Past Events

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November 12, 2006 - CHRIS MCKHOOL BENEFIT CONCERT - Toronto, ON

TheChris McKhool Children's Concert at Hughes Room in Toronto raised over$ 1500.00 for the ArtsCan Circle! Thanks to everyone who attended. Itwas a great night.

April, 2006 - Exclaim! Hockey Summit of the Arts

30hockey teams of artists from across Canada participated this yearmaking it the biggest yet. For the second year in a row, they collectedinstrument donations on behalf of ArtsCan Circle, as part of the event.Thank you to Tom Goodwin and all the organizers of this event!

April 22, 2006 - BENEFIT CONCERT - Kitchener, ON

It was a wonderful evening of good food and great music at theBoathouse. 16 acts played throughout the afternoon and into the night...

We raised over $900!

Thanksto the performers : Keith Thompson, Christopher Willes Trio, Jack Cole,James Gordon, Laura Bird, David Gillis, Chris McKhool and The Sultansof String, Heather Katz, Laura Fernandez, Gail Selkirk, Randy Rollo,Glen Soulis, Tannis Slimmon, Charity Brown, Loretta Fullerton and KateAshby-Craft.

Thanks to Loretta Fullerton hiddenwriters@yahoo.ca for organizing this event.

May 22, 2005 - BENEFIT CONCERT on the Lawn - Sunderland, ON

Shirley Wheatley & Doug Colwell hosted a great house (lawn) concert at their home in Sunderland, Ontario.

The concert featured noted Canadian musician supporters of ArtsCan Circle including: Danny Bakan, Laura Bird, Marianne Girard, and Magoo. Artistic Contributions and Kids Parade with Tracy Harrison. Generous contributions of musical, craft and financial resources were much appreciated and will be well used by ArtsCan Circle. Thanks Shirley and Doug!

May 14, 2005 - Something Special

John Hulton and Sara Houston were married on May 14th. In lieu of gifts they asked guests to consider making donations to ArtsCan! A heartfelt thankyou to John & Sara on behalf of us all. May their years together be filled with laughter and love. Find out how you can donate.

March, 2005 - Exclaim! Hockey Association of the Arts Instrument Drive

The Exclaim! Cup hockey tournament, featuring teams from Vancouver to Halifax was played this Easter weekend (March 24 to 27, 2005) at various arena’s throughout Toronto, Ontario. Twenty-eight teams of artists from across Canada, including members of the Barenaked Ladies, Sloan, Rheostatics, Cowboy Junkies, The Sadies, The Smugglers and free agents like Sean Cullen and Darren McCarty of the Detroit Red Wings, laced‘em up for three days of hockey madness in pursuit of the Exclaim! Cup. In addition to collecting donations on behalf of the Daily Bread Food Bank, the Exclaim! Hockey Association hosted an instrument drive on behalf of ArtsCan Circle. Thank you to Tom Goodwin and all the organizers of this event!

January, 2005 - Orangeville, ON - Instrument Drive, Concert, Workshops

The Orangeville & Caledon Public Libraries and the Headwaters Acoustic Music Society (HAMS) teamed up to raise public awareness of ArtsCan Circle, while encouraging instrument and financial donations over December and January. The donation drive was a build up to the January 29th HAMS Live! at the Opera House concert and workshop presentation of Mike Stevens and Raymond McLain.

May 9, 2004 - Toronto, ON

A star-studded event honouring long-time Canadian Folk Music scene pioneer Estelle Klein was held on May 9th, 2004 at Hugh's Room in Toronto. Estelle requested that all proceeds from the evening were to be donated to ArtsCan Circle. Almost $2000 was raised and a wonderful woman was aptly feted and honoured. Estelle Klein is the current chair ofthe ArtsCan Circle volunteer board.

October 26, 2003 - Marietta, Ohio

Jam Fest at Washington State Community College, hosted by Alpha Rho Gamma chapter of Phi Theta Kappa with proceeds going towards ArtsCan. In fact...Phi Theta Kappa (an International Honor Society for Two Year Colleges) in the Ohio Region has selected The ArtsCan Circle as the focus of its donations and contributions for the entire 2003-2004 school year!!

October 9, 2003 - Picton, ON

Mike Stevens and Raymond McLain to appear at a school in Picton, Ontario as part of an ArtsCan fundraiser.

Groovy Compilation CD - June 2, 2003

TORONTO, ON - On June 2nd, Groovy Mondays Open Stage celebrated the release of a CD compilation called "Live From Holy Joe's" featuring the live music of nineteen independent Toronto-area Musicians, to benefit ArtsCan Circle. The CD was recorded live off the floor from the Groovy Mondays stage last December. The album retails for $10 and will be available at all CD Replay locations in Toronto and from the Groovy Mondays website. Estelle Klein and Mike Stevens were present to discuss ArtsCan Circle, with a feature performance by Mike Stevens. For a full list of performers and details, go to www.groovymondays.com.

2003 Benefit Concerts

Since February, there have been ArtsCan benefit events held in nine Ontario cities. Thank you to the many people who helped organize, volunteered at, or attended one of our events. The concert in Barrie alone raised over $3000! So far, these are the cities where we've had events.

January 31-February 1, 2003 - Wilderness Canoe Association Symposium

TORONTO, ON- The Wilderness Canoe Association held their annual Wilderness & Canoeing Symposium at Monarch Park Collegiate in Toronto, Ontario. Each year, the WCA raises funds for an environmental or cultural organization. Last year, they raised $300 for the Nunavut Literacy Council. This year, they selected The ArtsCan Cirlcle as thier fundraising recipient.

October 18-20, 2002 - OCFF Conference

OTTAWA, ON - From October 18-20, 2002, several members of the ArtsCan Circle attended the OCFF conference in Ottawa - a conference for professionals in the folk music industry. We extend our extreme gratitude to OCFF for donating table space in the exhibit hall. While there, we met and spoke with many people about the work that Mike has been doing and that he has inspired. There was an outpouring of interest in and concern for the issues in these remote communities. Contacts that we made at this conference have already offered help in many ways, from staging benefit concerts to collecting instruments to actually traveling with Mike to a community at risk. It was really a wonderful weekend.

While there, Mike Stevens was interviewed by Estelle Klein in a workshop entitled “You play the what? For a Living?!?!”. This was a highly entertaining workshop as Mike talked about some of his experiences playing bluegrass music as well as a highly emotional experience as Mike once again covered his ongoing commitment to encouraging music within troubled communities. He also performed his haunting looping harmonica piece "A Walk in My Dream" - a piece inspired by nightmares Mike had from what he saw in Sheshatshui. People were visibly moved.

September 21, 2002 - Jammin' for ArtsCan House Concert

GRANBY, PQ - On this Saturday night in September, Jennifer Finlayson opened up her home and hosted a jam party for local musicians. She passed the hat and collected over $300 for the ArtsCan Circle. She had this to say afterwards:

The best of the best of Granby's musicians played a show like no other in my living room. It was magic. There were people who jammed last night who hadn't played together in 15 years. One young up-and-coming saxophonist said to me, "I'd always heard of these guys, but I never thought I'd get to hear them play, and I never imagined I'd get to jam with them." A little bit of history was made last night. I got the impression that it's not every day that someone invites 50 people (mostly strangers) into their home, supplies them with a keg of beer and a space to play, then passes a hat around and asks that they contribute what they can to share the music with those who have no music. No one took the value of the music for granted last night.

Would you be interested in organizing a benefit event like this?

May 5, 2002 - Benefit Concert

TORONTO, ON - Our first benefit event on May 5th at Hugh's Room in Toronto was a huge success. The concert included music, poetry and storytelling from a gifted group of performers. We were also fortunate to be able to view a short video of Mike's experiences. Many performers and audience members were extremely moved by the information they heard that night about Mike Stevens' work in communities like Davis Inlet and Sheshatshiu, and by the spirit that pervaded the whole event.

Click here to see pictures taken at the benefit concert.

We raised over $3000 that night from ticket sales and raffle tickets! Our sincere appreciation to everyone who took part in the event - performers, sponsors, attendees, volunteers, and the staff of Hugh's Room (who presented us with a donation of their own at the end of the evening!).

We also held a workshop on Monday afternoon for musicians who might be interested in travelling to these communities to share their music. We had about twenty people attend the workshop, and there was lots of lively discussion and exchange.