Sitka Fest 2015

Sheldon Jackson CampusThe Sheldon Jackson Campus is evolving into one of the most dynamic, multidisciplinary campuses in the United States. Originally built in 1911 as a mission school for Alaska Natives, the campus was left in disrepair in 2007 when Sheldon Jackson College closed.

The campus has come back to life since 2011, thanks to the support of individuals and businesses and the thousands of volunteer hours they have invested in re-building this National Historic Landmark.

Sitka Fest DirectorsRoger Schmidt, Sitka Fine Arts Camp • Peter Bradley, Island Institute • Lisa Busch, Sitka Sound Science Center • Jacqueline Fernandez, Sheldon Jackson Museum • Kayla Boettcher, Sitka Summer Music Festival

Sarah Lawrie, Greater Sitka Arts Council • Edward Littlefield & Christian Fabian, Native Jazz Quartet • Sitka Fellows Program Steering Committee • Carolyn Kinneen, Sitka Seafood Festival

A Summer CelebrationAs restoration continues, our campus partners have come together once again to present Sitka Fest, a summer celebration of music, art, science and the humanities. The diversity and depth of the programs listed here reflect both the resilience of our community and its growing reputation as a major cultural destination of the North Pacific.

The Sheldon Jackson Campus partners share in our gratitude to the community members and visitors who make our work possible through financial support, volunteerism, and participation in our programs. An online version of the Sitka Fest program is available at www.sitkafest.org. Please share widely!

Sheldon Jackson Campus

Sitka Fine Arts CampNationally recognized for its cutting edge arts camps, the SFAC provides youth and adults with the opportunity to develop artistic interests and skills under the direction of internationally-acclaimed instructors in visual arts, music, dance, theater, writing, and Alaskan Native Arts. Each summer, over 700 students attend camp. Public events include free exhibitions, art demonstrations, and nightly performance “art shares” by students and faculty.

Adult Camp: Dates vary by class Elementary: June 8 - 12 Middle-school: June 14 - 27 High-school: June 28 - July 12 Musical Theater: July 12 - 26

www.fineartscamp.org

Native Jazz Workshop Workshop: July 12-19

Offering students of all ages a unique opportunity to be part of an evolving new genre of music--the fusion of traditional native and folk melodies with jazz--this workshop covers the key elements of composition, theory, arranging and performance. Students study with members of the internationally-acclaimed Native Jazz Quartet (official 2013-14 Jazz Ambassadors in the United States), Reuel Lubag (piano), Jason Marsalis (vibes) and co-directors Ed Littlefield (drums) and Christian Fabian (bass). www.nativejazzworkshop.com

Sitka Summer Music FestivalJune 2 - June 28 Bringing the world’s finest classical musicians to Sitka for month of glorious chamber music concerts and community events, the 44th SSMF season features cellist (and Artistic Director) Zuill Bailey, pianists Navah Perlman and Natasha Paremski, the Matt Herskowitz Trio, the Arianna String Quartet, and much more. Community events include a family concert and ice cream social, lunchtime concert series on Thursdays, a cafe concert series, and the Allen Marine Chamber Music Cruise

www.sitkamusicfestival.org

Pictured, clockwise from top-right, are

pianist Navah Perlman, Matt Herskowitz Trio,

Arianna String Quartet, and Zuill Bailey

Island InstituteThe Island Institute works to explore and foster resilient community through story, literature, and conversation.

In the past year, we launched the Sitka Story Lab, an exciting new program designed to build creative writing and storytelling skills among youth aged 7-19. In the course of over 150 program hours, we have worked with over 200 students. We’re looking forward to starting up our weekly programs again in September. This summer, we’ll host the first Story Lab Summer Session with Juneau-based storyteller Brett Dillingham from June 1-5th, with a culminating performance on June 6th. Each day will feature two sessions; students aged 7-19 may participate. This summer will also mark the fourth

year of the Sitka Fellows Program, which you can learn more about on the next page. Our Resident Fellows Program will return in the fall, bringing writers to Sitka throughout the winter months. Writers interested in applying to the program can do so through our website. Writer, dancer, and teacher Kimi Eisele will be the first resident of the fall season, through our partnership with the Rasmuson Artist Residency Program. Much of our work in the next year will revolve around fostering conversation and collaboration around questions of what climate change will mean for Alaska. We are building a website to map climate change in Alaska and will host a series of climate oriented events in the fall and winter. www.iialaska.org

John-Henry Heckendorn Political strategist working to usher in a new era of post-partisan politics in Alaska.

Sarah Gibson

Writer, musician, and square dancer working to document North Carolina folk traditions

through oral histories.

Ellie Schmidt Multi-media artist investigating climate change through video

and projection.

Ramona Ring Professional illustrator working

on her first graphic novel, exploring childhood themes.

Nathaniel Barnett Singer and composer creating a choral folk symphony uncovering

shared themes across world religions and spiritual beliefs.

DJ Thielke

Houston-based short story writer working to complete a collection

for publication.

Sitka Fellows ProgramA multidisciplinary residency program now in its fourth year, the Sitka Fellows Program is coordinated by the Island Institute in partnership with the Sitka Fine Arts Camp. The program provides the space and time for artists, intellectuals, and social entrepreneurs to immerse themselves fully in innovative and ambitious projects that will change the world in ways big, small, and subtle. Fellows are in residence for seven weeks and provided with studio and research space, meals and a community environment in which they can interact with each other and with Sitkans. The residency is envisioned as an opportunity for young talent to share their individual passions with a diverse community - that is, to inspire and be inspired. Financial and in-kind contributions from the Sitka Fine Arts Camp, David and Marge Steward, the National Endowment on the Arts’ Art Works Program, and the Hames Corporation, along wih our network of generous individual donors, make this program possible. www.iialaska.org

The Paris of the Pacific A Melodrama Brought to you by the Greater Sitka Arts Council Two performances at Naa Kahidi on June 25 & June 29

The Greater Sitka Arts Council, whose vision is that ART is vital to a healthy vibrant community, brings a Sitka-ized melodrama ,The Paris of the Pacific, about the 1867 Russian-Alaskan exchange. A timeless story filled with human drama: love, fear, danger, heroism, villains, emotions, tension, and a generous dose of tomfoolery.

www.thinkartthinksitka.com

Sheldon Jackson Museum Known worldwide for its rare collection of 19th-century artifacts from each of the Native groups in Alaska, the SJ Museum offers exciting public programs this summer: The popular Native Artist Residency Program in which Alaskan master artists share their work, answer questions and offer workshops and lectures. This year’s artists include Abel Ryan (Tsimshian), Drew Michael (Yupik/Inupiaq), Sarah Williams (Athabascan), Audrey Armstrong (Athabascan), and Neva Mathias (Cup’ik). Recap Residency Talks at the end of each artist’s residency, lectures on Alaska Native art, and hands-on classes teaching visitors beading, doll making, Northwest Coast Formline design, fish skin sewing and more will be offered. Come connect with the artists, the collection, and learn about Alaska Native cultures, traditions, innovation, and art.

Yup’ik mask from Andreafsy, collected by Sheldon Jackson.

Sitka Sound Science CenterDedicated to increasing our understanding of marine and terrestrial ecosystems in the Gulf of Alaska through education and research, SSSC provides tours and public programs to over 12,000 visitors a year. Many come for our fully operational salmon hatchery, newly constructed seawalk, or to experience the Molly Ahlgren Aquarium, which features spectacular touch tanks filled with local tide pool fauna. SSSC offers a range of summer camps for youth (1st-6th grade) which encourage engagement with the local environment. Additionally, visiting scientists from prestigious educational and research institutions – Scripps Oceanographic, Woods Hole, Duke, Stanford, Yale and NOAA – conduct research at the Science Center year round. SSSC is a viable field station, hosting students and researchers from a variety of

academic backgrounds throughout the year. Interested in supporting the Science Center and showcasing all that we have to offer our community? Join SSSC staff and volunteers as we march in this year’s 4th of July parade in downtown Sitka! Join us in all the science fun! Learn more at www.sitkascience.org.

Sitka Seafood FestivalAugust 7-8, 2015 A two day festival to celebrate wild Alaskan seafood! Bringing together local and celebrity chefs, bands, fisherman, foodies and local food vendors with non-stop activities from fish head tossing, to the Alaskan-style Highland Games, watching cooking demos, to eating some of the best food around, you’re not going to want to miss this! Aug 7: VIP event and Five course dinner prepared by our guest chefs using all local seafood at Allen Hall. Aug 8: All day festival on the Sheldon Jackson Campus featuring tote races, a parade, Highland Games, the “SSF Marketplace”, contests, cooking demos and talks, music, and more. www.sitkaseafoodfestival.org

Host Your Next Event on Campus Alaska Arts Southeast, Inc. (Sitka Fine Arts Camp) has a variety of beautiful and historic spaces available to rent for your next event.

We aren’t just an event center- we’re an entire campus! We have dorms, catering services, formal event spaces, a theater, and a variety of classrooms all available to rent outside of our summer camp season. Have your wedding, retreat, meeting, or workshop on campus next year!

For more information, questions, or to request a rental, please get in touch at: www.fineartscamp.org/campus 907-747-3085 rentals@fineartscamp.org

Odess Theater In Allen Hall

Del Shirley Room

Campus Map

Sitka Fest 2015 Schedule of Events Fine Arts Camp // Island Institute // Sitka Seafood Festival Summer Music Festival // Greater Sitka Arts Council

JUNE June 1-5, daytime - Sitka Story Lab Summer Session, Yaw Chapel* June 6, time TBA - Story Lab Student Storytelling Event, Naa Kahidi June 5, 7:30 pm - Evening Concert, Centennial Hall June 6, 7:30 pm - Evening Concert, Centennial Hall June 12, 7:30 pm - Evening Concert, Centennial Hall June 13, 7:30 pm - Evening Concert, Centennial Hall June 14, 3:00 pm - Crab Feed, Crescent Harbor Shelter June 15 - 23, 7pm - Art Shares by SFAC faculty, Odess Theater* June 19, 7:30 pm - Evening Concert, Centennial Hall June 20, 7:30 pm - Evening Concert, Centennial Hall June 21, 6:00 pm - Allen Marine boat cruise June 24, 25, 26, 7pm - Final Student Performances, Sitka PAC June 25, 7pm: Paris of the Pacific Melodrama, Naa Kahidi June 26, 7:30 pm - Evening Concert, Centennial Hall June 26, 1pm-4pm - Student Art Show and Performances, SJ Campus* June 26, 10pm - Student Rock Show Performance, Odess Theater* June 27, 7pm - Jazz on the Waterfront, SFAC Benefit, Odess Theater* June 28, 11 am - Concert Brunch, Location TBA June 25, 7pm: Paris of the Pacific Melodrama, Naa Kahidi June 29, 7pm - July 8 - Art Shares by SFAC faculty, Odess Theater* JULY July 9, 10, 11, 7pm - Final Student Performances, Sitka PAC July 11 , 1pm-4pm - Student Art Show and Performances, SJ Campus* July 11, 10pm - Student Rock Show Performance, Odess Theater* July 19 - Sitka Fellows Program Meet and Greet July 18, 7pm - Native Jazz Workshop Student Performance, Rasmuson* July 23 - Sitka Fellows Program Workshop #1* July 24, 7pm - Musical Theater Camp Performance, Sitka PAC July 25, 2:30pm & 7pm - Musical Theater Camp Performance, Sitka PAC July 30 - Sitka Fellows Program Workshop #2* AUGUST August 6 - Sitka Fellows Program Workshop #3* August 7, 8: Sitka Seafood Festival, SJ Campus* August 13 - Sitka Fellows Program Workshop #4* August 20 - Sitka Fellows Program Workshop #5* August 22 - Sitka Fellows Program Open Studio Event August 27 - Sitka Fellows Program Workshop #6* *indicates event taking place on SJ Campus. See inside back cover for map