Don’t count out the Youth Arts Council. While the group may have lost some key members recently, there are plans underway for the council’s second-ever performance.
Last year, the Youth Arts Council’s first year of operation, the group consisted of up to five youths at any given time.
Pearl Tippett is one of the members still with the council.
Three members – Lalain Bashir, Mikylo Odut and Naomi Rempel – are no longer with the group, said Tippett, leaving the remaining members to rebuild almost from scratch.
She said there are currently four members – herself, Kevin Sattelberger and Flin Flon Arts Council members Crystal Kolt and Mike Spencer.
Last year, the Youth Arts Council organized its first show, bringing Yukon-based group Speed Control to Johnny’s Social Club for an all-ages performance that included some musicians from Hapnot Collegiate. Funding for the show came from an arts grant received and facilitated by the Youth Arts Council.
Now, Tippett said the group is considering something new – plans are in the works between the Youth Arts Council and the Deaf Crows Collective, a Regina-based group that prepares events and art for people who are deaf or hard of hearing.
Tippett said the inspiration for the new idea came from her sister, Willow, who volunteers with Deaf Crows and works with Saskatchewan youth who are deaf or hard of hearing (HOH).
“There is a real lack of options for deaf and HOH people in the community, and I thought it would be a great way to raise a little awareness,” Tippett said.
“I will be working as hard as possible to make that come about.”
Details of the show are still under development, but Tippett said the plan is for a handful of the Deaf Crows’ 18 members to come to Flin Flon for a performance and dinner theatre.
“I’ve been pushing for them to come down since the last show,” said Tippett.
“It’s not completely solidified, as we spent quite a bit of the grant on the last band, but ideally we would have three to five people from the group come up and perform a show.”
