Past Event Highlights

2012: A&C Playground ArtStarts Gallery in Vancouver

ArtStarts in Schools' event, A&C Playground, began with the theme of "playground" and invited guests to be carefree and have fun like we all did when we were young — and to bring that sense of play back into our daily lives. Greeted at the door by a cloud of red balloons hovering above some vintage typewriters, guests were asked to have a seat, take a manila tag and type out a personal answer to the question,"What do you miss about being a kid?" The tags were then tied to the balloons and sent up, up and away to be shared with others.

I miss creating an adventure out of every day experiences, running around barefoot. Everything seeming so big and full of  infinite possibilities.

Having Indiana Jones as my future career of choice.

Being fearless.The pure joy fruit roll ups gave me.

I miss painting and drawing secretly on the back of books.

While happily snacking on kettle corn, licorice and cookies, and sipping on ice cream floats, the crowd took in a performance by Mind of a Snail, who used an overhead projector to create mesmerizing stories projected onto a screen. Finally, a photobooth captured people's responses to the phrase, “Through Arts and Culture I...”

Read more on the ArtStarts blog and watch a video of the event.

2012: Community Banner in Lumby

Residents of Lumby got together to create a banner celebrating the community using upcycled materials. Twenty businesses also supported the project and their logos form a border to the banner entitled "Lumby: East of the Okanagan, West of the Monashees". Children at the Kid's Space after school program were among those who contributed elements, to the Lumby Banner such as copper salmon and miniature fence posts

2012: Young Art Student Show in Harrison Hot Springs

The Ranger Station Art Gallery in Harrison Hot Springs was proud to present artwork by young people in celebration of BC Arts and Culture Week.

2012: Artist Trading Cards in Vernon

The Vernon Public LIbrary hosted an hands-on artmaking event to create Artist Trading Cards. Much fun and creativity resulted from collaboration with fellow artists.

 

2011: A&C Mashup at ArtStarts Gallery in Vancouver

As part of BC Arts and Culture Week 2011, arts and culture lovers gathered at the ArtStarts Gallery for A&C Mashup where thirteen dynamic members of Vancouver’s arts community took to the stage to entertain, inspire and inform.

Directors of prominent arts organizations shared the spotlight with professional performing and visual artists. Though each of the presenters shared their thoughts and feelings about the arts from their unique vantage point, there was a common thread that ran through all that recognized the value of collaboration and the ability the arts have to inspire and connect people and create community.

The feeling of engagement continued after the presentations as guests took turns completing the sentence, “Because of the Arts I…”, with their responses then captured in photos.

 

2011: Fine Arts Night Extravaganza at HJ Cambie Secondary School in Richmond

Members of ArtStarts’ staff took the opportunity to visit participating schools to experience the spirit of the event first hand. At HJ Cambie Secondary in Richmond, we were overwhelmed and inspired by the sense of excitement and fun that had overtaken the school. Roving, costumed performers approached us in full character and with big smiles to invite us to their theatre performance, rows of lockers were plastered with artwork and the doors to the art classrooms were wide open, welcoming us to come in and explore. The entire school had been transformed into an exciting display of student creativity and artistic talent.