Quesnel’s festival of performing arts will happen in 2021 - but what form it will take is still up in the air.
Newly minted president of the festival Jenny Brautigam said while the dance performances are somewhat ready to go, other programs like speeches and music are still up in the air.
Brautigam has been on the festival’s board for three years, but only stepped into the president role in October, after shadowing former president Barb Scharf.
“Dance right now is our main focus,” Brautigam said. “Their deadline was at the end of December, and we’re actually full, which is pretty cool. It’ll either all be virtual for dance, or everything will be virtual except soloists if that’s allowed.”
Like many, the festival was waiting for Dr. Bonnie Henry to give an update on gathering rules on Jan. 8.
“We don’t even know if there is going to be provincials,” Brautigam said. “We’re still going to provide for other disciplines as well.”
Other disciplines, like speeches, piano, and vocalists can be scheduled for later in the year, leaving the festival waiting for new provincial rules to clarify what the festival can look like.
The provincial festival is scheduled for early June and hasn’t yet been cancelled, but there will be a meeting later in January to determine its fate.
In the meantime, the festival put funds towards Dance Comp Genie, an online dance competition platform, to ensure competitions and performances can be shared no matter the COVID-19 restrictions. The festival received funds from Quesnel Rotary and the Quesnel Arts Council to purchase the competition program.
Brautigam praised the work of the board’s dance directors, Marcy McKay and Vicky Predan, for making sign-up and online registration go smoothly. She’s hoping to find more board members able to fill empty roles.
“We’re really short people,” she said. “We really need more parents, or people who want to get involved to volunteer their time. It’s not a whole bunch of time.”
Anyone interested in volunteering can contact Brautigam at 250-316-2067.
FROM THE ARCHIVES: The Quesnel Festival of the Performing Arts showcased many talented locals
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