A look inside the Comox Valley Songwriters Circle, a monthly gathering where local songwriters share their original works in a safe, supportive space.
Your heart has to break a little, your ego die, too
then you can hang out with the angels, teach them how to sing the blues
Delia, the white haired, belly-dancing beauty, sings this wisdom from her large, throne-like chair as she sits across from young Maddy, who later shares these words:
There’s a world out there waiting for me to toughen up
But there’s a child in my heart who won’t let me give up
A safe space for songwriters in the Comox Valley
“Anyone is welcome. The only requirement is that you have to share something original that you’ve composed.”
There are many reasons to love our Comox Valley Songwriters Circle, but probably what I love most is the beauty of learning from each other. And I don’t mean just learning how to write good tunes, I mean learning how to speak (that is, sing) from the heart. When you are brave enough to sing from your heart, you invite people to listen with their hearts . . . and to me, that is mission accomplished.
It takes a lot of courage to show up and share a song that comes from your own life. We experience the camaraderie of vulnerability as we go around the circle. Some of us have been writing for years. Some brand-new members come to share their very first song, and are grateful to have a safe, small audience to receive it.
How the songwriting circle works
The Comox Valley Songwriters Circle is a community of people who get together monthly to share songs we’ve written. Anyone is welcome. The only requirement is that you have to share something original (not necessarily new) that you’ve composed. Many of us use these gatherings as motivation to keep writing; there are often around eight or 10 of us and we usually have time to share three songs each. We don’t critique each other’s work, but after each song, we share a few positive comments about what stood out.
Twenty years of songwriting circles in the valley
The Comox Valley has had something of this nature for about 20 years. I originally heard of the concept when one was started by Helen Austin and we met at the Muir Gallery (now defunct). In early 2020, hungry for that kind of community again, I decided to start a new group. Unfortunately, this was right before the COVID-19 lockdown. We met at my house a few times, then had to move online.
Once we could gather again, we got together at The Cumberland Studio and various houses until I heard about Artful : The Gallery, run by Kristina Campbell. We landed in this lovely space in February of 2024, and are so happy to be welcomed by such a kind soul (and to be surrounded by amazing local artwork) each month.
“When you are brave enough to sing from your heart, you invite people to listen with their hearts”
Where the songs go from here
Some of us will take these songs and share them with the wider public, while others are content to keep them within our cozy circle. Either way, we are tending our creative gardens together and giving our ideas a place to be nurtured, to grow, and to bloom. There’s that saying that goes, “It takes a village to raise a child,” and I believe it also takes a village to nurture an artist. I am very thankful for how this song circle allows me to care for like-minded souls in our abundantly creative community.
