Since the London Ontario Live Arts Festival began in 2006, LOLA has demonstrated the blurred barriers between artistic disciplines and explored their points of intersection. A wide range of people have come to London solely for LOLA because it provides an opportunity to try new things — even for experimental artists.
“It’s a lot easier to come here and test out ideas than in a big city. We’ve had artists that have tried stuff at LOLA and subsequently been known for it and received invites to do it elsewhere,” Paul Walde, LOLA artistic director, says.
LOLA will be getting experimental this year with its new TransMedia stage which features avant-garde video and sound art, incorporating the blend of visual arts and music the festival has become known for.
The addition of the TransMedia stage signals LOLA’s evolution from past festivals to capture more of the energy of live arts. This new installation in Victoria Park looks to challenge popular conceptions of art that compartmentalize experimental music, visual and spatial arts as separate entities.
“What we were seeing was a disconnect. People would see the art and not the bands or the bands and not the art,” says Paul Walde, LOLA artistic director.
“The TransMedia stage is a chance to show that creativity falls in between these two disciplines. Rather than point out the relationship, it’s more of a direct connection through the actual practice of artists who work in both mediums.”
Multi-disciplinary, experimental artist Michael Snow is an example of this vision in practice. Snow is known for his avant-garde filmmaking, a tradition he continued at LOLA’s opening gala last night with his work Condensation: A Cove Story. In the spirit of the TransMedia stage, Snow will also play the piano alongside percussionist Jesse Stewart this evening.
Canadian artist Robert Youds is one artist who will take advantage of the freedom LOLA provides.
“[Youds] is running a spectrum of light all the way down to the other end of the park. It’s the first time that he has worked this way,” Walde says.
While the TransMedia stage is a new addition to the festival, the freedom to explore possibilities and links between art forms has been a staple of LOLA since its humble beginnings.
“The first year, I remember being intrigued and going downtown because it was all about projection. There was a piece in the library garden and there was more art downtown. They’ve always had this visual arts presence. There is a long history of art and music being involved,” says Judith Rodger, McIntosh Gallery acting director.
Installation art has costly material demands and musicians still need to be paid — creativity doesn’t come for free. In order for the festival to attract reputable artists while remaining free to the public, both corporate sponsorship and government grants are necessary.
As every poster and logo for the festival reads, LOLA is “powered by Rogers.”
“We have said ‘powered by’ instead of ‘brought to you by’ because [Rogers] is more of a partner than just writing us a blank check,” Walde explains.
“Last year we had so much use of the Rogers system through the Flickr applicaton, so this year they’re bringing in a portable cell phone tower which is going to boost the signals and the data speed for the Friday and Saturday.”
The issue of corporate involvement in the arts may raise questions of artistic integrity, but Youds and Snow like the idea of Rogers’ involvement.  Youds points out artists and business people have been working together for hundreds of years.
“I don’t have any ethical issues with it,” says Youds. “To my knowledge it’s a fantastic relationship that goes back to the renaissance. There was always that kind of patronage, it’s just another form.”
Snow has worked with many expensive materials and technologies throughout his career and thinks more corporate and government funding for artists can pay dividends.
“It would be nice if there was more corporate involvement,” he says. “The government granting system is so slim and the results are so strong in terms of the aesthetics. The arts are also a business and modest help really pays off.”
Working in the arts can be especially tough without adequate financial support, but when the government does fund programming, it’s a vote of confidence that reaffirms the chosen program.
“We are getting second party endorsements,” Walde says. “Without the programming we wouldn’t be eligible for the type of grants we are getting.”
A general misunderstanding about the empowering effects of experimental art pervades the question of funding, according to Snow.
“Some people misunderstand. The word ‘experimental’ is a bit dangerous because it sounds like trying anything. But its really trying something with a point to explore, to find something,” he says. “Making works of art that add to what’s been done before changes peoples lives, and things that could have been considered experimental have often become classics.”
Funding plays a huge part in festival co-ordination, but Walde stresses the human aspect. “It’s not just a matter of dollars, it’s a matter of volunteer support,” he explains. “We have volunteers from [Western], Fanshawe and the general public. Without all this support this wouldn’t be possible.”
Rogers has been a supporter from the beginning, but several other familiar companies won’t be present this year.
Pizza Pizza and Starbucks were the official food and drink vendors last year, but both have been replaced by locally-owned, environmentally-friendly businesses that showcase some of London’s offerings. Vegan restaurant Veg Out will be serving up locally grown, organic foods alongside the East Village Coffee Shop’s fair trade coffee.
Unlike Sunfest and the Home County Folk Festival, the park won’t be bogged down with vendors — it’s all about the art. It’s easier to attract artists when people they admire have appeared at the festival before.
“We book a lot of artists’ artists. Artists that other artists like,” Walde says.
The introduction of the TransMedia stage has blurred the boundaries between the arts and pushed the limits for what to expect from a live arts festival, to the point where anything can happen.
“Part of our identity is to expect the unexpected,” Walde says. “The banner of LOLA will bring everyone together to experience new things.”
Some of the international artists might not even know that London exists but then their introduction [to the city] is the festival,” he adds, keeping an eye on the future.
“London is ripe with possibilities.”