There are two sessions today: Making Coast Salish Territorial Acknowledgements Matter The video of the 2016 Symposium on territorial acknowledgements has been watched over 10,000 times. Here we are five years later amid current political dimensions with the failure of Canada's reconciliation program, set against the cultural and economic resurgence of Coast Salish Peoples. We will revisit some of this video’s key questions. Settler Policy Action on Sovereign Land, Economics and Culture Let's deep dive and hear from senior and emerging Coast Salish artists talk about landback, redress in arts and culture policy, and how your organization can play a bigger role in resourcing Coast Salish resurgence.
November 5 | 7:30pm | 100 Block Rock II
Join Emcee Eris Nyx for the launch of 100 Block Rock II, a compilation LP featuring music from some of Vancouver's most marginalized community of artists - people working, living and creating in the Downtown Eastside. The evening’s roster includes pre-recorded performances with: Chaos Disorder and Panic, Big City, DTES GF, Ian Cameron, Karen Colville, Keifer Tribe, Iceman, Robert William, Tangent Quo and more. From folk to punk and pop to funk, 100 Block Rock is the platform for these people to speak for themselves: in the voices of a community constantly on the verge of extinction from a drug war, colonial genocide, gentrification and the lack of political will to create substantial change. We are unable to invite everyone to join us indoors in the Carnegie Theatre, so we will live stream the program on the Festival website. Limited in person capacity. First come first serve. COVID preventions in place.
November 6 | 1pm | Fighting for Space: Drug Users' Response to the Overdose Crisis
Author and award-winning journalist Travis Lupick shares stories from his book Fighting for Space: How a Group of Drug Users Transformed One City’s Struggle with Addiction (Arsenal Pulp Press, 2018). He then brings the narrative to the current day with stories from his recent book Light Up the Night: America’s Drug Overdose Crisis and the Drug Users Fighting for Survival (New Press, 2021). Joining Travis in conversation is Ann Livingston, a leader in the movement for harm-reduction and co-founder of VANDU, and Eris Nyx, artist, producer, iconoclast, and activist for safe drug use and decriminalization.
November 6 | 3:30pm | Wildfibres: Clothing from Undomesticated Plants in the City
In this short film, filmmaker Martin Borden follows Sharon Kallis, lead artist and executive director of EartHand Gleaners, step by step as she realizes her dream of creating a coat from nettles. From the seeding and planting, to the carding and knitting, Borden documents the process in the fascinating film Wildfibres, produced by Union Street Films and EartHand Gleaners Society. Join Martin and Sharon for the web premiere and in conversation about their long time collaboration, with a live Q&A.
November 6 | 8pm | Incarcerated: Truth in Shadows
The Festival is pleased to welcome back the innovative shadow theatre ensemble Illicit Projects with a new project. Illicit presents three shadow plays dedicated to people who have faced unjust treatment in Canada’s incarceration system: Full Circle, written and performed by Martha Kahnapace; Without Prejudice by Dennis Gates; and The Revolving Door by Kerri Moore. Created with shadow designers, original music, sound design and videography, these stories of systemic racism and inequities are also stories of strength, the search for belonging, and the fiery hope that we can create a better kinder world together. An Illicit Projects production in partnership with the UBC Transformative Health & Justice Research Cluster, Megaphone Magazine and Vancouver Foundation. Pre-recorded, presented online, followed by live Q&A with participating storytellers and other guests.
November 7 | 10am | Ukrainian Kitchen - Pyrohy Making Workshop
Dumplings, those delectable little parcels usually made of dough and filled with a variety of fillings, can be found across many cultures. But none conjure up images of delicious Ukrainian pyrohy smothered in sauteed onions with a generous dollop of sour cream quite like the ones served at our Pyrohy Lunches and Dinners. Today we will share the AUUC Vancouver Hall’s pyrohy recipe and the method we use to make them. While we make hundreds for our Lunches and Dinners, we will provide you with a recipe for a family-sized portion. Following the demonstration, our culinary experts will be on hand to take your questions live on Zoom.
November 7 | 11:30am | Ukrainian Day - Elder Stories
Join host Beverly Dobrinsky with guests Larry Kleparchuk, Audrey Moysiuk and Libby Griffin for a lively and fun interweaving of stories, legends and personal histories, with a song or two added to the mix. Larry, Audrey and Libby are longstanding members of the Ukrainian Hall with whom Beverly has had the honour since 2001 of conducting and singing in the Barvinok Choir. Beverly met all three in the 1980s when she first joined the choir herself as a singer. She has gathered them together to share stories of their lives, all originating in Alberta and eventually coming here to Vancouver. Beverly, also a prairie import (from Manitoba), interestingly collected songs from Ukrainian elders in Alberta in the 90s, where she ended up in the rural area where Libby was born and raised. We look forward to learning about their journeys and how this affects all of us today. There will be an opportunity for the viewers to ask questions.
November 7 | 1pm | Ukrainian Day, Costime Treasures: From Baba's Trunk to the Stage
This multimedia presentation will open a window into the roots, influences and evolution of Ukrainian clothing, and its development into the beautiful, intricate costumes you see on stage today. In this 65 minute presentation, the Dovbush Dancers model both historical pieces and pieces from their current wardrobe, with short dance excerpts from the regions where these costumes originated. A Q&A will be part of this event, culminating in a Fashion Show highlighting the Dovbush Dancers’ wardrobe, fusing Ukrainian pieces with current fashion. Join us and immerse yourself in the beauty of Ukrainian cultural clothing. Following the presentation, members of the AUUC costume team will be on hand to take your questions live on Zoom.
November 7 | 3pm | Festival Closing Ceremony
We invite everyone to the Closing Ceremony, live streamed on the Festival website. Join the dynamic hosting duo of Terry Hunter, Festival Artistic Producer, and Dianna Kleparchuk, AUUC Vancouver Board President, who will introduce the closing afternoon. The Festival is pleased to present a video documenting performances by the Dovbush School of Ukrainian Dance, produced by Orange Pulp Projects. After a year and a half of dancers’ dashed hopes, cancelled performances, and isolated online classes, they created a video to share with the community. A video that reveals the young dancers’ commitment, adaptability, and the joy they find in dance and celebrating Ukrainian culture. Get ready to share good cheer, live music and many thanks; online so you can take part wherever you are, keep safe, physically distant and know that the Heart of the City Festival is strong because of our Downtown Eastside community!