Image: George MacRae
Who We Are
Our Mandate:
Here For Now is a cross-disciplinary art event that creates intimate, memorable experiences in unconventional venues.
Here For Now presents artists of diverse backgrounds and artforms who are pushing the boundaries of form and experimenting at the edges of their disciplines. We foster the creation of high caliber, thoughtful work that incites dialogue, engages artists and audiences across communities, and entertains.
We believe that innovative work is created through experimental, nourishing artistic practices. We seek to provide artists meaningful support in their creative processes, and the space to prioritize process over product.
Located on the unceded, ancestral territories of the Musqueam, Squamish, and Tsleil-Waututh first nations in so-called Vancouver, Here For Now is the collaborative effort of Erika Mitsuhashi, Francesca Frewer, Sierra Megas, and Kira Radosevic.
The Collective:
Erika’s practice includes producing, creating, and performing. Her creative work spans material and live arts disciplines, exploring how bodies, objects, and spaces can be invited to express their unseen natures through particular performance encounters. Collaboration and exchange are important in all aspects of her practice, and she loves fostering community development through Here For Now.
Sierra is an artist and arts worker. Everyday choreographies, tiny objects, quiet pauses, friendship, and improvisation bring her into connection with making and being. She loves creating spaces for artists to try-it-out, expand-into, and wonder; and loves bringing people together to witness what emerges.
Francesca is a contemporary dance artist whose practice spans performing, creating, teaching, and producing. She believes in the transformative power of the collective witnessing and sharing of art. She loves finding ways to support artists to create and to bring audiences together to see it.
Kira is a starry eyed dreamer who dances from the heart. Her practice includes lots of movement, some acting, and visual arts. She is passionate about spaces that foster creativity and artistic exchange that bridge artists and audiences that would otherwise never meet.
Antonio is a dance artist and quirky character who loves fostering community and sharing enthusiasm for the performing arts. He does this through his work as an organizer, promoter, creator, and performer in the vibrant contemporary and street dance scenes. Some of his numerous projects include working with local organization Training Society of Vancouver, choreographing and hosting pop-up events with the Konichiwaack collective, and marketing various local arts organizations including Here For Now.
History:
Here For Now arose from a DIY, let’s make it happen enthusiasm. Some fellow dance artists were visiting from out of town, and we threw together Vol. 1 so that they could share their work. Three local artists presented pieces alongside them at the collective studio space, The Gold Saucer.
For Vol. 2 we moved to the Warehouse at Eastside Studios, where we hosted 13 works from a wide range of artistic disciplines. Audiences were invited to roam through the large warehouse space to discover dance, theatre, sound, drag performance, film, visual art, sculpture, and durational performance spread throughout the venue.
Vol. 3 took place at Slice of Life Gallery & Studios in May 2022, and featured works by local artists The Biting School and Nancy Lee, with visiting artist Mohammadreza Akrami. For four performances over the course of two days, Here For Now transformed the gallery space into a lively performance happening, welcoming back our beloved community after a long Covid hiatus.
Here For Now vol. 4 is just around the corner and we are excited to present full-length works by Hayley Gawthrop, Santi Henderson, and ellis cheadle! Initial creation phases for these projects were supported by Here For Now in collaboration with What Lab’s Exquisite Pressure series in the fall of 2023. We can’t wait to see how the works have flourished since then and we hope you will join us for the shows! HFN vol. 4 will also feature a beautiful mural by visual artist Katie Green (Calgary) which will cover the side of HFN’s performance space, Boombox.
What we love most about producing Here For Now is the coming together of folks from various communities to experience some great art in a casual and fun atmosphere. As we work towards Vol. 4, we are excited to continue facilitating novel interactions between art, artists, and audiences, and to cultivate a lively space for dialogue and exchange. Click below for more info! We would love to see you there.