Cambie Street | AHA Media

AHA MEDIA is pleased to be a Media Sponsor of the Out of the Rain Program at the Flack Block (175 W. Hastings at Cambie )

May 5, 2009 ahamedia Leave a comment

AHA MEDIA is pleased to be a Media Sponsor of the Out of the Rain program in the Vancouver Downtown Eastside ( DTES)

Initiated in 2005, the Out of the Rain program in Vancouver is an evolving unique initiative that brings together professional and marginalized artists to promote genuine solutions to homelessness, as well as develop new methods of art production, sustainable art practice, life stability planning, and dissemination.

Special emphasis is working closely with those artists who face significant challenges (mental health, housing, addiction, poverty) to maintaining and sustaining a regular art practice but who, in the face of these challenges, persevere to make art as a means of survival and self-expression.

In this video, Hendrik Beune, Director of AHA MEDIA and former OOTR participant gives an introduction of OOTR’s new work space at the Flack Block provided by the Salient Group. http://www.thesalientgroup.com

This was filmed by April Smith of AHA MEDIA on a Nokia N95 mobile cameraphone. April is passionate and skilled in making Nokia films by exploring mobile media production through the camera lens of a cellphone. For a better quality version of this video, please DM April Smith @AprilFilms on Twitter.

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What About Love? : Out of the Rain Group Exhibition

June 5th to 28th, 2009

Opening: Friday June 5th, 2009, 6:00pm-10:00pm.
Artists from Vancouver’s Downtown Eastside show new work produced during Out of the Rain program.

Since 2005, Out of the Rain has been bringing together professional and marginalized artists to develop new methods of art production, sustainable art practice, life stability planning, and a professional exhibit.

Special emphasis is placed on working with artists who face challenges to maintaining regular art practice but who, in spite of these challenges, persevere to make art as a means of survival and self-expression. To this end, twelve artists are being provided with studio space, art supplies and sustenance. These artists were selected from over 50 interested and qualified artists.

This year, Out of the Rain is generously funded by the Social Responsibility Fund (through the City of Vancouver). Gallery Gachet (http://www.gachet.org) would also like to thank the Salient Group for providing subsidized street level work space in the Flack Block (175 W. Hastings at Cambie).

AHA MEDIA believes that Out of the Rain ( OOTR ) is an outstanding and very worthwhile project in the Vancouver Downtown Eastside (DTES ) area! We are pleased to support all the artists for their creative spirit and hard work to keep arts alive in our communities! 🙂

More Photos of Out of the Rain 2009 are on our Flickr 🙂

http://www.flickr.com/photos/ahamedia/sets/72157617754121096/

“Bevrijdingsdag”: 5th of May annual Dutch Liberation Day Celebrations in Vancouver’s Victory Square

May 5, 2009 ahamedia 1 comment

On the 5th of May 1945 the allied Canadian Forces liberated the Netherlands and the Dutch people from 5 years of Nazi occupation. This event is celebrated annually in the Netherlands and by people of Dutch descent around the world.

Today is the 64th Anniversary of the Liberation of the Netherlands by Canadian Allied Forces Annual Ceremony held at Victory Square, Vancouver ( May 4th , 2009)

In the following video, AHA MEDIA’s Producer (April Smith) and Director (Hendrik Beune) were on another assignment today at “The Flack Block”, kitty-corner from Victory Square, at the intersection of Cambie and Hastings Streets in Vancouver, where the Canadian WWII war memorial is located where they noticed “Bevrijdingsdag”: 5th of May annual Dutch Liberation Day Celebrations in Vancouver’s Victory Square happening.

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AHA MEDIA’s Director Hendrik Beune was born in Utrecht, the Netherlands and is still fluent in the Dutch language, which they call ‘Nederlands’. This was the predominant language spoken at this celebration of Victory by allied Western Forces over a fascist regime.

Speeches were made by the Dutch Consulate-General and various other dignitaries. Dutch and Canadian flagsflew side by side as tulips and ceremonial wreaths were placed at the monument by various groups, including from “JeMaintiendrai”, the dutch patriot organization, which carries the same name as the dutch motto and which means “I will maintain” with the implied connotation of “We will survive resiliently”.

Other notables were Mr. and Mrs. Oostindie (parents of Irwin Oostindie, who is the Director of W2, the new DTES Centre forCommunity Media Arts).

In this video, Hendrik Beune, Director of AHA MEDIA, meets Mr. and Mrs. Oostindie (parents of Irwin Oostindie, who is the Director of W2, the new DTES Community Media Arts Centre). Mr. Oostindie Sr. was active in the resistance movement during WWII and this also shows in the past and present work of his son Irwin.

NEW addition 🙂

Irwin Oostindie wrote to AHA MEDIA: ” My mother was also influential in working for social justice. I remember coming down to this corner, Cambie and Hastings, in the 1970s to visit my mom at her volunteer job. She worked for the Consumer’s Association of Canada, an advocacy group located upstairs at the Flack Block! ”

This was filmed by April Smith of AHA MEDIA on aNokia N95 mobile cameraphone. April is passionate and skilled in making Nokia films by exploring mobile media productionthrough the camera lens of a cellphone. For a better quality version of this video, please DM April Smith @AprilFilms on Twitter.

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A surprise at this years ceremonies in Vancouver was the presence of a regiment of the Dutch army, who are presently on training in mountainous terrain near Vernon, BC and came to Vancouver to pay their “homage” to the Canadian veterans who gave their lives and contributed greatly to the liberation of The Netherlands.

In the following photos and video, Hendrik Beune, Director of AHA MEDIA, (after an introduction with Mr and Mrs Oostidie), shakes hands with an honored Dutch Veteran.

Herman van Wervenskercke (AHA MEDIA hopes we spelled his name correctly) has been active with theorganization of this annual event Anniversary of the Liberation of the Netherlands by Canadian Allied Forces Annual Ceremony held at Victory Square, Vancouver for many years and on the 30th of April this year 2009-“Koninginnedag”, which is the day the Dutch celebrate the birthday of their Queen –

Herman van Wervenskercke who is 81 years old received official royal recognition from the Dutch Queen for his efforts in the form of a decoration (affectionately referred to as “Een Lintje”)

In the following photo and video, Hendrik Beune, Director of AHA MEDIA gives a tribute of Dutch Tobacco (which is a Westcoast Aboriginal/Native tradition of honor) for the Anniversary of the Liberation of the Netherlands by Canadian Allied Forces Annual Ceremony held at Victory Square, Vancouver ( May 4th , 2009)