CHAIR'S REPORT - Lindsay Ann Cory (Outgoing Chair)
Looking back on my final year as Chairperson of the Board of Nocturne: Art at Night Society, I can’t help but be excited for the future. As I step forward to take on this new role as ED I feel more confident than ever not only in the value and importance of Nocturne in this community but also its vitality. Nocturne has been, and continues to be a leader in providing paid professional experiences for artists here on the East Coast and that is now echoed behind the scenes as well.
I must first acknowledge the ongoing dedication and overwhelming support I receive from all our dedicated volunteers. I continue to rely on the expertise and enthusiasm of our hard-working Board of Directors every day. Their work goes beyond the execution of the night of Nocturne. They are working diligently all year round to bring this festival to fruition. Their passion for the festival and creative strategies for success are intricately woven throughout the entire event. In addition to this, I am always thankful for the continued support we receive from government agencies, local businesses and all our partners and participating organizations that contribute to the event. This dedication and support is echoed by the night-of volunteers who continue to SHOW UP!
The 9th edition of the festival continued to highlight and showcase the talent, diversity and innovation of our thriving arts community both locally and abroad. Michael McCormack inspired us as curator with the theme MOTIVE bringing in artists that were exploring creative space making, stillness, intimacy, and politics. Thank you once again to Pierre Tabbiner who visualized Nocturne’s theme by designing our festival poster(s) (a series of 10 provocative and explosive designs) which peppered the streets of Halifax and our new t-shirts! The event celebrated the work of a wide range of artists from a diverse set of backgrounds and experiences. Nocturne worked with the municipal government to highlight the 2017 HRM election and encourage our audience to vote. We saw the re-election of Nocturne champion Mayor Mike Savage announced during Nocturne. The motive to get involved and engaged with your city never felt so spectacular! We also worked with our partners at HRM to execute some of the most critical and discursive work that Nocturne has ever presented through our Anchor Project Program. Artists came from far and wide to showcase their work here and despite a few challenges, we pulled it off yet again!
In addition to our free opening night party, which took place at Seven Bays Bouldering with entertainment provided by Jackson 2bears and Hip Hop MC Ostwelve, we hosted an artist talk at the Halifax Central Library where we heard from each anchor artist as well as our first RBC emerging artist Jason Skinner.
This year also saw the departure of some long-standing volunteers which I would like to recognize. I would like to acknowledge the work of Nicole Doiron who established the Human Resources Director role, Tori Fleming who had taken on the role of Programming Director, Jeff McCarron who helped to build the Storefront Project Program, and Heidi Mossman for her work as Treasurer. I can’t overstate this enough, the Nocturne Board of Directors are some of the hardest working people I know and I can't wait to see what you accomplish next!
As we are well into planning the 2017 (and 10th) edition of the festival, we continue to strive towards presenting a critical and relevant art festival of a high artistic and professional merit and I think we are well on our way to another 10 years of art and wonder. We look forward to seeing you on October 14th for Nocturne year 10!
Lindsay Ann Cory
Outgoing Chairperson, Nocturne: Art at Night