Sunday June 2, from 7-9 pm, admission by donation (suggested $10). Artword Artbar hosts its annual fundraising soiree in support of Guitar Hamilton’s International Guitar Festival, coming to the Hamilton conservatory of the Arts July 12 to 14, 2013. Hostess is Emma Rush, Guitar Hamilton Artistic Director. The entertainment includes a program of classical music featuring Emma Rush, Azuline Duo, Wires and Pipes (flute and cello), Ethan Lacey (piano) and more. There will be prizes, raffles, and a chance to win gift certificates, concert tickets, and a Festival pass! http://guitarhamilton.com/festival.html
Event, Music-Classical, Special event
In the Gallery, month of May 2013, The Blues in Black and White, an exhibition of archival photographs by Robert Allison from the glory days of Albert’s Hall, the premier venue in the late 80s for blues musicians passing through Toronto.
Robert wrote in 1989: “I began photographing each act that came to the bar. On Monday I’d shoot, and by Friday I’d have prints to be signed. 
It gave me a goal, it gave me a purpose for shooting, but most of all it gave me satisfaction – something that I was interested in and something that I could feel. The management gave me a private gallery, and the bar gave me a captive audience. Thematically I was capturing history in the making. That’s what this collection is. It’s a history of a bar that I’ve worked in for five years, and it’s a history of the musicians that have played there.” (photo top left James Cotton, left lower Paul Butterfield, right Jimmy Reed) Read more…
Artword Gallery, Event, Special event
Wednesday May 8, doors open at 6:30, panel and discussion from 7-9 pm. Free. Light snacks provided, cash bar. In soli? -Part 2: A panel, discussion, and social event about the tensions of being “in solidarity”. The Political Action Committee of CUPE 3906 warmly invites you to a panel and discussion to explore various tensions we face when claiming to be ‘in solidarity’ with others. As a key catch-phrase for activists within and beyond organized labour, ‘in solidarity’ is often taken as a self-evident and non-contentious statement. However, many also recognized the need to challenge these presumptions about being ‘in solidarity’ and to critically interrogate this phrase and what it means practically for the work we can (and cannot) do.
Click here to download sound file from May 8, 2013.
Read more…
Event, Special event
Tuesday May 7 at 7:30 pm. Book launch of “Jack Layton: Art in Action”, edited by Penn Kemp (300 pages) Quattro Press. The book has over 100 contributors, each telling surprising stories and anecdotes about Jack and the arts. The launch includes readings by poet Penn Kemp, writer Patricia Bradbury, and others. Special guest: songstress extraordinaire Nancy White.
Reviews: “Read this beautiful book about Jack’s passion for the arts. He loved to make music, dance and he was happiest when he led massive sing-alongs. I hope Jack’s story will inspire you to live your life based on love, hope and optimism.” Olivia Chow, NDP MP Trinity Spadina, Toronto
“If you want a better Canada; if you want to know what Canada can be, then you need to allow yourself to be inspired by Jack Layton. And this superb, engaging book is the place to start.” Tim Flannery (The Weather Makers, chairman of the Copenhagen Climate Council)
Event, Literary, Spoken Word, Special event
Wednesday April 17, from 6 pm to 9 pm approx (doors open at 5:30 pm). Conserver Society of Hamilton Annual General Meeting. www.conserversociety.ca
Event, News, Special event
Saturday April 6, from 2 to 4:30 pm. Vocal guidance from a SOUL perspective. This is an all ages Vocal Workshop for those that have a passion for singing and want to work at strengthening their own vocal abilities and stage performance. Workshop led by vocalist and recording artist Queen Cee. Registration Fee $40. Spots limited. Register by contacting Queen Cee: sistahsgettogether@gmail.com
Event, Music, Special event
Monday March 18 at 7 pm, at Artword Artbar 15 Colbourne St. The Hamilton Fringe Theatre Festival Annual General Meeting. Anyone who is a Fringe member can attend, vote, and socialize.
Event, Special event
Sunday February 24 at 7:30 pm, $15.
David Essig and Mark McNeil return to the Artbar for an evening of roots-inspired songwriting at its best. David Essig, a Hamiltonian for several years who now lives in B.C, is one of Canada’s finest roots music performers — a spellbinding live performer with songs as contemporary as today’s news that still sound like they were rediscovered from old country blues ’78s. Mark McNeil is an Artword favourite and one of Hamilton’s most inventive singer-songwriters. He has four albums to his credit including his most recent Shiny Things and Other Distractions and recently composed and performed the songs for Artword Theatre’s new play James Street. Read more…
Event, Music, Special event
Thursday, February 21, 2013 at 7:30 pm. A special concert by Tich Maredza, from Zimbabwe, playing a guitar-based fusion of Zimbabwean contemporary rhythms and Afro-Jazz music, powered by messages of inspiration, hope, love and awareness on issues affecting humanity. Tich is a passionate performer who plays acoustic guitar, drums, keyboards, mbira (nyunga nyunga), marimba, and many percussion instruments. The concert is part of the Roots en Route Festival. Tickets: $10 advance (at Artword Artbar, $15 door, $8 member of Matapa. www.matapa.ca
Event, Music, Special event
Thursday February 14 and Saturday February 16, at 7:30 pm. $10. Artword Theatre presents “Langston Hughes vs. Joe McCarthy”, a dramatic reading for Black History Month. With Jeremy Shand as Langston Hughes and Colina Phillips as the voice of the poems. Piano by Jennifer Lockman. Conceived and directed by Ronald Weihs.
On March 24, 1953, Langston Hughes, renowned poet of the Harlem Renaissance, was summoned before the McCarthy Committee investigating communist subversion in the USA. This dramatic reading interweaves some of his testimony with selected poems.
“Langston Hughes vs. Joe McCarthy” is the theatre component of the Roots en Route Festival for Black History Month at various venues in Hamilton.
Event, Special event, Theatre
Wednesday February 13, 7:30 pm, by donation (an all ages event). Social Pub Night, with live music and good conversation, hosted by the SAGE (scholastic artistic global education) school program run at Strathcona school. The program is designed to create a community among parents and children based on global value of openness and the arts. Parents in the program are required to volunteer within the school and community and to build relationships. Tonight’s social event is an opportunity to build on relationships among the parents and have a good time together; to build community awareness within the James Street North community and get the word out about SAGE; to raise money to be used within the SAGE program and SAGE events.
Event, Special event
Monday January 21 at 7 pm, free. Central Neighbourhood Association presents CODE RED, a neighbourhood discussion on the social determinants of health in Hamilton. Guest speaker: Steve Buist, investigative journalist, Hamilton Spectator Code Red Series.
Event, Special event
Tuesday January 15, 2013, from 5 pm. Green Drinks meets for an evening of lively eco-minded conversation and socializing.
Event, Special event
Saturday December 15, 3-5 pm at Artword Artbar 15, Colbourne St. Free event, donations to CNC Cuban Hurricane relief fund accepted. Light refreshments and cash bar. Hosted by Hamilton Friendship Association with Cuba.
The HFAC executive and Community Committee will be on hand to welcome our members and friends and to discuss on-going Cuba friendship work, including the recent and extremely successful People’s Tribunal to Free the 5, held in Toronto in September of this year. As well, the CC will announce the HFAC’s very exciting program for Black History Month, in February of 2013.
Donations will be accepted for the Canadian Network on Cuba’s Cuban Hurricane relief fund, launched in November, in the wake of the devastating hurricane Sandy.
Join the HFAC executive for some holiday cheer. For questions, please contact info@cubacanada,org.
Event, Special event
Friday December 14 (James North Art Crawl) from 7 to 10 pm
Saturday December 15 from 1 to 5 pm, at Artword Artbar, 15 Colbourne Street.
gritLIT, Hamilton’s Literary Festival, is proud to partner with the Artword Artbar for their second annual Holiday Book and Gift Sale, over two days!
Loads of new and almost new books at bargain prices, plus gift items, raffles, and more. www.gritlit.ca
Event, James North events, Literary, Spoken Word, Special event
Thursday December 13, from 7 pm. Artword Artbar is pleased to host this Books-to-Bars evening to highlight their December book donation drive. “Women Rising: A Books to Bars Fundraiser, celebrates women’s strength by uniting to support our imprisoned sisters. Imprisoned women in Canada lack access to education, resources, community and support. Please join us for an evening of women centered music, art and inspiration to raise awareness and much needed funds for all our sisters behind bars.”
What is Books-to-Bars? “Through community centred action, we work to assist in the struggle for learning and creativity of imprisoned people by collecting and delivering diverse supplies of reading material to jails and prisons in Ontario.” http://bookstobars.com/
Event, Literary, Spoken Word, Special event
Sunday June 2, from 7-9 pm, admission by donation (suggested $10). Artword Artbar hosts its annual fundraising soiree in support of Guitar Hamilton’s International Guitar Festival, coming to the Hamilton conservatory of the Arts July 12 to 14, 2013. Hostess is Emma Rush, Guitar Hamilton Artistic Director. The entertainment includes a program of classical music featuring Emma Rush, Azuline Duo, Wires and Pipes (flute and cello), Ethan Lacey (piano) and more. There will be prizes, raffles, and a chance to win gift certificates, concert tickets, and a Festival pass! http://guitarhamilton.com/festival.html
