It’s time to focus our attention on the world of arts and culture as the province marks Alberta Culture Days Sept. 28-30.
Red Deer organizers have plenty in store for local residents to check out, all in an effort to emphasize just how important arts and culture are to our everyday lives.
One way the Red Deer Alberta Culture Days committee is planning to do that is by holding a ‘day without art and culture’ on the day prior to the slate of events running Sept. 28-30.
The full title of the designated day is Imagine a Day Without Arts and Culture, and organizers point out that the goal is to help show folks how deeply entrenched the arts are in day to day routines. Some of the ideas they’ve come up with include ‘blacking out the beautifully-crafted ghost statues that mark so many places across the downtown area.
Essentially, the goal is to encourage people to consider how bland and colourless the world would be without the richness and vitality of art. And sadly, artistic programs are often amongst the first casualties in times of economic restraint. Flipping on the TV, looking at photography, paintings, or the graphics on a computer game are all examples of someone’s spark of creativity. Imagine no landscaping, storytelling, drawing, books, posters, acting, symphonies, novels, festivals or architecture – the list goes on and on.
After the day without art and culture, of course, comes the days packed with samples of the arts. Everyone is encouraged to get out and enjoy a range of activities including the session entitled Tell Your Story: Writing Your Family Stories. One is set to run at the Dawe branch of Red Deer Public Library on Sept. 27 at 6 p.m. and another on Sept. 28 at 1 p.m.
The ‘Community on Mainstage’ concert runs Sept. 28 at 7:30 p.m. on the Arts Centre mainstage. The Sidewalk Chalk Art Festival downtown on Sept. 29 with several artists brightening up the downtown area with their intricate chalk designs. The Central Alberta Retired Teachers Association Art Show and Sale runs Sept. 29 at 9 a.m. in the Pioneer Lodge, and the Culture Show and Art Exhibit also is set for Sept. 29 starting at noon in the Scott Block Theatre downtown.
Family at Mainstage runs Sept. 30 on the Arts Centre mainstage as well. It runs from 2 to 4 p.m. Admission is free with a donation to the Performing Arts Scholarship Fund or the local food bank.
For more details about what’s happening, check out the Red Deer Culture Days facebook page, or visit www.culture.alberta.ca and click on the ‘find events’ link.
Opportunities like this – to enjoy local samples of arts – are important times to see what the community is up to when it comes to stirring up creative energies.
