By Damian Stevenson
Special to the Record
The Comox Valley Art Gallery鈥檚 Youth Media Project will be screening films at the Sid Williams Theatre on Feb. 13 at 7 p.m.
The event is free, with anyone who is interested in local discourse encouraged to attend. Featuring five short films, each crafted by a local youth, this screening aims to shine a light on deeply personal and often ignored topics that affect the Valley and beyond, exploring concepts including homelessness, mental health awareness, and queerness.
The Comox Valley Art Gallery鈥檚 Youth Media Project is an employability program that helps empower local youth, ages 16-30, by teaching them the tools to make independent film and prepare them for future employment based on their passions and personalities. Within the 13 weeks of the program, participants are able to form a personal film in its entirety, connect with local networks and artists, receive training and certifications to work in the film industry, and learn important soft skills to facilitate their work.
In addition to their personal films, the participants also engage with local organizations to create contracted films as part of their industry training, providing the youth experience as film contractors; these films will also be featured during the screening. The youth are paid a full-time minimum wage for their participation in the program.
鈥淓ach of us in the program - we all hail from different backgrounds and moulded by different experiences. Our core message, however, is very much the same: to empower the most vulnerable in our community and have those voices heard. In a world where so many of us marginalized folks feel ignored or left behind, YMP grabs our hands, gently guides us, and says 鈥榊ou can do it!鈥欌�� said Damian Stevenson, a graduate of the Youth Media Program.
Bite the Hand will be playing for one night only and there will be lots of free food. Tickets should be booked in advance through the Sid William鈥檚 Theatre in order to ensure a spot.
For details on how to apply to the CVAG Youth Media Project, contact Krista at krista.cvagymp@gmail.com or link to them through the Comox Valley Art Gallery鈥檚 website.
