Tie ast year I went to the Nova Scotia College of Art and Design to attend a conference and also to meet the Chairman of their Foundation program to find out how they set up their structure and infra- structure, hoping to learn. (See Planet of the Arts Vol. #3, #3). [have just recently returned from trips to the two other sibling art institutions in Canada, the Alberta College of art in Calgary and the Ontario College of Art in Toronto. It is always educational to go to other places, places which seem to have the same concems (especially with respect to art education) and see how they do what we do. On returning from ACA (which I visited first) I felt frustrated and felt like kick- ing someone: perhaps the Administration, perhaps the Faculty, but especially the Provincial Government here. ACA seems to have so much more than we do. Their facilities are twice the size of ours for an equal number of full-time students. Their funding is much greater than ours, their tuition fees are somewhat lower, their student society is more active, their building is accessible 24 hours a day. These are all things I think we'd like to see here. They also have some things that we might fear: their administration is about twice the size of ours (including support staff), their instructor’s con- , tracts are more stringent: than ours, perhaps because of their recent split from SAIT)(Southern Alberta Institute of Technology); and they must endure the Prairie winter and the hope and sadness of the Chinooks. While I think their teach- ing loads will eventu- ally change to match ours, there is nothing that can be done about an Alberta winter. The other fear, that of the size of the Administra- tion, I feel is unfounded. Being there and seeing what can be done for the students and the College as a whole made me en- vious. Our own College is understaffed, albeit with loyal and caring people doing much more every day than they should, because they be- lieve in this place. We always ask for more. And they give. I was also surprised by the expec- tations made of the Foundation stu- dents who spend an average of thirty VOL.4NO.6 1989 cal assistants. Calgary’s community, the College, etc. feels open and warm. Students, artists, instructors, Administrators, and galleries seem to be mutually caring hours a week in class (compared to 15 at ECCAD), and instructors who work without the aid of Studio and Techni- and supportive. It just might be those winters, or perhaps, the magic of the landscape and the Prairie summer, or maybe just simple com- mon interest, common purpose and trust. Still, Iwas very happy to get back, escaping on the last plane of the day during a blizzard. De- spite our immediate prob- lems, we have a better school and the potential to become one of the great schools. From whatI saw of student work there, I know that our student work is better. This can only happen because of the students we have and what we as a College do with them. We all must “ bedoing something right. That only leaves me with the Pro- vincial Government to kick, for their. comparative lack of appropriate fund- ing. OCA, on the other hand, was a by JOHN WERTSCHEK behemoth, making the number of meetings I have to attend and our ac- complishments seem wonderful by comparison. In spite of some silly politics, we actually are able to discuss and resolve issues with people (stu- dents, staff, faculty, administration) who care about the whole College. OCA seems tired, confused and fac- tioned, messy and unsure. Their size, about 1300 students (with 360 in first year) creates a different approach in dealing with creative individuals. It’s not working. In com- parison to both Col- leges, we are over. worked, un- derstaffed, un‘d*é'r=- funded, overenrolled and under- spaced. However, we're leaner, and I believe we are committed to a common pur- pose. The plane from Toronto landed at about 9 p.m., and had promised Naomi I would drop in on the Evening of Can- dlelight Angst. I thought I would go to lend moral support, thinking only a few people would show up. When I walked into the College just after ten and saw over ahundred and fifty people, watching others reading poetry, play- ing instruments doing performances, and enjoying the night, I was glad I had comehome. I think I smiled for the rest of that week. ny le a by NAOMI SINGER MuSiC AND ACCORDIANS HIMA 3 tr ! 8 NCOURSE GALLERY | NAKA First came an Evening of classical piano of Chopin, and the Candlelight Angst. Then, mysteries of more classical piano mene c an Evening of Lyrical un-Ravelled in a Blue Pavanne; AN EVENIWS OF 5 Decadence. These events hazy purple electric guitar; Latin > a all | 6 Le = took place in the magically eae Rees Ao guitar; CANDLELIGHT ANeST 3 transformed Concourse country verses with acoustic < = Gallery, suddenly a _ Beat _ guitar; assorted eccentric guitars; 5 coffee house complete with and a sordid collection of candles and caffeine and the egocentric guitars; poems and POETRY ambient echo of rapidly ditties and unrhymed rants; MUSIC We snapping fingers. rootin’, hootin', and shmootin'; PER FRANCE s A profusion of lush floral arrangements infused with the warmth of candles and the heady smell of coffee and sweet things to subtly stimulate the senses. Several hundred people gather. The stage is set. An Evening of Candlelight Angst: poetry of passion from deep within Night's Pavilion; piano and voice and _ guitar renditions from the touchingly classic to the sleek atmospheric slickness of lounging lizards; the romance. of ambient angsty accordions; real true live angst leaping from the stage in a fury of emotion; a debutante on the Eve of Destruction; and the actual ghost of Roy Orbison. descending and an Elemental Fashion Tango in which three vaguely Vogue models flaunt along the length of an accordion tango, almost wearing outfits made entirely of hair, of vegetable matter, of metal. And of course, the amazing spectacle of the 96-year old Miracle Nun (as profiled in the National Enquirer), expanding and rising to three times her normal body size as her angelic host, the former choir-boy and used-car salesman, preached on. A-mazing. We sang, we danced; we laughed, we cried; we drank too much coffee. And we want to do it again. Will there be another Evening before the semester is out? It NiESPN [PEPRUARS 22 (THERE WiLL Be CAFFEINE INVOLVED) from the ceiling of the Concourse would be insane to try it. But GG AT ANYONE INTERESTED IN PERFORMING PLEASE LEAVE in a blue halo of spotlit glory. then, it was an’ insane idea in the CAL: A WRITFEN PROPOSAL AT THE 42 OFFICE BY MARCHZ6 An Evening of Lyrical first place. (ae Decadence: the unrivalled Watch for posters. (there uilbe coffeine involved ast year I went tothe [Nova Scotia College of Art and Design to attend a conference and also to meet the Chairman of thelr Foundation program tofindouthow they et up thelr structure and inf structure, hoping to learn. (See Planet ofthe Arts Vol. WS, #3). Thave Just recently returned from trips to the two ther sibling art institutions InCanada,the Alberta Collegeofart {in Calgary and the Ontario Collegeof Artin Toronto. It is always educational to go to other places, places which sem tohave the same cconcems (especially with respect to art education) and sechow they do what we do, (On retuming from ACA (which T visited frst) T felt frustrated and felt like kick ‘more than we do. hei facilites are twice the size of ours for an equal ‘number of fll-time students. Their fndingismuch greaterthanours, their tuition fee are somewhat lower, their student society is more active, their building is accessible 24 hours a day ‘These ar all things think we'd ike to sechere. ‘They also have some things that we might fear: their administration is shout wice the sizeof ours Gineluding support staff), thei instructor's con- ‘wacts are mote stringent than ours, perhaps because oftheir recent split fromSAITXSouthern Alberalnstiute hours a weck in clas (compared o 15 and supportive. It jut might be those fof Technology); andtheymustendure at ECCAD),andinstrucors who work winter, or pechap, the magic of the the Prairie winter and the hope and without the aid of Studio and Techni- landscape and the Prarie summer, or sadnessoftheChinooks, Whilelthinktheirtesch. ing loads will eventu- ally change 10 match fours, there is nothing that ean be done about an Alberta winter. The other fear, that of the size ofthe Administra. tion, Ifelisunfounded, ‘maybe just simple com- ‘mon interest, common ‘purpose and wast. ‘Sal, [was veryhappy to get back, escaping on. the last plane of the day during a blizzard. De- spiteourimmediateprob- Jems, we have a beter school and the potential Being there and seeing tobecomecneofthe great what canbe done forthe schools. Fromwhatlsaw students andthe College of student work there, I asawholemsdemeen- now that our stadent vious. OurownCollege ‘work is better. This can is understaffed, albeit conly happen because of with loyal and caring the students we have and oople doing muchmore ‘what we asa College do every day than they shoul, becasetheybe- Hive in his place. We always ask for cal assistants. with them. We all must De doing something ight. ‘That only leaves me withthe Pro- more. And they give. (Calgary'scommunity,theCollege, _vincial Goverment to kick, for their Twas also surprised by the expec- et. feels open and warm. Students, comparative lack of sppropritefund- tations made of the Foundation stu- artist, instructors, Administrators, and ing, dents who spend an average of thirty galleries soem to be mutually csring OCA, on the other hand, was a by JOHN WERTSCHEK behemoth, making the number of rmectings Ihave to atend and our ac- compliments seem wonderful by comparison. In spite of some silly politics, we actually areabletodiscuss snd resolve isrues with people (sti- dents, staff, faculty, administration) who eare about the whole College OCA seems tired, confused and fac Sioned, messy and unsure. Their size, bout 1300 students (with 360 in first year) creates a different approach in ‘Sealing with creative individuals. 1's notworking. Tn com- parison 10 both Col- leges, weare worked, un- derstaffed, under- funded, overenvoled and under- spaced. However, we'eleaner, and believe we are commited to & common pur- pose. ‘The plane from Toronto landed at about9 pam, andThad promised Naomi would dropinon the Evening of Can-