March 2012 - Arts and Letters Club

Members’ DinnerThursday, March 15, 2012ART ATTACK!In a critical vote on January 17, City Council fully restoredarts grants to 2011 funding levels. The motion: “That CityCouncil reverse the reduction to the CPIP Budget Envelopeof $1.9 million for Arts and Culture Grants, the funds to bedrawn from additional assessment growth revenues.”Councillor Gary Crawford, leading the Mayor’s Arts TaskForce, provided critical behind-the-scenes support. Join us fora briefing on what’s at stake for the arts in Toronto, and whatwe can expect in the future.On StageLAMPSweek Stage PresentationAfterplay, by Brian Friel Friday, March 2In this tenderly written imagined meeting of Chekhov’sAndrey Prozorov (Three Sisters) and Sonya Serebriakova(Uncle Vanya), we fast forward some years from the originalplays. Andrey, the brother of those three sisters, wanders intoa Moscow café, where he finds Sonya, Uncle Vanya’s niece.Kay Montgomery most recently brought us a memorablereading of Edith Sitwell’s Façade. Since joining the Club in2003, Kay has appeared in several LAMPSweek productions, aswell as other stage events at the Club and also performsregularly at other GTA theatres. Versatile actor JohnIllingworth has taken major roles in over 100 productions withtheatre companies, in radio and on television, in such plays asThe Aspern Papers, Cat on a Hot Tin Roof and Incident at Vichy,in addition to several musicals. Since rejoining the Club in2004, John has appeared in many popular Club events.Do You Believe in Kids?If you do, read on!Gary CrawfordCouncillor, Ward 36, City of TorontoElected in 2010 as City Councillor for ScarboroughSouthwest, Gary Crawford brings a passion for the arts to hisnew role. He is a professional artist (landscape and portraitpainter) with a BFA in Fine Arts from York University. Garysits on a number of Boards, including the Toronto ArtsCouncil, St. Lawrence Centre for the Arts, Canadian Stage,Toronto Centre for the Arts, Scarborough Arts Council, andthe Robert McLaughlin Art Gallery. He is Chair of theMayor’s Task Force on the Arts and Theatres. As Trustee forthe Toronto District School Board from 2003–2010, Garywas instrumental in making the TDSB’s vast Fine Art,Artifact and Archival collection more accessible to students.Cash Bar 6:00 p.m. Dinner served at 7:00 p.m.(Members Only)Price $30, payable at time of reservation416-597-0223, ext. 2 (voicemail)6 March 2012On January 26, President Diane Kruger, Art Chair GaryStark and I were privileged to attend the Grand Opening ofthe Toronto Kiwanis Boys and Girls Club’s Miles and KellyNadal Youth Centre. Their Believe in Kids campaign hasraised $5.9 million of the $7 million goal to date. Thesefunds are being used to renovate and remodel the interior ofthe old church at 101 Spruce St. in the Cabbagetown-RegentPark area, which has been the meeting place for local boysand girls for more than eighty years.Thanks to the renovation, the interior now has a state-of-theartkitchen where children receive cooking and nutritionlessons, a painting studio for budding young artists, and awell-stocked library. There is a computer room, a gym, abasketball court, an after-school meeting area for teens, and amedia room—all made possible by generous donations fromindividuals and companies, and assistance by federal andprovincial infrastructure funding.Now what the boys and girls need are talented people, Arts& Letters Club Members who would be willing to assistwith the creative arts in their after school program. Their artsand crafts studio is particularly in need of volunteers to helpfacilitate visual arts programming. If you can offer your timeand talent to these young people, and help to guide them inthe arts, it would be greatly appreciated. If you would like tolearn more or volunteer please contact Jessica Lawlor,Program Director at the Kiwanis Boys and Girls Club at416-925-2243 ext. 24 or by email, jlawlor@believeinkids.caZora Buchanan