Your Stories Our Mission

Building community doesn't happen overnight, it takes all of us finding common interests, connections and having trust in one another. Your Stories, Our Mission is a year-long story-telling project that aims to use the power of the thousands of stories that make up our lives to build connections within our community. Together with our community partners, our goal is to weave a thread of stories through all of our events and activities and we're hoping you'll take part too! The act of sharing and listening provides genuine connection points, and the hope is to spark a small flame that will strengthen and grow through the year. Take part, build connections – your story is our mission.

Your Stories Our Mission Projects

Mission Record Music Release Party Invitation - October 4, 7pm Clarke Theatre

The Mission Record Music Release Party

Friday October 4, 7pm | Clarke Theatre

The incredible songs by our Mission Record Musicians, Patrick Anthony, Amy Van Bergen, Mackenzie Widdows and Miss Shauna have all been recorded and are being released to the world. Join us as we not only celebrate but get to experience a full concert event that speaks the the talent mission has to share with the world beyond our borders.

*Special Thanks to The Mission Community Archives

Friday August 23, 6:30-9pm Mission Leisure Centre Grounds

Join us for an evening of song and stories showcasing local Mission talent as they retell history through a lyrical lens. Featuring the debut of original songs by:

Patrick Anthony
Amy Van Bergen
Miss Shauna
Mackenzie Widdows

Free Admission & Food Trucks on Site

*Special Thanks to The Mission Community Archives

Behind the Scenes

Last year Mission Arts & Culture granted an artistic lens to our Municipal Forest and brought the trees downtown. Through the commissioning of street banners created by local visual artists, First Ave can be seen adorned in the fall with their incredible works of art. And in the name of “YOUR Stories Our MISSION” our year-long storytelling initiative, we decided to approach our community newspaper, “The Mission Record” in the same way, but with a musical twist. This is how “The Mission Record” Storytelling Project was born.

This past April we put a call out to our musical community to see if there would be an appetite to participate - and there certainly was! Over 15 musician/songwriters applied and not one musician was short on talent. The selection was not an easy task. Focusing in on the heart of the assignment, to lend a unique and artistic storytelling lens to our history, while showcasing Mission’s diverse style and perspective, we were able to select 4 local musicians and fortunately they agreed to take on this task!

Miss Shauna is a singer/songwriter, a dancer and a ballet teacher who grew up living all over Canada but found home in beautiful Mission, BC. She has spent her life dancing classical ballet and belting her heart out to the greats like Whitney Houston, Celine Dion and Alicia Keys. She’s released original music on all streaming platforms and has new music in the works ready to be released very soon!

With a passion for all things creative, Miss Shauna believes in the transformative power of art to uplift spirits and inspire change. Her music and art is more than just melodies. It is a celebration of love, resilience and life in all its facets; something to ignite hope, strength and potential in the hearts of her audience and students alike.

Mission Record Songwriter Mackenzie Widdows

Mackenzie Widdows is a local songwriter, and Arts advocate. Hailing from Vancouver Island, and living in Mission since 2002, Mackenzie creates colorful compositions designed to emphasize the joy of living.

He has worked as an Arts & Crafts specialist at various Summer Camps and released his award-winning debut album, Mackedamia, in 2019. Currently, Mackenzie is working on his second album, Back 2 Mackedamia, while fostering community engagement through the Arts.

Mission Record Songwriter Patrick Anthony

Patrick Anthony's sound grew from doing household chores to the tunes of Bruce Springsteen and Tom Petty, while belting out Ritchie Valens into makeshift mics. His indigenous connection to Leq'a:mel has strongly influenced his work since he picked up the guitar at 15.

Now 38, after countless late-night open mics and coffee houses, Patrick has dug into his craft and is striving to improve as a writer, singer, and performer. His introspective yet relatable music shines in energetic live performances, telling stories of love, relationships, and growing up.

Mission Record Songwriter Amy Van Bergen

Amy Van Bergen has been weaving melodies since childhood. Her musical journey began with a simple iPod voice memo, and today, her creative vault boasts over 200 original songs. From the early days of busking at local farmer’s markets, her practice has evolved to include intimate concerts showcasing her unique collection of original pieces.

Amy's songwriting is deeply rooted in storytelling, with a desire to transport listeners to new perspectives and experiences. And as a young artist, she is profoundly inspired by environmentalism and social justice. These themes often find their way into her music where she demonstrates her commitment to expanding her understanding and expression through music.

The artists all show profound heart and we’re looking forward to showcasing their original “Mission Record” works at both our Summer Wrap-up Party Friday August 23rd from 4-9pm on the Mission Leisure Centre grounds. As well as at a Clarke Theatre evening event on Friday October 4th. For more info check out mission.ca/events

In partnership with the Mission Museum, My Favourite Object was the project that launched the Your Stories Our Mission initiative. This community engaged digital installation located in the Leisure Centre lobby featured the beloved objects with a brief description as a means of a community wide "show & tell" initiative. We had 54 entries in total. Here are some of the highlights: