The Bulkley Valley Concert Association (BVCA) Artistic Director is taking a year of artistic leave.
Miriam Colvin has been with the BVCA for 14 years.
“I first got involved with the BVCA Board of Directors in 2008 because I was interested in bringing professional and contemporary dance to the Smithers stage,” she said. “BVCA hadn’t had any dance since 2001. Five years ago, BVCA transitioned from strictly a working board (running aspects of our programming as volunteers). I was hired as Artistic Director, on a part-time contract.”
She is taking a year off to work on a new project with her artistic creation company Myriad Dance Projects.
“My work with BVCA has been full of reciprocal learning,” she said. “Over the years, BVCA has given me the opportunity to develop deep relationships with touring artists and local artists. I love building programming that is both on our stage and in the community.
“I am passionate about making sure that many local communities feel reflected our work. Recent learning with Wet’suwet’en artists, LGBTQS2+ artists, emerging artists and youth artists have inspired the way I think about designing projects. I bring many of these relationships with me into The River project.”
Along with core artistic collaborators, both local and from the Lower Mainland, Colvin will be presenting The River this summer - “a run-of-river, on-raft exploration of our collective relationship to the Wedzin Kwah (Bulkley River).
“I am now collaborating with Wet’suwet’en artist Molly Wickham, Vancouver-based artists Tara Cheyenne Friedenberg and Caroline Liffmann, and other local artists to create a powerful and beautiful journey on the Wedzinkwah River. The guests will join us on professionally guided rafts,” she explained.
“The select audience will float down the river, witnessing dance, drumming and other interactive performances. We are also making a film of the process and creation, so we can share The River with a wider audience. It is a complex and wonderful project that requires my full attention in 2023.”
For audiences not ready for a rafting adventure, she is also producing a documentary film, to be released in 2024.
BVCA said they are supportive of her leave and are currently hiring a general manager to maintain their current programming.
“Our first ever paid artistic director, Miriam Colvin has expanded the BVCA into a fully professional arts presenting organization,” said board president Shannon Finnegan in a press release.
“Miriam has broadened our programming, expanding the way we engage with arts in our community on and off stage. We are delighted to return the favor by supporting her own artistic development as she takes on this important and timely project. As part of our expansion, we are now ready to take on a paid, part-time, contract general manager - a position that we plan on continuing upon Miriam’s return in 2024.
“We know there are really talented leaders in this community. We are excited to bring someone on board who can continue to grow and strengthen the BVCA.”
Colvin said she is planning on returning to the BVCA next year.
“I feel connected to the amazing BVCA team and I am excited about working with the organization as we continue to expand in new artistic directions,” Colvin said.
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