Die-Nasty features Minister Lindsay Blackett.

Die-Nasty is recognized in Edmonton as a comedy staple--an improvised soap opera that relishes in cliches, over-the-top characters, and improbable situations. Suffice it to say it was a pleasant surprise when Honourable Minister of Culture and Community Spirit Lindsay Blackett took the stage Thursday night to show his support for the arts, including magazines, the recording industry, and film.

Read Edmonton Journal article...

More about Die-Nasty...

Party Old School at UPPERCASE Gallery

Janine Vangool of UPPERCASE Gallery knows how to throw a party (evidenced by Design Pairings last Thursday). Expect Old School to be a throwback to your glory days (forget about the traumatic times) and even more interactive fun for everyone. Hope you can make it!

Old School Party and Book Launch

Saturday August 23, 2008
Time: 1 - 5 pm

Art exhibition! Book launch! All-ages party!

UPPERCASE gallery invites the public to a grand opening celebration of Old School. The "Old School" theme celebrates the aesthetics of twentieth century education through an art exhibition and companion book, as well as curated back-to-school stationery and unique objects. It is inspired by vintage flash cards, wooden desks, biology class, science fairs, crayons, card catalogs, textbooks, lunchboxes, gym class, maps, lockers, report cards, film strips, recess, chalk... and the list goes on!

In addition to drawing, painting and collage, we will be exploring old school technology such as typewriters, film projections and polaroid photography. The exhibition features 80 local and international artists and runs until September 30.

In honor of this theme, UPPERCASE gallery has been transformed into an old-fashioned elementary school classroom equipped with school desks, vintage maps, a globe of the world, chalkboards, anatomy models, an abacus and many more authentic artifacts of school day's past. The exhibition is so large that we have enlisted our neighbour, One Blue Wall Gallery, who will become the principal's office!

Please join us Saturday August 23, 1 - 5pm for a special opening day party and book launch. Children of all ages and the young-at-heart will be treated to old-fashioned refreshments. Participating artists will be on hand to sign your Old School book. Guests can pose for a polaroid class photo, make simple jewellery with their initials, and type old school memories on vintage typewriters. Don't forget to pick up our freshly-printed book, signature pink erasers and Old School pencils as keepsakes of the show.

Janine and Diedre encourage party-goers to bring their old school style to the event. Demonstrate your school spirit by dressing up as your favorite old school character. Have an old lab coat tucked away in the attic? Fancy dusting off those pom poms? Still fit into your school uniform? We love librarians, cheerleaders, teachers, jocks, preppies, janitors, junior scientists, geeks, mathletes and the whole school crew. Hope to see lots of you in costume at the big event and a prize for most school spirit will be awarded.

AMPed Up Design Pairings at Uppercase

Thank you to Janine Vangool of Uppercase Galllery for her wickedly informative presentation on typography and its uses, and to all those who came out for some vino, cheese, and schooling on how to use text for maximum effectiveness.

Check out Janine's blog for more photos.

Check out AMPA's photos on Flickr.

Quebecor World inks deal worth $45 million

Giant printing company Quebecor World Inc. released its Q2 results ending June 30, a loss of 44 cents per share as revenues fell 12 percent to US$975.5 million.

The Montreal-based company which filed for bankruptcy protection January 21st, said that results are in line with its expectations.

"We have made important progress in the last six months to preserve the long-term sustainable profitability of our company while working through a process to ensure fair and equitable consideration for all stakeholders," CEO Jacques Mallette said in a statement.

The sale of the European operations will allow it to focus on its core business in the Americas, he added.

The company recently announced a 7-year deal with Canada Wide Media, worth $45 million. The deal includes renewal work on BC Business, Westworld Publications, BC Home, Alberta Home, Gardenwise and Granville Magazine.

"Quebecor World's dedication to quality and service was a key contributing factor in partnering with them for another 7 years", said Peter Legge, Chairman and CEO Canada Wide Media. "Our business was built on print over 30 years ago and this partnership renewal with Quebecor World shows our commitment to the importance of printed media in the Canadian marketplace. We look forward to working with Quebecor World as we actively pursue our growth objectives over the next 7 years".

Article on Fox business

Article on Wall Street Journal

Ezra Levant complaint dismissed by Alberta Human Rights Commission

Two years and about $100,000 of former Western Standard publisher Ezra Levant's own money, the Alberta Human Rights and Citizenship Commission (AHRC) has rejected a complaint against him filed by the Edmonton Council of Muslim Communities for the republishing of the Danish Muhammad cartoons.

The republication came amidst outcry from the Muslim community, that the cartoons would increase discrimination against them.

"Our whole idea was to educate people," said Yasmeen Nizam, an ECMC director and civil litigation lawyer in Edmonton. "We thought the cartoons did [expose Muslims to hatred], regardless of the context, because if you look at the broader context in a post-9/11 world, Muslims are at a higher risk of being discriminated against."

Levant, a staunch proponent of free speech and freedom of the press, defended his stance vocally, on his personal website, www.ezralevant.com and by posting videos on YouTube. He attributes the dismissal of the complaint to his refusal to sit down.

"I was let go because I'm in the media every day. I've been down to [the U.S.] Congress to testify, I've been on CNN even. That's why I was let go, because if I caused them this much pain just in an investigation, imagine what the trial would be like," he said.

"If I had been a defendant in a civil court, the judge would now order the losing parties to pay my legal bills. Instead, the Edmonton Council of Muslim Communities won't have to pay me a dime." Levant estimates that some $500,000 for government bureaucrats, will have been paid by Alberta taxpayers.

Says Levant, "The process I was put through was a punishment in itself - and a warning to any other journalists who would defy radical Islam."

Other links:

http://www.nationalpost.com/most_popular/story.html?id=705092

www.ezralevant.com

CADAC: Streamlining and Simplifying Public Funding for Magazines

By the end of this year, a new and exciting online database will help streamline and simplify the public funding process for cultural, literary and arts magazines.

An important part of gaining funding is for an organization to have critical financial reports and statistics on hand. However, depending on the funding agency (ie. federal vs. provincial), different sets of data are needed to meet the application requirements. This discrepency in details has left many organizations finding the public funding process to be overly complex and inconsistent.

Launching in late 2008, CADAC's (Canadian Arts Data/ Données sur les arts au Canada) online database will allow organizations to submit one set of financial and statistical information for funding grants. The database will be hosted by the Canada Council.

The CADAC benefits include:

• Arts organizations will have access to reports and historical data on their own organizations, as well as reports that compare their data to all the data in CADAC for similar organizations – by size, region or discipline.
• Financial and statistical information will be secure. Only the arts funders will have access to the information provided by arts organizations applying to their programs.
• Arts funders and arts organizations will be able to use the aggregate data to identify trends and monitor the overall health of the arts sector.

For more information about CADAC, please visit: http://www.canadacouncil.ca/news/releases/2008/jp128620783918870904.htm or email CADACInfo@thecadac.ca.

Folk Fest Fun!

Thanks to everyone who joined us at the 2008 Folk Festival in Calgary. This year's booth featured many great arts and literary titles.

And more great news for arts and literary magazines!