Farewells to 2014 while looking forward to 2015, news, upcoming events and more; plus a featured announcement:PSFS is hiring for 2 new positions!
A Message from Colin Chan, President
Dear Powell Street Festival Society Community,
Happy New Year! I am stepping into the President's role this year, and I look forward to building on the success we achieved in 2014.
We are ringing in the new year by welcoming some talented new members to the board, as well as by wishing all our best to two departing members:
Lia Cosco, our interim President and 3-year Vice President has contributed immensely to the strategic direction of the organization. Through her leadership, our board governance has strengthened, and we are restructuring our resources to improve program delivery and staff experience. She has been a dedicated member of our organization during her 4-year term and we wish her all the best!
Daniel Iwama, our Advocacy Committee Chair is also stepping down as a 2-year member of the board. He leaves a legacy of strong connections to the Japanese-Canadian, First Nations, and Downtown Eastside communities. Daniel played a key role in our community liaison work in last year's festival, and helped ensure that our event could continue while respecting the ongoing protest in Oppenheimer Park. We are extremely fortunate to have him continue his role as an Advocacy Member this year, and thank him sincerely for all of his many contributions to our Society to date!
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Photo of Katari Taiko at the 2014 Powell Street Festival by Jeanie Ow
"It has truly been an honour to serve on the PSFS board over the last 4 years. I wanted to thank all of my board colleagues, the amazing PSFS staff and volunteers, and the community for supporting me personally in my role, and the continued work of the Society over the years. I have learned the true value of community spirit through the work and dedication of the PSFS. I am excited to see where the current dynamic, forward thinking energy will take the Society, and look forward to staying connected and contributing in the future."
Lia Cosco
"It has been a tremendous pleasure spending just over 2 years on the PSFS Board. I have had some fantastic experiences serving the community, and made many good friends. I look forward to continuing in various other volunteer involvements with the PSFS, an organization that has always been and will always be dear to me."
Daniel Iwama
Staff Change-over
It’s with many thanks that we also bid adieu to Kazuho Yamamoto, who graciously took on the role of Administrative Assistant for 2014. She took the time in her busy schedule to once more help us out for a 1-year commitment and we wish her all the best in her future endeavours. She’s agreed to stay on as a volunteer on our Advocacy Committee, so she won’t be far away. In the meantime, we’ve been lucky enough to have Naomi Horii, past Production Coordinator, and former Programming Committee member to join us out as Interim Administrative Assistant. As we reconfigure in the new year, Naomi has generously agreed to keep us on task with our pre-season and pre-Festival preparations and productions. Thank you both Naomi and Kazuho!
Welcome to our new Board Members!
We are extremely excited to announce 2 new Board of Directors! Please welcome Eddy Takayanagi and Carly Yoshida-Butryn!
Edward Takayanagi
Originally from Alberta, Edward attended university in Japan on the Monbusho Scholarship and lived in Kyoto for 4 years studying archaeology. He moved to Vancouver upon returning to Canada and attended Law School at UBC. After working for a Japanese plastics company for a number of years and practicing law in Vancouver, he is currently working Coast Mental Health Foundation. Edward has also been the president of the Vancouver Mokuyokai Society, is on the board of the Tomoe Arts Society and volunteers frequently with other community organizations.
Carly Yoshida-Butryn
Carly Yoshida is the breaking news producer for CTV Vancouver and has been working in the broadcast industry for more than four years. She has Japanese-Canadian heritage, and her family originally hailed from B.C. before settling in Toronto after the Second World War. Although she grew up in Toronto, she has many fond memories of visiting family on the west coast and volunteering at the Powell Street Festival. Carly recently moved to Vancouver with her husband. She is looking forward to her first year as a board member and is excited to be part of an organization that celebrates Japanese-Canadian culture in Vancouver.
We are excited to announce that we have 2 new job opportunities available at Powell Street Festival Society. Please check our website for full information on these 2 new permanent part-time positions, including the newly formed Artistic Director position and the Administrative Assistant positions. Come join the PSFS team!
Want to participate in the PSF? Vender and Performer applications available online soon!
For interested vendors and potential participants, please note that our Festival applications will become available online in February and will be due the first week of March 2015. Stay updated by checking our website for how you can participate in the 39th Powell Street Festival. Mark your calendars and don't miss the deadline! Back to top
Saturday, January 10, 2015 at 6:00pm (Door at 5:00pm)
Nikkei Centre (6688 Southoaks Crescent, Burnaby)
Ticket $40 (advanced), $50 (after January 2)
More information: JCCommunityVancouver@gmail.com
Meet and greet with people from various Nikkei communities and let's celebrate the New Year together!
Thursday, January 29, 2015 at 8pm
Queen Elizabeth Theatre, 650 Hamilton Street, Vancouver
Tickets: $69 / $59 / $49 northerntickets.com
On Thursday January 29, 2015 the Kodo Drummers of Japan return to Vancouver with their groundbreaking new program, Kodo One Earth Tour: Mystery. Amidst reverberations like rumbles in the earth, large serpents coil, demons and lions move wildly. They surface from the gloomy dark, eerie at times, and in some respects, even nostalgic… Read more...
Nikkei Stories: Looking for Japanese Canadian spoken word/performance artists.
Vancouver Filmmakers Greg Masuda and Gordon McLennan are creating an interactive web/video project on the Japanese Canadian community titled ‘Nikkei Stories’.
Nikkei Stories is an educational, community-based arts project and will be similar to the recently completed BlackStrathcona.
Nikkei Stories will be presented by Japanese Canadian, on-camera storytellers - actors, singers, spoken word artists, or anyone who can tell a good story.If you are between the ages of 20 and 35 (approximate), we would like to invite you to one of two casting sessions where you will read for one of the storyteller parts January 14 and 15, 2015.
For more detailed information, contact:
Gordon McLennan gmclennan@telus.net
Greg Masuda gregmasuda@gmail.com
For more information on the various Community Events that PSFS supports and/or thinks that might be of interest to you, please click here
Do you have a Japanese Canadian or Downtown Eastside community related event? Powell Street Festival Society is pleased to offer our community partners the opportunity to submit their own special events. We will publicize suitable events and activities. It’s our little way of saying thank you for your hard work in our community! Send us via Community Event Submission Form.
A Message from Colin Chan, President
