Fun Local Events in July✨

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Fun Local Events in May✨

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Fun Local Events in September✨

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Fun Local Events in August✨

Feast & Fallow, Community Art Project (Call for Nominations)
Rise Climate Action Festival (Sponsors and Collaborators Needed)
Vancouver Mural Festival (August 7th–11th)
Snow Petal Art at the Night Market @ Pipeshop (Aug 9th)
Brands for Better Meetup: Work, why we do it, the future of it, and more (Aug 13th)
Likemind Vancouver: Coffee and Conversation (Aug 16th)
An Intimate Concert Evening with Jacqueline Teh & Kristin Fung (Aug 30th)
Social Venture Institute: 5-day oceanside gathering (Sept 18th - 22nd)
CMVan September Event: Ashley Daniel Foot (Sept 6th)
Who’s in the Audience? (CMVan Social Media Series)

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Fun Local Events in July ✨

Job Posting: Director, Communications Design at hcma (apply)
Feast & Fallow, Community Art Project (Call for Nominations)
Who’s in the Audience? (CMVan Social Media Series)
Attention is the Beginning of Devotion: Art Show (July 6–31)
Brands for Better: Summer Party (July 13)
Likemind Vancouver: Coffee and Conversation (July 19)
An Intimate Concert Evening with Nastasia Y & Andrew McAnsh (July 21)
CMVan August Event: Steve Rio (August 2)
First Saturday: Visit artist’s where they work (August 3)
48th Annual Powell Street Festival (August 3–4)
Vancouver Mural Festival (August 7–11)

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COMMUNITY PROFILE

“Creativity isn’t just when you’re writing poetry, it’s about how you live your life.”

Meet Jai, the epitome of a “multi-pie guy”. His full life is a tapestry deeply woven with creativity, innovation, and community. A few of Jai’s pursuits span the realms of poetry, music, co-housing, writing, and cooking. His mind is constantly innovating and creativity is a part of his daily life. He also finds solace in slowing down to create space to fully savour his creative process.

As a co-cordinator and instructor at the Capilano University, IDEA School of Design, he co-developed the Interaction Design program. Jai works in user experience (UX) research to help people and organizations discover how their products and services interact with people. People and technology are at the heart of his career.

Jai’s heart also beats for service - he is a respite foster care parent and a board member with Brightside Community Housing as well as a volunteer at MOSAIC, assisting newcomers to Canada find job opportunities. In every facet of his life, Jai stays true to his values whether that be writing music or helping a family acclimate to a new country, he believes that life is an act of creativity.

How does your creativity flow shift between all your different projects?

“My values of collaboration, convening and creativity are at the center of everything. I’ve always worked in collaboration whether as a composer writing music for dance and theatre, creative writing, or in the work I do. And convening, I love bringing people together. I often have people for dinner and organize salons to help make sense of the world. It is bridging like-minded people together. Creativity is the last pillar of that for me and it is imbued in everything that I do. Creativity isn’t just when you’re writing poetry, it’s about how you live your life.”

How do you personally define creativity?

“Maybe it’s an approach to the world. Creativity is a mindset where you see everything as endless opportunities for creation and imagination. I think our culture doesn’t encourage people to play like when we were young. Children are always curious, sharing, understanding, trying things out, and playing. And somewhere along the line, we get told that we have to be good at something for it to be good. You don’t. Fail creatively!”

So, how do you manage to not lose that sense of play and wonder?

“I’m pretty silly, always tweaking the nose of whatever I’m doing. And maybe it’s a mindset. It’s the way I see the world. I see the world in abundance of endless opportunity. Lately, I’ve been feeling overwhelmed with all the terrible things happening in the world. I think one of the things that we can do is be creative and bring something beautiful into the world. Being creative is making a choice to be optimistic.”

Can you tell me about a time you used your creativity to overcome adversity?

“The pandemic was a hard time for everyone. My friend and I created a project called the Power of Portrait, and we put out a call to everyone to submit a photo and a story of how they were dealing with COVID-19. When all the businesses were boarded up downtown, we had this huge display of all the portraits that linked to their stories on the website. We wanted to create something that might capture the hearts and minds of people and inspire togetherness despite being a part. It was a beautiful display of collective creativity.”

What advice do you have for someone afraid to express their creative voice?

“First off, if people are feeling like they are not creative, ask yourself, “Where is that coming from?”. And be confident that you have something to say, something to add to this world. And then perhaps take a second to slow down and take a look at what you’re already doing. Reframe your thinking of what is creative. Whether that’s cooking, arranging the pillows on your bed, or the way you dress; these are all creative acts.”

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Fun Local Events in May ✨

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COMMUNITY PROFILE

“Creativity is your ability to produce something that comes from within”

Meet Nina LaFlamme, a remarkable photographer from the picturesque landscapes of Squamish, BC. She is a visionary who passionately believes in the profound significance of human connection within her artistry.

Nina’s childhood was spent amidst the great outdoors, camping with her family, and indulging in sports like soccer and competitive rock climbing. Her fascination with the world’s wonders was nurtured by National Geographic magazines and looking through her mom’s old film photos.

Nina’s mom always brought her to art galleries which taught her the value of art at a young age. Nina was gifted a camera as a teen and from there, her photography journey truly began. Now, Nina shoots full-time and wishes she had taken that leap sooner.

Can you tell us about your approach to photography?

“There is a lot of communication and empathy that happens. I try hard to make people feel comfortable and like this is not transactional. I recently had feedback from a muralist I photographed that it was really nice that I first chatted to connect, and that it was a lovely experience that didn’t feel like the camera was around. I’m not using my camera as a barrier and hiding behind it, and that makes people feel more comfortable.”

What is your definition of creativity?

“Creativity is your ability to produce something that comes from within. If you’re imagining or feeling something, it is your ability to translate that into whatever medium you choose. Someone who is creative is bringing something out of themselves and putting it into whatever they are doing”

Tell us a story about how creativity has helped you overcome adversity in your life.

“I have gone through chronic depression, and a huge escape is going out hiking in the mountains and tuning everything out. My camera drives me to go out to those places of peace. Photography is my tool for processing it. Battling cynicism and climate anxiety is my major drive for everything that I photograph. How can my photos strategically help people that are doing great things or how can my photos capture a landscape that needs to be protected and appreciated? How can my photos highlight the great work an organization is doing so they can continue and get more funding? This work helps me feel like what I am doing is making a difference.“

Can you dive deeper into how you use your photography to have a positive impact?

“The whole thought process started right before the pandemic when I got to photograph for a project with a nonprofit that sent me to Ghana and Sri Lanka. Taking those photos, connecting with those people, and seeing how my photos were utilized, I realized the impact I could have, and I realized that I could do this with so many different subjects. For example, local agriculture and food systems are industries that I am really passionate about. Not to get too into the weeds but we know that our food consumption habits and where the food comes from affect our carbon footprint and local economy. I choose to work with restaurants, farms, and NGOs that work tightly within that local space, and I want to support those amazing businesses. Finding out that I can help a movement of localization by highlighting it and making it look great encourages people to support and follow the movement.”

How has your creativity shifted and evolved?

“I’ve become a lot more critical of my work to push myself to improve. I spend a lot more time agonizing over all the little details. That in a sense pushes my creativity forward. Instead of taking the safe shots, I question myself and ask “How can I do this better? How can I make this more interesting?”. I’ve also found that when I face challenging jobs, I push myself way harder to get creative. So the lesson I’ve been learning lately is that I need to be doing hard things if I want to push my creative boundary forward”.

What advice would you have for someone who is afraid to express their creative voice or lacks the belief that they are even creative?

“The thing that you’re creative about is FOR YOU. Eliminate the fear that someone is not going to like it. Just do the thing. It doesn’t matter if people like it or not, it’s for you, and it’s worth doing because you enjoy doing it.”

Anything else you’d like to share?

“Creative mornings and the speakers that I have had the pleasure of seeing, have made a big difference in how I work and process the different aspects of my business. There is just so much value in the talks, and I am so glad it exists”.

To learn more about Nina and her work, visit her profile and website

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At its core, Queer As Funk was born from a desire to celebrate diversity, using music as a tool to spread that positivity throughout the community. As one of the few predominantly queer and non-binary bands in the province, their shows are not only dynamic and entertaining, but a powerful statement of pride and identity.

Throughout their ten-year history, Queer As Funk has been dedicated to visiting small communities to provide celebration and visibility to queer individuals looking to gather, connect, and strengthen their communities. They aim to inspire queer youth by offering themselves as models for living full, joyful lives as successful queer adults, and; as the band’s love for one another is palpable in performances, models for celebrating queer friendship, love, and chosen family.

Alongside their commitment to social justice, Queer As Funk has also earned a reputation as a powerful and entertaining band. Their tight horn arrangements, groovy rhythms, and powerful vocals have won over fans at music festivals and Pride events across Canada.

In a time when the queer and trans community is still facing discriminatory attitudes and policies, Queer As Funk remains a beacon of hope and inspiration.

Local partners

The Interaction Design diploma is a two-year program at CapU that connects design and technology to prepare graduates for an exciting career in technology. With a focus on creativity, design thinking, and problem-solving, graduates enjoy career outcomes in the field of digital product design and user experience.

Additional details

This event is IN PERSON with limited seating capacity, so please do not register if you are unable to commit to being present. NOTE: There will be no virtual events until further notice.

COVID Protocols CreativeMornings/Vancouver has taken necessary measures consistent with BC Health guidelines to mitigate the risk of exposure to COVID. Despite these measures, COVID is highly contagious, and we cannot guarantee that you will not be exposed to COVID at any CreativeMornings in-person event. By attending a CreativeMornings/Vancouver in-person event, you acknowledge and assume this risk and are encouraged to wear a mask when in close proximity to others.

Video Release By registering and participating in this event, you consent to the recording of your likeness, image, and/or voice and authorize CreativeMornings to use photographs, video, and audio recordings containing your likeness, image, and/or voice in any medium for any purpose.

Hosted at SFU Woodward’s — Goldcorp Centre for the Arts
149 W Hastings Street
Vancouver, British Columbia Canada V6B 1H4

When Apr 5, 2024
8:15 AM – 10:15 AM PDT

Queer As Funk | CreativeMornings/Vancouver

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Our featured speaker for March is the charming and irreverent magician Rob Teszka who will share his fascinating experiences and struggles with creativity through the lens of the global theme PERSPECTIVE.

Weaving interesting stories and unusual ideas together with wit and skill, Teszka entertains at a variety of public festivals and private events, is the president of the Fraser Valley Magic Company, and has toured across Canada with his solo Fringe show. The thing he’s most proud of though, is producing and hosting the monthly Parlour Magic Show, Vancouver’s own variety magic show that just entered its 4th year! Incidentally, Rob hated writing this bio for himself, because bragging is really quite unnatural for him. A favourable review once called him “a genuine eccentric”. It’s probably because he knots his own bow ties.

Every month we ask our speaker a handful of probing questions to give us a deeper glimpse into their life and relationship with creativity:

How do you define creativity and apply it in your life and career?
Sometimes, a person gets driven to express a Thing, by -any means necessary-. Creativity is the practice of solving problems that get in the way of fully communicating the Thing. My chosen medium happens to be magic, which is beautifully cross-disciplinary and lets you express even the impossible. There is a Thing that should not be: and yet, here it is. To bring my Things to life I have dipped my paintbrush into many disciplines: acting, engineering, standup comedy, improv, psychology, puppetry, clown, storytelling–and whatever else I’ve needed to express the Thing.

Where do you find your best creative inspiration or energy?
Seeing live performance! My cup is always refilled whenever I go to a show, and fills most quickly when I’m at a festival and seeing all the shows I can. Especially the weird ones.

What’s one piece of creative advice or a tip you wish you’d known as a young person?
Rob! It’s me, you from the future! That feeling you feel, when in front of an audience? It’s JOY. It doesn’t have to be rare. You can find it in so many different ways. Don’t let the bastards grind you down–you are allowed to pursue joy! DO IT!

Who (living or dead) would you most enjoy hearing speak at CreativeMornings?
Why not both? Have Erwin Schrödinger on. Ha! But for real: I’d be interested to see P.T Barnum, the infamous humbug and sideshow exhibitionist. I suspect he’d be wildly entertaining, but also insightful about North American showbiz culture, the way spin and bluster dazzle the public, and the real power of a fake story. Alas, he was waaaaaay more problematic than his portrayal by Hugh Jackman in the Greatest Showman musical would suggest, so it’s probably for the best that we’ll just have to imagine what he’d say.

How would you describe what you do in a single sentence to a stranger?
I entertain by using lies to share truths—and am disarmingly open about the lying part.

What keeps you awake at night?
My goddamned phone. I am as a moth to its artificial glow.

What’s your one guilty creative indulgence?
I like popcorn movies and prefer pulpy genre to literary fiction! For instance: my favourite movies are Raiders of the Lost Ark and Ghostbusters, and I love cozy murder mysteries and Terry Pratchett’s Discworld novels. I don’t really watch movies or read books that make me feel sad or weird, and I guess I feel guilty about it because I’m seeking fun escapism rather than erudition? Heavens, what will become of my pretentious reputation!

What fact about you would surprise most people?
I’m a vaguely competent pianist and singer, and can convincingly accompany myself on the ukulele.

WATCH RECORDING HERE

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Thanks this month to:

Next Vancouver speaker

Sadé Awele

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