The first-ever Heritage Days celebrations will kick off this weekend and the Nanaimo Art Gallery will be part of the festivities.
On Saturday (May 16) the Nanaimo Art Gallery will be holding a special Art Lab called Heritage Day.
The Art Lab will be led by Celestine Aleck, a Snuneymuxw artist and cultural support worker.
Aleck will be sharing stories of the Snuneymuxw and leading a series of drawing workshops, where pastels among other mediums will be used.
Yvonne Vander Kooi, Nanaimo Art Gallery art education coordinator, said it is important to remember and share the history of all cultures.
“Heritage Days celebrates our past and our past is part of what creates the present culture,” she said. “I think it is important to look at all the different stories in our past and culture and not just one story.”
Vander Kooi said she wanted the Heritage Day Art Lab to focus on the forgotten stories of Snuneymuxw.
“That’s what inspired me to get in touch with Celestine because I think that some of the stories from Snuneymuxw have been missed or not told as much,” she said.
Heritage Day Art Lab takes place at 10:30 a.m. on Saturday.
Registration is $12 per child or $18 for two siblings.
For more information and to register, please call 250-754-1750 or visit www.nanaimoartgallery.com.
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