On August 31st, the Electric City Culture Council (EC3) in Peterborough launched “Essential”, a photography project that raises awareness of the precarious situation of local artists and arts organizations during the COVID-19 pandemic.

Part of EC3’s Peterborough Arts Alive initiative, the Essential project is a series of 17 photos by local photographer Julie Gagne that depicts 20 local artists during the pandemic. Each of the photos feature an artist or artists in their home or workplace and is accompanied by an artist statement about their experience of the pandemic.

Twice each week until the end of October, kawarthaNOW is publishing photos from the series. Today, we feature gallery/artist Laurel Paluck.

Gallery/artist Laurel Paluck

A message from EC3 about The Essential Project

The 2020 COVID-19 pandemic has had a profound impact on both individual artists and arts organizations in Peterborough. Performance venues and galleries have been closed, concerts cancelled, exhibitions postponed, entire seasons abandoned. Organizations and facilities are trying to grapple with the loss of revenue and an uncertain future. “Reopening” is not straightforward, to say the least.

Individual artists have lost their creative income and the opportunity to work together to create — something that is absolutely vital to them and to their audiences. Many have pivoted, and developed and presented some great virtual and digital projects. But nothing replaces live performance in front of a live audience and the catalytic energy that comes from being together to rehearse, discuss, and plan projects, to gather at an opening or artist talk.

Isolated at home, cut off from their communities and the lifeblood that is their artistic practice, local artists still found ways to keep our cultural life alive. Silenced and almost invisible, they kept working. But it hasn’t been easy.

Local photographer Julie Gagne began photographing a number of Peterborough residents in their homes during the earlier stage of the pandemic and posted the photos on Facebook. The eloquent, haunting images of her “Within” portrait project included some artists, and those incredibly moving images caught the eye of EC3 executive director Su Ditta.

Julie’s photos made us think. We have all benefited from the work of artists during the pandemic: we’ve listened to music, read books, watched films, toured virtual exhibitions, tuned in to living room concerts. What has it been like for the artists? Will people remember how essential the arts were to getting through the pandemic when it comes to recovery funding and budget planning? Will arts organizations be supported in a robust recovery plan?

EC3 asked theatre artist Sarah McNeilly to curate and coordinate, and approached Julie Gagne to do a distinct series of photos that spoke to the experience of local artists and what art means to our lives, in good times and in bad. It’s essential.

This arts awareness project is both a witness to the struggles of, and a testament to the courage and contributions of this community during the COVID-19 lockdown. Our heartfelt thanks go out to Julie and everyone in the arts community who have kept us going.

Of all the sage advice that has fallen on Andy Tough’s ears, “If it ain’t broke, don’t fix it” has clearly stuck — much to the benefit of followers of the rich and diverse local music scene in the Kawarthas.

On the heels of the positive reception of the first “Live! At The Barn” series of live performances by five local music acts — each produced, recorded, and edited by Andy at the Norwood-area barn he owns with his wife Linda — a second series of six sessions has been recorded.

The second series will premiere over six weeks, starting in mid-January 2021, on Andy’s YouTube channel — where you can already view the five local bands in series one.

“To date we’ve had well more than 2,000 views and that number is growing as more people find it,” says Andy, whose regular business RMS Events, a multimedia enterprise specializing in audio/video production and presentation, has been severely impacted since COVID-19’s emergence in mid-March.

“Each episode has its unique audience because the music featured in each episode is different. That said, there are a number of people who have followed the entire series. That clearly shows how much people want to see live music again, even if it’s on a virtual platform. They need their music fix.”

The motivation for the series, according to Tough, is to provide local bands with an opportunity to play together in the same room.

“They have all been really grateful to have that opportunity,” he observes. “On top of that, they also wanted to get themselves in front of their fans. People are very faithful to local musicians. They follow them and go see them perform week after week in different venues.”

VIDEO: “Missin’ my Kitten” – The Fabulous Tonemasters (series one of Live! At The Barn)

Starting in late August, the inaugural season of Live! At The Barn featured five bands: Gunslingers (which opened and closed the series), The Fabulous Tonemasters, Wylie Harold and Out On Bail, The Weber Brothers Band, and House Brand.

Each recorded performance, mixed with interviews with band members, was uploaded to Andy’s YouTube channel and remains there for to be viewed at any time.

The second series will present six more local music acts: Tungsten, a Lindsay-area classic rock band with a 30-year history; Peterborough’s The Rick & Gailie Band featuring equally venerable duo Rick and Gailie Young performing classic British music invasion period hits; The Rob Phillips Trio out of Peterborough with singer Marsala Lukianchuk and violinist Saskia Tomkins; High Waters Band, a classic rock outfit also from Peterborough; The Steelhorse Gypsies, a crossover country rock band from the Simcoe area; and singer Tami J. Wilde joined by guitarist Jimmy Deck.

“A number of bands came forward after we slotted the first series,” says Andy.

“We didn’t think at that point that we were going to go ahead (with a second series). But as soon as we saw the response (to the first series), we got in touch with the bands that had approached us and then I reached out to a few others and we had the second season booked in a week.”

As for the mid-January start date of the second series, Andy says post-production takes a fair amount of time, and people will need a mid-winter fix of local music — especially given the continued uncertainty on how the pandemic will affect live music venues.

“We need to have some positive musical output in the depths of winter in Canada,” Andy points out. “Typically February can be a very depressing time. This will raise spirits all round.”

“Things haven’t really changed in terms of COVID,” he adds. “There’s no cure; there’s no vaccine. We may have been lulled into the idea that it’s going to go away sooner than later. Over the summer, a lot of bands had some opportunities to play live outside, but going into the winter everything will be closing down.”

“I think people are hesitant to go out even if precautions are in place. So we’re bringing the music to them.”

While no cost is charged each participating band (each in fact receives a recorded copy of their performance to use for their promotion), Andy is again seeking sponsors for the second series to cover his time and associated expenses.

Meanwhile, a link to each band’s email will again be featured with each video, allowing viewers to donate directly to the band. During the course of the first series, a few of the bands forwarded any donations received to the Peterborough Musicians’ Benevolent Association (PMBA), which provides financial support to musicians in need.

“For me, it’s a labour of love but it’s also an opportunity to get back to my roots. We (RMS) are an events company and there aren’t any events, so I’m out of work too. It’s just a great showcase for what we can do here (at the barn) technically. Hopefully that will result into some work from sponsors.”

Looking ahead, Andy makes it clear that his barn recording space, rustic in every way and intimate, will be used in some form to the benefit of local live music fans.

“Depending on the relaxation of the restrictions, we could — with physical distancing in place — accommodate an audience here, combining indoor and outdoor setting. Who knows? We could set up a big screen on the side of the barn and pump the music out to the back field. We’ll just have to see what happens .. but anything is possible.”

Until then, local music fans can check out the first Live at the Barn! series on Andy’s YouTube channel and stay tuned for series two.

As a long-time supporter of local music, kawarthaNOW.com is proud to be a media sponsor of Live! At The Barn.

Linda Kash, Pat Maitland, and Ian Burns, founders of Klusterfork entertainment, recently joined me on a telephone interview to talk about their fall line-up of LOL workshops — live and interactive classes that promise to give students “unique access” to the entertainment industry’s best talent.

These funny forkers are giving Peterborough (and the world) an amazing opportunity to learn and hone performance skills from industry professionals via a series of online courses, with two weekly 90-minute classes over a four-week span starting on Monday, October 5th.

Founded in 2019, Klusterfork made waves by bringing comedians of Second City fame to Peterborough audiences with hit shows including “Klusterfork it’s Christmas” and “Klusterfork it’s Winter! Still.”

However, like many companies the world over, their live performance programming came to an abrupt halt during the spring of 2020, our year of the virus.

“We connected with some of my dearest friends from The Second City,” recalls Linda Kash of Klusterfork’s beginnings. “We did a couple of shows and we had eight more shows scheduled at Market Hall right up until New Year’s Eve 2021 — and then COVID hit.”

“So the world ends,” Kash continues, “and we still have these fantastic Toronto performers who, funnily enough, are all teachers as well. So we decided to bring the best of the best to online audiences instead.”

“The teaching,” adds Ian Burns, “was always in the Klusterfork business plan, since the beginning. Due to the pandemic, we had to pivot and go directly to teaching a little earlier than planned — but it’s really exciting.”

This summer, Klusterfork tested the online waters by offering an intensive improv workshop series.

“It saved a lot of our summers, I think,” says Pat Maitland of the online sessions. “We all went online to save our minds.”

“It was an interesting pilot project, to see how it could work with the Zoom platform,” says Burns of the summer sessions,. “We were able to work out kinks.”

“With Zoom, you can’t talk over people, adds Maitland. “At first we thought the platform might stunt scenes but it didn’t — you listen harder. The basic rule of improv, to listen and respond to what you just heard, is actually so much easier on Zoom.”

Klusterfork’s six-week summer improv series was well received by participants and instructors alike.

“A lot of the alumni from that initial pilot program have signed up for the next 10 week intensive session we’re offering, because they just want to keep going,” explains Burns.

Building on the success of the pilot project, Klusterfork has curated an impressive line-up of autumn programming. The instructors are renowned performers, directors, and comedians — professionals in high-demand who would be otherwise unavailable for intimate online workshops, if it weren’t for the pandemic.

“I don’t think we could do most of these courses outside of COVID,” says Maitland. “It’s the reason why we have this unique access to the best in the industry.”

“We have some of the greatest performers in this country because they’re obviously not working as much,” Burns adds. “Klusterfork has a unique opportunity to act as a conduit to allow them to share their wealth of knowledge and experience with people who are coming up in the business, and people who just always wanted to try.”

It would be an understatement to say the line up the instructors for the LOL workshops is impressive.

The instructors are industry giants representing a range of talent from Stratford and Mirvish stages to Broadway, as well as famous Canadian icons, including Paul Constable (the guy from those Canadian Tire commercials) and Kash herself — who’s best known as the former Philly cream cheese angel but also from her roles in Seinfeld, Fargo, Waiting for Guffman, Best in Show, and any more.

Whether you’re an artist seeking professional development or you’re just looking for a new an interesting way to break up the monotony and loneliness that is this godforsaken pandemic, Klusterfork’s LOL workshops give you the chance to interact with these Canadian celebrities on a personal level but from the safety of your own home.

“There’s such intimacy,” Kash say. “You’re going to get to know them super well and you’d never have the chance to see them in person — yet online it’s so intimate and safe.”

“The safety factor is fascinating,” adds Maitland. “What I saw in the summer was that every instructor has different styles and ways to ensure a safe and comfortable environment for the students.”

“During the pilot in the summer, the amount of support and the growth that happened in that six-week period with this group of individuals we brought together was amazing,” Burns recalls.

Says Kash of the camaraderie, “when you first arrive in the experience it feels like a solo endeavour, but as soon as you start playing with someone else, you get this connection.”

In addition to the workshops covering musical theatre, stand-up comedy, and all levels of improv (from beginner to advanced), Klusterfork is also offering a one-of-a-kind “Party Primer” service.

This one-off private event provides your Zoom meeting — be it a book club, a girls’ night, or a company holiday party — an exclusive improv comedian providing ice-breaking games to warm up the infamously awkward first half hour of your video conferencing events.

“The Party Primer is particularly exciting,” says Burns. “Right now there are a lot of companies and businesses wondering how they’re going to have get-togethers to celebrate holidays. We’ve been getting a lot of inquiries because people want to have that fellowship together and that connection. The Party Primer is a great ice-breaker and a great chance for everyone to get together and to share the moment.”

“We need to remember that sense of fun,” Kash notes. “I’m watching kids in playgrounds and they’ve got their masks on and they’re still playing and having fun. As we get older, we think that we don’t have the right to have fun or that it’s less important but, my god, people are starving for fun!”

“We all become better adults, the more we play,” says Maitland.

“And that’s the best feeling of all,” interjects Kash, “when the group finds their own funny bone.”

You can find your funny bone with Klusterfork’s LOL workshops this autumn. Not only is this a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to learn from entertainment industry giants (at an incredibly discounted rate, might I add!), it may also be the gesture of love and self-care that gets you through the next few weeks, whatever they may hold.

The four-week classes run on Mondays and Wednesdays starting October 5th and on Tuesdays and Thursdays starting October 6th, so register now by visiting Klusterfork’s website at www.klusterfork.com/lol-workshops/. Note: if workshops are sold out or if you missed your chance to register, you can also sign up on the website to be placed on a waiting list for future workshops.

kawarthaNOW.com is proud to be a media sponsor of Klusterfork.