PuSh Festival, Touchstone Theatre, DOXA and Music on Main Named as Recipients of CBC’s Community Amenity Space

February 05, 2014

The City of Vancouver has named PuSh International Performing Arts Festival as the lead subtenant of the City-leased community cultural amenity space at the CBC Vancouver Broadcast Centre at #110–750 Hamilton Street. The PuSh Festival partners with Touchstone Theatre Society, The Documentary Media Society (DOXA Documentary Film Festival) and Music on Main Society to develop, occupy, govern and manage the ground floor space of the CBC complex. The four arts and cultural organizations will use the 8,477 square feet community cultural amenity space as an administration, festival production and animation hub.

Of this recommendation that passed at today’s City Council meeting, Norman Armour, Artistic and Executive Director of the PuSh Festival says, “This is a game changer. Establishing a permanent foothold in the city’s downtown core for our four organizations will set the course of the next 10 years and beyond. The PuSh Festival and Touchstone Theatre have been working on securing a co-located space for well over two years. The recent addition of DOXA and Music on Main to our collective efforts represents an unprecedented alliance of independent non-profit arts presenters and producers. This exciting opportunity to set up shop in the CBC facility addresses our shared and long-standing need for rehearsal space, administrative offices and public programs. This is the type of ‘good news’ story we are extremely excited to be part of.”

“Touchstone Theatre is a 37-year-old cornerstone of the Vancouver arts scene, but we have never had any kind of permanent home. The CBC nurtured and launched many of the country’s most important theatrical voices in the early days of Canadian theatre, so settling ourselves within that organization’s Vancouver structure feels totally right. The partnership with the three remarkable organizations we will be sharing with promises to create a true hub of artistic excitement and vitality,” says Katrina Dunn, Artistic Director of Touchstone Theatre.

Kenji Maeda, Interim Executive Director of DOXA Documentary Film Festival says, “We’re excited about the opportunity to co-locate with these other exceptional arts organizations. Not only is this a great opportunity for DOXA, allowing us to share space, resources and increase efficiencies, it is also a chance to actively collaborate with some of the most progressive and innovative arts organizations in the city. As a community engaged festival, this is at the very heart of what we do, and we couldn’t be happier about this recommendation.”

“Music on Main thrives on the creativity of collaboration. Working with inspiring colleagues opens up new ideas and new practices, and the co-operative vision for the CBC space will allow easy, organic access to the exchange of ideas, both in terms of aesthetics and business,” says Alfredo Santa Ana, Administrative Manager of Music on Main.