Keep Hope Alive Festival

On behalf of the amazing DIY space in Guelph and the crew of exceptional volunteers, board members, and our wonderful ED Scarlett Raczycki––WELCOME to what is going to be a special festival this weekend: September 28 through October 1 , 2023.

This year, Keep Hope Alive will consist of 9 shows over 4 days featuring 32 artists contributing across multiple genres. The festival includes the North American premiere of a film about improviser extraordinaire Eddie Prévost; innovative combinations of players working across diverse art forms; a musical celebration of the life of Alan Armstrong, a beloved member of the Silence board; and a SilenceSoloists embedded series featuring some remarkable voices.

Keep Hope Alive is our way of honouring DIY not-for-profit venues (many dying or gone as we speak) and all the musicians who keep the hope alive in those spaces. The title comes from William Parker’s aphorism, “in order to survive, we must keep hope alive.”

Silence has also launched a fundraising campaign in conjunction with the festival, asking community members to “Take and Vow of Silence” (https://silencesounds.ca/vowofsilence/) by committing to a $10 monthly donation through Canada Helps in support of our mission to nurture and celebrate adventurous music and art in a welcoming, accessible venue in downtown Guelph.

Who is it for?

All ages

Tickets : 0 – $125

Festival Pass: $125

Individual Performances: Free and $20+

How to get tickets?

Buy online

 

Date: Thursday September 28, 2023 to Sunday October 1, 2023

Thursday, Sept 28
evening show | 8-11pm
swim good now + Matt Brubeck

Friday, September 29
afternoon show | 2:30-5pm
A Bright Nowhere: Journeying into Improvisation
featuring Eddie Prévost
+ a lecture/ performance by Alan Stanbridge and Joe Sorbara

evening show | 8pm
Celebration of Life Concert in memory of Alan Armstrong

Saturday, Sept 30
noon-hour show | noon-1pm
Ghost Variables

afternoon show | 2:30-3:30pm
Jill Francis & Emjay Wright

evening show | 8pm
Germaine Liu
SilenceSoloists Series

Sunday, Oct 01
morning show | 11am-noon
Raphael Weinroth-Browne
SilenceSoloists Series

afternoon show | 1-2pm
Joni Nehrita
SilenceSoloists Series

evening show | 8pm
Almost Alchemy

Venue & Address

Silence Sounds, 46 Essex Street, Guelph

Wheelchair accessible

Free Parking

Street Parking

Accessible by Public Transport