20 Things You May Not Know About Westben - A look across and forward

by Donna Bennett, Co-Founder 
1.  This Anniversary blog has been a fun way to celebrate the 20 years of Westben with gratefulness and wonder.   In the year 2000 the Westben cornfield was turned into a meadow full of music with the building of the 400 seat timber-frame concert Barn and the convergence of the local community and performing artists.  2. In 2013 Westben partnered with the Municipality of Trent Hills, and moved into the renovated the historic Town Hall (originally a Post Office) now called the Clock Tower Cultural Centre.  3.  The Clock Tower became a shared space; the new home of the Westben Box Office, costume storage, music library, rehearsal room and small performance space and as well a space for Town Council meetings and the Municipality’s Emergency Centre.  4. Westben was asked to organize rentals on behalf of the Municipality for other arts groups to use the building.  5. In 2017 Brian and I “took one for the Westben Team” receiving the Order of Canada for the development of Westben.  6. In 2018 Westben announced that it was re-imagining itself into a year round Centre for Connection & Creativity Through Music.  Instead of being a summer festival supported by year-round events, Westben would be a year-round Centre that includes a summer music festival.  7. The goal was to increase Westben’s impact at bringing people together through music. The Centre would focus on the year-round convergence of people, ideas and activities; a cultural hub where professionals, amateurs and enthusiasts meet and be nurtured through the joy of music. And it was to cultivate the inflow and outflow of the creative musical experience. 8.  One of the key components of this transition was the development of new partnerships and new programming. 9. While key programs would continue (e.g., Concerts at The Barn, large ensembles, educational programs, etc.), year-round activities were to be intensified and augmented exploring opportunities from within our own community, provincially, nationally and internationally. 10. As we are now nearing the end of Westben’s 20th Anniversary Season, it feels like a great time to share in this Blog what has transpired, with a look ahead as to what may come next.  11.  From that first season in 2000 we have gone from 4 weekends of concerts to 82 events year round.  The impact of this growth is seen in the increased numbers of patrons attending concerts and those participating in the Experiences, the public workshops, residencies and kids camps.  We have received over 200 emails, letters, reviews and testimonials just this season already from people sharing with us what they have experienced at Westben in 2019.  We love getting this feedback and it does impact programming and how we do things.  12.  The move to having a year round venue in the Clock Tower has enabled Westben to foster community engagement right in the heart of Trent Hills.  Cross generational music making with the three community bands, five choirs; Life-long Learning with the First Friday Lunchtime Tick Talks and pre-concert chats as well as the Dare to Pair interactive Experiences.  13. Expanded programming has included House Concerts curated by Ken Tizzard, the new classical series of Concerts to a Tea, children’s concerts at The Barn and Clock Tower as well as the March Break Electronic Music Camp and residencies with the children’s art camp, Artworth.  Keep your eye open as there is a new Clock Pop series coming! In the past two seasons, the international Performer-Composer Residency has welcomed musicians from around the world for an intergenerational summit of musical exchange and public workshops 14. Through the expanded programming fifty partnerships, both musical and non-musical, local and regional, have been nurtured. 15.  Westben’s Board of Directors, led by Chair Leslie Orpana are diligently refining the Westben policy documents as well as planning strategically for the future. 16.  We are still working on having broader impact and exploring methods of getting Westben “out and around” including the development of digital formats for communication and streaming, touring, co-productions, publishing and more. There has been great response to our Facebook live steams of the Tick Talks and Podcasts are in the very near future.  The choirs are on tour next week bringing the Westben Christmas Carol production to Peterborough and Norwood.  17.  As we enter 2020 the vision for next steps is becoming clearer but there is still work to be done, dreaming to be done, planning and celebrating.  18. We will continue to develop innovative programming, partnerships and outreach. There will be some development in facilities and personnel.  Westben is now not only bringing people together through music, but becoming a Music Experience Incubator.  Westben is committed to exploring ways to foster connection through the experience of music.  Where it is done, how it is done, who brings it together and how it relates to the surroundings and participants/audiences.  19. The end result is the Experience. 20. And weaving through it all, is joy.  Westben’s roots are the coming together of music and nature, friendliness and joy, passion and learning, friendship and excellence.  Join us in dreaming beyond, across and forward.

Donna
donna@westben.ca
1-877-883-5777
westben.ca