Culture Days Manitoba is coming into its 9th year with a record-breaking number of events on September 28, 29 and 30, 2018. Culture Days will be celebrated in 26 communities, towns and cities in Manitoba and will feature 470 free activities, up 20 events from 2017, in a wide range of disciplines.
This year, Culture Days takes on a new central theme, #OnBeat, focusing on rhythm and highlighting how percussion permeates artistic expression universally. No matter your age or skill-level, Culture Days is a chance to try something new, revisit existing creative passions and build appreciation for arts and culture that will hopefully continue year-round.
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.
NUIT BLANCHE FEATURE PROJECTS
Impulse presented by the Winnipeg Arts Council, produced by Quartier des Spectacles (Montreal) and created by Lateral Office (Toronto) and CS Design. Impulse is a publicly activated light and sound experience made up of illuminated seesaws. When put into motion by people, the seesaws form units of light and sound to create an ever-changing composition powered by play. Impulse is an urban instrument where the public are the musicians and artists. By playing on the seesaws, you create a dynamic light and sound wave giving a pulse to the urban atmosphere. Impulse will be installed in Old Market Square in the Exchange District from September 29 until October 3.
CONTROL NO CONTROL by Colombian-born, Montreal based artist Daniel Iregui is an interactive LED sculpture that invites the audience to use their hands and body to act on its audiovisual patterns. Presented as a stranding monolith, simple geometric forms repeat to create patterns that are in constant movement as they wait for interaction. When someone approaches the monolith and touches the surface, the patterns react re-configuring its sound and visual properties allowing the person, or many, to create their own new patterns. As people explore different gestures and how the sculpture reacts to them, one can question - who is controlling who. CONTROL NO CONTROL will be installed in Bijou Park in the Exchange District.
Culture Days Manitoba and Nuit Blanche Winnipeg organizers are expecting over 50,000 attendees over the three days of Culture Days weekend.
For a complete list of Culture Days Manitoba and Nuit Blanche Winnipeg events and to create your personalized activity schedule, visit mb.culturedays.ca and nuitblanchewinnipeg.ca.
Culture Days Manitoba - Top 10 #OnBeat Events
● Storytelling Day featuring the Buffalo Gals Drum Group at The Forks in Winnipeg, MB
Buffalo Gals will lead 400 students to sing, dance, share and drum together. Lessons will cover discussions about the importance of drumming in Indigenous communities.
● Dancing Down Main Street in Flin Flon, MB - Dancing Down Main Street is exactly what it sounds like. Absolutely no experience necessary and pet friendly (if your pets like to dance.) This year, we are dancing to on original song "Summertime " by local Flin Flon musician, Evan Zach.
● Culture On The Crescent in Portage La Prairie, MB - Follow the beat of your heart and down the pathway of Portage La Prairie’s Crescent Lake for hands-on workshops, live performances and more.
● Piñatas on the Beat by MexYcan Association at Théâtre Cercle Molière in Winnipeg, MB Piñatas have been part of the Mexican tradition for hundreds of years, bringing celebration and joy to the people involved. Learn what they represent and their history through workshops and a piñata breaking celebration. (They’re also part of Nuit Blanche!)
● MB DANCE DAY at the RWB in Winnipeg, MB - A collaboration between Canada’s Royal Winnipeg Ballet, Dance Manitoba Inc., and Rainbow Stage invites all ages and levels to come together and to learn an original piece of Hip Hop choreography by three local Hip Hop choreographers culminating in a informal performance.
● Pictures at an Exhibit in Flin Flon, MB - Accomplished and acclaimed local artists, musician and improvisational expert, Mark Kolt, will musically interpret the visual art and current exhibition at the NorVA Centre. You've never heard art sound so sweet.
● Poetry Slam at the PHAC in Morden, MB - Get you “word” on at The Pembina Hills Arts Council! Friday night, the PHAC will open its door and invite community members for a spirited Poetry Slam.
● MASS Appeal - Percussion by Winnipeg Arts Council in WInnipeg, MB - Mass Appeal is public concert series. Anyone who wants to participate, can! Led by professional percussion Scott Senior (The Duhks, Trio Bembe), participants will learn how to play a series of songs on the spot. Bring your own instrument or use one of the drums provided.
● Dauphin’s Yardfringe in Dauphin, MB - Petal to the beat with a bicycle tour and be part of part of a collaborative art project, watch a short play, listen to a musical performance or sing-along, or try your hand at reader's theatre.
● Drumming to the Beat with Val Vint and WHEAT Institute at the Forks in Winnipeg - Join us in an Indigenous drumming circle with Metis cultural teacher Val Vint, who has been offering drumming and singing circles around Manitoba for 30+ years.
Nuit Blanche Winnipeg - Top 10 #NBWPG Events
● The Forks Parkade: A collaborative collection of art, design and film!
[RE]ROOF by Winnipeg Design Festival - Winnipeg Design Festival finale event will highlight local designers through Architectural In[stall]ations, furniture, fashion, music & more.
Gimli Film Festival Encore Screening - Check out two encore screenings from the 2018 Gimli Film Festival including GFF’s BEST OF FEST pick, Minding the Gap and Terror Nullius.
Wall-to-Wall Mural and Culture Festival Finale #2 - Don’t take the stairs, take the ramp! Walk along the rampway to see #walltowallwpg’s newest murals painted by Toronto artists Ness Lee, BirdO and local artist-mentees Rene “Twio” Marriott and Bria Fernandez.
● TELUS Network of Art at The Forks - Come explore Canada’s largest and fastest mobile network through an immersive art installation. Spanning 85 x 70 feet, hundreds of colourful spheres at varying heights will be strategically placed to resemble the vast landscape of Canada.
● Pop Up Pow Wow by Urban Shaman - BYOR (Bring your own regalia) & get #OnBeat with Sons of the Drum at our two, pop-up, outdoor, family-friendly locations in the heart of Winnipeg. The body of Indigenous regalia and dance encompasses a rich tradition of kinship and spirituality.
Location #1. Wall-to-Wall Finale at Main St. and Sutherland Ave. Location #2. Under The Canopy at The Forks
● Now That’s What I Call a 90s Sing Along - Frost your tips, rip your jeans, dunk your roos, pop your 90s dancemix in your discman and relive one of the weirdest decades by singing along to some of the best (and worst) hits of the neon 90s! Prizes for most 90s hair and outfit!
● Illuminate Your Creativity - Join Studio Central (a project of Artbeat Studio) at Central Park to get involved in a collaborative art project. Get painting with our glow in the dark face and fabric paints to fill in a stencil image created by one of our alumni artists. Plus take in an improv set and get cozy by the fire pit.
● Flow In The Dark - A black light yoga party, hosted by CBC Manitoba’s Marjorie Dowhos. You wear your brightest brights + whites. We provide glow sticks, neon paint + yoga mats. A DJ spins deep beats. And Yogi Marisa Cline guides a stimulating flow class. Together, we create an awesome night of yoga, music + art. Register for your spot!
● Nuit Noire AfroPeg at artspaceinc. - As Winnipeg grows, it’s home to a large population of Winnipeg’s Black community, Black Space Winnipeg hopes to create an evening that celebrates history, heritage and culture during Nuit Blanche. Nuit Noire will bring together a community to foster meaningful engagement and community development.
● Mini Nuit Blanche at the Children’s Museum - Come spark your creative learning after dark by enjoying free admission to the museum galleries! It’s going to be a magical night filled with bubbles! Who said bubbles were just for the bathtub?
● Nuit Blanche @ The WAG - Dig out your ripped tights, leather jacket, or a scrunchie and join us for a radical 80s celebration at the WAG. Take in art from the exhibition, The 80’s Image, dance with local DJs, watch retro music videos, and play a round of Pacman or Frogger in the classic game arcade. Don’t have any 80s attire? No problem! Create your own bedazzled accessories! The WAG is the official after-hours spot of #nbwpg and is open until 4 a.m.
The Winnipeg Trolley Company sponsored by Exchange District BIZ - Two Trolleys will be looping between the Exchange District, Downtown, The Forks, St. Boniface and the newly added zone the West End from 6 p.m. to 2 am
