Estevan has a wealth of cultural programs, with activities available for people of all ages.
But the Estevan Arts Council (EAC) sees a need for something more for those between the ages of 13 and 29, and so they are bringing the Spark initiative to the city.
Spark is an effort of the Organization of Saskatchewan Arts Councils (OSAC) that has been brought to other communities in the province. Its mandate is to have young people engaging other youths in the arts through special events.
The local co-ordinators 鈥� EAC board members Victoria Utman and Mark Veneziano 鈥� are in their 20s. Not only are Spark co-ordinators to be under the age of 30, but once the local committee is formed, the committee members will be between 13 and 29 years of age.
鈥淚t鈥檚 not strictly a concert series, although our first Spark activities are going to be concerts, just because our mentor (EAC board member) Wilma Mantei, that鈥檚 what she specializes in,鈥� said Utman.
Mantei runs the Stars for Saskatchewan series in Estevan, which brings a variety of concerts and cultural performances to the Energy City. Those concerts are geared towards adults.
The EAC also boasts the Koncerts for Kids series, which offers concerts for younger children.
So it鈥檚 natural there would be an emphasis on concerts with Spark, but it won鈥檛 stop with music.
鈥淲e鈥檙e looking to develop it into featuring all sorts of different arts and culture activities and events,鈥� said Veneziano.
Their first event will be on May 26, when they will bring in Saskatoon musician Rachel Elizabeth for a show at the Estevan Art Gallery and Museum, which is a partner for the event.
鈥淭hat鈥檚 one of the things that Mark and I agreed on is we really want to support local Saskatchewan talent, so we鈥檙e going to be trying to bring in a lot of youth-targeted shows and young shows from Saskatchewan,鈥� said Utman.
Local garage bands, dance groups and others would be welcome to perform through Spark, they said.
Utman and Veneziano hope to bring some workshops to Estevan, particularly during the summer months. Summer programming would give the EAC a greater year-round presence, since most of their activities occur from September to May.
鈥淏ecause high school students are off of school, and university students come back, the idea is we really think we should be offering lots in the summer,鈥� said Utman.
The EAC is onside with their suggestion, Veneziano said.
鈥淲e don鈥檛 want to be competing with how busy youth are during the school year,鈥� added Utman.
They鈥檒l start reaching out next month to youth organizations, as well as the Estevan Comprehensive School and the 麻豆传媒AVeast College, to promote Spark and find out what young people want. They want to meet with the college so they can have events interesting to people in their 20s.
Spark events will also be an opportunity to promote other events for the EAC, such as Stars for Saskatchewan concerts, visual arts activities and the Energy City Film Circuit.
鈥淪ometimes, depending on the movie the film circuit (is showing), it could be something that youth are really interested in,鈥� said Veneziano.
Since Spark is a new initiative for the province, Utman said it is still growing, and so the local committee is receiving a lot of autonomy for their events.
鈥淢ark and I have dreamed up what we envision the program looking like in the future, and we鈥檙e not restricted because of a set framework or structure or history,鈥� said Utman.
The EAC has received a grant from OSAC for Spark for this season and the 2017-18 season.
When they filed their grant application, Utman and Veneziano chronicled the arts and cultural services in the community, with the EAC, the Estevan Public Library, the Souris Valley Museum, the Estevan Art Gallery and Museum, 麻豆传媒AVeast Newcomer Services, the Souris Valley Theatre, the Drewitz School of Dance and more, and how they can complement those services.
鈥淭here are so many organizations who function in arts and culture in Estevan, and there is stuff for youth to do, and there is stuff for teenagers to do, with school,鈥� said Veneziano.
Utman works at the library and Veneziano is employed at the Souris Valley Museum, and both organizations have teen activities.
鈥淏ut there鈥檚 no unified place for them to go, so what we want to do with the Spark events is hit up the multiple interests that these artistic or community-minded youth might be interested in,鈥� said Utman.
鈥淲e want to act like a bridge to make sure that everyone is aware of other events that are happening for youth as well, so that they鈥檙e aware of all the different programs as well,鈥� said Veneziano.
Spark also wants to give the youth a voice in planning and executing events, since many events for teens and young adults are planned by people over the age of 30.
鈥淚t gives them the opportunity to plan events that they would want to attend as well,鈥� said Veneziano. 鈥淲ith all sorts of programming, it鈥檚 something that organizations strive towards is trying to get youth engagement, but just because you create something doesn鈥檛 mean they necessarily will come.鈥�
They noted that it was the Stars for Saskatchewan committee that really pushed for Spark to come to Estevan, and they鈥檙e thrilled to have Mantei on board as a mentor for the committee.
鈥淲e鈥檙e both very new to the community, so we would like to have people who grew up in the area, who have been in Estevan (give us ideas),鈥� said Veneziano.
Anyone who wants to be part of Spark, or who has ideas for events, can contact the EAC office at 306-634-3942.聽
