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A&E column: Young artists wanted; comedy coming back to Lake Cowichan

Check out the latest in arts and entertainment in the Cowichan Valley
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Dave Nystrom headlines the Big Beast Stand-up Comedy tour when it heads to Lake Cowichan Jan. 28, 2023. (Submitted photo)

The Cowichan Valley Arts Council is asking for young artists aged 13 to 21 to register for the annual youth art show In My Head, which will run at the CVAC art gallery March 3 to April 1.

The theme this year is mental health — “dreams, emotions and wild imagining”, as CVAC asks the question, “what goes on in the minds of young people?’

Up to 40 young artists will have their works hung in the gallery at the Cowichan Community Centre, and they will be eligible to win one of 10 prizes. Students will also have the chance to meet with a professional artist for advice.

Participation is free. The deadline for registration is Feb. 21. Register online at cowichanvalleyartscouncil.ca.

CVAC has also come up with another challenge related to the show. The group would like to see English and drama teachers book class visits during the show and use the gallery space to respond and react to the art using theatre or literary means. Students who visit will be eligible to win a pair of tickets to see famed spoken word poet Shane Koyczan, when he comes to the Cowichan Performing Arts Centre on April 6.

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Big Beast Stand-up Comedy really likes it at Lake Cowichan!

They are headed back for another show at the River Side Inn on Jan. 28 at 8 p.m.

“Dave Nystrom is a tall drink of funny and the headliner for this installment of the Big Beast Comedy Tour on Vancouver Island. Dave has appeared at the illustrious HBO Comedy Arts Festival in Aspen, on Comedy Central’s Live at Gotham, and had his own Comedy Now special on the Comedy Network. He’s performs all over the world in an effort to evade his four children,” reads the show’s description.

He will be backed by Ty Lemmon.

Tickets to the show are $26.74. Get them online at Eventbrite.

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The provincial government has announced a number of grants and scholarships won by people in the Nanaimo and North Cowichan arts scene.

Grant recipients are Charles Hartnell ($6,000), Shae Jones $6,000), Zara Peredis ($6,000), Nadia Sertic ($6,000) and Shaemus Swets ($6,000).

“Arts add soul to communities across B.C., including ours,” said Doug Routley, MLA for Nanaimo-North Cowichan. “We’re supporting an inclusive and equitable local arts scene through these scholarships and grants.”

The BC Arts Council is working to build a more diverse and equitable funding structure to support the arts and culture community, said a press release for the grants. Priority was given to equity-deserving organizations and artists as well as to communities outside of the capital region and Greater Vancouver.

This funding includes scholarships, project assistance for performing artists and professional organizations, and arts-based community development.