BC Culture Days is inviting artists and organizations to take part in the 2018 celebration.
The event is celebrating its ninth year on Sept. 28, 29 and 30. Artists, arts organizations, cultural and heritage organizations, businesses, and municipalities are all invited to open their doors to the public for a hands-on or behind-the-scenes experience, showcasing B.C.’s vibrant arts and cultural community.
“In 2017 there were 600 activities in 51 communities across B.C. We are pleased that we maintained our position as the third largest presenter of Culture Days activities in the country,” says Judy Robertson, BC Culture Days task force chair in her press release calling for entries.
Events should include the Culture Days themes of creativity, accessibility, and inclusivity in the arts by offering free interactive experiences to the public.
Activities can range from a hands-on workshop inviting people to create or try doing something themselves, to a collective creation project, where the public contributes to a collaborative act or work of art. In the past, many organizations, such as museums and theatres, have offered behind-the-scenes tours to offer visitors a peek at creativity in action.
Public art tours and cultural excursions have also been popular in communities where annual events are already in place. For those wanting to tie into already existing programming, public discussions or forums are another great way to get involved.
Culture Days is not only a celebration, but an opportunity to showcase what organizations do year-round, so why not get something together and invite people to come and see for themselves what you do and why you do it?
In line with the theme of connecting communities, Culture Days has also announced “OnBeat,” a collective drumming event bringing together thousands of Canadians from coast-to-coast, both in-person and online.
Across the country, communities, organizations, and individuals are invited to participate in OnBeat by organizing drumming and/or rhythm-inspired events during the Culture Days weekend. This could include activities such as a jam session, a dance workshop, a paint-to-the-beat event, a beat poetry slam, or even a DJ workshop.
In the Cowichan Valley, there are many groups that could fill this bill.
Those who register at BC.CultureDays.ca before July 31 will benefit from the support of a provincial and national publicity campaign. For more information, please contact BC Culture Days Manager, Nazanin Shoja at nazanin.shoja@culturedays.ca or 604-681-3535 ext. 214.
