Does anyone remember the great tragedy of the Roxy Theatre burning down in 2015? As the annual stomping grounds of Nextfest’s emerging artists’ festival, it was a heavy blow for the organization. But, in case you missed it, there is a new Roxy Theatre, and the folks at Nextfest are thrilled to be back at a building that’s completely designed for the arts.
Event organizer Ellen Chorley plans on making full use of every nook and cranny of the new space over the 11-day festival. There is entertainment of every kind, from live music, theatre, painting, acrobatics, visual artists and magic. Artists will perform out of bathroom stalls, elevators, on and off stage, and every surface will be covered in art. “The whole building is taken over,” says Chorley. “It’s just really exciting to see how folks use that space in unconventional ways.”
Chorley has been with the festival since she was 16. After many years of performing and helping put on the event, she took over as festival director in 2016. Since then, there have been many adaptions and challenges in putting on the festival over the years, but Chorley has ensured that no matter what, the artists will get to perform.
Chorley recalls, at the beginning of the pandemic, being uncertain about how the festival would proceed. But “by March 14 [2020], the festival was ready to go. It was programmed,” she says. Suddenly, festival organizers had to figure out if they would delay, but, at that time, nobody could have known how long it would be sticking around. “We were sort of the first people in Edmonton to make a decision to go, ‘We’re gonna go online.’”
But after years without their home and a long pandemic, artists are back in the Roxy Theatre for Nextfest. For them, it’s a process of healing and a celebration of art, with performances like Good Grief that allude to the last few difficult years. “It’s about the grieving process and also loneliness,” Chorley says. “It invites folks to come into the installation and lay down next to the performer and hold hands.”
But the people also want a party, and Nextfest will provide. The Niteclub events, which happen on four nights through the festival, will merge live art of all kinds (music, dance, theatre, visual art) with a dance party. “It’s an immersive pop-up experience,” says Chorley. Each event is themed, and guests are encouraged to dress up and express themselves in each. Themes include: Chew on This — an exploration of food culture; Nextfest Space Popera, which is inspired by sci-fi classics; F! is For Filth, an 18+ erotic event; and Abjection, which is an exploration of queer horror.
More than a fun festival, Nexfest is a place where young or emerging artists can have a safe space to perform and hone their crafts. It’s a place where people can seek mentorship and attend workshops, and it plays a pivotal role in fostering the arts in such an arts-rich city like Edmonton. “An important thing to the arts is mentorship,” says Chorley. “We can pass on so much knowledge and wisdom to each other.”
Engage the arts and party with some pop-ups at Nextfest until June 11.
