Newsletter

A Big Fat
Thank You
to our Sponsors
2010-2011
by Sandra Bell Kirchman - April 10, 2011
From the Esterhazy & District Arts Council

We at EDAC have had a grand time in the last two years, with record-breaking attendances, beautiful displays, and opportunities galore for for local artists and photographers. (See letter and newsletter below for details.)

Our home page shows upcoming events, displays, contests, workshops and other involvement for the artistic community of Esterhazy and District. With so many people using the town's facilities, businesses and services, the time is now for appreciation of beauty and wit. The time is now for offering different, unusual and eyecatching works of art. (And remember that EDAC is the first arts council in Saskatchewan to include its writers as part of the arts community.)

All this activity on behalf of the three arts (visual, performing, and literary) is largely made possible by our sponsors. Now it has to be said that the volunteers of EDAC do a tremendous job. It has been heard many times that this is the best volunteer team ever in the way everyone pitches in to help set up the displays, work with the artists, teach workshops or work to bring in great instructors and events.

But not one of these efforts would be possible without our sponsors. And that would be everyone's loss. So to all of you sponsors, for this year as well as in years past, we salute your efforts on our behalf and on behalf of the people of Esterhazy and District, with a great big fat...

Esterhazy and District Arts Council
P.O. Box 1646
Esterhazy, SK S0A 0X0

phone : 306-745-2231
email address : admin@myedac.com
website : www.myedac.com

September 22, 2010

Dear Sponsor:

We are writing to let you know you are appreciated. Your financial support in the past year has meant, to the many hundreds of people in the area, the opportunity to be involved in some outstanding art activities. This would not have been possible without your generous support. In the last year, all three branches of the arts-performing, visual and literary-have been or will be displayed and have added to the cultural benefit of the people and the promotional attractiveness of the community at large. Without your support, we can't do it. The attached newsletter outlines what you helped make possible in 2009-2010.

A big news item for EDAC is the creation of our website at www.myedac.com by author and web designer Sandra Bell Kirchman. One of our new features, apart from promoting our events and letting people know what we are all about, is an entire page devoted to promoting our sponsors. This page is yours, and we ask you to take a look at it and let us know what you would like edited or put in there. You can find it at www.myedac.com/sponsors .

Our arts council consists of members who are truly committed to ensuring that the arts will live and prosper in Esterhazy and district. We continue to be enthusiastic and very hard-working. Every event that we sponsor has been set up by the members for the utmost exposure for the artists and the utmost pleasure for the viewers. Several newcomers to the area have expressed how agreeably surprised they are by the level of culture they have seen here, which helps confirm the belief that Esterhazy is a great place to live.

Your support has helped us make a real difference in our community, and we hope to be able to continue our growth with your help. With a contribution of $100.00 or more, we will show your business name in the advertising for all our shows, in our window at Curves, and at the shows themselves. We make it a point to spotlight the names of our sponsors on any of our brochures or other handouts to the general public. For any amount of contribution, we will add your name to the Sponsors page of our website.

If you have any questions, please feel free to contact me, Pat Arndt, at 745-2231, Box 1646, Esterhazy or at vparndt@sasktel.net. Thank you for your support in the past and for considering our request at this time.

Pat Arndt,
President, EDAC

Newsletter for
2009-2010
by Sandra Bell Kirchman
For the Esterhazy & District Arts Council

The performing arts came to Esterhazy on March 6, 2010, in the form of a b-boy/b-girl dance work-shop. Held at the Esterhazy High School, the demonstration of this dance form was both refreshing and highly entertaining. Demon-strated by Flipped-Out Crew from Regina, it was co-sponsored by EDAC and the Sunrise Health Region Health Promotional Grant.

In further keeping with our service to the children of this district, on March 1-5, 2010, we presented a workshop to 20 of the students of Macdonald School in Stockholm. The program focused on the mixing of paints and appreciation of colour. On the final day of the program, talented EDAC instructor Juanita Heembrock explained what adjudication of art was all about. Then to the intense delight of the children, she showed them how to adjudicate each other's work. All art from this program will be featured at the upcoming joint Lions Club and EDAC wine fest and art show.

On February 7-8, 2010, we were very pleased to present Regina Beach artist, Ward Schell, for his wonderful "Portrait Painting in Acrylics" workshop in Esterhazy. The class was filled to capacity and was so compelling that the artists were reluctant to even take coffee breaks. The resulting artwork was stunning, especially so since they were sketched, then painted, in two days. This workshop was so well-received by the participants that EDAC has jumped at the chance to secure Mr. Schell's leadership in future February workshops for the next five years.

On October 24, 2009, EDAC was involved, in partnership with the Lions Club, in presenting something totally new to the community—a combination wine fest and art show—with a result nothing short of spectacular. Entitled A Cultural Festival of Fine Wine and Art, the show was held at the S.N. Boreen Community Centre. Stunning decoration was provided by the Esterhazy Children's Daycare Co-op members, who were the recipients of the funds raised by the event. The wine-tasting on one side and the art show on the other side of the exhibition area soon became packed by interested and happy patrons, with over 300 people passing through the doors.

Because of its success, the Lions Club is holding another wine fest again on Oct. 2, 2010, in conjunction with EDAC's annual art show. This Cultural Festival of Fine Wine and Art will be held at the S.N. Boreen Centre. A good turnout in support of the Esterhazy Children's Daycare Co-op is anticipated.

An adjudicated art show was held on May 29, 30 and 31, 2009, entitled PRADO, as a joint effort, comprising the art councils of Melville, Yorkton, and Esterhazy. A huge success, the show was held in Melville, with 27 artists attending, adjudicated by John Noestheven and Kate Davis. The winner was Margaret Phillips, of Yorkton.

This joint collaboration between the three arts councils worked so well, that PRADO II was held on June 4-6, 2010, at the Godfrey Dean Art Gallery in Yorkton. Because of the large space available, a good number of artists took this unusual opportunity to show their stuff. Adjudicators were Timothy Long, head curator of the MacKenzie Art Gallery, and Bruce Anderson, collections manager of the MacKenzie Art Gallery. The winner of this art show was Crystal Thorburn, of Melville. Next year PRADO III will continue the success of this event in Melville.

Esterhazy Days saw EDAC providing support to the town and its merchants with a highly attended art show on June 26, 2010, held at Brian and Elaine Tochor's studio on Park Ave. It featured the work of PRADO winner Margaret Phillips and that of local artists Jocelyn Duchek, Collen Monahan, and Audrey Johnson, as well as the photographs of John Wilson.

A real winner with participants was the outdoor photography class held on Sept. 18, 2010, and instructed by photojournalist Helen Solmes. With people clamoring for more, we hope to arrange one or more follow-up classes in 2011.

Something a little different will be held in Esterhazy on Nov. 14-15, 2010. Plains of Abstraction, a mobile show offered by the Organization of Saskatchewan Arts Councils and presented by EDAC will be featured at the Golden Jets building on Main St. This introduction to abstract art will be accom-panied by notes and comments by the facilitators.

In 2011, we plan to repeat these successes. And we will…with your help.