Welcome to Justin Kautz: Gabriola Artist in Residence 2016

By Rachel Davey

Please join me in celebrating with Justin Kautz, who has been named as The Haven/Gabriola Arts Council (GAC) Artist in Residence for 2016. The Haven and GAC began a partnership to offer an Artist in Residence program in 2012 and Justin is our fifth resident artist and first musician. Since 2013, The Haven’s 30th anniversary year, the residence has been offered to emerging artists aged 30 and under in the year of application. The Artist in Residence program recognizes the important role of creativity in health and well-being. Throughout its history, The Haven has offered programs that nurture and cultivate creativity. The Haven has also been a place where artists have found inspiration and a welcoming to practice their craft.

Justin has been nurtured into the performing world through the dedicated and carefully crafted works of Toy Guns Dance Theatre. Aside from five stage works and one duet within the work of Toy Guns, he has had the pleasure and challenge of performing in several musical theatre works, most recently the role of Sherlock Holmes with Jubilations Dinner Theatre. Prior to his time engaging the arts as a career path, Justin sang in the Grandiose Duo and performed on the trombone as a hobby next to his more encompassing occupation as an Engineer In Training with Alberta Innovates — Technology Futures.

On hearing about his successful submission, Justin wrote: “The news that The Haven on Gabriola is in my near future has added a buoyancy to my step and a confidence to my music! From what I have read and heard of The Haven, it is surrounded by a vibrant community and has a wealth of wise and skilled people to learn from and an abundance of striking nature to soak up. The most difficult part of this residency will likely be the wait prior! My curiosity has been piqued, my hopes have flared and my anticipation grows with every conversation about the residency. Among the plethora of opportunities afforded by this residency, I’m most looking forward to focused creative time, new connections at The Haven and on the island, and the Isle of the Arts Festival. I can’t say thank you enough!”

We look forward to welcoming Justin to The Haven to begin the residency on March 13 2016. Many thanks to the jury – Tawny McLachlan Capon, Tina Jones, Susan Juby and Jules Molloy – for their dedication and hard work in selecting another wonderful young artist to come to Gabriola.