Contact East Showcase

Canada East Arts Trade show coming to P.E.I.

Ryan Quigley

Journal Pioneer

Canada East’s Atlantic Canada’s Performing Arts Trade Show is coming to Summerside September 28 to October 2.

The show, which is presented by the Atlantic Presenter’s Association and Canada East organizers, showcases talent in full shows from around the world for venue managers world wide to look at for future booking.

The performances are going to be opened to the public with a ticket price to be determined later.

The artists are given a chance to meet with the managers in a contact room after their performances.

Professional development days will also be put on for venue owners or presenters looking to better their craft.

The event was last held in Summerside in 2005 and was staged at the Silver Fox Curling and Yacht Club, Harbour Front Theatre, the Shipyard Market and St. Mary’s Church in Indian River. The event is held once every two years.

Andrea Ellis, outreach and membership development manager for the Atlantic Presenter’s Association, said Summerside’s size and the addition of the Credit Union place made it attractive.

“It’s a nice little town for people to be able to walk to locations. We were there in 2005 and it worked really well.”

Ellis said they will be organizing a field trip all across the Island for the people involved to see the province.

“We’re just trying to make it a little bit of an event where it’s not so much focus just in the conference area but the whole Island.”

She said the goal of the showcase is to develop art in the communities.

“That’s the bottom line. It’s helping presenters learn about programming and finding quality performers they can bring back to their communities,” she said. “Our tag line is cultivating cultural communities.”

Gordon MacFarlane, Human Resources and Legal director for the city, said it will be fantastic for the city of Summerside.

“This is similar to the ECMA’s except it’s more artist and association driven. There’s going to be 125 industry delegates in the community for the weekend and over 100 performers.”

MacFarlane said Credit Union place will be the main facility with the Harbourfront theatre and various other places in the city also holding events.

“I think our facilities that we have in place certainly speak for themselves. The Credit Union Place is a wonderful place to hold an event like this.”

MacFarlane said they have been working for months to get the event to come to Summerside.

“As a community we’ve been trying to build on kind of the cultural and musical product in the community for a while now. We’ve done a lot of sporting events in the past, and we continue to do those, but as a community service department we’re trying to branch out.”