The future of Umbrella

By Janet Jarrell

History

Since 1991, readers have come to rely on Umbrella for articles and news about emerging and established artists working in the performing, visual and literary arts. We also highlight news and information about arts education and activities in the schools. Published seasonally, Umbrella offers the best editorial and information about arts and culture in the Quinte region.

The QAC has every issue on record, as do our local archives and the National Library and Archives in Ottawa. Taking a deep dive into the history of Umbrella, you will see it evolve from a four page, black and white tabloid newspaper into the beautiful, full-colour magazine it is today.

“There have been many programs and services offered by the Quinte Arts Council (QAC) since its inception in 1967. But the most enduring and successful of them all is Umbrella.” writes Carol Bauer, former editor and producer of Umbrella who worked with Jan Dolby and Peter Davis on the original issues.

Production

Production of this magazine is a year round process. Beginning with conceptualization, planning of editorial, assigning content to local writers, to the editing, design and layout, printing and distribution; production is a full time job. As soon as we begin marketing and promotion of the current issue, the entire process begins again for the upcoming issue.

The team has always understood the importance of Umbrella and the value it presents to the community. The printed copies were mailed to members, and distributed throughout the local communities from Bancroft to Prince Edward County, Brighton to Napanee and all of the communities in between. This is a very large distribution jurisdiction and we were always grateful to the many volunteers who made this widespread distribution possible.

Global paper shortage

In 2020, when the spring issue was printed, the world was on a global lock down, making distribution virtually impossible. We had to pivot - remember that overused word? Umbrella could be found in local grocery stores - one of the few retails open to the public. The QAC began to use a digital platform (Issuu) in order to ensure Umbrella was reaching its audience - and it did. Umbrella saw an increase in the audience to include provincial, national and even international readers - Umbrella went GLOBAL!

The world experienced the ebbs, flows and challenges of shopping to get their needs and, understandably, many turned to online shopping. Online offers safe shopping and contactless delivery to your doorstep.

According to Statistics Canada, “After a sharp increase at the onset of the pandemic, retail e-commerce sales have receded as of July 2022 but remain well above pre-pandemic levels. The share of retail e-commerce sales, as a proportion of total retail sales, rose from 3.9% in 2019 to 6.2% in 2022 (July year to date). During the height of the pandemic in 2020 and 2021, the shares of retail e-commerce sales were 6.6% and 6.9%, respectively. The retail e-commerce share of total retail sales peaked in 2021, as retailers were impacted by a second wave of store closures during the first half of that year.”

All of these home deliveries required cardboard boxes; there was soon a high demand for boxes in order to keep up with the increase in online shopping. These boxes are made from heavy duty papers created from tree pulp the same papers used to print Umbrella magazine. With the increase in demand for boxes, paper mills and paper producing companies turned to producing more boxes instead of paper. Even before the pandemic, with the move to digital communications, paper use was on the decline. When the pandemic hit, many paper mills had already started to shut down. This eventually led to a global paper shortage.

The QAC began to see an increase in printing costs by 2021 (costs doubled) and 2022 (costs tripled). We did what we could to mitigate these new expenses. By 2023, the costs had quadrupled which led to a financial loss to the QAC.

The Board of Directors and the team had to reevaluate our Umbrella programming. It was clear we could continue production supporting local writers, artists and graphic designers, and publishing the digital issues; we just could not afford to continue printing physical copies of Umbrella under the current work plan.

Is Umbrella still an important program?

In every survey we have on record since the 1990’s, the community has rated Umbrella as the most important program offered by the QAC. It is time to ask you again, ‘is Umbrella important to you?’

Your Opinion Matters!

We need YOUR voice to help us understand the significance of the Umbrella arts and culture magazine. Further, you will help us understand the importance of physical copies of the magazine. By taking just a few moments to complete our brief survey, you'll play a crucial role in shaping the future of Umbrella programming. Your insights will guide us in our decision making process and reflect the diverse interests and passions of our community.

Whether you're an avid reader, a devoted supporter, or someone who's curious about the impact of arts and culture on our community, your perspective is invaluable to us.

Take the Survey Now!

Thank you for being a vital part of this journey!

Meet our students

By QAC Team

Mentoring students at the Quinte

Arts Council plays a pivotal role in nurturing the next generation of artists and creatives. By providing opportunities, guidance, and support, mentors not only impart valuable skills and knowledge but also instill confidence and a sense of belonging in young artists.

Moreover, mentoring fosters a sense of community, creating opportunities for collaboration, networking, and skill-sharing among students and established artists alike. This sense of community is essential for fostering creativity, innovation, and personal growth in aspiring artists, as they learn from the experiences and perspectives of their mentors and peers.

Ultimately, mentoring students at the QAC not only enriches the lives of individual students but also contributes to the vibrancy and diversity of the local arts scene, ensuring its vitality and relevance for generations to come.

Tara Geall (She/Her) is a talented young actress, who is currently enrolled in the Arts Program at Centennial Secondary School. She is a CO-OP Student, completing her placement with the Quinte Arts Council. Throughout high school, she has dedicated herself to artistic pursuits, including theatre participating in a few productions such as “16 in Ten Minutes or Less” and soon “Annie Jr.”

Moyosore “Moyo” Adeyinka (he/him) is a talented Nigerian visual artist with apraxia of speech. He expresses his passion through portraits and other visual works of Arts. He works continuously to explore opportunities to advance his skills. Moyo is currently enrolled in the CICE program at Loyalist College in Belleville and has recently joined the QAC team as a student intern.

Mary Mejias is a visual artist embarking on an exciting career transition to graphic design. With a profound passion for art, she eagerly anticipates blending her accumulated skills as a visual artist to produce captivating designs as a freelance designer. Presently enrolled at Centennial College, Mary has taken a significant step by joining the Quinte Arts Council team as an intern, aiming to enrich her knowledge and experience in the world of art and graphic design.