The Manitoba Arts Network (MAN) is a non-profit, charitable arts promotion organization dedicated to advancing and showcasing arts and culture throughout Manitoba.
Its mandate is to create opportunities for all Manitobans to experience and participate in arts and cultural activities; promote visual, performing and literary art and artists through touring programs; provide professional development for artists and arts organizations; and develop and support a strong network of Manitoba arts organizations.
Each year, in October, MAN produces a conference experience to serve this mandate, called Manitoba Showcase. It moves around the province and this year will be in Flin Flon.
Beginning at 8 am on Thursday, Oct. 22, the first of two charter buses leaves Winnipeg for stops in the Central, Westman and Parklands regions of Manitoba to travel up Highway 10 to Flin Flon.
The second bus will travel on Highway 6, through the Interlake, taking the more direct route to the magnificent north. When they arrive, the fun begins.
Thursday evening kicks off with an opening and artist’s talk at NorVA, showing some of the artwork available for touring the province this year.
Mark Kolt will be on hand to provide the musical entertainment for all of our guests from afar. Those of you who have heard Mark play to the art at NorVA already know they will be crying (or maybe that’s just me!).
Friday, Oct. 23 will begin the conference aspect of the Manitoba Showcase.
There are workshops throughout the day on everything you need to know to grow an arts organization. There will be a storytellers’ platform, time to pick the brain of an artist and a northern artists’ panel discussion featuring Rhonda Head (Alto from Opaskwayak Cree Nation), Theresa Wride (traditional caribou tufter from Flin Flon), Irvin Head (sculptor from Cranberry Portage and Jaysn Lucas (painter from Thompson).
At 4:30 pm the bus will take participants to Bakers Narrows for dinner and a Manitoba Music presentation of emerging artists. Then it’s back to the RH Channing Auditorium for the first of three juried artists’ showcases.
These performances are really the centrepieces of the Manitoba Showcase. Performing artists of every stripe, from classical to folk roots to rap music, can apply from anywhere in the world, though they have to get here so the acts are mainly Canadian.
This year performances will be very diverse, from “Duo Fortin Poirier,” classical piano duo from Quebec to a circus!
On Friday evening, Saturday afternoon and Saturday evening, five of these acts will perform onstage. There are tickets already available on-line at MAN www.manitoba
artsnework.ca.
They are $10 each in advance and will be $15 at the door. You can also purchase all three shows for $25, either online or at Northern Rainbow’s End in Flin Flon. This is a great opportunity to see some incredible talent.
On Saturday, Oct. 24 the morning offers more workshops.
There will be a dinner with Rhonda Head entertaining and the thought-provoking actress and former MP Tina Keeper providing the keynote address. In the evening, things head back to the Community Hall for the final Showcase.
The wind-up event for all three evenings is the late-night open-mic jam at The Unwinder. This has become a legendary experience at Manitoba Showcase as out-of-town performers mix it up with local talent over your drinks of choice. A very fun three days!
The Flin Flon Arts Council will attend the whole conference, but interested Flin Flon and area residents are very welcome. The conference, with workshops, Showcases and meals, is $200. Attending just the showcase galas is outlined above and the late evening jams are free (except for alcohol). Hope to see you there.
