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International Arts Initiatives

The art of ideas

The past year has been a transitional period for International Arts Initiatives.

We have remapped our operations in a way that will be more effective to the future development of the organization within the current Vancouver arts climate. Having scaled down our regular presenting operations we are now focusing on arts infrastructure development and alternative presenting models.

After three years of hands-on experience in Vancouver we perceived a need to explore initiatives to strengthen the basic tool kit for arts presentation, developing new pathways for the benefit of the whole arts community.

In spring 2006 we registered International Arts Initiatives Association as a not-for-profit arts society operating in British Columbia.

Vancouver arts organizations are growing faster than the infrastructure currently available to support them. Recognizing this basic situation IAI aims to advocate for initiatives to create sustainable solutions. Using a hands–on approach we aim at developing solutions to empower and strengthen the community’s arts ecology.

Current projects planned for this year include an ongoing working consultation, begun in 2006, with Ballet British Columbia to develop their production, presenting and touring operations. In October 2008 we return to presenting operations with a visit from performance artist Laurie Anderson with her new project “Homeland” in partnership with the grunt gallery and Vancouver New Music.

Ongoing long term initiatives include working with plank vancouver on physical arts infrastructure development and examining the viability of temporary artspace usage within the city; advising on capacity and infrastructure development; plus developing initiatives for further international artist visits and projects in partnership with Vancouver arts organizations over the coming years.

A brief history

International Arts Initiatives is a not-for-profit Vancouver based arts organization, founded in late 2000 in the Northeastern United States by arts presenter and producer Paul Armstrong and relocated to British Columbia in 2003.

With a strong belief in fostering creative partnerships that further the arts and enrich the quality of life of the community IAI’s central mandate has always remained broad and progressive.

Since 2006 IAI has been producing consultant for Ballet British Columbia’s danceAlive visiting artists season, including long range planning and guest company booking for future BBC seasons through and beyond the 2010 Cultural Olympiad.

During the 2005/06 season projects included Philip Glass Ensemble Western Canada tour with live screenings of Koyaanisqatsi and solo piano concerts, Eve Ensler in The Good Body at the Centre in Vancouver and a northern Cascadia tour with the David Grisman Quintet.

IAI created the Live at The Chan series in partnership with LIVE Biennial of Performance Art, featuring internationally renowned arts innovators Astrid Hadad, Meredith Monk, Terry Riley and Michael McClure.

Between 2004 and 2005 IAI presented artists Philip Glass, Laurie Anderson, Buffy Sainte-Marie, Ulali, and The Be Good Tanyas, creating a strong co-presenting partnership with the Chan Centre at UBC.

In these seasons IAI developed and expanded Talking Stick - the highly successful Aboriginal intra-arts festival, over a period of two years with Full Circle: First Nations Performance. As a result IAI continues its work to realize the enormous potential of emerging Aboriginal arts in Vancouver as a central focus of its mandate.

In 2001 and 2002 IAI was commissioned by the City of New Haven and Yale University to produce a series of free summer concert events as part of an initiative to revitalize downtown New Haven.

Drawing audiences of up to 20,000 per event, IAI presented artists over two summers including Ray Charles, Harry Belafonte, Little Feat, Dar Williams, The Roots, Dianne Reeves, Wilson Pickett, Etta James, Keb’ Mo and Ruben Blades in the 2001 Jazz Festival and the 2002 Blues and Roots Festival.