Magicana

Last updated
Magicana
FormationMay 2000
TypeTheatre group
PurposeMagic, performing art
Location
  • Toronto
Artistic director(s)
David Ben
Website Magicana

Magicana is a Canadian federally incorporated not-for-profit arts organization dedicated to the study, exploration and advancement of magic as a performing art. Magicana is governed by a volunteer board of directors. Julie Eng serves as Magicana's executive director and David Ben as its artistic director.

Contents

History

Magicana was founded in May 2000 by magician David Ben, Canadian broadcasting icon Patrick Watson, and documentary filmmaker Daniel Zuckerbrot. Magicana is funded by donations from private foundations and individuals; and from the sales of tickets and publications on a cost recovery basis.

Magicana received official status [1] as a registered charitable organization in 2006.

Objectives

The purpose of Magicana as stated in its Articles of Incorporation is:

(a) to educate and increase the public’s understanding and appreciation of the art of magic by providing performances of an artistic nature in public venues;
(b) to provide instructional seminars on topics related to the art of magic;
(c) to stage and produce exhibitions for the purpose of educating and advancing the public’s appreciation of the art of magic; and
(d) to educate artists through participation in such performances and exhibitions and related workshops.

Board of directors

Chairman Emeritus: Patrick Watson

Chairman: Tim Jackson

Board of Directors:

Productions

Magicana has produced a number of theatrical public performances on magic including:

Juan Tamariz performing at the Panasonic Theatre in Toronto as part of the Masters of Magic series of Luminato, June 2010 Juan-luminato2010.jpg
Juan Tamariz performing at the Panasonic Theatre in Toronto as part of the Masters of Magic series of Luminato, June 2010
Card Table Artifice presented at the Jane Mallet Theatre in Toronto as part of the Transgressive Magic series of Luminato, June 2014 Magicana presents Card Table Artifice for Luminato 2014 photo by D Linsell.jpeg
Card Table Artifice presented at the Jane Mallet Theatre in Toronto as part of the Transgressive Magic series of Luminato, June 2014

Exhibitions

Online exhibitions on magic and great magicians of yesteryear, developed, hosted and maintained by Magicana include:

Magicana facilitated the acquisition of one of the top five Golden Age magic poster collections in the world and one of the most important Houdiniana collections (renamed, the Allan Slaight Collection) for the McCord Museum in February 2015. The $3 million collection contains 600 vintage posters and hundreds of Houdini-related books, posters, unique collectibles and ephemera making it the largest magic collection in Canada, and is housed in Montreal. [27] [28] [29] [30]

Conferences, seminars and workshops

Magicana has hosted a number of artist workshops and seminars by several top-rated magicians and speakers across Canada including:

Eric Mead lecturing for magic enthusiasts in Toronto, August 2008 Meadlecture-2008.jpg
Eric Mead lecturing for magic enthusiasts in Toronto, August 2008
Norman BeckRafael BenatarGaëtan Bloom
Eugene Burger John CarneyJason England
Roberto Giobbi Kostya Kimlat Max Maven
Eric MeadJohn MendozaPatrick Page
David Solomon Jim Steinmeyer Jamy Ian Swiss
John Thompson Richard Turner

31 Faces North

From 2003 to 2010 Magicana hosted 31 Faces North, a four-day think-tank of thirty-one of the world's foremost magicians. The invitational conference was designed to bring sleight-of-hand experts, magic historians, and magic experts together to network, share, discuss and witness magic performances by masters of the art.

While the conference recognized giants of the magic community, it was also designed to offer promising young magicians a chance to meet and learn from magic legends. The attendees represented a who's who of magic including Guests of Honour:

Magic Collectors Weekend

Since 2010, Magicana has been responsible for the programming, administration and execution of the Magic Collectors Weekend - an international conference on magic history for 200 participants held in Chicago. The MCW has been staged annually since 1969. As of 2012, the MCW is staged on a biennial schedule.

Publications

Magicana's publications include:

Magicana also publishes Magicol (ISSN 0460-5314), a quarterly journal on magic history and collectibles which has been in publication since 1950. Magicana began publication stewardship of Magicol in 2010 starting with issue No. 174.

Scholarships and grants

Magicana provides grants and bursaries related to the study of magic.

Community programs

Magicana developed and runs two, community outreach programs: My Magic Hands and Senior Sorcery.

My Magic Hands

Client from Holland Bloorview performing at The Big Show, June 2011 Mymagichands-2011.jpg
Client from Holland Bloorview performing at The Big Show, June 2011

My Magic Hands, originally launched in 2005, uses the art of magic as a teaching vehicle to reach children in disadvantaged communities in order to build self-confidence and essential life skills such as communication, critical thinking and problem solving. Using the theatrical process involved in staging a magic trick, the program provides a cost-efficient and systematic way for children to learn about the arts in communities that do not normally have access to quality arts-related programming. Magicana received seed funding in 2005 followed by a multi-year grant (2006–2008) from the Ontario Trillium Foundation for the program and continues to currently operate through funding from private foundations and donors.

In addition to outreach programming, My Magic Hands is also a longstanding program staple at Holland Bloorview Kids Rehabilitation Hospital, specifically in occupational and speech therapy programs. The program is recognized and acknowledged by occupational therapists, staff and parents of clients as a unique, successful and motivating tool assisting clients to reach their therapeutic goals. [35]

The program is administrated by Magicana and is a core activity of the organization.

Senior Sorcery

Performance of Hocus Pocus for seniors at a senior's residence and community centre in the Greater Toronto Area, November 2008 Seniorsorcery2008.jpg
Performance of Hocus Pocus for seniors at a senior's residence and community centre in the Greater Toronto Area, November 2008

Senior Sorcery, launched in 2006, is designed to bring live theatre in the form of magic shows to the senior citizen community, particularly to isolated seniors in remote residences and/or community centres. The program engages seniors by breaking the "fourth wall" of theatre and involving their participation in the magic. The program also empowers by giving seniors the ability to invite their family and friends to a special event. The program also aims to bridge or connect generations by offering a group activity that all can participate in, enjoy together and to discuss afterwards.

The program is administrated by Magicana and is a core activity of the organization.

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References

  1. Canada Revenue requires an extensive review of an organization to quality as a registered charity under paragraph 149(1)(f) of the Income Tax Act. Magicana received the charitable designation (charitable status effective May 10, 2006) "because it benefits the community by raising the esthetic taste of the community through magic performances and through the provisions of seminars and workshops on the art of magic". (Canada Revenue, Notice of Registration. July 27, 2006)
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