In the past 30 years, St. Albert’s Alex MahĂ© has sung songs and told stories to Canadian children from coast to coast — except for Newfoundland. The bilingual performer has dedicated his art to breaking down language barriers.
In the past three decades he’s released five English and French children’s albums and is planning another release for next summer.
But compared to modern day bands that put out a CD every year or couple of years, MahĂ©’s offerings appear limited. And that puts a threshold on his income.
With solid credentials that were boosted when he hosted Alex MahĂ©’s Good Time Train on community access television and an impressive resume of gigs, why is this?
It boils down to money, says Mahé. Freelance artists such as he, are heavily dependent on government grants to help subsidize the costs of recording, marketing and travel. But over the years, many grants have either been whittled down or disappeared without being replaced.
“I’ve had friends tell me I should get more advertising,” laughs the unusually optimistic road warrior. “But the cost of newspaper advertising and TV spots is prohibitive. I send out press kits, but I get little [government] support for that. I phone. I fax. I email, but again I’m limited where I can go.”
MahĂ© is just one of thousands of artists across the province who feel they’re rowing in a leaky boat.
The Arts Touring Alliance in partnership with Regroupement artistique francophone de l’Alberta is plugging a few holes. They are debuting Anglo … Franco, a bilingual showcase of Canadian talent on Friday, April 29.
And it’s a platform they hope to turn into an annual event. Eight artists from Ontario, British Columbia and Alberta, including MahĂ©, get the opportunity to strut their stuff to an exclusive audience of parents, community theatre presenters and school representatives from kindergarten to Grade 9.
“Over the years, we’ve discovered that schools often don’t know where to find artists or how to access them. We’ve prepared a juried show and they can come and see if it’s a good fit for them, and if so, talk about availability,” says Jacquie Richardson, Arts Touring Alliance young audience coordinator.
In addition to MahĂ©’s songs and storytelling, local performers include pop singer Justin Blais, author-singer Sylvain-Henri Simard, Acadian band Le Fuzz and the hip-hop stylings of Third Street Beat.
From Vancouver and Toronto, Dufflebag Theatre introduces its Shakespearean troupe. Jacky’s Village from Vancouver is a four-piece that delves into African storytelling accompanied by traditional instruments. And finally, Toronto’s Faustwork Mask Theatre blends vignettes of physical comedy with mask.
“The arts can change lives,” adds Richardson. “For some kids, what they see in school is their only chance to see art. And for some it’s their first introduction to culture.”
The showcase is at La Cité francophone. Advance registration is at www.artstouring.com.
