Vancouver Meeting Planners Guide 2008-2009 - (Page 87) Entertainment, Arts & Culture Photography (left to right): Bard on the Beach Shakespeare Festival ©Bard on the Beach/David Blue; Festival Vancouver ©Festival Vancouver/Chris Cameron Vancouver has a thriving and exciting arts and cultural scene with unique festivals, world-class music and theatrical performances, exceptional galleries, and abundant events that reflect the city’s diverse cultures. Festival Fun Summer in Vancouver is a time to celebrate. Festivals and events happen almost weekly from May to October. Whether your attendees are interested in music, comedy or dance, they’ll find a festival in Vancouver. In May, the Vancouver International Children’s Festival features world-class performers from Canada and across the globe, plus plenty of handson activities. In June, the TD Canada Trust Vancouver International Jazz Festival brings jazz to the streets for 10 glorious days. In July, the Vancouver Folk Music Festival at Jericho Beach is always a big draw. The HSBC Celebration of Light fireworks festival takes place at the end of July, beginning of August. Festival Vancouver also presents a diverse collection of musical performances in August. What’s New Cultural Olympiad Cultural Olympiad is an annual festival of arts, culture and entertainment. It celebrates the contemporary imagination through a series of three festivals of arts, culture and creativity. In 2008, leading up to Vancouver 2010 Games, the festival launched the multi-year celebration with a dynamic, diverse program of more than 300 performances and exhibitions, created by a bold spectrum of local, national and international artists, in keeping with Vancouver Organizing Committee for the 2010 Olympic and Paralympic Winter Games’ (VANOC) objective of ensuring the community is central to the Olympic and Paralympic cultural experience. In 2009, the performances and exhibitions will take place from February 1 to March 21. vancouver2010.com/en/CultureEducation/ CulturalOlympiad Get in on the Act Metro Vancouver is a theatrical delight, hosting both innovative local acts and bigbudget Broadway musicals. On Granville Island, you can find productions ranging from international and Canadian drama at the Arts Club Theatre to improvisational comedy with the Vancouver TheatreSports League. The Centre for Performing Arts provides a state-of-the-art downtown Vancouver theatre venue for presentations and live entertainment. The famed Queen Elizabeth Theatre hosts large shows and Broadway musicals throughout the year. Next door, The Playhouse Theatre Company features fullscale theatrical productions. Another popular venue is the Arts Club Theatre Company’s Stanley Theatre. Originally built in 1930 as a vaudeville house, it’s now home to some of the hottest shows in town. For more cutting-edge theatre and dance, the Firehall Arts Centre offers some of the best. PuSh International Performing Arts Festival PuSh International is one of Vancouver’s signature events and will take place January 20–February 8, 2009. The festival presents groundbreaking performing arts: theatre, dance, music and various hybrid forms of performance. It attracts acclaimed local, national and international artists. It is a showcase of Canada’s best and an incubator of brilliant new work. pushfestival.ca The Outdoors Is Your Stage During the summer, there’s plenty of drama outdoors. Bard on the Beach showcases classic Shakespeare plays under canvas in Vanier Park with the sea and mountains as a backdrop. Vancouver’s multicultural heritage comes alive with exhilarating performances of dance by New Works under the shade of the trees at the outdoor stage at Vancouver’s favourite urban nook, Granville Island. Vancouver has a long history of supporting all areas of the performing arts. Unofficially known as “Hollywood North,” Vancouver’s beautiful setting is the location of choice for countless international films. But our interest in the arts isn’t limited to movies; we’re also passionate supporters of local theatre, dance and much more. 46 Circus Acts in 45 Minutes ©PuSh International Performing Arts Festival Bill Reid Gallery Opens The Bill Reid Gallery of Northwest Coast Art is Vancouver’s newest public art gallery and downtown’s home for First Nations art, culture and learning. Just steps away from one of Vancouver’s busiest intersections, the gallery is home to a number of permanent and featured exhibits showcasing the works of Bill Reid, one of Canada’s most renowned First Nations artists. billreidgallery.ca 87
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