By youth, for youth: Renewing VIBE’s creative vision with the 9th annual VIBE Arts Fest: Revive the VIBE
“TORONTO, ON (May 19-23, 2017) — VIBE Arts Fest is a FREE, five-day Youth-Led Arts Festival, presented in the Young Welcome Centre at the eco-friendly and sustainable Evergreen Brickworks, showcasing young Toronto talent from a variety of VIBE Arts’ children and youth oriented programs, and the city at large. This year’s festival will also include a visual art gallery featuring artwork from VIBE Arts’ emerging artists and program participants, a performance arts showcase headlined by RISE Edutainment, a pop-up artist vendor market, as well as interactive art activities open to the public throughout the festival.
VIBE Arts Fest 2017 is an eclectic mix of transitions titled “Revive The VIBE.” This year’s festival is an exploration of a person’s journey to finding their voice, identity and truth, starting with ‘Awaken’, moving through ‘Discover’, ‘Dismantle’, and ‘Redefine’ into ‘Freedom’. Each day’s interactive programming is an invitation to explore what these themes mean personally and communally to members in the city of Toronto. Also featuring artwork created in VIBE programming across the city, VIBE Arts Fest celebrates the creativity of youth communities within the city.
Evergreen Brickworks is located at 550 Bayview. Free Shuttle buses depart from Broadview Station. www.evergreen.ca
VIBE Arts Fest: Revive The VIBE is open and free to the public.
Schedule Activities and events throughout May 19th- 23rd
Visual Art Gallery (May 19-23, 2017)
The gallery exhibition will display artworks designed and created by artists such as Shawntol Drakes, Hive&Honey and Camelle Davidson along with the art produced by children and youth involved in VIBE Arts programs as well as emerging artists.
Artist Pop-up Market (May 21-22, 2017)
Over 16 different local artists and art collectives will be selling their artwork and products in the Young Welcome Centre at a special two day pop-up market! The market will run from 10 am – 4 pm on each day.
Performance Showcase (May 20, 2016)
On May 20th from 1:00 PM – 3:00 PM, children and youth participants from VIBE Arts’ school and community programs will perform live! This year’s line-up includes hip-hop, African drumming performances by young participants from schools like Rockcliffe Middle School, and fashion showcases from VIBE’s Platform A micro-grant recipients! This year’s headlining act is RISE Edutainment! RISE – Reaching Intelligent Souls Everywhere, works with youth primarily in Toronto’s east end, to showcase self empowerment through the performing arts. RISE is currently nominated for the Arts for Youth Award by the Toronto Arts Foundation.
To learn more about RISE, please visit www.riseedutainment.com
About VIBE Arts
VIBE Arts is an award-winning charitable organization that is committed to engaging young people living in neighbourhood improvement areas with high-quality, accessible arts educational programs that are meaningful, relevant and collaboratively developed with community and education partners. VIBE Arts positions arts programs in schools and neighbourhood venues as a means of building community, and empowering children and youth to reach their full potential as artists and social contributors. To learn more, please visit http://vibearts.ca or call us at 416-929-9314.
About VIBE Arts Fest
VIBE Arts Fest is a youth-led festival that celebrates the artistic skill and impact of Toronto’s young people and emerging artists. The 2017 festival is organized and run by a volunteer youth committee of six people, many of whom are artists themselves. VIBE Arts Fest is the continuation of an annual event previously known as BIG BAM BOOM. This transformation launches a rebirth and new vision for the festival to maintain its original values of positive impact for VIBE Arts’ program participants and bridging communities, while also expanding its audience and engagement.
VIBE Arts youth performers and families look forward to the festival each year. To learn more about the VIBE Art’s Fest and the VAF Volunteer Youth Committee, please visit www.vibeartsfest.ca. Contact us via festival@vibearts.ca or by phone at 416-929-9314.
We honour and acknowledge the original caretakers of this land: Mississaugas of New Credit and the Haudenosaunee Confederacy.”
-submitted by VIBE Arts
Read VIBE Arts profile in ArtBridges’ Community-Engaged Arts Directory and Map
