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Cultural Committee

The Fernwood Community Association’s Cultural Committee formed in the early nineties in response to a growing need in Fernwood to formulate a cultural policy. It has always been part of the Fernwood Community Association’s original mandate to provide cultural space to the community and to encourage cultural activity. Over the years the heritage building at 1923 Fernwood Road has hosted Cafe Sympatico, a weekly Blues Jam, numerous musicians, art shows, Reggae events, a meeting place of artists, and so on. There is the unforgettable moment, perhaps ten years ago, when P.K. Page, an iconic figure in Canadian poetry, shoed up for a poetry reading and put her name on the open mike list and got up to read one poem just like everyone else. There has always been an extraordinary amount of cultural activity in Fernwood, as the neighbourhood always had affordable rent for low income artists. Indeed Fernwood is the cultural Hub of Victoria, as 1923 Fernwood is situated right in the centre. All spokes on the cultural wheel emanate outward from there.

The only intact heritage village, close to downtown Victoria, is the neighbourhood which forms the core of Fernwood. At the heart of Fernwood village, is the building at 1923 Fernwood Road. This has long been an underestimated area, with the potential to blossom into an exciting Cultural Committee was formed in order to promote the vibrant culture of Fernwood which is home to many artists, writers, theatrical and musical performers and to provide economical space for workshops, classes, rehearsals and fill the need for a small performance venue, with the Fernwood Community Association as custodians. 1923 Fernwood Road has always been a meeting place, a cultural center where various community or performing groups could have a reasonably priced venue, that seats a maximum of 60. It is the only venue of its kind in Victoria, so its importance to the community cannot be stressed enough. One of the primary identifiable needs in Victoria has been identified as a small venue performance space, and currently this building is the only one which fits the bill. With its casual ambiance and inner-city chic it serves a broad spectrum of eccentric and unusual groups.

One of the more recent and important developments has been the relationship with Theatre Inconnu, with Clayton Jevne as artistic director. Theatre Inconnou already has a thirty history in theatre in Victoria, both as a touring and as local company. They have long and remarkable career, especially when they were housed in their Market Square location, of producing adventurous theatre. Already they have produced the important play The Ecstasy of Rita Joe, and had the world premier in English of Slomar Mrozek’s play The Ambassador. Mrozek is on of the world’s great literary figures, like Beckett or Ionesco, and to have the world premier of a new Mrozek play in Fernwood is quite significant and connects Fernwood to the international community. Out of the local and the particular comes the global and the universal. This is a very important, yet arms length relationship, in which both groups the Fernwood Community Association and Theatre Inconnou flourish.

The Fernwood Community Association is a volunteer-driven organization, employing only one part-time staff member in a paid Office Administrator position. All other functions including active committees, governance, policy, maintenance are performed by volunteers. The Cultural Committee requires your ideas and input. Fernwood is fast becoming a cultural mecca in the heart of Victoria. There are a great deal of activities that can take place in the FCA building: one act play festivals, theatre, puppetry, poetry readings, songwriter’s showcases. If you have ideas or would like to have input into realizing the cultural potential of Fernwood, please contact us for meeting times and with ideas. There are many possibilities such as a cabaret style coffee house, featuring local Fernwood musicians. We have many excellent musicians in Fernwood, and we were thinking of organizing something, like this in late January or early February, and possibly if there enough support and interest we could have it occur once a month at 1923 Fernwood Road. Or possibly a monthly poetry reading.

Your comments or questions on this website are welcome.
The FCA site is designed and maintained by Tony Sprackett.