« The eighth annual Culture Days weekend brings rural and urban communities across Canada together to showcase our diverse cultural mosaic from September 29 to October 1. As the final hoorah for both the summer and the yearlong Canada 150 celebrations, Culture Days has extra resonance this year as Canadians participate in an eclectic range of free, hands-on arts and culture activities in virtually every community across the country. Culture Days will offer Canadians the chance to get behind the curtain of their local arts and culture scene for a unique and lasting encounter.

Visitors can experience a traditional blessing ceremony with the K’ómoks Nation in Courtenay, BC, sculpt with celebrated artists in Stratford, PEI, or let loose and learn to swing dance in Winnipeg, Manitoba. Sit in on a ballet premiere rehearsal in Vancouver, BC, while tweens become magazine publishers in Airdrie, Alberta. Preschoolers create in the kitchen making bannock in Flin Flon, Manitoba, and in Stratford, Ontario, anyone can let their inner superhero fly at mini-Comic Con. Add your touch to a collaborative mural in Carlingford, New Brunswick, or try your hand at Tipi raising in Regina, Saskatchewan. Whether discovering something new, or revisiting an old favourite, there’s something for everyone, everywhere.

“Culture Days has truly become a vehicle to celebrate and share arts and culture all across the country, in all its many forms,” said Aubrey Reeves, National Executive Director. “We are thrilled to see deeper integration in established hubs and the addition of many new exciting partners and communities for a plethora of events to choose from.”

THIS YEAR’S ACTIVITIES: Organizers expect more than 7,500 FREE Culture Days activities will be presented. Culture Days activities are curated and hosted by individual artists, organizations of all sizes and disciplines, community arts initiatives, municipalities and businesses. Activities span indigenous cultural traditions to new/digital media, fashion, crafts, music of all forms, and special Canada 150 fun. From culinary to literature, theatre to design and everything in between! Click HERE to search the full range of activities by location and type happening September 29 to October 1.

PLAN YOUR WEEKEND WITH THE BRIGHT SPOTS SCHEDULE: Creating a personalized Culture Days weekend itinerary of activities is made easy with the Culture Days Bright Spots Schedule. This innovative tool is generously made possible by Sun Life Financial through its award-winning Making the Arts More Accessible TM program.

« At Sun Life, we believe arts and culture should be celebrated within our communities and made available to everyone, regardless of their means, » said Paul Joliat, Assistant Vice-President, Philanthropy and Sponsorships, Sun Life Financial. “As a long-standing supporter of Culture Days, we’re pleased to play an important role in the success of this national program celebrating culture in communities across the country.”

Click HERE to get started. »

-from Culture Days press release