Cobourg Hires Antonio Sarmiento

Antonio has resided in Cobourg for 10 years and until the end of 2018 was the Artistic Director and General Manager for Port Hope’s Capitol Theatre.  He has now been hired as Artistic and Creative Consultant by the Town of Cobourg.  His role over the next year will be to “develop a strategic and operational plan for the Concert Hall at Victoria Hall”.  In the Town’s announcement, Director of Community Services Dean Hustwick said: “Together, along with our Community Services Division staff, we will position the Concert Hall for even greater success as a cultural anchor in this community.”  This comes part way through the work of a consultant to develop a Cultural Plan for the Town.  The public was last updated March 21 – see link below.

Antonio Sarmiento
Antonio Sarmiento

Antonio is certainly qualified in the field of Culture.  The announcement says that he will work with the Community Services Division staff and will lead a “thorough review to better position it for the future”.

Further that “together, along with our Community Services Division staff, we will position the Concert Hall for even greater success as a cultural anchor in this community.”

Antonio said:

“The Concert Hall at Victoria Hall is a magnificent venue that’s central to our community. I look forward to engaging Council, Town staff and citizens on how we can continue to deliver innovative artistic experiences we can all be proud of.” 

Antonio’s hiring has not come before Council – at least not yet – and there’s no word on the cost to the Town.

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Wally Keeler
4 years ago

Antonio is fully capable of understanding the technological needs of the performance arts going into the future. The Concert Hall will be enriched with his experience and knowledge. Perhaps this TED Talk will help explain what he brings to Cobourg. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vlj9aPKB9m0

gerinator
4 years ago

Welcome Antonio. Hopefully you can lean on the Council Coordinator, Committee persons and Staff assigned to this project. Equally hopeful is my expectation that, unlike the P&R Steering Committee, the deliberations will open, transparent and minuted so that interested Cobourgites can participate, even if on the periphery.

John Hill
4 years ago

This is certainly a good news story. It is really meat on the bones for people calling for cultural initiatives. Cobourg should go much further and establish an ad hoc committee to lure movie and motion picture development in the Town.

Walter Luedtke
4 years ago

comment image
Good to have your services as a consultant for Vic Hall, Antonio.
Don’t be discouraged by some of the comments below.
They are typical of a certain mind-set, membership in a certain local association and a political party.
So welcome!

Be more specific
Reply to  Walter Luedtke
4 years ago

Mr. Luedtke, please do not apologize for the comments of your fellow posters. You state that we are typical of a certain mind set, membership in a certain local association and political party, but you fail to indemnify what association or party, so please be specific. Your comments that lump us all together are insulting, and make you sound like a cross between McCarthy and Trump, although they do at least specify the people and parties they hate.

Personally I believe the words of Groucho Marx are more applicable “ I DON’T WANT TO BELONG TO ANY CLUB THAT WILL ACCEPT ME AS A MEMBER.“

If you want to only post in a group that agrees with you, you should create your own blog.

Walter Luedtke
Reply to  Be more specific
4 years ago

You are new here, whoever you are.
Accusing me of hate-speech is a bit over the top.
Because these are the rules here:
“Disagree with an argument but don’t slander other commenters. Offending comments will be deleted; persistent offenders will be banned.”
So try to control yourself.

Jason Beatty
4 years ago

Congratulations to Antonio. Always enjoyed his work with the Capitol. Will be interested to see what productions he brings to Victoria Hall.

Wally Keeler
Reply to  Jason Beatty
4 years ago

He’s not bringing productions. If the Concert Hall wants to be a premiere venue for productions, then Antonio is the creative force that will illuminate various technologies that are current. I am thinking mostly of projection illuminations and visual layering, among other things that interact .

Frenchy
Reply to  Wally Keeler
4 years ago

Wally, can you give us some examples (links) of “projection illuminations” and “visual layering”. I googled these but I’m not sure I’m on the same track as you.

Wally Keeler
Reply to  Frenchy
4 years ago

I have no interest educating anyone who has expressed chronic animus towards me and fabricates quotes with the purpose of denigration. . “Wally can you give us …” Speak for yourself; no one nominated you to speak on anything..

Frenchy
Reply to  Wally Keeler
4 years ago

Wally, how does one fabricate a quote? One can fabricate a story, but a quote is a quote. Lifted word for word, n’est-ce pas? And don’t be so modest… you educate me almost every day.
Still trying to figure out “projection illuminations” and “visual layering”.
Is this what you mean? (gotta wait ’till about the 1:35 mark)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HoIN0XlALDA

Wally Keeler
Reply to  Frenchy
4 years ago

You posted this smear “Wally says says newcomers and non-native Cobourgers don’t count“” I asked you where I posted that. You declined to say. You ask things of me, but when I ask where you got this from more than once, you ignore it. You post these fabrications with the sole purpose to denigrate and disparage.

“you educate me almost every day.” sez Frenchy.

That is a meaningless assertion. And is inconsistent with your personal animus towards me.

Frenchy
Reply to  Wally Keeler
4 years ago

“Wally can you give us …” Speak for yourself; no one nominated you to speak on anything..

Geez, it’s just a figure of speech Wally. If I had known you were going to go through every word, syllable or letter of my post(s), I guess I should have said “can you give some examples”

Elaine
Reply to  Frenchy
4 years ago

Frenchy, did you not see Antonios “projection illuminations” and “visual layering” at The Capitol in Port Hope. Shame. You would know exactly what Wally is talking about if you had.

Frenchy
Reply to  Elaine
4 years ago

Missed it Elaine. There must be something similar to give me an idea of what it’s all about. Any clues or links?
Was the Wolfman even close?

Wally Keeler
Reply to  Frenchy
4 years ago

Go see a play by Antonio and educate yourself with creative culture.

Frenchy
Reply to  Wally Keeler
4 years ago

He’s a playwright too?

Jason Beatty
Reply to  Wally Keeler
4 years ago

Thank you Wally for the clarification.

Wally Keeler
Reply to  Jason Beatty
4 years ago

Oh Jason, I didn’t realize that you had designated Frenchy as your query proxy. Here’s a clue — think “mapping”

Wally Keeler
Reply to  Jason Beatty
4 years ago

Presuming that you are sans animus towards me, here is a good example for you Jason: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ag7DBy4vhlQ

It’s not new, although becoming more ubiquitous. My first exposure of the concept was provided at the Czechoslovakian pavilion at Expo 67.

Frenchy
Reply to  Wally Keeler
4 years ago

See, that wasn’t so hard, was it? Thanks for the examples.

manfred s
Reply to  Frenchy
4 years ago

hey, c’mon Frenchy, the example wasn’t for you, so don’t you be looking at it on the sly like that!

Frenchy
Reply to  manfred s
4 years ago

Aww, that’s cute. You sticking up for your pal Wally.

Walter Luedtke
Reply to  manfred s
4 years ago

Haha! Waves to Frenchy!
Nice try Manfred, but in my experience, Frenchy will always have the last word.

Wally Keeler
Reply to  Walter Luedtke
4 years ago

Walter, I have noticed that I get the last word when ever I post this: You posted this smear “Wally says says newcomers and non-native Cobourgers don’t count“” I asked you where I posted that. You declined to say. You ask things of me, but when I ask where you got this from more than once, you ignore it. You post these fabrications with the sole purpose to denigrate and disparage

He can’t reply to that, because it was a totally fabricated smear..

Jason Beatty
Reply to  Jason Beatty
4 years ago

Wally I was being genuine when I thanked you. I enjoy your posts. I’m not taking sides here. I only came to give congratulations.

Jason Beatty
Reply to  Jason Beatty
4 years ago

and of note, I expressed my displeasure of Antonio’s departure from the Capitol at the end of last year (on a prior posting here by John). I enjoy his work.

Dubious
Reply to  Jason Beatty
4 years ago

Has there been an explanation of why Antonio departed so precipitately from the Capitol?

John Draper
Reply to  Dubious
4 years ago

I reported on this when it happened last October. The first two paragraphs of that report give the facts as seen by Capitol management and Antonio. Put succinctly, Antonio did not like the decision to split his job into two – Management and Artistic – so quit.

Dubious
Reply to  John Draper
4 years ago

Thanks for the reminder. I had forgotten the explanation.

Jason Beatty
Reply to  Jason Beatty
4 years ago

Two people (at this point) took the time to vote down a post congratulating someone… What miserable lives you must lead. Comical.

Wally Keeler
4 years ago

The Town website posts;
“The Town of Cobourg’s Community Services Division is pleased to announce the recent hiring of Antonio Sarmiento, who will act as an Artistic and Creative Consultant over the next year to develop a strategic and operational plan for the Concert Hall at Victoria Hall.

According to Dubious, The Community Services Division or any other municipal department cannot employ anyone until after they are fully vetted and tendered by Town Council. What a stupid wasteful procedure. This denies any department from having any discretionary autonomy.

Go to Antonio’s Facebook site and see the ever growing congratulations from Cobourg citizens, almost all of them posting in their full names rather than surreptitiously hiding behind pseudonyms. {43 full names at this moment} There is a broad consensus that Antonio is best for the job. Why would the Community Services open a tender for this position, when everyone knows that Antonio is the best and with local knowledge. Know anyone better suited, Dubious? What a waste of time to tender this position.

Antonio sez, ” I look forward to engaging Council, Town staff and citizens on how we can continue to deliver innovative artistic experiences we can all be proud of.

Antonio is looking forward to engaging with Cobourg citizens. I intend to do so.

Dice
4 years ago

More Taxpayer money down the drain..

Be more specific
Reply to  Dice
4 years ago

Do you think this is ” more taxpayer money down the drain” because:
1.You do not like Mr Sarmiento
2. You do not like Mr Hustwick
3. You do not like the Town supporting the Arts
4. You do not think this is the correct approach and it will probably fail
5. You automatically write this comment for any government expenditure
or
6. You are a troll ?

It is difficult to agree or disagree if you do not specify your reasons

Dubious
Reply to  Be more specific
4 years ago

From Mr. Draper’s description it sounds like this is a contract position rather than another new employee. What is the cost of the contract? What is the duration of the contract? Was it tendered? What are the deliverables? What is the business case? Was the contract explicitly budgeted for or merely slipped in surreptitiously?

Regardless of merit every expenditure should be approved by Council prior to announcement.

Wally Keeler
Reply to  Dubious
4 years ago

Merriam-Webster sez surreptitious means:
1 : done, made, or acquired by stealth : CLANDESTINE
2 : acting or doing something clandestinely : STEALTHY

I do not think such malevolence by Council or municipal staff has any merit. It’s a typical pseudonym smear.

Dubious asks, “What is the duration of the contract?

Mr Draper posted, “His role over the next year will be…”

Dubious asks, “What are the deliverables?

Mr Draper posted, ““develop a strategic and operational plan for the Concert Hall at Victoria Hall” “position the Concert Hall for even greater success as a cultural anchor in this community.” ““thorough review to better position it for the future”.

Antonio says, “. I look forward to engaging Council, Town staff and citizens on how we can continue to deliver innovative artistic experiences we can all be proud of.”

I believe that Antonio can and will deliver on that.

Dubious
Reply to  Wally Keeler
4 years ago

Closer to my intended meaning is the OED’s definition of surreptitious” :
“ADJECTIVE Kept secret, especially because it would not be approved of”

Wally Keeler
Reply to  Dubious
4 years ago

Same thing. It attributes malevolent motives. You spread malevolent gossip that has no basis in fact.

Wally Keeler
Reply to  Dubious
4 years ago

You used it as an adverb, not as an adjective. I learned that in high school.

Dubious
Reply to  Wally Keeler
4 years ago

Thanks for your erudite correction.
Again from the OED:
surreptitiously ADVERB
In a way that attempts to avoid notice or attention; secretively”

Wally Keeler
Reply to  Dubious
4 years ago

Thanks for your redundancy. Same thing; it attributes malevolence towards municipal employees, which you do all too often. No wonder Walter often points out your chronic paranoia towards municipal staff.

Dice
Reply to  Be more specific
4 years ago

I’ll take #3 for $100 Alex. There are many more deserving projects, that could use this money