BC Culture Days readies for month-long series of arts events throughout Metro Vancouver
The free hybrid festival focuses on reconnecting with community
Mexican Folklore Society. Photo by Adrian Ortega
BC CULTURE DAYS has announced details of its hybrid festival running September 24 to October 24.
The theme is RE:IMAGINE, with people asked to think of a brighter post-pandemic future enhanced with creative connection.
Chief Kwakwee Baker, member of the Squamish First Nation, shares a pre-recorded welcome ceremony, and there’s also a pre-recorded provincial proclamation from BC Minister of Tourism, Arts, Culture and Sport, Honourable Melanie Mark.
It all kicks off with a new video series called RE:GENERATE, showcasing the creative resilience of five remote or rural B.C. communities: Prince Rupert, Bella Coola, Sooke, Salmon Arm, and Kimberley.
Nine emerging artists working in dance, theatre, visual arts, storytelling, poetry, film, and music will act as cultural ambassadors and host a free, interactive event called RE:CONNECT.
“There is incredible strength that comes from the collective pursuit of creativity, beauty, and wonder,” Nazanin Shoja, BC Culture Days director, said in a release. “It forges friendships, unites minds, and supports communities. At BC Culture Days, our primary goal is to make cultural exploration and artistic expression accessible to all who seek it. We are incredibly grateful to the hundreds of artists and cultural leaders across B.C. who have joined with us in our goal by creating, hosting, and facilitating workshops, tutorials, and presentations. Together, we are working towards building a brighter future for all.”
BC Culture Days is the local offshoot of the nationwide Culture Days, which aims to raise awareness, accessibility, participation, and engagement of Canadians in the arts and cultural life of their communities through free, hands-on activities.
While more events will be added to the program right up to September 24, among the featured events in Vancouver are Together/Apart, Our First Conversation: Digital Art Show, Jam Out! With Her Tribal Roots, ART & VR Exhibition: An Immersive Journey in Virtual Reality, Vancouver Outsider Arts Festival; and Climate Solutions Film Festival.
In North and West Vancouver, look for WVAM! Drop-in Family Art Project and Silver Harbour Art Crawl and Pop Up Shop; among other events.
Richmond hosts happenings such as Art Journaling for Beginners; Drawing Jam! and StoryWalk(R) with Rachel Rozanski and Richmond Public Library , while Tri-Cities are hosting Art 4 Life Virtual Artist Talk & Reception and Upcycled Pop-Up Portraits with Dawn Livera in addition to other offerings.
Numerous other events are on offer in Surrey, Maple Ride, Mission, Aldergrove, and Abbotsford.
Visit culturedays.ca/bc for a full list of events.
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