By Staff
August 6th, 2020
BURLINGTON, ON
The City is going virtual and is calling for local artists, cultural professionals and creative organizations to host free, interactive online events and activities during the 11th annual Culture Days.
Scarecrows from the Burlington Student Theatre were on hand to see the Burlington Performing Arts Centre handed over to the community. Might we see them on our computer screens?
Culture Days is extending beyond the traditional Culture Days weekend to a more inclusive and interactive four-week schedule of activities. Kicking off Sept. 25 and running until Oct. 25, Culture Days invites everyone to participate in and show appreciation for arts and culture in their own community and nationwide.
This year’s theme is Unexpected Intersections – encouraging creative and outside-the-box thinking to reveal new avenues of discovery, learning, and expression. In light of the current situation with COVID-19, Culture Days recommends digital presentations, do-it-yourself activities and self-guided programs.
The Culture Days website encourages creators of every kind to showcase thousands of virtual and in-person activities. Visitors can find small-gathering or self-guided events near them, while going digital allows participants to virtually cross the country and discover live-streamed performances and other online presentations.
Culture Days encourages organizers to plan digital presentations. For in-person events, organizers should take a self-guided or pre-registered, limited capacity approach. Organizers must make sure they are following municipal, regional, provincial and public health guidelines in their jurisdiction. Ontario Culture Days has created resource pages for organizers and ways to discover Ontario arts and culture from home for audiences.
Event organizers may be eligible for funding through the Community Support Fund. The Community Support Fund combines existing grant programs to provide financial support to residents and community groups who want to enrich and connect the Burlington community through sport, recreation, art and cultural experiences. This is a one-time per year funding program designed to recognize the importance of supporting Burlington’s communities during these challenging times. By providing access to funding, the City is looking for innovative ideas to connect and enhance our community through events and activities that offer meaningful opportunities to strengthen and nourish community spirit.
If you would like to host a Culture Days event, register your event online with Culture Days at culturedays.ca. For more information about participating in Culture Days, assistance on finding a location for your activity, and possible partnership opportunities with the cultural boards, contact Adam Belovari at 905-335-7600, ext. 7335 or adam.belovari@burlington.ca by Aug. 31.
About Culture Days
Culture Days has become the largest cultural event in Canada, attracting an estimated 2.5 million annual attendees to thousands of free activities and performances hosted by artists, cultural organizations and municipalities in hundreds of communities across Canada. Burlington has been a little slow in getting on the Culture Days bandwagon – perhaps the virtual approach will be the nudge people need to take part.
Councillor Sharma in conversation with Angela Paparizo
Angela Paparizo, Manager, Arts and Culture urges residents to think about taking part: “As we plan for Burlington’s Culture Days in the midst of COVID-19, this is an opportunity for Burlington artists and cultural organizations to showcase their talents and engage our community. While Culture Days this year will look different, we have a rare chance to share Burlington’s arts and cultural community beyond our city. I encourage and look forward to once again working with the Burlington arts and culture community to present another successful Culture Days this year.”
Links and Resources
Culturedays.ca
Burlington.ca/culturedays
Community Support Fund
