Westben

Donna Bennet & Brian Finley: Co-Founders, Campbellford, Ontario

How has the pandemic affected you?

This pandemic has caused all of us at Westben to pivot, rethink and reimagine what we do and what we can offer our community. Westben is not able to present the summer Concerts at The Barn festival as planned, which means the cancellation or postponement of 30 concerts, 200 artists and 19 community partner programs. To keep connected with our community and hopefully meet new communities, we have launched a new digital program called Sunshine Ahead!. This includes Musical Moments, featuring music with relaxing and soothing images, Music for a While Podcasts designed for the curious, interactive videos and programs with Westben Kids, Westben Rewind, Postcards to Westben and the new Digital Concerts at The Barn series.

Donna Bennet & Brian Finley

What has brought you joy during this time?

The Westben team has been incredibly inspiring. Everyone rallied to come together to keep Westben going and to reimagine what to do. Westben members, ticket buyers, volunteers and the Board of Directors have been really supportive with words of support or donating their tickets or keeping them on account for 2021. The testimonials on social media and interaction with new people has been incredibly inspiring. Also the birds are still singing and The Barn looks as beautiful as ever, so it will be here next summer for all to enjoy.

What professional opportunities are you seeing for the future?

Part of Westben’s strategic plan was to disseminate Westben programs and music out into the world digitally so this pandemic has forced us to do it sooner. It is opening ideas such as livestreaming of concerts and creative interactive learning.

If you have been involved in a collaboration, how did you manage that?

Westben’s Performer-Composer Residency normally accepts 11 participants from around the world to reside and create new music at Westben for one week each summer. This year we moved it all online and all 80 participants were invited to collaborate and create new music ensembles and new music. There are musicians from around the globe and they meet on Zoom and the app Discord. We will be sharing their public workshops and new music performances starting July 6 on westben.ca

How has this experience affected your perception of the importance of art and artists?

Art is central to the wellbeing of everyone, whether they acknowledge it or not. During times of crisis it becomes even more meaningful and obvious. I’ve always wanted music to inspire and soothe, open and release the hearts and minds of the listener and the participant. Now more than ever we need to support art and artists. Artists and arts organizations bring economic development to communities and this is vital to all.

westben.ca

Westben Trio