CriticalDance Forum

Toronto Star - Martin Knelman, 04/12/01:<P> <BLOCKQUOTE><font size="1" face="Verdana, Arial">quote:</font><HR><B>Hummingbird proposal fit only for April fools</B><P>It's still early in the year, but the recent proposal to sell the Hummingbird Centre as soon as possible is going to be a strong contender for Worst Idea of 2001.<P>. . . according to the task force, the city should get out of the theatre business and leave it to the private sector.<HR></BLOCKQUOTE><a href="http://www.thestar.com/cgi-bin/gx.cgi/AppLogic+FTContentServer?pagename=thestar/Layout/Article_Type1&c=Article&cid=986906552861&call_page=TS_News&call_pageid=968332188492&cal l_pagepath=News/News"><B>more...(in MS Explorer)</B></a><P>In Netscape Nav. go to <BR> <A HREF="http://www.thestar.com" TARGET=_blank>www.thestar.com</A> <P>and search on the right-hand side for - Hummingbird Centre<P>These pesky Canadian URLs!!!<P><p>[This message has been edited by Stuart Sweeney (edited April 12, 2001).]

Mama mia... Whose idea is it?!!

Well I guess you could say that Toronto's Mel Lastman is Canada's answer to Juliani with just about the same number of skeletons in his closet and the same level of appreciation and understanding for the arts.

The case for the continuation of the current arrangements does seem very well argued in the article. What has prompted this Marie? Has the Centre been losing money heavily? Is the NBoC taking a lead in the fight against these plans? <P>

I don't know about the solvency of this venue, but this approach seems to be the present trend in Ontario as the Government tries to separate itself financially from the arts.<P>Toronto Star - Betsy Powell, 04/14/01:<BR> <BLOCKQUOTE><font size="1" face="Verdana, Arial">quote:</font><HR><B>Arts groups struggle to raise endowment funds on their own</B><P>Attempt to wean cultural organizations from government grants has them desperately looking for corporate angels.<HR></BLOCKQUOTE><a href="http://www.thestar.com/cgi-bin/gx.cgi/AppLogic+FTContentServer?pagename=thestar/Layout/Article_Type1&c=Article&cid=987046578944&call_page=TS_Entertainment,Life&call_pageid=96 8867495754&call_pagepath=Entertainment,Life/News&col=969483191630" target="blank"><B>more...</B></a><BR>Or go to <A HREF="http://www.thestar.com" TARGET=_blank>The Toronto Star's</A> Entertainment/Life section.<p>[This message has been edited by Marie (edited April 14, 2001).]

The article brings out some good points Marie. Firstly, the small arts will be hit harder because they have less to offer to corporates or social climbers. Secondly the 40% (WOW!) reduction in funding has not been accompanied with a change in tax breaks to truly bring the situation in line with the US situation.<P>This looks like a really serious situation. It would certainly be interesting to hear from any Ontario companies who are directly effected by these moves.

Toronto Star - Martin Knelman, 03/17/01<P> <BLOCKQUOTE><font size="1" face="Verdana, Arial">quote:</font><HR><B>How to fix what ails T.O. culture</B><HR></BLOCKQUOTE><BR>To read more...<BR>Netscape Users: Search the <A HREF="http://www.thestar.com" TARGET=_blank>Toronto Star's</A> Entertainment/Life section<BR>IE Users: Use this direct <a href="http://www.thestar.com/cgi-bin/gx.cgi/AppLogic+FTContentServer?pagename=thestar/Layout/Article_Type1&c=Article&cid=987219107060&call_page=TS_Entertainment,Life&call_pageid=96 8867495754&call_pagepath=Entertainment,Life/News&col=969483191630" target="blank"><B>link</B></a><P>Click on <A HREF="http://www3.thestar.com/cgi-bin/news.cgi?n1-13@^134888@.ee76338" TARGET=_blank><B>Speak Out: State Of the Arts</B></A> to read interesting commentary on the state of Toronto's arts scene...<BR> <BLOCKQUOTE><font size="1" face="Verdana, Arial">quote:</font><HR>As for Toronto's arts scene, it was at one time (the mid-1980s come to mind) a very vibrant one. But the onslaught of political correctness, combined with the Canadian emphasis on community rights over individual rights, has resulted in the peculiar cult of veneration of the lowest common denominator i.e. culture by committee or community<HR></BLOCKQUOTE>

Martin Knelman - Toronto Star, Jul. 3, 2002:<BR> <BLOCKQUOTE><font size="1" face="Verdana, Arial">quote:</font><HR><B>Hummingbird Centre still wants to fly <BR>Former Livent executive named as new head </B><BR> <BR>After a year in the dark, the Hummingbird Centre for the Performing Arts has a new chief executive officer — former Livent executive vice-president Daniel Brambilla.<P>"We need to create a vision for what will happen to the Hummingbird a few years from now," he said in a phone interview. "As far as I'm concerned, this theatre will stay alive regardless of whether the anchor tenants remain here."<P>The anchor tenants are the Canadian Opera Company and the National Ballet of Canada. The opera company plans to move to the new opera house in the fall of 2005. The ballet company has been sitting on the fence but dropping broad hints that it would like to move to the opera house.<HR></BLOCKQUOTE><BR>To read more go to the Entertainment Section of the <A HREF="http://www.thestar.com/entertainment" TARGET=_blank>Toronto Star</A><BR>

Benjamin Errett - National Post, July 4 » 2002:<BR> <BLOCKQUOTE><font size="1" face="Verdana, Arial">quote:</font><HR><B>Head of opera moves to National Ballet<BR>Kevin Garland leaves post; new opera house now 'unstoppable'</B><P>Garland's close ties to the Four Seasons Centre suggest that the National Ballet will likely be a tenant at the new facility. The NBC is currently deciding whether to leave its performance space at the Hummingbird Centre for the Four Seasons Centre, though both Garland and Matthews stress that no decision has been made.<HR></BLOCKQUOTE>[url=http://www.nationalpost.com/artslife/story.html?id={437D05D2-B223-47B4-92E0-9E0E22503474}]<B>more...</B>[/url]<P>

JAMES ADAMS - Globe and Mail, September 7, 2002:
To read more serach JAMES ADAMS on the Globe & Mail 7 Day Search

The Toronto City Council Policy and Finance Committee has given unanimous approval "in principle" to a $60 million redevelopment plan for the Centre, headed by a former Livent executive, following the 2006 departure of the Canadian Opera and National Ballet for the Four Seasons Centre. Jennifer Lewington reports in The Globe and Mail:

http://www.globeandmail.com/servlet/ArticleNews/TPStory/LAC/20030711/UHUMMM

An update from James Adams in The Globe and Mail:

http://www.theglobeandmail.com/servlet/ArticleNews/TPStory/LAC/20040622/HUMM22