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You are invited to discover the behind-the-scene world of artists, creators, heritage experts, curators, designers and other creative people in Nelson, Sept. 28 to 30.
Check out culturedays.ca and search Nelson under the activities tab to see what’s happening in the community. Everyone is invited to share what cultivating KootenayCulture means to them by hosting an activity free to the public, in their area of expertise. This could be something about dancing, singing, gardening, hiking, biking, being outdoors or local food — anything that represents the Kootenays to you.
Nelson on the provincial stage
Through a competitive process, Nelson was awarded the 2018 provincial opening, which will take place on Wednesday, Sept. 19 at several successive locations, showcasing downtown Nelson and featuring Kootenay Culture, with presentations ranging from music, dance, theatre, and clowning to circus, sports teams, and jump rope athletes.
In 2016, 70 per cent of arts organizations reported heir past participation in Culture Days led to increased public interest in their work. By participating in Culture Days, individuals, organizations and businesses find a unique opportunity to share what they do with the public, expanding on their current audience or clientele.
Culture Days participants report a better understanding of how artists and arts organizations make a positive contribution to their communities. They also find they attend more arts and culture events throughout the entire year than they would have otherwise. This is a way for us all public to explore and discover what goes on in our community.
Organizing an activity is easy
Activities can range from arts to heritage to local cultural recreation activities. They must be free to the public and offer some sort of interactive or behind-the-scenes experience. People who attend your activity should leave feeling they learned something.
These are the steps:
1. Create a cultural activity.
2. Ensure it’s free to the public.
3. Takes place during Culture Days weekend.
4. Encourages participation, engagement or dialogue.
5. Register at culturedays.ca under the activity tab.
6. Promote your activity on social media and in newsletters using the hashtags #findingawesome and #bcculturedays #onbeat
This year’s theme is #OnBeat, a collective drumming and rhythm-inspired event bringing together thousands of Canadians from coast-to-coast-to-coast, both in-person and online, to celebrate making the arts accessible, inclusive and fun. Maybe you have a way to add rhythm and music to your event.
Deadline to register is Sept. 14 but register early to maximize your event coverage on the Culture Days website. Register before July 31 and Culture Days will promote your business. Register before Aug. 10 and you will be entered into a draw for a week long screen ad at the Civic Theatre.