§ Interactive Tour: Art Gallery of Alberta / Art Gallery of Alberta opens
§ Partnership agreement makes science more accessible, helps transform science centre
§ Zinc promises an experience of ‘simple elegance’; Exhibit-based, small-plate menu will focus on local, sustainable ingredients
§ Confucius Institute features everything Chinese / Chinese language & culture library opens
§ Edmonton International Airport Welcomes the World to Canada’s West
§ Lunar New Year Extravaganza (February 6 & 7, 2010)
§ Dang Thai Son: Internationally-renowned pianist opens Alberta’s CHOPIN2010 celebrations! (February 11, 2010)
§ Be a star on our beautiful Steinway piano! (March 1, 2010)

Edmonton Tourism targets FRESH at meeting planners
Partnership initiative combines the best of visiting and meeting in Alberta’s capital

Edmonton Tourism unveiled a new initiative called FRESH at its 12th annual general meeting today. FRESH (backgrounder below) combines what guests are looking for in a location — great venues, attractions and events — with innovative environmental, social and economic programs. Edmonton Tourism created the initiative in partnership with the Shaw Conference Centre and leading hospitality organizations.

Some FRESH elements include a Green Meetings Guide for eco-tips which can be easily implemented into Edmonton conventions, events and personal visits, and an eco report card to help track the success of green meetings in Edmonton.

Event planners can also choose menus featuring foods grown on Alberta farms and reduce food wastage through a food recovery program that donates leftovers to Edmonton’s Food Bank. Edmonton Festival City in a Box can help planners to invite performers from one of the city’s famous festivals to entertain guests.

“FRESH is an exciting initiative created in partnership with tourism industry partners. I invite the city and region’s tourism and hospitality industry to take part in the greening of our industry and make the Capital Region the destination of choice for conference and event planners,” said Ken Fiske, Vice-President of Economic and Tourism Development at Edmonton Economic Development Corporation.

Edmonton Tourism’s meeting included a keynote address from Councillor Don Iveson. Breakout sessions updated the tourism industry with upcoming initiatives and events — covering such topics as major events in 2010, Approved Destination Status with China, the Edmonton Regional Tourism Group, EXPO 2017 and green tourism. 

FRESH Backgrounder:
Allow us to get FRESH with you for a moment

Event and meeting hosts can find information and ideas at FRESH Edmonton, a new initiative by Edmonton’s hospitality industry that addresses changing needs in conference planning while assisting those who wish to add environmental and cultural components to their events.

Host organizations want their events to reflect values such as community and environmental responsibility. Guests want to do more than fly in and out for meetings. They want to experience the flavour of the city: Edmonton’s galleries and museums, its festivals and cosmopolitan culture, the fresh air and green spaces, world-class shopping and uniquely Canadian historical attractions such as Fort Edmonton Park.

FRESH Edmonton was developed specifically for meeting planners by Edmonton Tourism, the Shaw Conference Centre and industry partners. Event planners can:
Reduce their event’s environmental impact with our Green Meetings User Guide, which is full of great ideas to help green their event, such as recycling paper and cardboard, shopping locally for services and entertainment and going digital to reduce the use of printed materials.
Our Eco Report Card allows organizers to accurately measure and compare the environmental impact of their events.
Choose a menu featuring foods grown on Alberta farms and prepared in tantalizing new ways by chefs from around the world.
Reduce waste through recycling and composting.
Put nature on the program with an event in North America’s largest urban park network, such as a skating party or a guided run through the River Valley.
Incorporate Edmonton’s rich cultural life into the event. For example, consider holding a session in the spectacular new Art Gallery of Alberta.
Edmonton Festival City in a Box can assist planners wishing to invite performers from one of the city’s famous festivals to entertain guests.
The FRESH Edmonton initiative is sponsored by the city’s hospitality industry. Partners include the Shaw Conference Centre, Edmonton Tourism, Northlands, the University of Alberta, plus the Westin, Sutton Place, Fairmont Macdonald and Delta South Edmonton hotels.

Visit FRESH Edmonton at edmonton.com/fresh

Interactive Tour: Art Gallery of Alberta

Take an interactive tour of the new Art Gallery of Alberta.
Presentation by Donald Allen and Ryan Jackson / Edmonton Journal

www.edmontonjournal.com/entertainment/artgallery/story.html?id=2492437

Art Gallery of Alberta opens
Architect, all three levels of government and community members join to mark the launch of Canada’s newest art gallery

EDMONTON, AB — The Art Gallery of Alberta (AGA), in downtown Edmonton, will open to the public on January 31, 2010 at 9 am. The remodeled 85,000 square foot gallery, designed by Los Angeles architect Randall Stout, features three floors of exhibition space that will showcase historical and contemporary Canadian and international art. The opening marks a major milestone in the AGA’s New Vision project and fulfills its goal of creating an art gallery of national significance for the Province of Alberta.
“It is the AGA’s dream that a rebuilt, renewed Art Gallery of Alberta will serve as a cultural centre of excellence for the Alberta community today and beyond, for generations to come,” says Allan Scott, Chair, AGA Board of Directors. “Our new building was planned, designed and constructed by an extremely talented and dedicated project team and the tireless AGA staff. The team deserves a great big thank you from everyone.”
An official ribbon-cutting ceremony will take place on Saturday, January 30, 2010 at 10 am. This significant occasion follows more than 10 years of planning and three years of construction. The Art Gallery of Alberta’s New Vision building project has been funded by an $88 million capital campaign, with major support from all three levels of government as well as tremendous private sector donations.
Presiding over the hour-long private ceremony will be the Chair of the AGA’s Board of Directors, Allan E. Scott. In attendance will be Canada’s Minister of Public Works and Government Services, The Honourable Rona Ambrose; Minister of State, Western Economic Diversification, The Honourable Lynne Yelich; Lieutenant Governor of Alberta, The Honourable Norman L. Kwong; Minister of Alberta Culture and Community Spirit, The Honourable Lindsay Blackett; and His Worship Mayor Stephen Mandel from the City of Edmonton, as well as the Gallery’s architectural team, Randall Stout Architects Incorporated.
“As we open our doors to our new facility, we embrace a most ambitious agenda. It is an auspicious day for Edmontonians and Albertans as the AGA takes its place amongst great Canadian art museums with enormous enthusiasm and tremendous capacity,” says Gilles Hébert, AGA Executive Director. “We are committed to being leaders in the field and to providing our visitors with exceptional experiences. And this facility is perfectly suited to the bold future we envision.”

The Gallery will welcome the public on January 31 and February 1, 2010 with free timed-ticket admission. Approximately 10,000 timed-tickets for the two-day opening were distributed via the Gallery’s website. Released on January 18, 2010, these limited timed-tickets were fully booked in less than 24-hours. Gallery admission on the two opening days will only be possible with a timed-ticket. Regular admission hours will begin February 2, 2010.

Celebrating its prominent location on Sir Winston Churchill Square in the heart of the Arts District in downtown Edmonton, the design of new AGA extends the Gallery into the community, welcoming visitors to experience art first hand. The design takes inspiration from the city of Edmonton’s unique northern environment and urban grid. Angular windows are juxtaposed against a winding 190-metre steel ribbon that references the forms of the North Saskatchewan River and Aurora Borealis. The movement of this continuous stainless steel structure through the Gallery’s interior and exterior reinvents the museum’s public spaces, continually connecting visitors with their downtown surroundings.

The building is crafted from three key materials: patinaed zinc, high performance glazing, and stainless steel. These materials reflect Edmonton’s dramatic weather pattern and the extreme contrast of the long days of summer and the short days of winter, allowing the building to transform in response to its natural surroundings.

Randall Stout Architects, Inc. (RSA) was selected from 25 international submissions during the spring of 2005, to redesign the former gallery building originally designed by Edmonton architect Don Bittorf in 1969. The RSA design was chosen by a selection committee and announced on October 15, 2005. The new building has nearly doubled the area of the former gallery and its environmental controls meet the highest museum standards.

The new AGA also includes an expanded education facility, the Singhmar Education Centre for Art Education, as well as upgraded art-handling facilities and celebratory public event spaces. Highlights include a fully outfitted theatre; a museum store, Shop AGA; a ‘floating’ room, the Borealis Lounge; a relaxed fine dining establishment, Zinc; as well as the L1 Espresso Bar and 3rd floor Terrace Café. The AGA is directly accessible from Edmonton’s underground light rail transportation system (LRT) entrance.

Inaugural exhibitions feature significant works by artists from Alberta, Canada and beyond, including masters Edgar Degas and Francisco Goya, celebrated Canadian photographers Yousuf Karsh and Edward Burtynsky and internationally renowned Canadian artists Janet Cardiff and George Bures Miller. The new AGA also includes The BMO World of Creativity, an interactive children’s gallery that will focus on the theme of architecture for the opening year with the exhibition Play on Architecture! Two outdoor spaces have been added to the Gallery, which will feature sculpture by Alberta artists Ken Macklin and Peter Hide. A wide-range of public programs, including family activities, late night events, lectures, films and more, will animate exhibitions at the new AGA.

For more information on the site and competition details, please visit the AGA website.

Partnership agreement makes science more accessible, helps transform science centre

EDMONTON—–A partnership agreement between the Edmonton Space & Science Foundation, which operates TELUS World of Science – Edmonton (TWoSE), and the University of Alberta (U of A) will make science and scientists more accessible to the citizens of Alberta, and will contribute to the ongoing growth and development of the science centre.

The agreement was signed at a special gathering of the boards of the two organizations on Jan. 28, hosted at TWoSE. A very broad range of areas the U of A focuses on, including topics such as education, early childhood development, and circumpolar studies, are possibilities for interaction between the partners.

“Our two organizations have a long history of collaboration in providing continued learning opportunities in the sciences, technology, engineering and mathematics to the community, and we want to take that working relationship further,” says George Smith, president and CEO of TWoSE.

“Science literacy is an essential life skill for all citizens—especially now as communities and governments strive to develop effective policies and strategies to deal with climate change, food security, and chronic disease, among other major challenges,” says Indira Samarasekera, president of the U of A. “So the university is proud to work with TWoSE in the development of programs and exhibits enhancing widespread scientific knowledge. Our aim is to create a new collaborative model for universities and science museums that will be recognized as first-in-class both in Canada and internationally.”

TWoSE will provide the U of A with an interpretive portal, a way to bring its multi-faceted research programs and scientists directly to the public through one of Canada’s leading science centres, a facility that already attracts some 500,000 visitors per year and is poised for further growth and development. A liaison committee will be established to consider how to bring the power of research and teaching at one of Canada’s leading universities into a collaborative interaction with TWoSE, a proven and effective organization for informing and inspiring the public in the context of lifelong learning and discovery.

The collaboration possible with this new agreement will be a “win-win-win” for both institutions and, most importantly, for the community. Bringing the U of A into the master planning activities for the future development and transformation of TWoSE will also enhance the scope and value of the TWoSE planning process.

Zinc promises an experience of ‘simple elegance’; Exhibit-based, small-plate menu will focus on local, sustainable ingredients
Publication: Edmonton Journal
Date: Thu Jan 28 2010
Page: T33
Section: ANew Vision
Byline: Liane Faulder

For inspiration, it doesn’t get much better than Randall Stout’s new creation on Winston Churchill Square.

“I’ve been given a clean palette and they said ‘go’,” says David Omar, the new executive chef of the restaurant in the Art Gallery of Alberta. “It’s every chef’s dream.”

The building itself — with its 207 square-metre kitchen and 75 seat-signature restaurant called Zinc — represents a fresh canvas upon which to display a new take on downtown dining. But the opportunity to design a high-end menu from scratch is also an exciting challenge for Omar, a 20-year veteran of the kitchen who has been on the Edmonton restaurant scene, working as a personal chef and in hotels, for nearly 10 years.

The gallery’s lead chef says he and the other food and beverage specialists, including sous chefs Shane Loiselle and Doreen Prei, pastry chef Roxane Yanchuk and sommelier/ maitre d’ Claude Fournier, will be drawing on the creative spirit of gallery exhibits. That inspiration starts with Degas — the premiere exhibit when the gallery opens to the public on Sunday. “We’re playing around with different ideas to do with dancers, having a flow to the plate as well,” says Omar.

Even the plates themselves are artistic; sparkling white, they have been imported from Germany in a range of unusual shapes and sizes. Other design highlights at Zinc, drafted out of Toronto, are its cobalt blue glass feature walls, as well as a four-metre wall of end-cut Douglas fir at the entrance of the restaurant, as well as Douglas fir banquettes. Three walls are crafted from 12-metre-high windows with a view of city hall and Winston Churchill Square.

The team of chefs is working on an exhibit-based small plate menu for Zinc that could change every few months, along with gallery shows. The menu at lunch, dinner and Sunday brunch will focus on seasonal, local and sustainable ingredients. So far, suppliers include Greens, Eggs and Ham, as well as Carmen Creek Bison and Spring Creek Ranch.

Omar says the sausages, smoked meats, preserves, pickles, breads and pastas will be produced in-house.

“The whole concept is that nothing will be out of the box, pre-prepared,” he says. “Our tag line is ‘simple elegance’ and everything will be from scratch. But being in the art gallery, the elegance comes in the presentation, the freshness of the ingredients and the talents of the chefs.”

Prices in Zinc are at the high end of the spectrum (even the chairs ring in at more than $1,000 each) and are in keeping with the other fine-dining restaurants downtown. But there are two, more modest food options at the gallery. The Terrace Cafe (located on the third floor) will feature sandwiches and salads at prices from $10 to $15 a plate. An espresso and pastry bar on the bottom floor (available weekdays from 6:30 a.m. to 10:30 a.m.) opens to the LRT’s underground walkway so downtown commuters can grab a croissant and a latte on their way to work.

All of the food outlets at the gallery are managed by The Compass Group, a food service giant that also runs the trendy restaurant, C5, in Toronto’s Royal Ontario Museum, and the Petrie Court Cafe and Wine Bar at New York City’s Museum of Modern Art.

Confucius Institute features everything Chinese
Publication: Edmonton Journal
Date: Thu Jan 28 2010
Page: B1
Section: Cityplus
Byline: Florence Loyie

With titles of classics such as The Secret History of Kang Xi and Outlaws of the Marsh, Stuart Wachowicz expects the DVD section of the Confucius Institute Library will become a favourite haunt for aficionados of Chinese soap operas.

The library, which officially opened to the public this week, contains 24,000 volumes of print and electronic Chinese literature covering everything from language learning, history, economics, philosophy, geography and tourism. It also has a DVD collection of Chinese movies and soap operas, many with English/ French/Spanish subtitles such as the 40-episode TV serial, Outlaws of the Marsh, an adaptation of one of the four most famous ancient Chinese novels.

The story happens at the end of the Northern Song Dynasty of Emperor Song Hui Zong, and is basically a 14th-century Chinese version of Robin Hood.

The library, located in the former Woodcroft School, contains the largest collection of Chinese literature in Canada and is accessible to the public with a $15 annual membership, said Wachowicz, director of the Confucius Institute in Edmonton.

In addition to books and videos, the public can access courses on learning the Chinese language, calligraphy, music, tying traditional Chinese knots, Chinese dough art, Tai Chi and Tai Chi dance, as well as an introduction to traditional Chinese medicine.

The institute was established in May 2008 in a partnership between China and Edmonton Public Schools. It is part of a global network of more than 282 Confucius Institutes in 50 countries with its headquarters in Beijing, under the Office of the Chinese Language Council International (Hanban).

Hanban was established to try to make it easier for people to learn the language.

“It also had the dual role of exposing people to the elements of Chinese culture, history, philosophy to help produce a better understanding of China,” Wachowicz said.

“I think they correctly realized that most Westerners’ view of China might be frozen in the 1960s around the Cultural Revolution, which was an aberration really in Chinese history.”

The Confucius Institute takes its name from the ancient Chinese philosopher and teacher.

The mere fact they are called Confucius Institutes shows the directional change in China, particularly since under Moa Tse-tung, Confucianism was vilified, Wachowicz said.

“Modern China is a very, very different place of the China of Chairman Mao. In fact, it bears little or no resemblance to it.”

The institute also works closely with the local business community, offering courses for people on Chinese culture and protocols, and its banking and regulatory systems, Wachowicz said.

“We can also link Chinese experts in many fields to Albertans through what we call our Canada/China lecture series.

“Similarly, we can bring expert Albertans to China because while we have misunderstandings of them, it works both ways.”

Chinese language & culture library opens
INews 880 http://www.inews880.com/Channels/Reg/LocalNews/story.aspx?ID=1188516
1/25/2010 11:15 am
Sheila Gardner

Now you can learn all about Chinese culture and language through a library initiative developed through Edmonton Public Schools in partnership with the Chinese government.

The Confucius Institute in Edmonton (CIE) is housed in the former site of Woodcroft School and contains 24,000 volumes in print and electronic form, which cover a range of topics, including language, learning, history, economics, literature geography and tourism. The library was donated to the CIE by the Chinese government.

Director/Chair, Stuart Wachowicz says The Institute is also instrumental in linking the Edmonton region with business and cultural interests in China and in helping to improve educational and economic connections between Edmonton and China.

The Confucius Institute and its library are located in the former site of Woodcroft School (13750 Woodcroft Avenue). (srg, ccg)

On the Net:
NorthBeauty.org: Confucius Institute in Edmonton (CIE)

Edmonton International Airport Welcomes the World to Canada’s West

Edmonton, AB, Jan. 21, 2010 –International visitors arriving at Edmonton International Airport (EIA) now catch a special glimpse of Alberta’s unique travel experiences while getting into the Olympic Spirit.

Spectacular images of Alberta along with a warm Olympic welcome will greet thousands of travellers as the airport launches the Welcome to Canada initiative. This unprecedented, tourism-focused partnership brings together the Canadian Tourism Commission (CTC), the Canada Border Services Agency (CBSA) and provincial tourism marketing organizations.

In Edmonton, proud partners include Travel Alberta, Edmonton International Airport, Edmonton Tourism and West Edmonton Mall.

“This initiative is a great way to welcome the world to Canada,” says the Honourable Rob Moore, Minister of State (Small Business and Tourism). “It will get visitors excited about the many unique experiences Alberta has to offer and it will demonstrate our pride and enthusiasm for Canada’s 2010 Winter Olympic and Paralympic Games.”

“We only have one chance to make an unforgettable first impression,” says Cindy Ady, Alberta’s Minister of Tourism, Parks and Recreation. “Showcasing Alberta’s incredible experiences to our international guests as they arrive is a great way to capture their imagination and entice them to explore the entire province.”

The CTC and the CBSA are partnering together on the Welcome to Canada initiative to showcase Canada and profile its tourism industry before, during and after the 2010 Winter Games. This initiative is also an excellent opportunity to enhance the overall look of the CBSA’s public areas in selected ports of entry and add to the visitor arrival experience.

“With the 2010 Winter Games just weeks away, CBSA staff here in Edmonton and across the country are preparing to welcome the world to Canada,” says Mike Styre, CBSA Regional Director General, Prairie Region. “We look forward to doing our part to ensure a safe and secure Games.”

“We are proud to partner with the Olympic and Paralympic Games and join in celebrations for the 2010 Winter Games,” says Reg Milley, Edmonton International Airport’s President and CEO.
Milley notes that Vancouver is just one of EIA’s more than 50 non-stop destinations. “We have roughly 17 daily flights to Vancouver and our excellent connections provide a great opportunity to head West and get caught up in the Olympic Spirit.”

In 2009, the program was officially launched at Ottawa MacDonald-Cartier International Airport, and is now also in place at Vancouver International Airport and Toronto Pearson International Airport.

Lunar New Year Extravaganza

February 6 & 7
West Edmonton Mall, Ice Palace (Phase II)

Edmonton Chinatown Multi-Cultural Centre’s 2010 Lunar New Year’s Extravaganza will be held at West Edmonton Mall’s Ice Palace. This annual event features a marketplace and an exciting showcase of Chinese performers celebrating the coming Year of the Tiger. This two-day event is expected to draw thousands of people and is an excellent opportunity to have a unique shopping and cultural experience at the same time!

Dang Thai Son: Internationally-renowned pianist opens Alberta’s CHOPIN2010 celebrations!

EDMONTON, AB – Renowned Vietnamese pianist Dang Thai Son opens Alberta’s CHOPIN2010 celebrations with a highly-anticipated concert February 11 at Muttart Hall (Alberta College Conservatory of Music, 10050 MacDonald Drive). Tickets for the 7:30pm performance, presented by the CHOPIN2010 Celebration Committee, are available at TIX On The Square, call 780-420-1757 or visit www.tixonthesquare.ca.

An outstanding international musician of our time, Dang Thai Son was propelled to the forefront of the musical world in October 1980, when he won First Prize and the Gold Medal at the 10th International Chopin Piano Competition in Warsaw. This win marked the first by an Asian pianist in a top international competition. As a Competition winner, this is one of the most exciting years in Mr. Dang’s career thus far, as 2010 marks Fryderyk Chopin’s 200th birthday. To mark the occasion, Mr. Dang begins a European tour in February with several concerts in the Czech Republic alongside the Czech Philharmonic Orchestra and in Poland with the 18th Century Orchestra. On March 1, Chopin’s 200th birthday, Mr. Dang joins Martha Argerich and Yundi Li at the Warsaw Gala Concert.

Since winning the Chopin Competition, Mr. Dang’s international career has taken him to more than 40 countries and into world-renowned halls, including the Lincoln Center (New York), Barbican Center (London), Salle Pleyel (Paris), Herculessaal (Munich), Musikverein (Vienna), Concertgebouw (Amsterdam), Opera House (Sydney), and Suntory Hall (Tokyo). In October 2010, Mr. Dang joins the jury at the 16th International Chopin Competition.

Working with Alberta’s Polish consulate, the Polish Culture Society of Edmonton (APCSE) has taken a leadership role in preparation for celebratory events honouring Chopin. Through the APCSE, the CHOPIN2010 Celebration Committee has formed to prepare, coordinate, and bring a series of independent Chopin Celebrations to life across Alberta, with the mandate of promoting art within a Canadian context throughout the year.

For more information about Alberta’s CHOPIN2010 celebrations, please visit www.chopin2010.ca. A full schedule of events will be revealed at the CHOPIN2010 media launch February 9, details to follow.

Be a star on our beautiful Steinway piano!
Win a chance to play on the Winspear stage for your friends and family

Edmonton, AB … Ever dreamed of what it would be like to perform on stage, in a world-famous concert hall? Well, your Edmonton Symphony Orchestra (ESO) and the Francis Winspear Centre for Music will make your dream a reality! All you have to do is submit a video showcasing your wonderful pianistic talent, and you’ll be entered to win a chance to play on our fabulous Steinway piano, for one (1) hour on stage at the Winspear Centre in front of 20 of your closest friends. Don’t miss out on this rare opportunity to share your musicality with your biggest fans, so get playing! Full contest details are available at edmontonsymphony.com. Contest closes Monday, March 1st, 2010.

Love the piano, but prefer to be our guest? Then join us at the Winspear Centre on Wednesday, March 10th, 2010, for Piano Spectacular, a special ESO concert that is all about the ivory keys. Dazzling pianists Angela Cheng, Jon Kimura Parker, and Michael Massey, with Bill Eddins playing and co-conducting with Lucas Waldin, will strike all the right chords performing showpieces by Mozart, Chopin, Beethoven, Rachmaninoff, and more!

Ticket prices for Piano Spectacular range from $24 – $69 (agency fees apply), and are available through the Winspear Centre Box Office. Call 780-428-1414 or purchase online at www.edmontonsymphony.com

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