Mathew Derworiz and Adreanna Boucher are flipping the Jam Street Music Sessions building, at 1026 First Avenue West, into a multi-use arts space. Lucy James is still running the music school from Switzerland. (Jayda Taylor/Daily Herald)
Jam Street Music Sessions is revamping into a multi-use arts space during a pandemic—to the faces behind the transformation, it’s a fitting time to be shining a light on live performances.
“Right now, the arts are suffering because there’s not a huge demand for live art,” said Mathew Derworiz, who’s working with Adreanna Boucher to flip the building located on First Avenue West.
“The isolation that people have felt, people of all ages have felt, during these times is such that sharing artistic vision, artistic creativity, allows for an uplifting of those moments of loneliness, of depression, of sadness.”
At the beginning of July, Jam Street Music Sessions founder Lucy James announced that she was moving back to Switzerland.
While she’s still managing the music school, Boucher had ideas to enhance the space. That sparked from how much she wanted a home base for the Off the Cuff improv group.
Now, it will be a home for small, live performances of all kinds—such as for music, acting and poetry readings—and a rehearsal and storage space. Boucher also wants to use the venue to support local businesses.
Boucher said creative outlets through social media, such as Tik Tok, have boomed during COVID-19.
“People just turned to the arts as a way of coping to make themselves feel better and to laugh,” she said.
Youth in particular, explained Boucher, have been heavily affected by the pandemic.
“All of the sudden they’re taken away from their peer group and they’re isolated,” she said. “The arts is a way to relieve some of that pressure.”
A report released on Sept. 1 outlined the top 10 threats to childhood in Canada and how COVID-19 has impacted the overall health of the country’s youth.
It said that 57 per cent of participants between the ages of 15 and 17 said their mental health is “somewhat worse” or “much worse” than it was prior to the pandemic. The World Health Organization said violence against children could be the hidden crisis of COVID-19.
Not only do Derworiz and Boucher want to build a more vibrant downtown core, they want to make Jam Street Music Sessions a creative outlet for the community’s less fortunate.
They’re hoping to have small shows there every weekend, including two on Sept. 26 for kids. The pair said that, currently, roughly 15 people will be able to come in and watch.
As per their pandemic policy, chairs are spread out to allow for physical distancing, Derworiz regularly disinfects the space and visitors are encouraged to wear masks. Hand sanitizer is available before entering and leaving the building.
As restrictions ease, they hope to get larger and larger.
“We’re painting walls; we’re renovating, and we’re hoping to start with small attendance events,” said Derworiz.
LONDON (AP) — With a few daubs of a paintbrush, the Brontë sisters have got their dots back.
More than eight decades after it was installed, a memorial to the three 19th-century sibling novelists in London’s Westminster Abbey was amended Thursday to restore the diaereses – the two dots over the e in their surname.
The dots — which indicate that the name is pronounced “brontay” rather than “bront” — were omitted when the stone tablet commemorating Charlotte, Emily and Anne was erected in the abbey’s Poets’ Corner in October 1939, just after the outbreak of World War II.
They were restored after Brontë historian Sharon Wright, editor of the Brontë Society Gazette, raised the issue with Dean of Westminster David Hoyle. The abbey asked its stonemason to tap in the dots and its conservator to paint them.
“There’s no paper record for anyone complaining about this or mentioning this, so I just wanted to put it right, really,” Wright said. “These three Yorkshire women deserve their place here, but they also deserve to have their name spelled correctly.”
It’s believed the writers’ Irish father Patrick changed the spelling of his surname from Brunty or Prunty when he went to university in England.
Raised on the wild Yorkshire moors, all three sisters died before they were 40, leaving enduring novels including Charlotte’s “Jane Eyre,” Emily’s “Wuthering Heights” and Anne’s “The Tenant of Wildfell Hall.”
Rebecca Yorke, director of the Brontë Society, welcomed the restoration.
“As the Brontës and their work are loved and respected all over the world, it’s entirely appropriate that their name is spelled correctly on their memorial,” she said.
In a case that has sent shockwaves through the Vancouver Island art community, a local art dealer has been charged with one count of fraud over $5,000. Calvin Lucyshyn, the former operator of the now-closed Winchester Galleries in Oak Bay, faces the charge after police seized hundreds of artworks, valued in the tens of millions of dollars, from various storage sites in the Greater Victoria area.
Alleged Fraud Scheme
Police allege that Lucyshyn had been taking valuable art from members of the public under the guise of appraising or consigning the pieces for sale, only to cut off all communication with the owners. This investigation began in April 2022, when police received a complaint from an individual who had provided four paintings to Lucyshyn, including three works by renowned British Columbia artist Emily Carr, and had not received any updates on their sale.
Further investigation by the Saanich Police Department revealed that this was not an isolated incident. Detectives found other alleged victims who had similar experiences with Winchester Galleries, leading police to execute search warrants at three separate storage locations across Greater Victoria.
Massive Seizure of Artworks
In what has become one of the largest art fraud investigations in recent Canadian history, authorities seized approximately 1,100 pieces of art, including more than 600 pieces from a storage site in Saanich, over 300 in Langford, and more than 100 in Oak Bay. Some of the more valuable pieces, according to police, were estimated to be worth $85,000 each.
Lucyshyn was arrested on April 21, 2022, but was later released from custody. In May 2024, a fraud charge was formally laid against him.
Artwork Returned, but Some Remain Unclaimed
In a statement released on Monday, the Saanich Police Department confirmed that 1,050 of the seized artworks have been returned to their rightful owners. However, several pieces remain unclaimed, and police continue their efforts to track down the owners of these works.
Court Proceedings Ongoing
The criminal charge against Lucyshyn has not yet been tested in court, and he has publicly stated his intention to defend himself against any pending allegations. His next court appearance is scheduled for September 10, 2024.
Impact on the Local Art Community
The news of Lucyshyn’s alleged fraud has deeply affected Vancouver Island’s art community, particularly collectors, galleries, and artists who may have been impacted by the gallery’s operations. With high-value pieces from artists like Emily Carr involved, the case underscores the vulnerabilities that can exist in art transactions.
For many art collectors, the investigation has raised concerns about the potential for fraud in the art world, particularly when it comes to dealing with private galleries and dealers. The seizure of such a vast collection of artworks has also led to questions about the management and oversight of valuable art pieces, as well as the importance of transparency and trust in the industry.
As the case continues to unfold in court, it will likely serve as a cautionary tale for collectors and galleries alike, highlighting the need for due diligence in the sale and appraisal of high-value artworks.
While much of the seized artwork has been returned, the full scale of the alleged fraud is still being unraveled. Lucyshyn’s upcoming court appearances will be closely watched, not only by the legal community but also by the wider art world, as it navigates the fallout from one of Canada’s most significant art fraud cases in recent memory.
Art collectors and individuals who believe they may have been affected by this case are encouraged to contact the Saanich Police Department to inquire about any unclaimed pieces. Additionally, the case serves as a reminder for anyone involved in high-value art transactions to work with reputable dealers and to keep thorough documentation of all transactions.
As with any investment, whether in art or other ventures, it is crucial to be cautious and informed. Art fraud can devastate personal collections and finances, but by taking steps to verify authenticity, provenance, and the reputation of dealers, collectors can help safeguard their valuable pieces.
