The Rotary Centre for the Arts would like to invite all KVPACS members to attend the Midterm Member's Update Meeting on Tuesday, January 27th at 6pm.

The meeting will be held at the Rotary Centre for the Arts, 421 Cawston Avenue. Should your membership be expired, you may renew it up to and including the time of the meeting. We look forward to seeing you there!

Winter 4-Paks are still available for purchase in the New Year at the Rotary Centre for the Arts. The 4-Pak is only $100 for any 4 shows in the RCA Spotlight Series until January 17th and $120 for any 4 shows in the Sunshine Theatre Season until February 28th.

The Winter 4-Pak offer is only available for a limited time, so don't miss out on this great opportunity to see a variety of fantastic performances at a great price!

Event: Jake's Gift
Date: January 13-17th, 2009 at 8pm
Matinee: Saturday, January 17th at 2pm
Price: $40 per adult / $10 per student

Written and directed by Julia Mackey, Jake's Gift is a multi-award winning comedy-drama that tells the story of a cantankerous WWII veteran who reluctantly returns to Normandy, France, for the 60th Anniversary of D-Day.

While there he meets Isabelle, a precocious 10-year-old from the local village, whose inquisitive nature and charm challenge the old soldier to confront some long ignored ghosts.

After a successful run at the UNO Festival of Solo Performance and the Toronto Fringe Festival, Jake's Gift was awarded Best New Play, Best Solo Show, Best Drama and Best Female Performer at the Victoria Fringe Festival in September of 2007.

Tickets to Jake's Gift can be purchased through Ticketmaster, by visiting the Rotary Centre for the Arts Box Office, or by calling (250) 717-5304. To learn more about Jake's Gift and the exciting 2008/2009 Sunshine Theatre Season please visit www.SunshineTheatre.org.

Event: Jim Byrnes with the Sojourners
Date: Saturday, January 31, 2009 at 8pm
Price: $30 per adult / $10 per student

Free Preshow:
Blue City at 7pm

Born in St. Louis, Missouri, Jim Byrnes grew up in the heart of blues country. Starting piano at age five, by age thirteen Jim was singing and playing blues guitar. Since his first professional gig in the summer of 1964, Jim has been on the blues highway for over 40 years.

Throughout his journey, Jim has had the great good fortune to appear with a virtual who's who of blues history including Furry Lewis, Henry Townsend, Muddy Waters, John Lee Hooker, Albert Collins, Taj Mahal and Robert Cray.

Also an actor, Jim's fame has grown immeasurably from his too-numerous-to-mention TV roles, with highlights including Lifeguard in the CBS series Wiseguy, worldwide success in Highlander, and his nationally broadcast variety show, The Jim Byrnes Show.

Jim's first love, however, is the blues. His evocative, smoky vocals are found in a truth that doesn't come overnight. During the 80s, the Jim Byrnes Band released "Burnin'" on Polydor, followed in 1987 with "I've Turned My Nights into Days" and 1995's Juno-Award winning "That River" on Stony Plain.

On his latest Juno Award winning release "House of Refuge", Jim found himself digging deep into the traditions that have greatly influenced his life. Jim has let this life wash over him and created perhaps the most inspired and soulful album of his already accomplished career.

For his performance in Kelowna, Jim will be joined by the Sojourners, whose members include: Will Sanders, Ron Small and Marcus Mosely. The Sojourners have years of experience on stage, film and television, and worked with Jim on his Juno Award winning CD, "House of Refuge".

On Tuesday afternoons through January 13th to February 3rd, RCA Resident Artist Tari DiBello will be offering a new painting course for children (grades K- 2) titled Learning about Impressionist Colour.

From lesson plans championed by the Getty Museum in Los Angles, this course will teach students about the Impressionist painters' use of colour. Students will have the opportunity to explore combinations of primary and secondary colours, experiment creating secondary colours, and create a landscape using complementary colours.

A Resident Artist at the Rotary Centre for the Arts since October 2007, Tari has been painting full time for well over 8 years. Inspired by her worldly travels, Tari's works are bright and bold; reflective of her eccentric personality and unconventional approach to life.

Tari is currently working on commission work and several pieces in preparation for upcoming shows scheduled for the New Year. We encourage you to visit Tari upstairs in Studio 202. Tari is available on weekdays and is always more than happy to discuss her artwork and courses with visitors. To learn more about Tari and her work visit misstari.com.

To view the complete selection of winter courses offered at the Rotary Centre for the Arts starting in January visit www.RotaryCentrefortheArts.com and select Education. For further information please call (250) 717-5304.

The Rotary Centre for the Arts is pleased to announce that the Harmony Honda Painting & Drawing Studio is now available as a FREE drop-in studio space every Tuesday from 8am-8pm.

This is a fantastic opportunity for artists to have a space to unleash their creativity and meet other artists! For more information on the free drop-in studio space, please contact the Rotary Centre for the Arts at (250) 717-5304.

WHAT: Calls for Submissions
WHERE: Alternator Centre for Contemporary Art
DEADLINE TO APPLY: January 15, 2009
INFO: 868-2298 or dir@alternatorgallery.com

The Alternator Centre for Contemporary Art is pleased to offer free studio space to artists working in innovative and experimental forms or ideas. Artists must purchase or have a valid Full Membership ($50) to apply. This is a shared studio space in the Alternator's Studio 111 for 3-4 months at a time and includes access to video production and editing equipment.

Submissions are currently being accepted for our Media Arts Lounge. Local artists working in alternative forms of video and new media are encouraged to apply. The Alternator is looking for new work by media artists working in experimental audio, video, interactive or 3D formats.

The Alternator is also calling on experimental musicians and media artists to participate in an experimental music and media arts festival. Chatter and Whirr Unleashed is scheduled for Saturday Feb. 8, 2009 from 9pm-2am in the Atrium located outside the Alternator. Artists working in media based technologies (video, sound, and any interactive media) are invited to submit a proposal to present interactive work in a festival atmosphere.