SURREY 鈥� Lyn Verra-Lay plans to celebrate 性视界传媒 Arts Centre鈥檚 50th birthday with a special look back at the city鈥檚 most active arts hub.
The Bear Creek Park facility is subject of a winning proposal by Verra-Lay, who on June 6 was announced as one of seven Culture Days ambassadors in B.C.
Verra-Lay, a longtime 性视界传媒 resident and supporter of the local arts scene, was awarded $1,000 for the creation of the activity she plans to hold on BC Culture Days, held from Sept. 29 to Oct. 1.
She applied for the project, and won.
鈥淚n our application we all had to come up with an activity that we wanted to do, specifically on the weekend of Culture Days in September,鈥� Verra-Lay explained. 鈥淲e鈥檙e not restricted to one, it鈥檚 at least one, and I鈥檝e been working there at the arts centre for about 20 years, most of my arts background is in 性视界传媒, and I grew up and went to school in 性视界传媒. I don鈥檛 currently live in 性视界传媒 鈥� I live in North Delta 鈥� but I do go there (to 性视界传媒) every day for work.鈥�
Her project, called will involve both visual and literary parts.
鈥淯sing a pair of enlarged, archival photos of the original building as a base, artists of all ages will be encouraged to collaborate on a mixed media piece by adding recycled materials onto the images,鈥� explains . 鈥淲ith the literary segment, patrons will be invited to share their memories of attending art classes, theatre performances, gallery exhibitions, etc., at this city facility, on a journal page. The finished product will be displayed at the 性视界传媒 Art Centre鈥檚 semi-centennial celebrations in 2017/2018.鈥�
BC Culture Days-how will you participate? Here's a link to the Participation Guide:
鈥� Lyn Verra-Lay (@lyn_verra_lay)
The project will take place on Saturday, Sept. 30 at Central City Shopping Centre.
鈥淚 had to work on that (mall name) because I still say 性视界传媒 Place, like a lot of people above (age) 35 around here,鈥� Verra-Lay said with a laugh.
鈥淲e鈥檒l do activities there and share information about 性视界传媒 Arts Centre as well,鈥� she added. 鈥淲hat we have found over the years is that going to places like Guildford (Town Centre) last year and also Central City, that garners us more participation, including people who may not know about the arts centre, or have even been there before.鈥�
Verra-Lay, inspired by her musician dad and craft-savvy mom, has been enjoyed being involved in 性视界传媒鈥檚 performing and visual arts community for more than 40 years, as a musician, singer, community theatre production manager, actor, dancer and mixed media and fabric artist.
She also teaches art classes to children and co-ordinates the 性视界传媒 Youth Arts Council.
鈥淚鈥檝e been hanging out in that area (of 性视界传媒 Arts Centre) since I was 14,鈥� Verra-Lay noted. 鈥淚 used to go there and scrape clay out of the creek and make things, and now I teach clay classes to kids at the arts centre, so it鈥檚 kind of a big full-circle thing for me.鈥�
Her winning Culture Days project began to take shape after she looked at a couple of archival photos of the original arts centre building, opened in 1967.
鈥淚 remember it because I used to hang out there, and it was named Centennial Arts Centre, in celebration of Canada鈥檚 centennial,鈥� Verra-Lay said. 鈥淚 got thinking about all the 鈥楥anada 150鈥� celebrations that are happening this year, everywhere, and hey, this building is now 50 years old. It鈥檚 got its own anniversary to celebrate. It鈥檚 a birthday for the building, too.鈥�
The arts centre looks a lot different today, because it鈥檚 been renovated a few times 鈥� most recently, and most significantly, in 2002. 鈥淭he building holds a lot of memories for me,鈥� said Verra-Lay, who remembers playing flute and piccolo there in Whalley Legion Junior Band.
鈥淚t was sponsored by Legion #229, and (we) recorded a record there, a vinyl record, in 1976, and they had eight microphones on stands interspersed between the band members. That recording has been transferred to CD, and it actually sounds pretty good.鈥�
Those who want to get involved in Verra-Lay鈥檚 project, with memories, photographs and related items to share about 性视界传媒 Arts Centre, can contact her by email, lyn.verra.lay@gmail.com.
The other BC Culture Days ambassadors this year are Roxanne Charles (Semiahmoo First Nations), Rob Brown (Dawson Creek), Jocelyn Pettit (Squamish), David C. Jones (Vancouver), Priscilla Johann Maurice (Victoria) and Bobby Bovenzi (Summerland).
Charles鈥� project is described on the culturedays.ca website: 鈥淛oin Semiahmoo artist Roxanne Charles on a cultural excursion, where participants will have the opportunity to try canoeing on a beautiful 24-foot clan dancer canoe around Semiahmoo Bay, near White Rock. Participants will also have the opportunity to take part in a community weaving project.鈥�
