Episode 65: Meetup with Fawnda Mithrush

Seen and Heard in Edmonton

Our April meetup gave us a chance to talk about the power of cross-promotion by engaging in some cross-promotion — I love me some meta.

We had a chance to talk Fawnda Mithrush, who is managing director of NorthwestFest, Edmonton's international festival of nonfiction film, art and music. Fawnda is the brain behind LunchPods, a series of live podcast shows on at The Needle Vinyl Tavern throughout this week in conjunction with the film festival.

Fawnda also hosted I Don't Get It, an award-winning podcast about contemporary dance, which she's hoping to resurrect one of these days. But she's an awfully busy person — besides helping Guy Lavallee put on NorthwestFest, she is also the executive director of LitFest, the nonfiction literary festival that comes to Edmonton this fall.

In the episode, you'll hear all about LunchPods, as well as the "wicked fun" of doing a podcast about dance; why we need to find ways for creative people to get paid; how podcasts fit in with NorthwestFest and might fit into LitFest in the fall; why nonfiction appeals to her and to Edmonton; and the collaborative spirit of our city.

This episode is also available in iTunes, on Google Play, on SoundCloud or on Stitcher.

The LunchPods will be recorded, so if you miss one, you can catch up, but of course it's more fun to hear in person (plus there's lunch provided):

• May 8: Passion Pods: Where Art and Sport Collide: Taylor Chadwick of What It Is interviewed Erika Ensign of Beginner’s Puck and Steven Schapansky of Hockey Feels about arts and sports;
• May 9: Dime a Dozen: Podcasting About Film: Paul Matwychuk and Erin E. Fraser of Trash, Art, and the Movies will talk to Matt Bowes of Bollywood is for Lovers and JP Fournier of The Movie Jerks about movie podcasts;
• May 10: Short Story Long: How Podcasts Pick Up Where News Outlets Drop Off: Alex Zabjek and Trisha Estabrooks of The Broadcast will discuss podcasting as a vehicle for journalism;
• May 11: Sound and Fury: The Key to Outstanding Sound and Content: Adam Rozenhart of The Expats will explore the importance of great sound and structure with Sam Power of All Intensive Purposes and Lauren Albrecht of Nerd Nite Edmonton.
• May 12: Together We're Stronger: YEG's Podcast Community: I’ll be talking to Trina Shessel of the Northern Nerdcast and Ben Yendall of Tales from the Hydian Way about cultivating an Edmonton podcasting community.

Many thanks to NorthwestFest, Flatter:Me Belts and Variant Edition for donating door prizes, and to CafeRista for catering. (Extra shout-out to Variant Edition for hosting us despite having a flood in their store mere hours before the event. Heroes!)

I said at the end of this episode that there might not be a meetup in May, but I've changed my mind, because I have big news to share: We're creating the Alberta Podcast Network, powered by ATB!

Read the back story, and then join us at the Edmonton Podcasting Meetup on May 28 at Variant Edition to discuss the network, where I'll answer as many of your questions as I can.

This episode of Seen and Heard in Edmonton is brought to you by Castria, where award-winning podcasters help you take your podcast from idea to reality.

Castria’s Erika Ensign and Steven Schapansky record and edit both our live meetups and the regular interviews you hear on Seen and Heard in Edmonton. If you’d like them to help you, visit wearecastria.com.

Musical credits: Beethoven’s Sonata No. 1 in F Minor, Op. 2 No. 1, played by Daniel Veesey, from freemusicarchive.com.