Nanaimo Art's Community Celebrates
Nanaimo Designated as Cultural Capital of Canada - Monday June 25, 2007
The Honourable Beverley J. Oda, Minister of Canadian Heritage and Status of Women, today announced that the municipalities of Morden, Manitoba; Sackville, New Brunswick; and Surrey and Nanaimo, in British Columbia, have been designated the Cultural Capitals of Canada for 2008.
“These four cities recognize that arts and culture are important to making a community stronger by contributing to the economy and quality of life they offer their citizens,” said Minister Oda. “Our Government is proud to work together with these highly dynamic partners. Not only will this distinction help encourage tourism in these cities, but it is my hope that it will bring them more private and public sector partnerships in order to benefit both the arts organizations and their audiences.”
The Cultural Capital of Canada designation is awarded for merit, as determined by the quality of a proposed project and earlier achievements of the candidate community that demonstrate an ongoing commitment to the arts and culture.
"On behalf of the people of Nanaimo, in the traditional territory of the Snuneymuxw First Nations people, it is a great honour for me to accept the designation of Cultural Capital of Canada in 2008." said Nanaimo Mayor Gary Korpan. "As a Cultural Capital, Nanaimo has a wonderful opportunity to Live our Culture by celebrating our cultural diversity and showcasing our energetic, creative and artistic people."
As a Cultural Capital Nanaimo will be “Living Our Culture” by celebrating our rich history and cultural diversity with 5 Celebratory Events involving a wide variety of cultures, disciplines and ages, engaging professional and amateur artists and 4 Legacy events
Celebratory Events in 2008:
1. Alive with the Arts of Many Cultures, June 21 (Aboriginal Day) to July 1st (Canada Day)
A Multicultural Arts Festival celebrating our rich cultural diversity, through a wide variety of disciplines engaging professional, amateur, emerging and young artists. The general public will experience the artworks and traditional activities arising out of our many cultures, and the Festival will include music, dance, storytelling, theatre, film, art displays and demonstrations, traditional wear and foods.
2. “From Coal Mines to Bathtub Races” A Summer Street–Theatre Festival, August 2008
A street Theatre Festival with scenes from TheatreOne’s legacy of commissioned world premiere plays based on several aspects of Nanaimo’s rich and fascinating history. The festival will include scenes from the plays “Being Frank” about Nanaimo’s former colourful mayor, “The Dunsmuirs” and “Black Apples” dealing with Nanaimo’s early history and the discovery of coal, “Best Left Buried” and the “Concubine’s Children” relating to the Nanaimo Chinatown history. The plays will feature local fascinating historical characters including Coal Tyee, Robert Dunsmuir and Brother Twelve.
3. Capturing the Music, April through November 2008
A series of concerts, workshop/clinics and competitions in a wide range of genres, capturing the colour of Nanaimo’s rich musical history. This will include professional and amateur concert band performances, a concerto competition for music students, a drumming extravaganza including styles of different nations, clinics, workshops and performances with the Nanaimo Secondary School Jazz programs, a summertime blues showcase for youth and the Port Theatre 10th Anniversary Celebrations A three-day community celebration of our award winning cultural facility with a Gala Concert showcasing the venue, the resident symphony orchestra and the Steinway concert grand piano.
4. Spring Break Youth Festival, March 17 to 22, 2008 – Spring Break
An Arts Festival inviting over 40,000 grades 7 – 12 students of Vancouver Island to participate in its two phases: a Competition phase in Literary Arts, Fine Arts, Music, Video Production and Computer Animation. Winning submissions will be showcased during the Festival week. The Festival phase will be held in Nanaimo with a variety of workshops and cultural activities.
5. The Arts of Momentum, May - June 2008
A collaborative exhibition by professional women artists from Shanghai and Nanaimo who first exhibited together at the Duolun Modern Art Museum in Shanghai in 2004, and then at the Nanaimo Art Gallery in 2006. The exhibition will now be expanded from 22 to 40 artists from both countries submitting works that reveal the diversity of approaches to art and the ‘Momentum’ created. The opening and reception will be done with full Chinese protocol.
Legacy Events:
1. Portals to Our Heritage, May 24 and 25, 2008
In partnership with the Snuneymuxw First Nation, we will create three ‘Portals’ along the shores of Nanaimo, which can be visited by canoe or kayak, as well as by walking trails. Major works of public art with audio and visual historical information will tell the story of the significance of the sites to the aboriginals. Mentorship programs will be developed for Coast Salish youth and emerging artists, to work with the master artists and to share traditional knowledge. An inaugural canoe journey with the Respected Elders, youth and the community at large will travel to the sites for sacred ceremonies, to open each ‘Portal to Our Heritage’. The Portals, and the ability to experience a canoe journey between them, will provide anchors for the Snuneymuxw and other First Nations, thereby preserving their cultural practices and traditional knowledge. The community of Nanaimo and all who visit will also be enriched by that knowledge, deepening a respectful relationship between our First Nations neighbours and us.
2. Giving Voice to our Diverse History, Fall 2008
Nanaimo’s new and expanded museum with a First Nations gallery as a new permanent exhibit, is scheduled to open early Fall 2008. Several events and two new general public and school interpretive programs and exhibits will be developed, one based on the existing exhibits of our coal mining, fishing, logging and mining industries reflecting the contributions of the Scottish, British, Chinese, Japanese and other cultures.
The other program based on the Snuneymuxw culture and traditional knowledge, will be developed by the Snuneymuxw Elders and youth, together with the Malaspina University-College First Nations’ Studies Program, with docent training and the preserving of the Hul’quminum language as a focus of the initiative.
3. Community Plan for Public Art, March - July 2008
The City of Nanaimo will create a community plan identifying sites designated for public art. The plan will encourage the creative, comprehensive expression of art throughout our revitalized, historic city.
4. Building Momentum, Friday, July 4 – Sunday July 6, 2008
A “Trade Show for the Arts & Cultural Sector” which will bring together organizations from all artistic disciplines to market themselves in a one-stop cultural fair for the Mid-Island region. Daily exhibitions will also bring the public downtown to the Arts District to view displays, demonstrations and participate in workshops and cultural forums. This will be developed in partnership with the Threatre BC Mainstage Festival in 2008 resulting in an expansion of this major special event for Nanaimo.
For more Information please contact:
Brent Meunier, Manager of Recreation Services or Bob Kuhn, Recreation and Culture Supervisor: 756-5200
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