News

Annual General Meeting

September 16, 2025

ROGUE FOLK CLUB 29th Annual General Meeting
Thursday, 18 September 2024 – 6:00PM Sharp

LOCATION
Downstairs in Room 120
St. James Community Square
3214 West 10th Avenue, Vancouver, BC

AGENDA
1. Call to Order and Introductions
2. Approve Minutes of 2024 AGM
3. Board and Artistic Director Reports
4. 2024 Financial Statements
5. Election of Directors
6. Other Business
7. Adjournment

The Rogue Board of Directors Election

Standing for election to a two year term ending at the Annual General Meeting in 2027:

Slate Of Directors - incumbents recommended by the Rogue Board

Morris Biddle
I am a retired insurance executive and have been a volunteer and long time supporter of The Rogue. I was appointed to a Board vacancy in 2016 and have been a director since that time. I have previously held Board positions on the BC Business Council, the Rugby Canada Board of Governors and served 6 years on the Board of MusicFest Vancouver, the last 4 as President. MusicFest Vancouver was an annual festival of classical, jazz and world music with 40 shows over a 10 day period in August. Artists varied from locally unknown to Herbie Hancock, Sarah McLachlan, etc. I have played in various bands and duos for a number of years, primarily on guitar, lap-steel, pedal steel and vocals. I want to help the Rogue raise sufficient funds from the community to continue its long successful run. In so doing, I have led thesuccessful individual and corporate sponsorship initiative as well as serving on the Charitable Status committee.

Dan Bowditch
I'm still an old folkie pre-dating the first Vancouver Folk Music Festival and a Rogue member since the Savoy days in Gastown (member no. 51). My wife Ursula and I have volunteered for mailing parties in the past and are regular "Parcel O'Rogues" subscribers. I have served on the Board since 2004, including many years in the role of President. I also serve on the Fundraising Committee and the Charitable Status Committee. I was a founding director of three environmental groups in BC as well as a past Board President and Director of an international technology industry association during my electrical engineering and IT executive careers. I am also currently a Partner and served 7 years as a Board member and vice-chair with Social Venture Partners Vancouver, which provides funding and volunteer business expertise to build capacity in non-profits that support Metro Vancouver at risk or under-served youth. I will continue using my skills and energy to support Steve, The Rogue and members in the best way I can in continuing to once again help the Rogue to present many diverse and excellent shows every year.

Monica Dare
I am running for another term on the Board of Directors because I have a passion for the music and activities produced by The Rogue. I have a Parcel O’ Rogues and volunteer at and attend as many shows as I can. I am licensed for both sales and management of Strata and rental properties and, retired, I now have more time to contribute to the community. I’ve served as a volunteer and board member on a number of non-profit organizations including the Vancouver Folk Music Festival, Public Dreams, The Rogue (as a volunteer) and various grass roots non-profits working on rental and food security issues. I am a member and supporter of Pivot Legal, Out in Schools, Megaphone and the East Van Gogos. I have bookkeeping skills and for the Folk Music Festival I was the Treasurer (4 years), and have also been on the Governance Committee (2 years). As a Folk Music Festival Volunteer I was a gate supervisor for a number of years, and also worked in the kitchen. I serve as Treasurer and on the Finance and Charitable Status committees and believe that I will continue to bring ideas and energy to the Board that will be a definite asset to The Rogue.

Tom Nesbit
I’ve been a member of The Rogue and a regular attendee at concerts for over 26 years and have been on the Board since 2017. I retired a few years ago as Director of Continuing Education at SFU where I somehow acquired plenty of administrative experience of grant writing, HR and personnel issues, strategic planning, fund-raising, marketing and promotional activities. While working at SFU, I collaborated with a range of local non-profit organizations to develop various educational and cultural programs and events. I have been a member of, and chaired, several national and regional committees in both Canada and the UK and am experienced in creating harmonious working relationships among people and groups with often differing perspectives. Finally, I volunteer at various local festivals (jazz, folk, film, writers’), am a year-round volunteer at the Vancity Film Theatre and have been a board member for the Friends of Chamber Music and several other community organizations. I’m passionate about encouraging others to appreciate folk and world music as much as I do. My only regret is that I don’t play an instrument!

Ian Robertson
I presently volunteer at most of the Rogue shows and have been a Board member since 2013. Since The Rogue held shows at the WISE hall, I have regularly attended a wide range of concerts over pproximately 30 years, and feel that it is important that the presentation of live folk music in Vancouver continues to be offerred by the Rogue. Since I retired as a school principal in 2004 after 35 years as a teacher and school administrator, I have volunteered for a number of organizations - Cypress Mountain, VANOC, MS Society and the North Vancouver School District. I feel that my education as well as my professional tThe Board. I also serve on the Fundraising Committees and chaired the successful Benefit and Auction Committee in 2017 as well as for more recent auctions.

Diana Stewart-Imbert
My most recent “adventures” include being a working Board Member an Producer/ Programmer for the Canadian Folk Music Awards (12 years +), 24 years on the staff of the Vancouver International Children’s Festival and former President and current Advisory Board member for VICO: the Vancouver Intercultural Orchestra. A proud graduate of Studio 58 Theatre Arts Program, some of my previous positions include Production Stage Manager for various Vancouver theatre companies and events – including overseeing Green Zone acts at Expo 86, World Music agent - France  Canada, and Founder of the Vancouver World Music Collective in the early 2000s. I don’t play a musical instrument, but have been a member of several very lively “Improv” choirs. I am fluent in both English and French and am doing my best to add Spanish - to make traveling more rewarding and fun. My association with Steve and the Rogue Folk Club goes back to the mid 90s - some 30 years :).

The following Board members are not standing for election this year as they continue to serve the second year of their two year term:
Phil Gray
Doug O’Neill
Bill Hooker
Andrew Smith

Job Opening!

September 13, 2025

Job Opening - Publicist with the Rogue  - (40-50hrs/mnth; Remote & In Person) 

Start date: ASAP

The role of the Publicist is to generate and manage all aspects of concert and organizational publicity for the Rogue.

Weekend work is required.

RESPONSIBILITIES:

• Create and send out media releases for each show using Constant Contact
• Manage social media channels - content creation and drive engagement
• Create concert posters for each show and rack cards as required using Canva / InDesign / Photoshop
• Deliver posters and rack cards to distributors (e.g. volunteers) and distribution points (e.g. libraries / community centres, etc.)
• Complete online event pages for each show
• Liase with established and grow new publicity contacts
• General availability on concert days (weekdays and weekends) to assist wit concert tasks, such as patron inquires and manual ticketing of live stream concerts
• Attend in person weekly staff meetings at the office, location on Granville Island

 

QUALIFICATIONS:

• Excellent writing and editiorial skills
• Strong attention to detail
• Strong organizational skills
• Flexibility and ability to manage multiple projects and meet tight deadlines
• Ability to work independently and as part of a team (staff and board)
• Strong interpersonal skills
• Proficiency in Word & Excel or similar
• Access to own computer

 

 ASSETS:

• Proven experience as a Publicist or in a smilar role
• Strong network of media contacts
• Experience with InDesign / Canva / Photoshop or similar
• Familiarity with Constant Contact
• Familiarity with social media platforms and digital PR strategies
• Working knowledge of HTML
• Driver's License and access to a vehicle

 

Please send resume and cover letter expressing your interest and qualities to [email protected] 

 

Deadline is ongoing.