With the 18th annual Victoria Ska & Reggae Festival just over a month away, we are pleased to announce the continuation of the Rocksteady Collective for it's 7th consecutive year. This exhibition is our visual arts component to the festival. This year's Rocksteady Collective will feature many artists, with a variety of mediums. This will be the very first year the Victoria Ska & Reggae Festival will feature fusion belly dancing.
Venue
We are excited to be holding this year's gallery for the second consecutive year at The Odd Fellows Hall, home of the prestigious Odd Fellows. Completed in 1897, this unique building was designed by the same architect as City Hall, and offers a timeless atmosphere.
Launch Party
Check out our Rocksteady Collective Launch Party on Friday June 16th, located at The Odd Fellows Hall at 1315 Douglas Street. Come browse the art, enjoy complimentary culturally significant appetizers with a flare of culinary arts, and watch our video arts presentation from Luke Connor Visual.
Rocksteady Showcase
This year we will be featuring two Rocksteady shows, both held at The Odd Fellows Hall. Friday June 16th we have Railtown Sound System, w/ Everybody Left & Ostwelve , and Saturday June 17th we have DOWN NORTH w/ Dockside Green & Amethyst Dance Troupe. Advance tickets available for $15 Door Prices: $15 with proof of purchase from any other festival show - $18 for non-festival attendees. NO free admittance to Full Fest Pass holders. Jupiter VIP Full Fest Pass holders get in FREE! (Subject to capacity)
Workshops
This year Odd Fellows will be the location for both our The Skints and Shauit workshops this year. You will have an opportunity to check out our art gallery should you decide to attend one of these free workshops.
Special Mentions
We are proud to once again welcome back Verse to the Rocksteady Collective's list of artists. His murals show a unique blend of portrait street art and wild style graffiti, and are always a festival favourite. Verse is known for his amazing portrait murals of such artists as Toots & The Maytals, Mos Def, Barrington Levy, and Booker T. Jones.
We would like to welcome back Warren Smith, who joined us last year for the first time, and created a stunning sketch portrait of Dub FX. Many often mistake Smith's incredibly detailed work for photography.
Rocksteady Collective is bringing back artistic Chef Eric Holden (Gourmet Munchies) to once again bring you complimentary culinary creations with a cultural flare. Last year Holden's delectable treats featured seared kangaroo, Jamaican jerk wings, and vegan tomato essence agar agar cubes. Be sure to catch this year's features at our Rocksteady Launch Party.
We are excited to feature aboriginal artist Francis Dick for the first time this year. Hailing from the Kwakwaka'wakw nation, Francis combines traditional influences from the art of her people in contemporary painting, as well as woodwork, glasswork, and metalwork.
Your host for the evening will be none other than the festival's Rocksteady Collective Coordinator, Sean "Flynch" Behnsen, our society's big-bearded, band interviewing, slice of pecan pie.
2017 Featured Artists
Verse
Sean Behnsen
Stephie Spring, Stephie Spring Designs
Warren Smith, Portraits by Warren Smith
Eric Holden (Gourmet Munchies)
Francis Dick
VISUAL ARTIST APPLICATIONS
We are currently taking applications from artists wishing to showcase their work. We are looking for art that contains relative elements to ska & reggae music. More details will be provided to those selected for the exhibition. We have limited space, so I apply sooner than later! It's free to apply! Good luck!
If you are an artist interested in getting involved fill out the Rocksteady Collective Application Form.
http://victoriaskafest.ca/rocksteady_application
Visual Artist Applications Deadline: Friday May 19th, 2017
Remember to join our facebook pages for event links and more artist information.
Rocksteady Collective: https://www.facebook.com/rocksteadycollective/
Victoria BC Ska Society and the Victoria Ska & Reggae Festival: https://www.facebook.com/victoria.ska.fest/
Looking for more information? Contact us at rocksteady@victoriaskafest.ca
2016 Rocksteady Collective Featured Artists
John Hopkins, Verse, Sean Behnsen, Amethyst Dance Troupe, Warren Smith, Stephie Spring, Kim Newns, Eric Holden (Gourmet Munchies), Laban Pitman-Johnson (Wolfpack Project), Arielle Houghton, Steve Kitchen, Travis Charuk, Sean Brookes, Leah Craig, Rachael Gurevitch (Nightgirl Inc), Ry Williams
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