This month, our Community Spotlight series is pleased to introduce the Southern Gulf Islands Community Resource Centre, which hosts this month’s The Crisp festival. Check out their report on page 65 for more information.
First, can you tell us what the Southern Gulf Islands Community Resource Centre is about, and what you do?
The Southern Gulf Islands Community Resource Centre (SGICRC) is a nonprofit, multi-service organization dedicated to “empowering islands, connecting communities, and sustaining futures”.
Serving Pender, Saturna, Mayne, and Galiano, the SGICRC strengthens community life through educational, cultural, social, and capacity-building initiatives. We are guided by a vision of vibrant, interconnected islands, and lead programs such as Housing NOW for affordable housing solutions, the Sustainable Funding Initiative and Grant Hub to build nonprofit resilience, and the W̱SÁNEĆ Reconcili-Action projects addressing climate action, cultural revitalization, and ecological restoration.
Does the SGICRC run any other community events or other special projects? If so, what do you typically sponsor or promote?
Additional initiatives include Gulf INLET (Island network of learning and experiential tourism), the Food and Agriculture Program featuring the annual Crisp Festival, and business centre services that provide shared space, technology, and equipment for community use.
Beyond that, we have a few concert events in the year and the sky’s the limit as to possibilities. Recently, on August 24, The Crisp organized a pop-up fundraiser concert with artist Mac DeMarco, which was held on the Whittingham’s field (next to the Community Hall). Ptarmigan Arts joined us, along with dedicated volunteers and so much community support. Entrance was by donation, and all monies went to Doctors Without Borders.
Is there a story or behind-the-scenes anecdote you’d like to share with readers?
As with any event, most people not involved do not realize the behind-the-scenes goings on! The recent Mac DeMarco event took a lot of nerve to arrange. We did not know how many people would attend and it was a lot of the unknown taking place. We were just so relieved that our local police (yay Sergeant Kim, newly arrived on Pender!), ambulance, and fire crew were on hand. We so appreciated all the young people coming and for being respectful of people sitting down… thanks Ben McConchie for handling this.
Can you tell us more about The Crisp Festival?
The Crisp is a community driven multi-arts festival with enjoyable happenings aimed at fostering community well-being through music, art, poetry, and transformational storytelling and discussion panels.
We also have apple-related activities and instructional gardening workshops to complement the SGICRC’s mandate of food and farming security, and promotion of environmental sustainability.
When did The Crisp festival start, and what sparked it?
Its birth was sparked in 2020 by an SGICRC afternoon event called “Let No Apple Be Wasted” – this was during COVID, when only 50 people were allowed to meet outside.
Jo Beattie volunteered to help when her son Benedict was charged with the event as a CRC summer student. She was sorting apples next to a neighbour, artist Ilse Phillips. It was a gorgeous, sunny Pender afternoon. They started chatting and agreed the event could be done the following year, and should add music and poetry.
Jo and Ilse approached Melody Pender the following week and she said to go for it. Beattie’s daughter JoJo came up with the name “The Crisp”. It was, and remains so, a grass roots festival.
Are the original founders still taking part, or still on Pender? If so, tell us a bit about them.
Jo has a busy time organizing the festival and also works with various musicians on specific projects. Jo recently taught for a few months in Prince George, where her son now lives. Ilse has a daughter and a one-year-old grandchild who lives in Australia, so after the first two festivals she was in Australia and could not help during the event. Now Ilse helps when she is free to do so. Rose Da Silva stepped up to help Jo. Greg Beattie steers production and calms any nerves. The volunteer core remains mostly the same with the odd person moving off island or else work or family demands take over.
The festival would not happen without the many wonderful volunteers we have, the support of Deanna Evertt, Colin Hamilton and fellow sound crew, Melody Pender of the SGICRC, local artists, sponsors, Andrea at the Hall, local goodwill and all those who buy concert tickets.
How many volunteers are involved in running The Crisp?
Roughly 20 during the year, around 45-50 during The Crisp weekend. We would really like to have more volunteers in set up and take down, a few general helpers, bakers to provide apple goods for the upstairs during the Saturday daytime, people to pick apples before the weekend. We would like a Youth Team.
What’s in the future for you? Anything exciting in the works, or dreams you would like to fulfill?
We are endeavouring to make The Crisp event more sustainable. We need to find creative ways to collaborate within the community as arts funding decreases. We have a feeling that the Mac (DeMarco) event will be repeated with an additional famous “guest”!
The Crisp may also work on an exciting side project involving artists from the SGI going to The Orkney Islands.
Are there any special contributions you would like to highlight?
The many folks on Pender who have supported this endeavour.
How can people get in touch with you?
crispfestival@gmail.com or come to an event and talk with us.