arts community The A r t of A I D S Vancouver hosts the XI International Conference on AIDS July 7 - / 2. With over 12,000 delegates from 132 countries, it will be both the largest conference ever held on AIDS and largest conference ever held in Vancouver. The Conference's Cultural Program makes an important link with the arts community. by Barbara Johnston i-he XI International Conference on AIDS features a broad spectrum of artistic expression. "Our goal isn't to simply showcase the best art," says Ed Oscapella, producer for the conference's Cultural Program, "it's to show the great diversity of artistic response to AIDS." Oscapella and Screen Festival director Michael Ghent have worked hard to find a balance in representing creative celebrations of life and humanity with artistic expressions that deal with the harsh realities of AIDS. While the conference itself is for researchers, scientists, doctors and care workers, the far-reaching social and cultural implications of AIDS make it significant to those outside the medical community. That's why a cultural program was first proposed: to underline the fact that AIDS is more than a gay issue and it's more than a biomedical problem for the medical community to deal with--that it's a social and political issue relevant to everyone. Other AIDS conferences have had cultural programs in the past, but Vancouver's will be the largest and most diverse ever offered. Local, national and international theatre, film, dance, visual arts and music will be featured in various settings and venues around the city, with Robson Square as the central venue and meeting place for most of the cultural events. Considering the important role the cultural programs will play in linking the public to the conference, it's notable that the cultural programs came very close to not taking place at all. Oscapella found out in the last week of March that he would even be receiving funding to allow him to go ahead with his plans for the cultural program. He explains that "it has been very difficult to get funding. We were right down to the wire." While there has been delays with funding agencies, there has been an overwhelming volunteer response. "More people have been donating their time than I've ever seen before." says Oscapella. "We've been overwhelmed by the generosity of people and by the number of artists who've approached us and offered their time, services and support." The generosity from the arts community shouldn't be surprising. The arts world has been devastated by AIDS and few performing or visual artists have escaped HIV's presence in either their own lives or the lives of This image, commissioned to represent the conference, was created by Vancouver artist Joe Average, whose personal experience of living with HIV helped him produce a depiction of the global effort against this disease. The multi<oloured represent the collective faces human the power of spirit Average suggests that by putting our heads together, the people of the world can overcome challenges facing us. The heart at the centre signifies the importance of love. Finally, the eyes, known as the window into the mind, symbolize knowledge enment and enlight- Still photograph poetic portrait from Christmas at Starcross. Producer Robert Elfslrom of a Christmas tree farm in Northern California ill babies. The members of this unusual community creates a adopt that is run as a hospice for terminally babies with AIDS. The film is a warm and peaceful depiction of life rather than the tragedy of AIDS. of living with the joy