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arts editorial Note from the Editor A his issue marks Arts Alire's third anniversary. It's an uncanny coincidence that it's also the debut of a new editor: me--Marian Dodd! Hello! I hope I can continue the high quality established by Aris Alire's longtime editor Gloria Loree and recent associate editor Diane Mackay. I'm thrilled to have this position where I can again promote something I love: local arts and entertainment. I have worked as the entertainment editor for a variety of TV (CKVU. BCTV. CBC NewsWorld) and radio stations (CFOX, QMFM. JR Country) and covered arts for various magazines (Vancouver Magazine, Plus. Blitz, Pacific Northwest) in Vancouver over the last 15 years. But for several years now, I've mainly been reporting for various American media outlets such as Entertainment Tonight. E! Entertainment Television, and Access Hollywood, which are interested only in the film industry here. Although fascinating and sometimes fun. I have missed reporting on the local arts scene. So now I have the best of both worlds: I will continue my work for E.T. and others, and I have this wonderful job at Arts Alive where I can cover the local arts in an area I have lived for much of my life: the North Shore. I'm very pleased with the selection of articles and writers in this issue. 1 hope you agree! It was perfect that one of my first official duties as Arte Alive editor was to attend the first annual North Shore Arts Symposium, held January 17 at the Lucas Centre. The symposium, organized by the North Shore Arts Commission, was an unqualified success. As I explore in an article in this issue, this was a marvelous opportunity to meet many people in the local arts community and to hear from the public. One of the common themes at the symposium was exploring what art means to people. Ruth Payne and Maria Malcolm of West Vancouver's Ferry Building Gallery investigate this very topic in an editorial celebrating the gallery's upcoming Arts Awareness Week. Writer/broadcaster David Marnoch contributes two pieces: a look at a recent North Shore tragedy, the fire at Paine Hardware, and what the extensive damage to this valuable heritage building means to the community; and a preview of Slaying the Dragon, an amusing play by North Vancouver's Michael St. John Smith, showing this month at Presentation House Arts Centre. And one month later at the same venue, the annual North Shore Festival of Plays takes the stage. Val Mason tells us what to look for at this exciting event. Ben D'Andrea introduces us to North Vancouver's George Roberts--a man so passionate about choral music that he devotes both his professional and private life to it. as a longtime member of the Vancouver Chamber Choir and as co-ordinalor of Music at Highlands United Church. Speaking of passion and music, we will explore where those early artistic passions can begin with two interesting articles: Doug Rushton investigates the benefits of the North Shore Youth Band and Ashley MacDonald writes about her fondness for and gratitude to two of her dance instructors. The March/April issue also tells us that Amelia Earhart may be the most famous female pilot in history, but she certainly wasn't the only one. High Flyers is a wonderful new exhibit at the North Vancouver Museum and Archives illustrating the role women have played in Canada's aviation history. And still with the visual arts, curator Karen Love introduces us to a fascinating new exhibit of contemporary Chinese art at the Presentation House Gallery. That's just a snapshof of what's between the covers. I am certainly excited about the issue; I hope you are too. Let me know! If you have any calendar listings or ideas for future articles, please send them to me at Arts Alive (see page 3 for contact numbers and deadlines). Finally, none of this would be possible without the incredible help I've received. I must admit, it was overwhelming to jump on board mid-sail, so to speak. My special thanks to Mary Ann Anderson. Lori Phillips, Judy Phillips, and the incomparable, amazing Gloria Loree! Enjoy the magazine. -" , -- Marian Dodd, editor. Arts Alive Y o u tell us w h o the w i n n e r i s . . . There are winners in our midst... A musician? A sculptor? An actor? A painter? A dancer? A film-maker? Suggestions? Some of the North Shore's many outstanding, nationally renowned artists will be honoured at home in October. And we want you to tell us who. The Fund for the Arts on the North Shore invites your nominations for its FANS Award to be presented at the annual FANS Night event, October 1998. For further information, or nomination forms, please contact the North Shore Arts Commission at 980-3559 or fax us at 984-3563 or e-mail us at nsarts@istar.ca. Deadline: M a y 1, 1998.