When it comes to photography in Peterborough and the Kawarthas, poet T.S. Elliot’s famous line “April is the cruellest month” certainly doesn’t apply.
That’s because April brings the fifth annual SPARK Photo Festival, the volunteer-run festival highlighting the best in local photography. The festival is both a celebration of photography and of the artists, dreamers, innovators, storytellers, professionals, and enthusiasts behind the camera lens.
This year’s festival includes more than 50 exhibits at different venues in Peterborough, Lakefield, Bridgenorth, Keene, Douro, Campbellford, Warkworth, and Port Hope.
Below are some of the highlights of this year’s SPARK Photo Festival. We’ve also included a section at the end of this story with all the receptions for the exhibits by date, along with a list of exhibits that don’t have receptions.
For more information on SPARK, visit www.sparkphotofestival.org. You can also check out our dedicated listing of all the SPARK events.
Newcomer Children’s Photography Project
The Newcomer Children’s Photography Project, which began in July 2016, wraps with a community exhibit hosted by SPARK and the New Canadians Centre.
The project was designed to inspire young people to explore and connect with Canadian culture, language, and the environment through hands-on photographic instruction and activity. Each child was loaned a camera to record their activities, friends and family, or any other subject they are interested in documenting.
The children and their parents received instruction in camera operation, basic photographic principles and composition, and visual literacy by SPARK volunteers during a four-week summer camp. After the summer, the group met once a month to review the most recent photos they had taken.
Photographs from Amjad, Ghaith, Ibrahim, Raneem, Sami, and Zeinah will be on display during April on the second floor of Brant Basics (296 George S. N., Peterborough). An opening reception takes place from 3 to 5 p.m. on Saturday, April 1st.
Juried Exhibit – “Framed”
The SPARK Photo Festival officially launches on Saturday, April 1st, from 5 to 8 p.m. with this year’s Juried Exhibit, called “Framed”, at Lett Architects (138 Simcoe St., Peterborough).
In the juried exhibit, 30 individual works will be chosen from all works submitted by a panel of qualified and experienced judges using a blind judging process. The judges know neither the name of the photographer or the title of the photograph. Student registrants will be judged alongside their adult peers.
Each selected work will be prepared by the SPARK juried exhibit curators to be an exhibit-ready work. This is to insure consistent print quality and consistent print size. Standardizing the image size, as well as the presentation materials, is meant to ensure images are judged on their inherent quality rather than on any other factor. Exhibit curators will not be involved in the judging other than as facilitators for the judging process.
At the official launch, awards will be presented to exhibiting photographers for Best of Show, First Place, Second Place, and Third Place, with prizes for each award.
The Juried Exhibit will continue to be on display at Lett Architects for the month of April.
Showcase Exhibit: “The Loss of Innocence, The Birth of A Nation: Remembering 1917 and the Great War 1914 – 1918”
This year’s SPARK Showplace Exhibit, “The Loss of Innocence, The Birth of A Nation: Remembering 1917 and the Great War 1914 – 1918”, recognizes the 100th anniversary of the Battle of Vimy Ridge (April 9 – 12, 1917) and the Battle of Passchendaele (July 31 – November 10, 1917). While Canadian leadership and tenacity in World War I played a key role right through to the November 11, 1918 armistice and beyond, it was success at Vimy in 1917 that marked a coming-of-age in terms both of Canadian self-awareness and the respect it earned from others.
The Showcase Exhibit seeks to pay tribute to the many thousands of innocent Canadians soldiers, nurses, and others on the home front, as well as those abroad. The exhibit draws heavily on materials of the Peterborough Museum and Archives, especially the Balsillie Collection of Roy Studio Images. The museum’s archivist Mary Charles located and arranged for the scanning of Roy Studio glass-plate negatives. Some of the 100-year old images have held up better than others, but all are a window into the past and into the world of the WW1 participants.
To provide the broader context, the exhibit uses official war photographs from Library and Archives Canada, the Canadian War Museum, and Veterans Affairs Canada, which are now in the public domain. Other materials come, for example, from the Trent Valley Archives as well as other sources. Generally the contextual photos are smaller in size, so that the portraits are placed in a framework but not overshadowed.
The Showcase Exhibit will be on display at Peterborough Public Library (Peterborough Square, Lower Level, 360 George St N., Peterborough) during the month of April, except for the Easter Weekend when the library is closed.
A reception will be held from 2:30 to 4:30 p.m. on Sunday, April 9th. The reception follows the Vimy Ridge Memorial Service that takes place at the Peterborough Cenotaph from 1:30 p.m. to 2:30 p.m.
Emerging Curator/Photographer(s) Exhibit
Curated by Erin Burke, currently studying visual arts at the University of Victoria, the SPARK Emerging Curator/Photographer(s) will feature a group of photographers with roots in the Peterborough community: PCVS alumni who attended the historic downtown school and those who studied at the new location of the Arts Program at Thomas A. Stewart.
Featured photographers are Patrick Stephen, Julie Douglas, and Kate Fearnall. The exhibit will showcase photography that has piqued their interest since high school, whether film, digital, career-based, or strictly recreational.
This year’s exhibit aims to recognize local student graduates, their continued interest in the medium, and the lasting influence and inspiration of the teachers of this area’s Integrated Arts Program.
The exhibit will be on display at Peterborough Alternative & Continuing Education (PACE) at Peterborough Collegiate (201 McDonnel St., Peterborough) during the month of April. A reception will be held form 6 to 10 p.m. on Friday, April 7th at PACE.
The reception will also include the Overexposed Exhibit, featuring current photography from city-wide secondary school students.
A Way Home Peterborough Community Exhibit
Through YES Shelter for Youth and Families, “A Way Home Peterborough” is a community collaboration strategizing to end youth homelessness. The experts in this work are youth experiencing homelessness and housing insecurity. Unfortunately, their voice is rarely given a forum or listened to. Too often they are on the other side of society’s lens and are judged, ignored, or exploited.
This “Photo Voice” project aimed to create a meeting place for youth to use the common language of photography to express their different experiences of homelessness. Youth were given cameras and a mission to show Peterborough what homelessness means to them. The photos they shot were then reviewed and selected by their peers for inclusion in this exhibit.
This exhibit honours the resiliency of youth who are homeless or precariously housed and explores their diversity of experience. The broader aim is to start a community conversation and inspire action to end youth homelessness in Peterborough.
The exhibit will be on display during April at Pappas Billiards (407 George St. N., Peterborough), with a reception from 3 to 5 p.m. on Saturday, April 29th.
SPARK SPiN Routes
Five self-guided cycling routes are available that will take you to SPARK exhibits in Peterborough, Lakefield, Bridgenorth, Douro, Campbellford, and Warkworth (graphic: SPARK Photo Festival)
New in 2017, SPARK Photo Festival has joined forces with Wild Rock, GreenUP, and B!KE to provide festival goers with five self-guided cycling routes that will take you to exhibits in Peterborough, Lakefield, Bridgenorth, Douro, Campbellford, and Warkworth.
Each SPARK SpiN route has been mapped using Strava, a free on-line and mobile route tracking tool. You can print the maps, or access on them on your mobile with the free Strava app. A printable PDF has also been provided for each route with detailed information about each SPARK Photo Festival location along the route.
For a list and description of each route, along with links to Strava and PDF versions of the maps, visit www.sparkphotofestival.org/programs/spark-spin-2017/.
Exhibits with receptions
Here’s a listing of all SPARK exhibits during April. Click on a link for more details about the exhibit on the SPARK website.
Saturday, April 1
- New Canadians Centre/SPARK Newcomer Children’s Project – Brant Basics (296 George St. N., Peterborough) – 3 to 5 p.m.
- SPARK Launch – Juried Awards – Lett Architects (138 Simcoe St., Peterborough) – 5 to 8 p.m.
Sunday, April 2
- Kawartha Artists Gallery – Kawartha Artists Gallery & Studio (420 O’Connell Rd., Peterborough) – 1 to 4 p.m.
- Bill Lockington – Ashburnham Ale House (128 Hunter St. E., Peterborough) – 3 to 5 p.m.
Tuesday, April 4
- Nancy Westaway – Pammett’s Flowers (208 Charlotte St., Peterborough) – 5:30 to 7:30 p.m.
- Trent Visual Arts Network – Lady Eaton College (1755 West Bank Dr., Peterborough) – starts 7 p.m.
- Wayne Paget – Two Dishes Cookshop (261 Charlotte St., Peterborough) – 6 to 9 p.m.
Wednesday, April 5
- Tanya Couch – Black Honey (217 Hunter St. W., Peterborough) – 3 to 5 p.m.
Thursday, April 6
- Anna McShane/Tara Molson – Celtic Connection (25 Queen St., Lakefield) – 1 to 3 p.m.
- Dianne Lister/Michael Harris – Hobart’s Steakhouse (139 Hunter St. W., Peterborough) – 7 to 9 p.m.
Friday, April 7
- SPARK Emerging Artist Exhibit – PACE at Peterborough Collegiate (201 McDonnel St., Peterborough) – 6 to 10 p.m.
- SPARK OverExposed: City-Wide Secondary School Exhibit – PACE at Peterborough Collegiate (201 McDonnel St., Peterborough) – 6 to 10 p.m.
- Peterborough Alternative & Continuing Education PACE – PACE at Peterborough Collegiate (201 McDonnel St., Peterborough) – 6 to 10 p.m.
- Roz Hermant – Christensen Fine Art (432 George St. N., Peterborough) – 6 to 9 p.m.
Saturday, April 8
- Brain Injury Association Peterborough Region – BIAPR (158 Charlotte St., Peterborough) – 1 to 4 p.m.
- Cindy Conlin – Caroline’s Organics (15 Front St. S., Campbellford) – 9 am to 4 p.m.
- Charlton/Gillespie/Keith – Snapshots Photo & Video (16 Queen St., Campbellford) – 10 am to 2 p.m.
- Tony Crocker – I Am Coffee Café (49 Front St. N., Campbellford) – 10 am to 3 p.m.
- Laura Berman/Mary Weilandt – Cheeky Bee Gallery (23 Main St., Warkworth) – 10 am to 5 p.m.
- Kawartha Camera Club – Royal Gardens Retirement Residence (1160 Clonsilla Ave., Peterborough) – Noon to 3 p.m.
- Images B4 – Bridgenorth Library (836 Charles St., Bridgenorth) – 1 to 3 p.m.
- Gary Mulcahey – Ah! Arts and Heritage Centre of Warkworth (35 Church St., Warkworth) – Starts at 7 p.m.
- Mike Gaudaur – Bennett’s Furniture (13 Front St. S., Campbellford) – 11 am to 4 p.m.
Sunday, April 9
- Lakefield College School Camera Club– Canoe & Paddle (18 Bridge St., Lakefield) – 1 to 3 p.m.
- SPARK Showcase – Peterborough Public Library (Peterborough Square, Lower Level, 360 George St. N., Peterborough) – 2:30 p.m. to 4:30 p.m.
Tuesday, April 11
- Margaret Hamilton – Elmhirst’s Resort (1045 Settler Line, Keene) – 5:30 to 7:30 p.m.
Wednesday, April 12
- Robert Laycock – Capers Restaurant (28 Bridge St., Campbellford) – 2:30 to 4:30 p.m.
Saturday, April 15
- Christopher Thorpe – Camp Ho-Ba-Chee (18 Main St., Warkworth) – 11 am to 4 p.m.
- Lise Varrette – Our Lucky Stars Café (16 Main St., Warkworth) – 11 am to 4 p.m.
- Mike Towns – P.G. Towns Business Building (297 County Road 8, Douro) – 11 am to noon
Sunday, April 16
- Peterborough Photographic Society – YMCA of Central East Ontario (123 Aylmer St. S., Peterborough) – starts at 1 p.m.
Tuesday, April 18
- Peter Curley – Canadian Canoe Museum (910 Monaghan Rd., Peterborough) – 7 to 9 p.m.
- Ken Powell – Canadian Canoe Museum (910 Monaghan Rd., Peterborough) – 7 to 9 p.m.
Wednesday, April 19
- Roy T. Bowles – Peterborough KIA (238 Lansdowne St. E., Peterborough) – 4 to 6 p.m.
Thursday, April 20
- Mark L. Craighead – Galaxy Cinemas (320 Water St., Peterborough) – 7 to 9 p.m.
- Tony Crocker – I Am Coffee Café (49 Front St. N., Campbellford) – 6:30 to 8 p.m.
Friday, April 21
- Bill Hornbostel – Ganaraska Art and Framing (93 Walton St., Port Hope) – 5 to 7 p.m.
Saturday, April 22
- Shannon Loughrey – The Greenhouse on the River (4115 County Road 32, Lakefield) – 1:30 to 3:30 p.m.
- Barb Callander – Frame It For U (426 George St. N., Peterborough) – 2 to 4 p.m.
- Peter Clute/Ann Hilborn – Canterbury Gardens (1414 Sherbrooke St., Peterborough) – 2 to 4 p.m.
- Greg Ramsay – The Stonehouse Hall (2195 Lansdowne St., Peterborough) – 2 to 5 p.m.
Sunday, April 23
- Stephanie & Vanessa Kraus – Dreams of Beans (138 Hunter St. W., Peterborough) – 1 to 3 p.m.
- Linda Cardona – Empress Gardens (131 Charlotte St., Peterborough) – 4 to 6 p.m.
- Pat Jilesen – Dr. J’s BBQ and Brews (282 Aylmer St., Peterborough) – 2 to 4 p.m.
Saturday, April 29
- Greg Burke – Peterborough Farmers’ Market (Morrow Building, 136 Lansdowne St., Peterborough) – Starts at 10:30 am
- A Way Home Peterborough – Pappas Billiards (407 George St. N., Peterborough) – 3 to 5 p.m.
- Robert Boudreau – Hunter Street Books (164 Hunter St. W., Unit 3, Peterborough) – 3 to 5 p.m.
Exhibits without receptions
Also make sure to check out the following exhibits that do not have receptions. Click on a link for more details about the exhibit on the SPARK website.
- Making the Invisible Visible – The Pollinators Pathway (four stops on Bolivar and Park streets in Peterborough)
- Peterborough Regional Health Centre, Art and Healing Gallery – PRHC (1 Hospital Dr., Peterborough)
- John McQuade – Wash-O-Mat Express (309 Charlotte St., Peterborough)
- Sharon Canzi – Best of Hearing Centre (267 Charlotte St., Peterborough)
- Cydnee Hosker – Peterborough Photographic Service (188 1/2 Charlotte St., Peterborough)
- Thomas S. Stewart Secondary School: Digital Photography – Natas Cafe (376 George St. N., Peterborough)
- Thomas S. Stewart Secondary School: Film Photography – Natas Cafe (376 George St. N., Peterborough)
