The award is worth $100,000 but a unique provision calls on the winner to give $25,000 of that total to a deserving protege. Collier selected Vancouver up-and-comer Anita Rochon as that lucky recipient.

“In choosing Kim Collier as the winner of the 2010 Siminovitch Prize,” says jury chair Maureen Labonté, “the jury wanted to recognize Kim’s leadership and spirit of innovation in the theatre world. As a director, she encourages artistic risk and excellence, is a believer in the power of community and is an impressive mentor for emerging artists.”

See also:Vancouver’s Kim Collier wins Siminovitch prize (CBC)
See also: Winning top theatre award in Canada monumental feat for Vancouver Director

The three graphic artists won The Vancouver Sun-Gang Task Force Teens Against Gangs poster contest earlier this year. And TransLink joined in to help get the message out about the dangers of gang life.

“Gang life impacts teens, families and communities,” TransLink vice-president Doug Kelsey said. “Our Transit Police and SkyTrain team work closely with other enforcement agencies every day to keep our transit system and communities safe — and we are committed to being part of this conversation as a strong enforcement partner and a responsible corporate citizen.”

“We want people to feel like they’ve come to a place where there’s a lot going on,” Fazio told the Straight. “I don’t think there’s enough of that in Vancouver.”

Goatley, who is widely regarded as one of North America’s leading portrait painters, was born in London, England, and trained at London’s Camberwell School of Art before settling with his family in Victoria, BC, in 1992. For the past 18 years, he has travelled the globe fulfilling more than 300 commissions.

Some of Goatley’s most notable portraits are of artists Robert Bateman and Ted Harrison, folk music legend Valdy, the internationally acclaimed tenor Richard Margison, Speaker of Parliament Gilbert Parent and Prime Minister Kim Campbell. Goatley’s work can also be found in corporate offices, private homes, galleries, churches and public landmarks, including the Chemainus Post Office’s mural ‘Letters from the Front’ in Canada’s world-famous Mural Town.

Blanket Contemporary Art is opening its new space on the second floor of the multi-level nightclub, which takes its name from its address: 560 Seymour Street.

Next month, the visual arts additions to the site will be completed with the formal opening of Satellite Gallery, an art space operated by three public galleries on the same floor next to Blanket.

The move to downtown Vancouver and into Vince Alvaro’s nightclub complex fits in perfectly with Blanket’s approach to marketing art, said gallery co-owner Sarah Macaulay.

As a young city, Vancouver doesn’t yet have a long history of art collecting by a well-established network of individuals, corporations and law firms of the kind usually found in Eastern Canadian and U.S. cities. What Vancouver has, Macaulay said, is a growing core of new collectors — plus lots of potential and opportunity.

In fact, the Question’s contributions have been so great that the Whistler Arts Council and Whistler Chamber of Commerce have decided to recognize the company’s efforts with the seventh annual Whistler Business and the Arts Award, which honours a local business or individual business leader for making a significant impact on Whistler’s arts and cultural community.

The map was a joint effort by the two artists, and the project was the first time they had collaborated on an artistic piece.

The cultural-type businesses grew from 58 in 2000 to 174 this year, according to data from the city’s economic development office. Within this sector, the bulk of the growth was among both recreation groups and independent artists.

The administrative and support services sector has the next significant growth rate at 47%, followed by the construction sector at 37%.

With such a large increase in cultural businesses, Nanaimo will attract more entrepreneurs who want to relocate to cities with a high standard of living, according to experts, who have been promoting the city abroad for years.

“You’re not just creative in one area,” Bob Rennie said.

From his desk in the Wing Sang building on Pender, Rennie turned and looked towards the small window that opened into the studio where Texas artist Richard Jackson, stood on a raised platform lost in the creative process.  Rennie got up and went to the window.

The tall, slender Jackson worked beyond the wall and Rennie, a trim, young-looking 53 year old, observed his process with obvious pride and a look of delight that bordered on joyous.  The city’s most successful condo marketer peered down into the gorgeous gallery/studio that he had chosen to pour his wealth into. It was a controversial choice that emerged inevitably it would seem as a result of Rennie’s resources, his collection and his sense that Vancouver Art Gallery was failing to challenge the city either intellectually and artistically.  Perhaps, he thought, he could make a better gallery that would showcase the kinds of artists VAG seemed too staid  to include.

The work by Capilano University fine arts student Emily Zimmerman is being readied for its official unveiling on Wednesday, Aug. 11 at 10:30 a.m.

Located on the back laneway side of the building on the southeast corner of Willingdon Avenue and Hastings Street, the work depicts a biplane-flying dog chasing a flock of squawking Canada geese.

“I wanted something that would attract children as well as adults, and that just looks really happy and sort of cheers up the neighbourhood,” said Zimmerman, 21.

The flying canine depicted is actually a rendition of her boyfriend’s dog, included as a joke to him, she said with a laugh.

The hotels have also booked local blues acts to play in their entertainment venues during Burnaby Blues Week leading up to the festival, which is on Saturday, Aug. 14.

The new Delta Burnaby Hotel has turned over 20 comped room nights for the festival to the City of Burnaby, according to Matthew Ballesty, the executive general manager of the Grand Villa Casino.

The casino includes the Delta Burnaby Hotel, and the Scala Lounge and Ebo Restaurant, where British Columbian blues musicians will play in advance of the festival.

“We’re trying our best to be as involved as possible,” Ballesty said.

It will be erected as part of the Downtown Business Association’s (PDBA) public art program.

Council approved the location and committed $15,000 for the installation of the metal sculpture.

That was always the PDBA’s preferred location, where they hope it will provide the most visual impact and hopefully help draw more people into the downtown core.

This funky oasis reads artsy as well as Birkenstock Nation-y, with its squeaky wooden floors and comfy mismatched furniture. Did it lose its way en route to Main Street or Commercial Drive, maybe?

Proprietor Steve Merkley says being out of place is precisely the point, just like when he ran a yoga studio in the same neighbourhood. He and partner Paige Farachi planned it that way.

“We had a vision for this,” he says. “This” is a tapas and wine bar, plus an atelier-like space where non-artists can listen to music and paint with materials provided, or sign up for a painting class, or ask the artist-in-residence for painting tips.

“In a way, we’re all artists and love to create. Community and building relationships is a big focus for us,” Merkley says.

The event was designed to introduce both artists and businesses in New Westminster to each other. The objective of the arts council is to have these businesses think of local artists and their work when decorating their lobbies and office environments. The invitation-only event was a part of the arts council’s fundraising Arts Rental & Purchasing Program.

In just two hours, one painting by Angie Au Hemphill was sold and numerous others where tagged with a red dot indicating they had been rented. In addition, the arts council attracted several new Corporate members.

Under current bylaws, buskers have to stop playing at 10 p.m. PT, and they can’t use equipment to amplify their sound.

Charles Gauthier, executive director of the association, says street performers made the downtown a vibrant scene during the Olympics, and that should be encouraged.

“I think it’s about embracing arts and culture,” he said. “It’s what makes urban environments exciting.” Gauthier is lobbying City Hall for changes to the bylaws.