This weekend is a great opportunity to get a free glimpse at the art scene in Manitoba with 470 free activities across the province. Culture Days Manitoba is celebrating its 9th year in 26 communities with a new theme #OnBeat, focusing on rhythm and highlighting how percussion permeates artistic expression universally.
In Manitoba, Culture Days thrives in many cities outside of Winnipeg and are featured as a “hub,” hosting ten to 150 free events. This year’s hubs include Dauphin, Flin Flon, Gimli, Morden, Virden, and The Pas.
“This three day event is an opportunity to create, participate and share arts and culture while building relationships and celebrating Manitoba’s diversity. We encourage everyone to rediscover their city or community as they explore the full range of Culture Days and Nuit Blanche activities,” says Mélissa Courcelles, Project Manager, Culture Days Manitoba and Nuit Blanche Winnipeg.
This year’s Culture Days and Nuit Blanche festivities will include visual arts, heritage, Indigenous arts and traditional practices, cross-cultural activities, educational tours, community street festivals, collective art-making projects, interactive installations, storytelling, avant-garde performance art and more.
Nuit Blanche Winnipeg (NBW), produced by Culture Days Manitoba with the support of the Winnipeg Arts Council, has two interactive feature works; eight juried selections and over 100 independently organized exhibitions, installations and events. On Saturday, September 29, attendees have so much to choose from during the dusk-till-dawn contemporary art celebration in Winnipeg’s Downtown, St. Boniface, Exchange District and the additional zone of the West End. NBW is focusing on bringing bigger, brighter and more interactive art installations, and providing attendees a safe and satisfying festival experience. This year, NBW will pack its full night of events into eight-hours from 6:00 p.m. until 2:00 a.m
NBW’s most popular meeting space, the Exchange District, will be transformed into an adult playground of interactive arts with two large feature works and several Illuminate the Night works funded by the festival’s Producing Partner, the Winnipeg Arts Council.
“The Winnipeg Arts Council is thrilled to partner with Nuit Blanche to present an exciting lineup of playful contemporary art that is free to all. The family-friendly spectacle of Impulse will be extraordinary, and we are looking forward to seeing the art and streets alive with Winnipeggers,” says Carol A. Phillips, Executive Director, Winnipeg Arts Council.