![[Photos of the Powell Street Festival]](../images/p-about.jpg)
Mandate: to research and identify artists and arts organizations that give voice to the Japanese Canadian community
The programming committee includes, for example, representatives and/or organizers for the following disciplines: Literary, Music, Theatre, Visual Arts, Dance, Media Arts, and New Media / Interdisciplinary. The committee ensures that emerging and established, contemporary and traditional, local and national (and international) artists are all represented in programming efforts.
Actions
In consultation with the General Manager
- Researches, reviews and recommends long-term program plans
- Presents ideas for possible programming, and committee members may also program and coordinate special projects
- Liaises with local organizations in order to identify and implement specific programs (ie. Sponsor Japanese film in other film festivals, co-present a Japanese artist at a dance festival, etc.) and assist in the development of co-operative events and programs
- Identifies specific social issues in contemporary art practice
If you would like to join this committee, please contact Miko at miko at dkam.ca or 604.683.8240.
Current Members
Miko Hoffman :: Chair
Jim Inkster
Michael Tora Speier
Kathy Shimizu
Alia Nakashima
Lyndsay Sung
Yuriko Iga
Members’ Bios
Miko Hoffman coordinated the Powell Street Festival in 2000/2001 and has been the General Manager for the Society since 2003. She has been involved in the local non-profit arts community for more than 13 years in curatorial, programming and volunteering capacities, and writes and performs in various musical projects.
Yuriko Iga was born in Winnipeg and raised in Calgary with Japanese parentage. Her experience of the traditional Japanese house and family, combined with her work in the post-modernist art field, have led her toward a broadened conception of art as the creation of installation or social space always ignoring the boundary between art, multi-media, design, and life. A graduate of the Alberta College of Art and Design, Yuriko’s many artistic endeavours include running a gallery in Calgary called Kisaten from 1994–1996; working with the collective Colours for Industry; and curating music out of a space called Squibb. Now based out of Vancouver, Yuriko’s recent project is called Blim, a sound gallery and art facility which showcases local and international experimental sound, dance and performative or visual art projects.
Jim Inkster, Winnipeg raised, is a 12-year Vancouver veteran. A member of Katari Taiko since 2000 and Powell Street Festival volunteer for the past five years, Jim has also been involved with fringe festival shows, has recorded drums for theatre shows, and led a Kazoo band at a lantern festival. He is currently an instructor in the animation department at Vancouver Film School.
Alia Nakashima graduated with a BFA from Emily Carr Institute of Art and Design and currently works as a producer at an animation studio in Vancouver. She is the treasurer of the Powell Street Festival Society and is a performing member of Sawagi Taiko.
Kathy Shimizu has been a volunteer for the Powell Street Festival since 1991. She coordinated the Festival in 1995 and in 1996 and served on the Board from 1997 until 2001. In May 2005, she received her Bachelor of Design degree in Communication Design from Emily Carr Institute. In addition, she was a member of Katari Taiko and of Sawagi Taiko for many years.
Lyndsay Sung is a multidisciplinary artist working in video art, music, drawing, simple acts of performance and whatever interests her at any given time. She is a graduate of the University of Victoria with a degree in Women's Studies and Film Studies, and a recent graduate of the Emily Carr Institute of Art + Design, obtaining a degree in Integrated Media. Her current interests include experimental documentary, music-making, ice cream recipes and indie fashion design.
Michael Tora Speier, painter, craftsperson and “mixed race media” specialist has recently created an illustrated contemporary kid’s myth and a giant multiracial and interactive skateboard. Since the late ’90s, Michael has been involved with various community arts organizations as a programmer, curator and project coordinator. In 2004 he was funded by the California Civil Liberties Public Education Program to design Japanese North American scenes of history in the forms of snowing souvenir globes.