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Arts + Culture

Hamilton Literary Awards reward standout books and storytelling

By Stephen Near
The 31st annual ceremony, now co-hosted by the Hamilton Arts Council and the gritLIT Readers and Writers Festival, will happen Dec. 12 at the Central Library. Over 30 years of stories is something Hamilton can be proud of. This month, the 31st annual Hamilton Literary Awards will mark…
Arts + Culture

A place for weird dreams

By Stephen Near
The Staircase Theatre and Café has been both a critical indie arts venue and a home for artists across Hamilton for 28 years. It’s a place where creatives of all kinds can take risks. “There’s a weirdness here.” I’m nestled inside the brownstone interior of Hamilton’s Staircase…
HCC
Hamilton music Collective
Arts + Culture

The Master Plan is crackling and compelling theatre about Toronto scandal

By Stephen Near
The award-winning Canadian hit about a waterfront boondoggle comes to Hamilton in a landmark production at Theatre Aquarius, running Oct. 30 to Nov. 16. It’s fair to say The Master Plan made an impression on Theatre Aquarius artistic director Mary Francis Moore. “My jaw was on…
City Life

Shaking Up Shakespeare

By Stephen Near
Trevor Copp and Alma Sarai are the dynamic duo behind Tottering Biped Theatre (TBT) and the company’s annual summer Shakespeare by the Castle festival that takes place in August at Dundurn Castle. TREVOR COPP and ALMA SARAI have worked together for nine years with a mission to…
Arts + Culture

Yes, we think you can dance

By Stephen Near
At the award-winning Not Just Another Dance Studio, learning the steps is just one part of the success story. A steady stream of parents file through the entrance of a building on Upper James. They’re trying to catch up to their kids, who are all dressed in a…
Food + Drink

Get in the kitchen

By Stephen Near
Whatever your culinary experience or comfort level, Hamilton offers plenty of options to up your cooking game. If you find yourself spending more time in the kitchen, you’re not alone. When it comes to preparing meals at home versus dining out, 44 per cent more Canadians were sticking…