Far More Film: Chat teens spoke out in an extraordinary documentary in February. Sex't Up Kids, shown on CBC's Doc Zone, drew attention to the porn industry and its accessibility.

When Miss Representation, a film about the progress of women in government and industry in the last decade, was shown in April at the Raven's Cry, it offered another milestone of awareness for the full house audience.

Alison Denham and Billy Marchenski created their show and multi-media performance based on a visit to Chornobyl's nuclear disaster, and they presented it at the Arts Centre in May.

Diego Samper's Panopticon was a visually spectacular look at art in a Colombian prison. It premiered on the Coast at the studio of Steve Wright who soundtracked the film. Citizen, a web series by Mattbox Media, was filmed in lower Gibsons using some local actors among the stunt guys.

In August, the Heritage Playhouse rolled out the green carpet for a showing of a heartfelt film about Gospel Rock by Roberts Creek film-maker Veronica Alice. Throughout the year, the SC Film Society continued its lively series, and it included a showing of environmentally conscious, green films. Velcrow Ripper, formerly of Gibsons, was on the spot during the Occupy movement in New York and he released his film Occupy Love in time for the Vancouver International Film Festival in September.

Actor Aaron Pearl of Sechelt continued his lengthy professional career by starring in Christmas Miracle, a made-for-TV movie.

More Melodies: Musician Lowry Olafson found a new groove with his ThemeShop sessions for business and non-profits. As a songwriter, he helped others generate their own songs.

A February music festival took a break from wind instruments and showcased string music instead. The Rakish Angles were a highlight.

Many performers were adjudicated in the 39th Annual Festival of the Performing Arts, held at various venues. The Sunshine Coast Youth Orchestra was invited to perform and be adjudicated at the Whistler Music Festival.

The Steve Giltrow Quartet launched their first real, professional CD in March, while delightful diva Dora Brooks gave her homecoming concert for the SC Music Society in June.

In May, Bad to the Bow, the next generation of Coast String Fiddlers, released their CD at the Heritage Playhouse, much to the joy of their director Chelsea Sleep.

The Blues Festival rocked the Garden Bay Pub and other outdoor venues this year while the Gibsons Landing Jazz Festival brought crowds to Dougall Park.

Because June was a biannual choral festival year in Powell River, three of the choirs who would be attending the festival also performed on the Coast. One of them, a Kenyan girls' choir, were almost prevented by visa difficulties, but at the eleventh hour they were able to perform at Gibsons United Church. The Celtic Music School re-opened in Roberts Creek after a one-year hiatus and gave a terrific concert at Rockwood.

Christenson Village took on an interesting heritage project, Across the Lines, led by Bruce Devereux and Steve Wright, to record the sounds and voices of care home residents.

All year long the voices of the Metropolitan Opera could be heard at the Raven's Cry in a series of live-by-satellite presentations. Manager Deb Proby added theatre from London and ballet from Moscow to their offerings.

The SC Community Orchestra made musical history when all three ensembles, the Suncoast Concert Band, the Symphony Orchestra and the Youth Orchestra were conducted by women: Janice Brunson, Edette Gagne and Kathleen Hovey.

Pender Harbour enjoyed its reputation for good music with a season of performers offered by the Music Society.

In August, the annual Chamber Music Festival in Madeira Park drew full audiences to the Performance Centre under the direction of Alexander Tselyakov, while the Pender Harbour Golf Club was the scene of a rock and country weekend of music. The Pender Harbour Jazz Festival enjoyed good weather for their outdoor jazzapalooza shows that included some local musicians such as Coast Anagram.

The Song Circle group that alternated locations in Davis Bay and Gibsons sang out a variety of international songs for the joy of it — but also to raise funds for a village in Kenya.

The Coast Recital Society enjoyed a well-attended season closing the year with music for piano and cello.

Coast Phoenix Singers gave their farewell concert of Christmas classics in December announcing that they will merge with Suncoast Singers. The Christmas season was celebrated in song by many choral groups: A Cappella Strait, Choralations and the Pender Harbour Choir, including a special sing-a-long version of The Messiah at St. John's United.

Yup, another busy year! Onward to 2013.