In 1981, Jane released her first recording independently. Signing with a Canadian label in 1984, she released, No Borders Here. This yielded the hit song, "Mimi On The Beach." Her 1985 effort, The Speckless Sky, earned Siberry her first music awards. It reached Gold status in Canada and garnered two People’s Choice Awards for "Album of the Year" and "Producer of the Year."

The acclaim brought Siberry to the attention of Warner/Reprise in the US, which signed her in 1987, and produced the hauntingly beautiful, The Walking. Two years later, she followed up the enigmatic album with Bound By The Beauty. The album caught the ear of producer and ambient music pioneer Brian Eno, who offered to produce some tracks for her next album, 1993’s When I Was A Boy. This recording became Siberry's biggest commercial success, and included such hits as "Calling All Angels," which featured a duet with k.d. lang, and first appeared in Wim Wenders’ film, Until The End Of The World. The song was later re-recorded for the climactic scene in the movie, "Pay It Forward." The adventurous Maria followed, reflecting Siberry’s push towards more improvisational ‘present’ music.

In 1996, Siberry left Warner/Reprise and started the Internet-based Sheeba Records. The past six years have been a whirlwind for Siberry, throwing her into the world of running a business in order to find creative freedom in all aspects of her work.

Teenager (1996), Siberry’s first songs, allowed a glimpse into the artist’s past. The New York Trilogy collection was the outcome of her extraordinary series of three theme concerts at New York City’s Bottom Line nightclub in the autumn of 1996. With Hush (2000), the classic Siberry choral style was expanded to a collection of traditional American and Celtic spirituals. City (2002) is a collection of her collaborations with artists around the world. In April 2002, Rhino Records, the most prestigious of the archival specialists, delivered the stunning anthology, Love Is Everything, to the Siberry canon including the fourth installment of Map Of The World subtitled Pilgrim.

Jane is currently working on her next original recording, Lily, which she expects to release in 2004.

www.janesiberry.com

Rob Abubo is in constant demand by prestigious choreographers. His own choreography, which is regularly showcased by Le Groupe Dance Lab, has earned him a national reputation. Rob Abubo began his dance training at the Royal Winnipeg Ballet School from which he graduated after 10 years. In 1993, he transitioned into modern dance by joining Winnipeg’s Dance Collective, now known as Ruth Cansfield Dance.

Alan Cumyn was born in Ottawa. He earned an M.A. in Creative Writing and English Literature from the University of Windsor. He has lived across Canada, and in China and Indonesia.
Cumyn is the author of the novels, Waiting for Li Ming (1993), and Between Families and the Sky (1995). Man of Bone (1998), a harrowing tale of kidnapping and survival won the Ottawa-Carleton Book Award and was short-listed for the Trillium Award. In Burridge Unbound (2000), the story continues from Man of Bone and features a vastly changed central character. Burridge Unbound was a finalist for the Giller Prize in 2000 and won the Ottawa Book Award in 2001. Losing It (2002) is a darkly funny novel that was short-listed for the Ottawa Book Award. In 2002, Cumyn published his first novel for children, The Secret Life of Owen Sky. It won the Mr. Christie's Book Award and was short-listed for three other national awards: the Governor-General's Award for Children's Literature (text), the Ruth Schwartz Award, and the Hackmatack Award. Cumyn's latest novel, The Sojourn (2003), is about a young Canadian private in the Great War who gets an unexpected leave to London. It was awarded the Words Worthy Book Award for best Canadian novel in 2003.

Elizabeth Hay was born in Owen Sound, Ontario. She has worked for CBC Radio in Yellowknife, Winnipeg, and Toronto, lived in Mexico for a time, and for several years called Manhattan her home.

Hay’s first novel, A Student of Weather, won the CAA MOSAID Technology Inc. Award for Fiction and the TORGI Award, and was a finalist for The Giller Prize, the Ottawa Book Award, and the Pearson Canada Reader’s Choice Award at The Word on the Street, and follows on the success of her acclaimed fiction collection Small Change (1997), which was a finalist for the Governor General’s Award for Fiction, the Trillium Award, and the Rogers Communications Writers’ Trust Fiction Prize. She is also the author of Crossing the Snow Line (stories, 1989); The Only Snow in Havana (non-fiction, 1992); and Captivity Tales: Canadians in New York (non-fiction, 1993). In 2002 she received the prestigious Marian Engel Award. Her stories have been anthologized in Best Canadian Short Stories, The Journey Prize Anthology, and The Oxford Book of Stories by Canadian Women, edited by Rosemary Sullivan. She has won a National Magazine Award Gold Medal for Fiction and a Western Magazine Award for Fiction. Elizabeth Hay lives in Ottawa.

Kim Barry Brunhuber is a novelist, television reporter and substitute anchor at CJOH, and filmmaker. His first novel, Kameleon Man, was published in November 2003. He also hosts a nationally distributed book review segment. He's currently writing his second novel and filming a documentary about the Canadian literary industry. Born in Montreal, he has a Bachelor and Master of Journalism from Carleton University.

www.kimbrunhuber.com

T. Anders Carson’s work has appeared in 29 countries including translations into Greek, Japanese, and Swedish. He has performed his poetry in Oslo, Paris, NYC, Atlanta, Nashville, New Orleans, Ottawa, Toronto, Stockholm, Trois Rivieres, Vancouver, and Toronto. He will be reading from both his two books, A Different Shred of Skin and Folding the Crane, as well as his upcoming third collection entitled, This Side UP.

Sylvie's first book and CD, Hoxton Square Circles: Starfucking Tales of Sexless One-Night Stands (2001), documents her journey through the sexual landscape of Ottawa. Her academic work examines James Joyce’s character through his ‘sexual’ journey of Paris and Ireland. A documentary of Sylvie's explosive, hilarious, polemic and sexy work appeared at the annual Brampton Indie Arts Festival (2004).

Suki Lee is a fiction writer and columnist with Ottawa's monthly, Capital Xtra, whose work has been widely published and anthologized. She has travelled to over 20 countries in 4 continents, and has lived in Montreal, Vancouver, the UK, and Korea. Suki's first collection of stories, Sapphic Traffic, was published in 2003. Suki is WESTFEST’s Communications Director, and the Curator of WESTFEST’s Literary Arts event.

www.sukilee.com

Melanie Little's first book, the story collection, Confidence, was a Globe and Mail Top 100 Book of 2003. She is a past winner of the Writers Union of Canada Short Prose Competition and the Periodical Writers' Association of Canada Journalism Prize. Her writing has appeared in magazines across Canada and in the anthologies Outskirts, Nerves Out Loud, and Scribner's Best of the Fiction Workshops. Melanie lives in Ottawa.

Nichole McGill’s first collection of short stories, 13 Cautionary Tales, was published to acclaim by Toronto's Gutter Press. She adapted one these stories into a short film, The Waiting Room, which was an official selection into the 2002 Berlin Film Festival. Nichole runs the raucous durtygurls interdisciplinary literary reading series in Ottawa, and is currently exploring death and suburbia in a new work.

www.nicholemcgill.com

David O’Meara is the author of two collections of poetry, Storm still, short-listed for the Gerald Lampert Memorial Award, and The Vicinity, shortlisted for the Ottawa Book Award, Ontario’s Trillium Award, and winner of the 2004 Archibald Lampman Award. The composer Scott Tresham set his poetry to choral music. He recently appeared with Michael Ondaatje in “Where the Words Come From: Canadian Poets in Conversation.”

When Adrienne Pierce played at Lilith Fair she had only been playing and writing songs for two years. A few years and many songs and performances later, Adrienne is releasing her debut CD, Small Fires.

Adrienne has shared stages with Sheryl Crow, Beth Orton, Sarah McLachlan, Jane Siberry, Sondre Lerche, The Stereophonics and Kinnie Starr. She has performed at Lilith Fair, SXSW in Austin Texas, Rockrgrl Festival in Seattle, NMW, NXNE, CMW, and was seen performing live on a recent episode of ZeD TV on CBC. Adrienne has proven herself as a strong live performer whether playing solo or backed by her band. She has also had several songs licensed to television shows such as The Chris Isaak Show, Just Cause, Cold Squad and Edgemont.

Adrienne's debut CD, Small Fires, has already received a plethora of rave reviews, a couple of award nominations, and has garnered a groundswell of anticipation. Small Fires offers 11 infectious, intelligent songs.

www.adriennepierce.com

With her jazz-steeped, acoustic punk stylings, and an astonishing seven recordings under her belt on her own independent “Few’ll Ignite Sound” label, Ember Swift continues to solidify her reputation as one of Canada’s truly substantial artists.
Voted as Toronto’s vocalist of the year by the readers of NOW magazine, Ember was also selected as one of ten artists to participate in a special concert tribute to Joni Mitchell at the International World Leaders Conference, where her performance received high praise.

As well as being a highly accomplished musician, performer and composer, who successfully runs her own business, Ember is well known as a committed activist. Her credibility for insightful social commentary was recognized when she was asked by the Canadian government to submit a brief to the parliamentary commission examining the country’s post September 11 security legislation. She is also an active supporter of GASCD (Governments Accountable to Society and Citizens = Democracy), an organization that champions the rights of protesters and the importance of dissent, by raising awareness about, and funds for, the growing anti-globalization movement.

A genuinely compelling and uncompromising performer, Ember and her band have toured extensively throughout North America and Australia, averaging close to 200 shows per year. And as can be testified to by her devoted following, an Ember Swift show promises a rockin’ good time. With sheer fun as important an ingredient as her extraordinary voice and unflinching lyrics.

From Woodstock, Ontario, and now a resident of Toronto, Ember is a self-taught guitarist and percussionist, as well as a trained pianist. Ember Swift is best described as a brilliant jazz vocalist inhabiting the body of a punk-folk singer-songwriter.

www.emberswift.com

Rob Abubo is in constant demand by prestigious choreographers. His own choreography, which is regularly showcased by Le Groupe Dance Lab, has earned him a national reputation. Rob Abubo began his dance training at the Royal Winnipeg Ballet School from which he graduated after 10 years. In 1993, he transitioned into modern dance by joining Winnipeg’s Dance Collective, now known as Ruth Cansfield Dance.

www.junkyardsymphony.com

Andrew Vincent & the Pirates recently released their fourth CD on Kelp Records, entitled I Love the Modern Way. Picture the punk pop fusion of mid-seventies greats like the Modern Lovers and the Velvet Underground, but even messier, and you start to get the idea. Vincent's take on pop culture teamed with chunky riffs and lots of "hey hey heys" always makes for an expensive night at the bar.

The members of this Ottawa trio have been busy playing in several other local bands, including Jim Bryson, Fiftymen and Greenfield Main. Thankfully, they've found the time to polish up their sophomore effort, Two Years End, and will release it this summer on Kelp Records. The Recoilers thrive on guitar-heavy stop-start riffs complemented with a strong sense of catchy melodies and harmonies.

Born in England, raised in Toronto, and now living in Ottawa, Susan O's songs have been described as "fragile folk and country songs that simmer in quiet desperation." (Ottawa Xpress). Her debut album, Lonelytown, was released last fall. Susan has shared the stage with many well know artists including Andy Stochansky, Russel DeCarle (Prarie Oyster), Connie Kaldor and Stephen Fearing. Susan is currently working on her next album.

www.susano.com

Although this Winnipeg-born singer/songwriter's roots lie in the pop genre, Lori Jean’s eclectic music mosaic crosses many boundaries. Her latest endeavours include an original composition “Prairie Train” for Pokey, an independent film by Dream Weaver Studios, and her upcoming theatrical performance in the musical “Cabaret” this summer at the Great Canadian Theatre Company.

www.lorijean.com

Back in action after a long hiatus, Greenfield Main have returned to their country roots, but behind the wheel of a Mack Truck. Appalachian sounds clash with southern-fried stomps to produce music that smells as rural as a cow pasture. Their second CD, Barnburners & Heartchurners, is due this summer on Kelp Records.

Headed by Angie Karp (formerly of Alicide), the Vanity Press performs a fusion of rock, urban folk and alt-country that is known for making tunes that keep you humming for days. Named for their love of independent production, the band released their debut CD, Things To Do, in 2003.

www.thevanitypress.com

Neil Gerster has been writing songs for 15 years, supporting his expressive tenor vocals with arrangements of guitar, keyboards, flute, percussion, cornet, drums, accordion, bass, and ukulele. He embraces a wide range of musical styles from pop to folk to alt-country. The former frontman and songwriter for Ottawa pop-folk troupe Lighthousekeepers, Neil is currently recording his first solo album.

The Dunn Project is Tony Dunn, Jody McRory, and Kevin Boriel. The Dunn Project plays original melodic rock ’n roll music, incorporating shades of hard rock, funk and folk into our retro style. They are a jam band and approach our playing with a very open, fun, free spirit. During the last few months the band completed its first self-titled studio recording.

Anthony Bansfield, A.K.A. the nth digri put together the critically acclaimed compilation CD, WordLife, which featured the best of emerging African Canadian spoken word. The 2003 CD of his poetry, Tales of the North Coast, was nominated for a Canadian Urban Music Award for Best Spoken Word Recording. Most recently, Anthony directed, hosted, and performed in a UNESCO event in Ottawa for World Poetry Day.

The Dream of Friends is a sleep and an awakening to Stone Henge outside the window of a moving train. A tiny stuttering sheep lands on the tongue of the storyteller and guides her to another dimension, where infinite blue orbs tell tales in tones like crystal bells. Are they micro-organisms or aliens? More importantly, do they love you? Catherine Kidd tells through voice, movement, a blue wig, and rhyme.

Kateri Akiwenzie-Damm is Anishnaabe of mixed ancestry from the Chippewas of Nawash First Nation. An Indigenous arts activist, Kateri’s writing has been published in Canada, the U.S., Aotearoa/New Zealand, Australia, and Germany. She edited Without Reservation: Indigenous Erotica & co-edited skins: contemporary Indigenous writing. She's now completing a collection of short fiction and a second book of poetry.

Oni, the Haitian Sensation is an active member of Ottawa's poetry community. She was part of the first Ottawa team to compete at the five-day National Poetry Slam in Chicago. She believes that poetry is a way to empower, educate and entertain with opinions on subjects that are not always covered in the mainstream media. As for social activism, Oni is particularly concerned with the ravages of AIDS.

Cheryl Mazak's artwork is inspired by her love of stringed instruments. Her paintings are constructed of broken violin parts, three-dimensional letters, and ground iron, which is rusted and sealed. She is currently apprenticing to become a luthier. Cheryl is the Curator of the visual arts section of WESTFEST.

www.artonthewall.com

Since 1982, Claude Latour's works have been inspired by travels in Central Africa, Russia, Europe, United States, Cuba, and Canada. In 2003, he curated an art exhibit featuring eleven artists from the Kitigan Zibi Algonquin Reserve on Victoria Island celebrating the community's 150th Anniversary of memories and survival. His latest works are photo based images entitled Visions from the Pow-Wow Trail.

Donald Monet has worked in Toronto, Vancouver, Yellowknife and Hazelton, BC. He curated the "Art vs. War" (2003) fundraiser for War Child with 40 artists; "Crime Seen" (2001) featuring 37 artists from across Canada to protest the effects of globalisation; and “Art Against War” (1999), a protest/exhibition by 30 Canadian artists during the bombing of Yugoslavia. He co-founded West End Studio Tour, now in its ninth year.

Marois received her Associate of the Ontario College of Art and Design Diploma in 1979 in Toronto, and continued her studies at the Academy of Fine Arts in Florence, Italy. A full-time artist since 1989, she has had several solo and group exhibitions. Selected as one of the official artists with the new Canadian Forces Artist Program, she will be going to Bosnia and Afghanistan in 2004 to observe and paint Canadian Peacekeepers.

Maggie Glossop represents the spirit and essence of the Canadian landscape in her works. She uses natural fibres: wool, silk, cashmere, mohair, and angora, which she hand dyes and then processes into soft felted pictures or wall sculptures. Her very unique work can be found at several galleries locally, and at her home studio during the West End Studio Tour in September.

Michèle Provost’s work evokes the little moments and simple thoughts that often get lost in an otherwise overpowering and frantic life. Her pieces have been featured in numerous group and solo exhibitions in and around Ottawa and Montreal. Deliberately open-ended, her assemblage and embroidery pieces act in the manner of brief quotations, the full text existing only in the viewer’s mind.

From his Ottawa studio, Reuel Dechene creates electric light sculptures comprised of hundreds of sequenced miniature lights embedded in a variety of found objects including 1950s Formica tabletops and vintage automobile hub caps. The effect of the work is kaleidoscopic and hypnotic—relaxing and stimulating simultaneously. Reuel draws inspiration from pop culture icons including neon signage, custom car culture, and rock 'n' roll.

artengine.ca/xmaslite

Simon has been photographing since the late 80's. He studied Photography at both Concordia University and Dawson College in Montreal. He has traveled and taught photography on the Yucatan Peninsula in Mexico, as well as in New York City. He is the owner of the fine art photography business, Blind Focus Photography.

For the last 30 years, Susan Joliffe has been creating whimsical artifacts from found objects with clay and paint. She has also led workshops for children, created public art, and published a how-to book on making sculptures (Sculpture Vultures, 2000). Susan recently completed the illustrations for a children’s book by Jan Andrews (Orca, spring 2005), and is now working her own tea party book.

a Company of Fools is Ottawa's only independent professional Shakespeare company. The Fools produce innovative, entertaining and accessible shows based on the works of William Shakespeare. Their Torchlight Shakespeare Series brings full length Shakespearean plays to parks across Ottawa. The Fools are a physical theatre company and use the techniques of Clown, Commedia Del'arte, Mask, Puppetry, Vaudeville and Slapstick.

www.fools.ca

Bike Ballet is a playful celebration of movement and an environmentally responsible mode of transportation, combining strength and flexibility, musical interpretation, dramatic showmanship and close teamwork. Following the influences of freestyle sports, improvised dance and performance art, Bike Ballet focusses on the social and creative act of biking and exploring life outside the studio and gallery.

Bike Ballet is a playful celebration of movement and an environmentally responsible mode of transportation, combining strength and flexibility, musical interpretation, dramatic showmanship and close teamwork. Following the influences of freestyle sports, improvised dance and performance art, Bike Ballet focusses on the social and creative act of biking and exploring life outside the studio and gallery.

Hijack is the choreographic collaboration of Kristin Van Loon and Arwen Wilder. They have been working together in Minneapolis for eleven years where they have made over 30 dances, which have been performed in nearly every major dance venue in town, as well as art galleries and street festivals. They will be dancing Fetish, a duet obsessively set to the music of Shubert, Chopin and Manilow.

Having performed in over 200 schools, Jonny really knows how to capture his audience with funny gags, tricks, antics, and tons of audience participation. Being a big kid himself, Jonny has an immediate rapport with children of all ages. For really fun shows, Jonny can also demonstrate the intricacies of juggling junk, such as plungers or five-gallon water barrels. Jonny demonstrates how one man's trash can be another man's treasure.

www.junkyardsymphony.com

Rachel has practiced her arts in Canada, the United States and Germany. In addition to fire performance, she has utilized her 16 years of classical training in cello to perform with the likes of Toronto-based band picastro, spoken-word duo Black Licorice Theory, Brooklyn's Edison Woods, and dance troupe Murmur Machine. In the daylight hours she is currently completing her graduate studies in developmental genetics.