PuSh Industry Series - Jan 29-Feb 5, 2023 - Presented with Talking Stick
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Tuesday January 28

9:30 a.m. – 10:30 a.m. / Industry Pass collection & Drop-In Coffee & Tea

Roundhouse Community Arts and Recreation Centre (See map)

10:30 a.m. – 12:00 p.m. / Territorial Welcome, Industry Opening 

The Roundhouse

Begin the Industry Series with our Territorial Welcome, a sincere acknowledgment of the local Indigenous customs and traditions. As we gather on the unceded territories of the Musqueam, Squamish, and Tsleil-Waututh nations, we do so with mindfulness and respect for their history and ongoing relationship with their ancestral lands. This ceremony not only sets the tone for the Industry Series but also embodies the collaborative spirit and shared learning that will define the days ahead.

Indigenous Futurism Keynote by Quelemia Sparrow

In this year’s keynote, actor, writer and director Quelemia Sparrow delves into Indigenous Futurism through the lens of her Musqueam culture and creation methodology. Her work, including upcoming Tumulx and the Almost Real episode of Al Jazeera’s Necessary Tomorrows podcast, imagines futures born from the dystopian legacies of colonization.

Sparrow envisions AI rooted in Indigenous kinship values, perceiving technology as an extension of Earth’s resources and interconnected life. Centring Indigenous data sovereignty and Musqueam knowledge, she proposes a future where B.C. is recognized as a sovereign Indigenous nation, and Earth collaborates with humanity to restore balance.

Quelemia Sparrow is an Indigenous actor, writer and director from the Musqueam Nation. She has created her own way of approaching devised and land-based creations rooted in her Musqueam Culture and protocols.

With her own Musqueam-based creation methodology she has written, most recently, a narrative podcast ‘Almost Real’ by Necessary Tomorrows released by Al Jazeera, ‘Women of Papiyek’ (working title) to be premiered at Bard on the Beach and ‘Tumulx’ commissioned by Neworld Theatre. This year she completed a Fellowship with UBC Theatre devising ‘Tumulx’. 

She is currently adapting her narrative podcast ‘Almost Real’ to the screen. The story is about an Indigenous AI in the near future, with that project she is the recipient of the AI Impact Alliance Arts-Laws fellowship for Canadian artists to explore the ethical, legal and economic implications of GenAI and contribute to the direction of generative AI governance.

You can listen to an interview with CBC ‘Unreserved’ about ‘Almost Real’ and her discussion with Rosanna Deerchild about Indigenous Data Sovereignty.   

In the 2010 Winter Olympics she represented Musqueam and welcomed the world to her territory. Since then, for the past 14 years, she has been doing Territorial Land Acknowledgements and for over 20 years she has been disseminating sχʷəy̓em̓ (Musqueam history), knowledge and teachings.

She has continuously shared her knowledge on indigenizing creative processes and decolonizing practices to the Canadian Theatre ecology and various sectors. 

Quelemia has performed across Canada at various theatres including the Stratford Festival and she can be seen in the feature film ‘Until Branches Bend’ which premiered at TIFF and she played ‘Milly’ in MotherLand: Fort Salem TV series. 

Website: www.quelemiasparrow.com

12:00 p.m. – 1:00 p.m. / Catered Lunch

The Roundhouse

1:00 p.m. – 3:00 p.m. / Workshop: Navigating the Big Divides

The Roundhouse
Led by NikNaz Kahnamoui and Lynda Gerty

Feeling the strain of division in your team, organization, or community? Finding it challenging to engage in dialogue with those who hold diverging views? You’re not alone. 

Join us for a 2-hour session to dip your toes in finding new strategies to deal with conflict – without losing sight of what matters most to you. We will apply the Polarity Management Framework, a model and set of principles developed by Barry Johnson, to explore the challenge of holding steadfast convictions and staying open to other perspectives. Our hope is that fostering a deeper understanding of this dynamic within ourselves will help us cultivate relationships across divides while staying true to our core values.

Through this session, you can expect to:

  • Feel less isolated by connecting with others who are grappling with divisiveness.
  • Apply a framework to gain greater self-awareness and fresh insights.
  • Identify new actions to be more intentional when dealing with differences.

This session is ideal for individuals seeking to strengthen their leadership and relational skills. It supports participants to engage more effectively with conflicts and differences. 

NikNaz Kahnamoui, MA, PMP, CLCC  (she/her)
With more than 20 years of experience in strategic and operational planning and implementation, I meet clients where they are and support them in making difficult decisions and planning transformational change. I approach my work from a social justice lens. I am a first-generation queer immigrant from Iran and settler on the unceded lands of the sḵwx̱wú7mesh, sel̓íl̓witulh, and xʷməθkʷəy̓əm nations.  niknazkahnamoui.com

A person taking a selfie Description automatically generated with medium confidence

Lynda Gerty, MA, CEC, PCC (she, her)
Over the past decade, I’ve served as a leadership coach and organizational consultant for clients seeking to navigate change, increase their impact, and enhance their team’s health and effectiveness. My work is grounded in a longstanding commitment to anti-oppression and social justice. I am a fifth-generation queer settler of Irish and French descent, residing on the unceded territories of the Lək̓ʷəŋən and WSÁNEĆ people.  lyndagerty.com

3:00 p.m. – 5:00 p.m.  / Artist Walks

Various; Departing from The Roundhouse

Artist Walks invite visiting delegates to slow down, go for a walk, and get to know local spaces through the lens of a local artist. Within the frame of this informal guided “tour”, participants get to know each other while exploring a corner of the city that has informed one artist’s sense of locality. An opportunity to expand inter/national community and stretch your legs! Dress warm. Umbrellas will be available if needed.

Sophie Dow (any pronouns)

Treaty 1-born Sophie Dow is a freelance multidisciplinary creative, crafting in realms of dance, music, film & bodywork, inspired by Michif/Assiniboine + French/Ukrainian roots.

www.sophiedow.com

Portrait photo of Sophie Dow

George Rahi (he/him)

George Rahi is an interdisciplinary artist whose work includes installations, experimental instrument making, solo + ensemble performance, and works for radio, theatre & public spaces.

georahi.com

Julian Legere (he/him)

Julian is a bisexual/genderqueer artist of European and Acadian settler ancestry. His interdisciplinary practice spans theatre, poetry, drag, burlesque, and contemporary performance.

Mind of a Snail Puppet Co.

Jessica Gabriel and Chloe Ziner who have been developing a multilayered style of visual storytelling together since 2003.

https://mindofasnail.org/

Sophia Mai Wolfe (she/her/hers)

Sophia Mai Wolfe, is mixed race, Canadian-Japanese independent artist whose practice lies in the spaces between dance and live performance, photography and videography, curation, festival programming, editing, filmmaking, and directing.

alyssa favero (they/them)

Alyssa / Lyzah is an experimental dance artist in so-called Vancouver, weaving curiosity and care to choreograph, perform, facilitate, and uplift stories that foster connection.

alyssafavero.com/about

Pegah Tabassinejad (she/her)

Pegah Tabassinejad is an Interdisciplinary artist, educator, and wanderer. Her new media practice primarily revolves around the construction of digital and live performances, video installations and city projects.

https://pegahtabassinejad.com/

Artist Walks are only available to Industry Delegates.

Register to Join a Walk

5:00 p.m. – 7:00 p.m. / Happy Hour

The Post at 750 (See map)

Enjoy a beverage and refreshments with your fellow delegates at the PuSh Festival Lounge.

Sponsored by New Works Dance and Belsher Arts Management

7:00 p.m. / Industry Track Festival Performance 

Habitat

Scotiabank Dance Centre (See map)
Running Time: 45 minutes
This performance will be followed by a 30 minute talkback with the artists.

In a visual symphony of deep-sea bioluminescence, an entrancing interaction with a seemingly sentient structure draws us into a hypnotic meditation on the search for home. More show info

8:30 p.m. / Industry Track Festival Performance 

BLEU NÉON 

Left of Main (See map)
This venue is regretfully only accessible by stairs. Please get in touch at plasticorchid@me.com if you require assistance. 
Running Time: 60 minutes
This performance will be followed by a 30 minute talkback with the artists.

Bathed in the neon luminescence of an imagined Saigon nightscape, Châu Kim-Sanh’s rap incantations and meticulous motions form a prayer to the embodied yearning and fantasized nostalgia of the Asian diaspora. More show info

10:00 p.m. – 11:30 p.m. / Opening Cocktail / Mocktail

Left of Main (See map)

This venue is regretfully only accessible by stairs. Please get in touch at plasticorchid@me.com if you require assistance. 

Enjoy a beverage and refreshments with your fellow delegates after BLEU NÉON.

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