Youth Mentorship Project 2018 // Ages 16-24
Electronic Perception Garage was a mentorship project providing youth (16-24 yrs) the technical, conceptual, and community support to create video art installation works. Participants learned to use video cameras, microphones, and editing software to explore an idea or issue that mattered to them.
The mentorship was guided by media artist Alysha Seriani, and combined visual studies with hands-on studio experience, including a field trip to media galleries, the Crista Dahl Media Library & Archive, and artist studio visit. The project culminated in a free public event at VIVO Media Arts Centre. Primary funding is generously provided by the ArtStarts Creative Spark Grant, with equipment, facilities, and technical support provided by VIVO. The project coordinator was Pietro Sammarco.
The mentorship was 6 sessions long running November to December 2018.
VIVO is located in the homelands of the xʷməθkʷəy̓əm (Musqueam) Sḵwx̱wú7mesh (Squamish), and səl̓ílwətaɬ (Tsleil-Waututh) peoples in a warehouse space at 2625 Kaslo Street south of East Broadway at the end of E 10th. Transit line 9 stops at Kaslo Street on Broadway. From the bus stop, the path is paved, curbless, and on a slight decline. The closest skytrain station is Renfrew Station, which is three blocks south-east of VIVO and has an elevator. From there, the path is paved, curbless, and on a slight incline. There is parking available at VIVO, including wheelchair access parking. There is a bike rack at the entrance. The front entrance leads indoors to a set of 7 stairs to the lobby.
A wheelchair ramp is located at the west side of the main entrance. The ramp has two runs: the first run is 20 feet long, and the second run is 26 feet. The ramp is 60 inches wide. The slope is 1:12. The ramp itself is concrete and has handrails on both sides. There is an outward swinging door (34 inch width) at the top of the ramp leading to a vestibule. A second outward swinging door (33 inch width) opens into the exhibition space. Buzzers and intercoms are located at both doors to notify staff during regular office hours or events to unlock the doors. Once unlocked, visitors can use automatic operators to open the doors.
There are two all-gender washrooms. One has a stall and is not wheelchair accessible. The other is a single room with a urinal and is wheelchair accessible: the door is 33 inches wide and inward swinging, without automation. The toilet has 11 inch clearance on the left side and a handrail.
To reach the bathrooms from the studio, exit through the double doors and proceed straight through the lobby and down the hall . Turn left, and the two bathrooms will be on your right side. The closest one has a stall and is not wheelchair accessible. The far bathroom is accessible.
Alysha Seriani is a media artist and educator and has been a proud VIVO instructor since 2017. Her practice revolves around horizontal styles of collaboration and learning and is informed by embodying intersectional feminism, intergenerational learning and queer joy. In 2019, she was a recipient of Telefilm Canada’s Talent to Watch program, and her first short film SOAK (2014) is distributed by the CFMDC. She developed a youth mentorship program and associate produced THE BODY REMEMBERS WHEN THE WORLD BROKE OPEN (2019) and has been a collaborator for many media artworks and films that have exhibited at film festivals and galleries around the world. You can check her out at alyshaseriani.com.
Pietro Sammarco records bands, produces music and sound for film, DJ’s karaoke, and is co-editor of Spoox Audiozine. He graduated from the School of Communication Master’s program at Simon Fraser University, combining the fields of soundscape composition and media education. Currently Education Coordinator at VIVO, Pietro has also served as a director with The Safe Amplification Site Society, a non-profit venue dedicated to music for people of all ages; was a member of local performance art group Norma; played in Balinese-style orchestra Gamelan Bike Bike; toured extensively as trombonist with They Shoot Horses, Don’t They?; and was Resident Audio Expert with the VPL Inspiration Lab. He completed the Audio Engineer Work-Study program at the Banff Centre, and holds a Bachelor’s in Media Arts from Emily Carr Institute of Art and Design.