PuSh International Performing Arts Festival is off to the races with a special donor event, September 21

Festival celebrates lead-up to 20th-annual edition with fundraising campaign at Hastings Racecourse & Casino that features both a live auction and online bidding

SPONSORED POST BY PuSh International Performing Arts Festival

Rakesh Sukesh in because i love the diversity (this micro-attitude, we all have it). Photo by Irene Occhiato with artwork by Irene Narys from 2024 Festival.

PuSh International Performing Arts Festival has just announced its 20th Anniversary Celebration, which will commence in a special event on September 21 at Hastings Racecourse & Casino and run through the 20th-annual festival from January 23 to February 9, 2025.

The PuSh Festival is one of Vancouver’s signature events, showcasing innovative performing-arts works. Each year, it invites artists and audiences from Canada and beyond to engage in three weeks of transformative presentations.

“This milestone marks two decades of bringing audacious live art and boundary-pushing performances to Vancouver, and we are excited to commemorate this achievement with our dedicated supporters and new patrons,” said Keltie Forsyth, director of operations at the PuSh Festival, in a release.

In 2003, co-founders Norman Armour and Katrina Dunn envisioned a vibrant, mid-winter event series where Vancouver artists could forge relationships and opportunities with the rest of Canada and beyond. They saw the potential benefits of a dynamic interplay between disparate disciplines, arts patrons, and the city’s venues and creative communities. Today, their vision has come to fruition as the PuSh Festival has grown exponentially, now enjoying a highly regarded Canadian and international profile with over 11,000 annual attendees.

Inbal Ben Haim in Pli. Photo by Loïc Nys from the 2024 Festival.

The Festival has become an important animator of new creation, commissioning groundbreaking work while stimulating dialogue and exchange among artists and audiences. Each year, PuSh needs to raise $2 million to bring live performing arts from across Canada and around the world to Vancouver stages. One-third of this revenue is crucially contributed by individuals who recognize the unique value PuSh brings to the city.

September’s event will feature an exclusive and exciting live auction, offering select high-value items, with additional items available for online bidding via the PuSh Festival website. Through the fall, PuSh will launch a 20 for 20 fundraising campaign and set a goal to raise $20,000 for the Festival’s 20th anniversary, ensuring PuSh can continue to champion artistic innovation in Vancouver for years to come.

For more information about the event and to learn how you can support the PuSh International Performing Arts Festival, visit PuShFestival.ca or contact development@pushfestival.ca.

Post sponsored by PuSh International Performing Arts Festival.